Graduate Nurse Internships

allnurses Guide · Feb 23, 2012

You will want to start watching the hospital websites in March and going forward from there. Most of the Texas hospitals will hire months before graduation happens. If you wait to start looking or apply until after graduation you will likely have missed the internship boat.

I have no answers on the other questions re: benefits and salary. I encourage you to apply EVERYWHERE. Usually things like benefits and salary come up in the interview. If you are fortunate enough to have more than one offer you can compare those things at that time to help you decide which to accept.

Best of luck to you and congratulations on your last semester.

stash11 · Feb 23, 2012

Thank you so much for your fast response, I'll start looking at them soon, I don't graduate till next year, but trying to get all the information I'll need before that time, I try to plan ahead :-)

Thanks again

kwaziness · May 7, 2012

Looks like you posted this a few months ago, but I thought I'd answer anyway. If you graduate in May, you really should start this whole process in the December before you graduate. Do NOT wait until you graduate!!!!! The ideal scenario, no matter what industry you're in, is to have a job lined up BEFORE you graduate.

First, you need to polish your resume and think about which professors you want to ask for letters of recommendation. Next, you need to research, research, research! I would say an ideal job for a new grad would be an internship, rather than an entry RN job. You are going to get an orientation no matter where you work, but an internship is ideal. You should search for where internships are being offered, and be aware of when applications open and when are the deadlines. Even if the applications don't open until March, be proactive and visit the HR departments beforehand and ask about the program they offer there. I did this at one facility and the HR people remembered me when I came to interview. This gives you an edge! Good luck and let me know if you have other questions!

kwaziness · May 7, 2012

In terms of the retention question... many places that offer internships do require the new grad to sign a contract. The whole purpose of the internship is an investment to attract and retain qualified nurses. It costs the hospital money to have these internships, so they want to make sure the nurses in these programs will actually stay and work at the hospital when the internship is over. If you leave before the contract is over (many are for 2 or 3 years), you have to pay THEM the prorated amount that it cost to have the internship in the first place. For example, if it cost them $10,000 to have the internship and you leave 1 1/2 year into the contract, you must pay them $5,000 or else they could take legal action against you.

I don't know which hospitals are the best in terms of pay, benefits, etc. That sounds like it requires a lot of research and the info is not available all in one place. Sorry

Hope this was helpful :nurse:

stash11 · May 7, 2012

Hi kwaziness

Thank you soooo very much for your detailed response. Yes I will be graduating next June so I will start looking early maybe like October this year. For places like MD Anderson, Methodist and St. Lukes, do their internships come open before December? I would like to be the first in :-)

Please I have a few questions: how much do they pay for new grads? Do you let you work nights and weekend shifts right away?

Please any other info you can provide me would be very helpful, please pm me if you can I would love to learn more.

Thanks again

kwaziness · May 7, 2012

You're welcome!

I have no idea when each of those individual places open up because I did not apply there, but I have classmates who did and I can tell you it was definitely not before December!!! We all pretty much used the Christmas break to fine tune our resumes and then started the application processes immediately when we came back from the break (January).

In terms of pay, the new grad range is typically between $21-$26 depending on the institution and the location. Night shifts are usually between $3-$4 more. I don't know if they let you work weekend/night shifts immediately. That sounds like more of a managerial question specific to each institution.

One other thing... I think calling those places is the best bet, because trying to navigate the websites of some places is highly frustrating. Just give HR a call. You get it from the horse's mouth, if you know what I mean!

stash11 · May 7, 2012

Hi

I totally hear you on that one and will start calling before the end of the year to get info from HR

Thanks

earthcrosser · May 7, 2012

October is a bit early. Anything up in October will be for those graduating in December. At the start of next year, like February though April, you should generally see the applications for internships that will be for your graduating class.In the mean time, fine tune your resume and have some letters of reccomendation ready to go when it's time to apply.Your schedule will vary based on each individual hospital/program.

stash11 · May 8, 2012

Hi Earthcrosser

Thank you so much, any ideas what I should focus my resume on? I have worked in oil and gas for a little over 10 years, volunteered at a hospital for some months, have a masters in health administration and I'm very goal oriented. Not sure what it would take to capture their attention?

Any advice?

Thanks

kwaziness · May 10, 2012

I think I may have given you some wrong information! I talked to one of my professors and regarding the contract that you must sign, it is only in the case if they give you a sign on bonus or some other financial incentive to work there. Not merely because of the internship program itself.

Sorry for the misinformation! :specs:

stash11 · May 10, 2012

Hi Kwaziness

I thought as much :-) thank you for being so kind to repost, I'll keep that in mind

Please keep me posted on any new developments,

Thanks again