Nurse Extern Hiring

**NICU Guy, BSN, RN** · Jun 18, 2014

So your school doesn't place you in an externship (Capstone)? I am in an ABSN program and we listed our top 3 hospitals that we want to go to and top 3 units (specialties). The school got most of us our top choice hospital and unit.

mk989 · Jun 19, 2014

Unfortunately that isn't in my program...some of the schools nearby have that option (co-ops). If I had done even more research when applying to schools, I would have considered that more.

Do you (or anyone else that reads this) have other types of positions in mind that I could apply to to get similar clinical experience?

I am listing myself as a babysitter right now. I am frustrated that all my hard work hasn't paid off and demonstrated my seriousness in pursuit of this profession. Especially since this is a second degree for me, I have invested so much time and money.

I am 25 y/o and really want to get my feet off the ground.

BusiestBSN · Jun 19, 2014

I would consider making your radius more broad if you have not already. Apply to as many hospitals as you can, especially hospitals you have had clinicals at where you might have connections.

**NICU Guy, BSN, RN** · Jun 22, 2014

I don't know of any else that will get you the experience that you want, I can only speak for my unit. The unit that I am, NICU, doesn't have regular nursing student clinicals. The only students allowed on the unit are Capstone(externships) students. I am not sure what other units will allow. You can get a student nurse intern job at a hospital. It will get you a foot in the door to the hospital, but you will not get any clinical experience. It sucks that your school doesn't provide for that type of experience. I think it is a very good opportunity to see if you can retain and use the knowledge and skills you learned in school while having a nurse there to make sure you are safe. I feel I have a lot more autonomy than I did in regular clinicals. She is present for all med administrations, but otherwise they are my patients and my responsibility for their care.

203bravo, MSN, APRN · Jun 22, 2014

OP - are you looking for a summer extern position or talking about a final semester capstone?

If summer extern - I found in my area that most hospitals drastically cut the number of externs they hired because of budget constraints and those few positions seemed to have gone to sons and daughters of current staff members or some other preferred candidate... don't take it personally -- remember it is business and you will not always get every job you interview for..

applesxoranges, BSN, RN · Jun 22, 2014

In my area, a nurse extern is a job like nursing assistant and preceptorship is what the schools contract with hospitals to send students through. In my area, you should apply after a first semester towards the end of a 2nd semester for best chances of getting a nurse extern spot. Otherwise you would be too close to graduation to be "useful" to the hospital to train you.

zzbxdo · Jun 24, 2014

I had a whole response but lost it by accidentally pressing back on my phone.

1 Don't expect a shoe in in anything, that is arrogance on your part

2 you can find jobs without one, you may not be the most competitive but most do not have those experiences. How many people have that in your class? Where are you in terms of competition as a whole?

3 you're a senior look into CNA jobs or put more energy into leadership experiences.. Like sit as a CNA officer or something.

4 expand your radius when you graduate, be mobile if you can. If you rather stay local, don't, not for too long at least. Depending on where you're from and your nursing market, you don't want to be an old new grad and finally give in to relocating after a year has passed.

mk989 · Jun 24, 2014

Thanks for the responses! I have broadened my radius. Currently I have something in the works with an Adult NP. Although it isn't paid, I am excited for the learning experience.

I guess the take home message from this is apply early and apply to EVERYTHING. I thought I had applied to enough with 3 positions (surely one would work out).

To any one reading this, I applied to spots late (given that's when those ones went up that is in March). Apply early, apply to the spots where apps are do in December (if anything it's at least good practice for more applications).

There are about 150 to 200 students in my class overall. GPA wise I have to be at the top...although I don't advertise my grades to my peers they often tell me. I was often the one teaching my classmates in class and clinical (the ones who got the positions). Leadership/team wise I ran college XC and track, worked aftercare at a special education school, coached at a sports program for special needs children, tutored Science courses (for years), conducted research (I won second place in my senior thesis), and helped run a small restaurant.

I am just going keep chugging along. The experience I have the Adult NP will definitely be good to have.