Nurse Extern vs Nurse Specialty Tech: Respond quick I go to work at 7pm!!

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I was wondering what's the difference on your floor between the nurse extern and the tech. I just started on a L&D floor as a extern but I'm not really getting the experience I thought I would. I spend my time cleaning rooms after delivery, setting up and restocking rooms, answering phones and taking patients to the mother/baby unit. I thought being an extern would be more like clinicals, where I can shadow a nurse, learn charting,maybe hang IV bags, do assessments watch and hopefully help the nurse with procedures. If it is a gradual incline to do these things I need it to speed up because I graduate in May and want to get as much experience as possible on L&D. Let me also add last night was my first night but that shouldn't matter we didn't stock rooms or etc. during clinicals. Don't get me wrong its good the learn the equipment but I'm ready for the next level, like NOW :D

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

You should be asking your charge nurse and/or manager this question, actually. They should have a written, spelled-out plan how orienting people should go, and a checklist of skills each should be competent to do by their role, e.g. RN, LPN, OR tech, students etc.....

Good luck.

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Specializes in L&D, OR, Med/Surg.

On our unit there is definately a difference between a Tech and an extern. Our techs function as techs, and the externs are assigned to an RN who they work with the entire shift.

Right now I have an extern on a regular basis - 2 days a week, and this is her second semester with me. She plans to work L&D when she graduates next year, and has also been a labor doula for years. Now that I have had her for a while, I allow her to do as much as possible within her scope. With permission of the pt I allow her to do all she can, and then I check behind/with her. I tease her and tell her that I will be her assistant!

It is a great experience if you can find an RN who will take you under wing as an extern. I was fortuante enough to find a willing soul to do that for me, and now I am passing my good fortune on by teaching someone else!

PS...try talking to the supervisor of the unit and ask if you can follow an RN instead of functioning as a tech. Good Luck!

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

I do agree about following an RN. You, after all, to be a nurse, not a tech.

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Specializes in med/surg/tele/neuro/rehab/corrections.

In our ER the tech did a tech job and the extern shadowed the nurse and did what a nurse was expected to do.

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It sounds like you work at TMH. I was a nurse extern too, and I've only heard of one floor where the nurse extern works as a NURSE extern and not a nurse specialty TECH. This is how's it's going to be. The part that really sucks is you actually get paid about 2 bucks less an hour than a NST but basically do the same work. It's tough but it may help when you graduate that you've had some acute care experience of some sort

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Yea I do work at TMH. How did you guess? I talked to numerous nurses and they told me that yea they say you will work with a nurse but you're really a tech. I'm just like if you're going to work me as a tech I want to get paid as a tech!!!!! This is not really doing me any good if I'm graduating in May. I may as well wait until preceptorship. BUt I'm going to stick it out and try to get as much experience and hands on as possible and continue to get pimped on the salary!!!!!! But I'm also going to talk with the nurse manager tp express my concern.

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I was an extern and loved it because I worked with an RN all the time. How are the nurses on your floor? Can you ask the charge to work with an RN? I did a little tech work when we weren't busy with patients. I pretty much did everything except give meds. Hope it turns around for you.

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I guess I need to talk with the nurse manager. But it seems its alwasy been this way according to the nurses I've talked with. I guess I'll try my luck and see what they say. I love the job so far but I'm about to graduate in May so I want to do everything a nurse does, with supervision ofcourse, and with their guidelines.

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