Nurse externship question

[NewOrthoNurse]

I have an interview for a nurse externship in a few weeks and I was just wondering if anyone could give me some pointers on how to prepare for it. Also, what do y'all think is a good area to do the externship in? I really have no idea what kind of nurse I want to be. I'm leaning towards ICU or ER but I don't even really know what that means, just based off what I have read that they do. The hospital does offer the externship in the ICU and ER but do you think that would be too advanced for someone who is only halfway through nursing school? The externship is a year long (24hrs/week may-august, 12hrs a week august-april) and you are pretty much guaranteed a job at the hospital if you are successful. If you do think those would be too hard any suggestions or experiences would be great! Thanks!

[sjalv]

I cannot comment on the interview as my externship did not require one.

I chose to do mine in the ER because it was only for a month and I wanted to get the most experience with skills as possible. I was also interested in the ER so that helped. If it had been a year long, I likely would have gone for a med/surg unit. My friend did the same externship I did but she did it in the med/surg unit of the hospital, and she saw a varied patient population and got to do a lot. I did too, only in the ER I wasn't "assigned" patients like she was on the floor. I kind of just followed around the nurses and techs and offered to help when I could. If I had done med/surg, I would have been paired with a nurse each day and assumed care of their patients alongside her. So it would have been a bit more structured.

Of course each hospital does its externships differently and I am by no means saying my experience in the ER wasn't a good one. I learned a lot and did more IV's in one 12 hour shift than I had done in my entire nursing school experience. But your time management and prioritization skills will increase tenfold if you have your own patient assignment like you probably would on the floor. I cannot comment on the ICU, however I don't know how much an extern would get to really do because the patients are in critical condition and you are not yet licensed. That assumption is based on my opinion alone though and not experience.

I wish you luck in whatever you choose. Being an extern is a great experience and you're lucky that yours lasts for so long!

[zzbxdo]

If it's offered to you after your interviews, then you'll probably be fine. The panel and only the panel can give you more details about about the requirements during your interview. So of course they are going to ask you what rotations you have already done or what is required. Hours wise it'll be doable. Don't stress over what you can't control. Interviews are gonna be based on skills and experience vs behavior. You can google the later.

Choose what you're want to do. At the very least you'll have the acute care experience and eliminate that it's an area you won't be interested in.