To extern or not to extern?

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Specializes in Critical Care.

I'm currently a junior in an AP BSN program, in the fall I will be a Senior and will be graduating in the Spring. The program is online and year round so I don't get the summer off, but my assignments and coursework and study time has been mostly easy to manage (not that it's easy, but I'm juggling it all pretty well and my grades are solid, so I think I could handle this). I have exams at my clinical site most Wednesdays and 12 hour clinical days every Thursday and Friday. I am currently ending my mental health rotation and will be starting med/surg next week. I am really interested in applying for an externship that has been offered at the hospital less than 2 miles from my house, I could really use some clinical experience and I would love to work there after graduation, so I also want to make some good connections. I didn't work in healthcare before nursing school so I have no prior experience or connections to help me find employment after graduation. I'm wondering if anyone out there in Allnursesland has successfully tried juggling an externship while in nursing school not on summer break but in the middle of the semester? I'm not sure how they work exactly, will they work with my schedule or is it more like a full-time job? Am I allowed to apply for a "summer externship" even though I'm not on summer break? I don't want to apply if I cannot commit to the program so I'd appreciate any insight or advice. Thanks!

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If you can handle it, definitely do the externship. You will have a better chance of getting on at the hospital if you make a good impression and they know you. Networking and experience will help you in both the long and short run of things.

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I am in the middle of a nursing program and my hospital let's me works more during the summer as we have summers off but during school they allow per diem employees to work one day per week. I am in school Monday thru Thursday so i usually work Friday or a saturday. Good opportunity but hard to come by. In my area you will have 4 or 5 hundred students applying for handfulsof positions. Take one if you cacan get one. Not only will you get more comfortable with patient care but you will hopefully have a position when you graduate. Good luck.

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I will be applying for externship next semester. Though I only plan on doing it per diem. My program is accelerated (no summers off here too), and I wouldn't want to jeopardize my grades or study time. But if you feel you can handle it, then go for it! You will gain a lot of experience, and getting your foot in the door somewhere isn't bad either. I say go for it!

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I'm currently a junior in an AP BSN program, in the fall I will be a Senior and will be graduating in the Spring. The program is online and year round so I don't get the summer off, but my assignments and coursework and study time has been mostly easy to manage (not that it's easy, but I'm juggling it all pretty well and my grades are solid, so I think I could handle this). I have exams at my clinical site most Wednesdays and 12 hour clinical days every Thursday and Friday. I am currently ending my mental health rotation and will be starting med/surg next week. I am really interested in applying for an externship that has been offered at the hospital less than 2 miles from my house, I could really use some clinical experience and I would love to work there after graduation, so I also want to make some good connections. I didn't work in healthcare before nursing school so I have no prior experience or connections to help me find employment after graduation. I'm wondering if anyone out there in Allnursesland has successfully tried juggling an externship while in nursing school not on summer break but in the middle of the semester? I'm not sure how they work exactly, will they work with my schedule or is it more like a full-time job? Am I allowed to apply for a "summer externship" even though I'm not on summer break? I don't want to apply if I cannot commit to the program so I'd appreciate any insight or advice. Thanks!

I think the externship can be a great idea if you can handle the schedule. Externship usually requires at-least 2 shifts per month. Sometimes people in traditional programs cannot even commit to 2 shifts per month. If you can commit to the schedule and do well on your shift then I say go for it.

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Do it if you can. It is a great opportunity.

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