Welcome back to our Ask-a-Nurse corner. One of our learners asked, “Do you believe nurse externships are beneficial during the school year for nursing students considering the time balance?” Read on for Nurse Liz’s helpful advice on deciding whether a nursing externship is the right opportunity for you.
There are often externship opportunities in hospitals and other settings in either the summer prior to your senior year of nursing school or during your final year of nursing school. These can be a great way for you to gain experience, get your foot in the door, and be paid while still learning! They are beneficial to the hospitals too, as it helps the nursing students to become familiar with the systems and ways of working and students who work as externs are more likely to stay at that hospital even after graduation.
While these are great benefits, a nurse externship may not be the right decision for everyone. Be sure to inquire about how much time is required on a weekly or monthly basis and then weigh that with other competing demands, like class time, clinical time, studying, and other home or work responsibilities.
– Nurse Liz
Elizabeth Lucas, EdD, RN, CNE, is the Senior Nursing Content Manager at Osmosis.
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