MAHCR-Maryland Association for Health Care Recruiters

As a recruiter and former nurse manager, I’ve learned from nursing students and graduates that internships and externships have great value for developing professional competence and confidence.

Names for these programs vary from organization to organization, but generally internships are designed for new graduates, while externships are for current nursing students.

INTERNSHIPS DEFINED

INTERNSHIPS are special orientation programs for new nursing graduates. These vary in length based on several factors, including the hospital itself, the specialty area in which you are working, and the acuity of the patient population served.

Some internships only orient participants to the unit for which they are hired; others provide a series of rotations for helping new nurses explore their skills, abilities and interests. At the completion of this type of internship, you can usually expect to be interviewed for your final unit of hire or to be given a choice as to which unit you feel best suited to work in.

These programs are often preceptor-based, meaning you will work with one or two preceptors who monitor your progress and help you learn.

EXTERNSHIPS DEFINED

EXTERNSHIPS are generally taken by nursing students during the summer months before the senior year of their nursing program. Many hospitals offer these programs to allow future nurses to enhance their skills under the direction of a preceptor. Elements of externships vary from state to state based on board of nursing regulations and hospital policies, but participants are usually able to practice similar skills as they would in school. Since I have never heard a nursing student say they’ve gained too much experience, it’s clear externships offer excellent opportunities for increasing clinical competencies and confidence.

In addition to offering additional experience, externships offer a chance to get your foot in the door with a prospective employer while assessing an organization to see if it is a place you would like to work after graduation.

Even if you choose not to remain with the same hospital or if you aren’t offered a position, you still gain an advantage when interviewing for positions at other organizations. That’s because nurse managers generally give preference to graduates who have completed this kind of program over those without similar experience. This is especially true if the externship was in the same specialty for which you are applying.

GET THE SCOOP

When considering an intern- or externship, it is important to learn as much as possible to get the most out of the experience. Here are some key questions to ask when deciding whether a particular program will meet your needs:

What will I be allowed to do as part of this program and when may I do it?
How much will I be paid and what benefits, if any, are included?
What is the structure of the program? Will I rotate through several units or stay exclusively on the unit that offered me a position? How long does the program last? Are there classes along with the orientation in the clinical setting?
How many preceptors will I be working with? How will my performance be assessed and how often will I receive feedback? If I do not feel comfortable with a preceptor, is there an option for making a change? If so, to whom should I speak about doing so?
Will I be allowed to evaluate the program and my preceptor(s)?

If well implemented, internships and externships provide a great start for your career and are ideal for increasing your confidence and professional competence. You have chosen a wonderful career with endless opportunities that will last a lifetime and make a real difference in the lives of those in your care. So investigate these programs and make sure you’re getting the most out of your chosen profession.

Terry Bennett is the director of nurse recruitment for Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Baltimore, and is a member of the Maryland Association for HealthCare Recruitment.

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