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Summary

This position is intended to serve as a transitional opportunity for nursing students who have successfully completed their first year of study and will be entering their final year in good standing within an accredited nursing program in the upcoming fall semester. The Student Nurse Extern (SNE) function is to assist with and provide quality nursing care. Perform routine patient care and assist in maintaining a safe, clean environment. They may also perform advanced skills under the direct supervision of a Registered Nurse preceptor. Ensure adherence to Hospitals and departmental policies and procedures. Works with other members of the patient care team to deliver care to patients in age groups including newborns, infants, children, adolescents, adults, and geriatrics.

Experience

Must have positive references and validation of successful completion of fundamental nursing skills as listed in the Nursing Fundamentals Skills Checklist from the faculty member/clinical instructor responsible for an acute care clinical course from their junior year or the program director from their school of nursing.

Care partner experience is preferred but not required.

Education

Minimum of completion of junior year in nursing school (or equivalent if a 2-year program) with a GPA of > 3.0. Completion of first semester acute care clinical course. Must be enrolled in a Nurse Extern clinical course from an approved affiliated nursing school. Must be intending to graduate from nursing school within the next academic year and be eligible to apply for the Nurse Residency program upon graduation.

BLS Certification required.

Essential Functions

+ Essential duties and other responsibilities will be carried out independently once competency has been established by a preceptor. Duties and responsibilities may include but are not limited to the following:

+ Provide basic patient care.

+ Obtain and record vital signs, pain assessment, weight, height, and intake-output measurements.

+ Perform routine treatment procedures, assists with specialty bed functions

+ Assist and accompany patients in the admission, transfer and discharge process.

+ Collect, label, and transport specimens.

+ Make rounds, addressing patient requests, performing basic patient/family tasks, report and record changes in condition or behavior of patients or unusual incidents, within scope of training.

+ Adheres to Hospital Policy on the application and monitoring of the patient when restraints are employed

+ Student Nurse Externs may complete the following tasks under the direct supervision of a Registered Nurse preceptor:

+ SNE may obtain Point of Care testing following Laboratory protocols.

+ Perform or document assessments (i.e. physical, pain, fall risk, Braden scale)

+ Perform, assess effectiveness, or document patient education

+ Retrieve, prepare, administer, or document any medications, including but not limited to immunizations, oral medications, topical creams/ointments, inhaled Perform IV care, including starting/stopping IV fluids, assessment of IV sites, starting IV fluids, regulating IV flows, connecting IV tubing to patient, flushing IV or saline locks

+ Insert foley/straight catheters or NG tubes

+ Administer NG/G/J-tube feedings

+ Suction nasopharyngeal, oropharyngeal, endotracheal tube, or tracheostomy tubes

+ Perform tracheostomy care

+ Perform chest tube, pleural catheter, or ventriculostomy tube care

+ Sterile/non-sterile wound care

+ Specimen collection

+ Isolation precautions

+ incentive spirometry supervision

+ Surgical/procedural preps, including skin care and administration of cleansing or Fleets enemas

+ Postmortem care

Other Duties

+ Comply with policies and procedures of the hospital/nursing department.

+ Represents the hospital to patients/families and health care team in a professional, courteous manner while being sensitive to how others perceive both verbal and non-verbal communications.

+ Answers telephone promptly and politely, and demonstrate proper phone etiquette by identifying self, title, and department.

+ Supports the philosophy of the hospital and department of nursing.

+ Demonstrates willingness to accept non-routine work assignments as appropriate.

+ Demonstrates cost-effective patient care by demonstrating proper use and care of equipment, appropriate and prudent use of supplies, accurate charging of supplies, performing other division-specific tasks, and appropriate utilization of available resources.

+ Demonstrates initiative in completing work that needs to be done as defined in areas of responsibility.

+ Recognizes emergency situations and initiates plan of actions.

+ Participates in performance improvement activities to improve service and care.

+ Report potential or actual patient safety concerns, and/or near misses in a timely manner.

+ Enhance professional growth and development through participation in educational programs, reading current literature, attending in-services, meetings, and workshops.

+ To expand clinical knowledge and skills.

+ To familiarize themselves with the hospital environment.

Pay rate ranges from $17.00 - $23.85 per hour.