The program gives nursing students the opportunity to have real-life experience in several different hospital areas including the Emergency Department, outpatient surgery and medical surgical units, Critical Care Unit, Cardiovascular Step-down Unit and Tunnell Cancer Center.

“We were excited and honored to have had 16 great nursing students join our team for the summer extern program,” said Vendla Esler, RN, BSN, MBA, CNAA, BC, vice president of Patient Care Services. “This program enables the nursing students to immerse themselves in the patient-care environment and experience the nurse’s role post graduation. It is a great experience for us and for the externs.”

The students shadowed registered nurses and were not directly responsible for patient care. However, they were treated as team members and were able to ask questions and develop skills that will help them in their future nursing careers. One-hour, weekly classes were incorporated into the program, allowing for discussions of topics such as quality methods, communication and critical thinking. The students will return to school in the fall to complete their final year of nursing school.

Beebe Medical Center’s Education Department and Cheryl Graf, director of employment and development, coordinated the program. To be eligible, applicants must be enrolled in a state board of nursing-approved program. They must also have competency in performing basic healthcare tasks and have completed specific course work with a grade-point average of 80 percent or greater.

The program places emphasis on developing and strengthening skills required in the field of nursing. Some of these skills are responsibility, assessment skills, patient advocate, time management, delegating, prioritizing and organization skills, as well as open communication with patients and co-workers.

“Having the externs here is a great opportunity for them to learn and for us to see them in action. It is a win-win situation,” said Graf.