VCU Health CMH offers Nurse Extern Program

Published 1:36 pm Wednesday, August 24, 2016

Six registered nursing students participated in the “Nurse Extern Program” offered by VCU Health Community Memorial Hospital this summer.

The Nurse Extern Program at VCU Health CMH is designed to give registered nursing students who plan to graduate next year the opportunity to work side-by-side under the supervision of a registered nurse mentor. It is a 10-week program and allows the nurse externs to rotate to different nursing units of their choice. The students get hands-on experience working with registered nurses. The program helps to prepare them for their senior year of nursing school and the role of a registered nurse in the workforce.

The nurse externs described their experience as a wonderful and great learning adventure. They stated, “We really felt like we were a part of the VCU Health CMH health care team and everyone was very helpful. It boosted our confidence tremendously and it was an awesome experience to have the opportunity to apply what we have learned in school.”

The nurse externs had many nursing stories to share and reiterated that they were glad they took the time this summer to participate. They completed the program stating they would strongly recommend it to other registered nursing students.

This was the 12th year that VCU Health Community Memorial Hospital has offered the program.

“We are pleased that we can offer this opportunity to registered nursing students,” said Hazel Willis, RN, BSN, VCU Health CMH nurse extern coordinator.

“It has been a positive recruitment tool to attract nurses to VCU Health CMH upon graduation. The nurses that attended the program previously and joined the VCU Health CMH nursing team after graduation described the transition from nursing student to registered nurse as already feeling as if they were a part of the dynamic health care team at VCU Health Community Memorial Hospital. We encourage other nursing students to take advantage of the program next summer to better prepare themselves for the workforce and for their senior year of the Registered Nursing Program.”