Winter 2026 Nurse Externship

Nurse Extern

The Nurse Extern is responsible for assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluating nursing care for an identified group of patients in assigned patient care area under the direct supervision of a Registered Nurse. Other duties as assigned.

Key responsibilities include:

• Assessment:
  The Nurse Extern collects comprehensive data pertinent to the patient's health and/or the situation.
• Nursing Diagnosis:
  The Nurse Extern analyzes the assessment data to determine the diagnoses or the issues.
• Outcomes Identification:
  The Nurse Extern identifies expected outcomes for a plan individualized to the patient or the situation.
• Planning:
  The Nurse Extern develops a plan that prescribes strategies and alternatives to attain expected outcomes.
• Implementation:
  The Nurse Extern develops and implements an identified plan that addresses the care needs of the patient.
• Evaluation:
  The Registered Nurse evaluates progress toward the attainment of outcomes.
• Quality:
  The Nurse Extern will practice under the direction of the Registered Nurse, the organization's guiding principles and patient safety standards.
• Collaboration:
  
  Initiates patient care above and beyond assigned tasks:
  Participate in and support organizational and unit-based projects and initiatives. Reinforce initial teaching by Registered Nurse. Demonstrates a proactive approach to meeting all patient needs beyond designated assignment. Works with the care team to promote positive patient outcomes. Participates in completion of self and peer evaluation in a timely manner. Other duties as assigned.
• Communication:
  In the process of patient care, the staff member shall consistently; use appropriate communication with patient, family, and co-workers. Demonstrate respect for the rights and property of patients and co-workers. Demonstrate written, verbal, and non-verbal communication skills with other members of the health team.
• Shared Governance:
  Actively participate, is able to articulate the vision, framework, and goal of the organization Nursing Shared Governance. Participate in unit-based staff meeting and additional hospital committees during evaluation period. Role model behavior that supports Performance Excellence.

Qualifications include:

• If in a 4-year program, a minimum experience of two acute care medical-surgical clinical rotations (or one medical-surgical rotation and one clinical rotation which is pertinent to the clinical area applying for) from an accredited school of nursing is required. If in a 2-year program or accelerated/direct entry, must be in or have completed one medical – surgical clinical rotation along with pertinent work experience is required.
  
  In addition, at least one of the clinical rotations must have included medication administration.
• Nursing courses/clinicals must have provided theory, knowledge and experience in providing patient care, performing patient care procedures and techniques, as well as knowledge and experience in performing physical assessments, gathering of history data, development of nursing care plans and medical record documentation
• Experience of six months or more as a nursing assistant is preferred.
• Currently enrolled in an accredited School of Nursing is required, or a graduate of an accredited School of Nursing prepared to take the NCLEX or waiting to retake the NCLEX exam for a second time.
• Ability to read, write, understand, perform simple arithmetic, and follow directions related to basic patient care.
• Interpersonal skills necessary to interact with patients, visitors, and physicians in a courteous manner.
• Ability to complete simple comparisons between numbers.
• Ability to show experience in 60 percent of essential functions.
• Ability to concentrate and pay attention to detail for 80 percent of work time when performing basic patient care tasks.
• State of Wisconsin Nursing Assistant Certification is preferred, otherwise must provide documentation from an accredited school for professional nurses indicating successful completion of the basic nursing course which encompass all of the criteria noted by the State of Wisconsin administrative code.
• American Heart Association (AHA) Basic Life Support for the Healthcare Provider (BLS) or an AHA approved equivalent.

Physical demands include:

• Job classification is exposed to blood borne pathogens (blood or bodily fluids) while performing job duties
• Manual dexterity and hand-eye coordination to perform patient care procedures
• Ability to walk and stand for up to 80 percent of work time and to lift and position patients for up to 20 percent of work time.

Work environment includes:

• Frequent exposure to sharp objects and instruments
• Occasional exposure to moving mechanical parts, fumes or airborne particles, toxic or caustic chemicals, and risk of electrical shock
• Occasional high noise level in work environment
• Standing and/or walking for extended periods of time
• Transporting, transferring, positioning patients and/or equipment from one location to another; little likelihood for injury if proper body…