Summer Externship at St. Joseph's

by Kayla Jimenez

When the fall semester of Junior year finally arrived, I began searching for externships in northern New Jersey and decided to apply to five different hospitals. After getting all my applications, transcripts, and letters of recommendations sent, I patiently waited for a response with my fingers crossed. After waiting a few weeks, which felt like an eternity at the time, I finally received a call from St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center's Nurse recruiter for an interview. I was offered an extern position the day after the interview on the floor of my choice, Labor and Delivery (L&D). I was overwhelmed with joy when I discovered the great news and could hardly wait for summer to arrive.

On May 16th, 2011—the Monday after my last final—the 12 week student nurse externship program began. I worked three 12 hour shifts each week alongside experienced nurse preceptors, and attended weekly lectures on various nursing topics. I cannot begin to describe how great of a learning experience I received as a student nurse extern. As an extern I was able to learn new concepts and skills unique to L&D that went far beyond the experience I gained within my maternity clinical rotation. While working at St. Joseph's, I learned the ins and outs of triage on L&D and the intense nursing care involved in working with labor room patients as well as patients undergoing cesarean. Within my first week in the program, I realized that L&D is a great nursing environment to learn and work in because it gives experience working with adults and infants in various settings such as the bedside, operating room, and post-anesthesia care.

During my experience this summer, I saw a glimpse into my future as a nurse because I was able to interact in all elements of the patient's care, whether independently or as a shadow of my preceptor. I had the opportunity to perform new tasks such as putting patents on the fetal monitoring system, phlebotomy, collecting specimens, inserting Foley's and straight catherizations, and setting up the sterile delivery table. I can now take great pride in my ability to accurately interpret fetal monitor tracings, which add valuable insight concerning fetal wellbeing as well as the frequency and duration of the patient's contractions. I was able to fine tune my assessment skills as well as finding my place as a patient advocate and educator. There were many times in which I consoled patients who were experiencing tremendous pain and helped them find ways to manage their contractions through deep breathing exercises and other nonpharmacologic techniques.

Although I spent the majority of my externship becoming proficient in caring for laboring patients, I was also given the opportunity to spend a few days on the antepartum and postpartum units including a day in the newborn nursery. These experiences were truly invaluable to my nursing experience and knowledge as a student and helped me discover my passion for the maternal-child nursing environment.

Applying for student nurse externships was the best thing I have ever done for myself. The experience I gained this summer is something I could not have gained within our 6 hour clinical sessions during the semester. I am thankful to have had the opportunity to work as a nurse extern for St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center in Paterson and to have now been offered a per diem position as a Patient Care Associate (PCA) during the upcoming school year. If you're considering applying for a nurse extern position, go for it. It's definitely worth it.