Nurse Extern Program
Owensboro Health offers an 8-week program giving 
students hands-on experience in an exciting healthcare environment.
Your tests, lab work and late-night studies have prepared you for this opportunity: a chance to work elbow-to-elbow with some of the best nursing professionals in the business. The Owensboro Health Nurse Extern program offers you real-world healthcare experience that can help you take the next step in your career.
Our program provides a structured environment that allows you to participate directly in patient care and to hone the skills you’ll need to become a true nursing professional. And you'll earn a paycheck while you're at it!
About the Program
Requirements
- Enrollment in an accredited registered nursing program
- Entering your last year of schooling
- Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above (on a 4.0 scale)
Admission
Deadline to apply for 2013 has expired.
The admission process includes two steps:
- Apply for an extern position through our online Career Center
- Send your official transcripts and a letter of endorsement to:
Salanda Bowman
Registered Nurse Recruiter
P.O. Box 20007
Owensboro, KY 42304
OR
Email to salanda.bowman@owensborohealth.org
Qualified applicants will also be interviewed for extern positions.
Skills You MAY Perform
We want you to experience the nursing profession in the most realistic setting possible, but Owensboro Health requires that certain legal and safety restrictions be followed for purposes of patient safety and professionalism.
Nurse externs are allowed to perform any act that is routinely part of a nursing assistant’s job description. Also, pending approval of school faculty of compentency, nurse externs may also perform skills that have been taught in nursing education programs.
You must be “checked off” on these skills by Owensboro Health nursing staff before you may perform them without direct supervision in our facility. These skills include:
- Application of heat and cold
- Discontinuance of IV therapy
- Urinary catheterization (male and female)
- Suctioning (nasotracheal, nasopharyngeal, tracheobronchial)
- Nasogastric intubation and irrigation (lavage)
- Glucose monitoring
- Sterile dressing changes
- Central line dressing change
- Tracheostomy care
- Insertion of needle/catheter into vein
Skills You May NOT Perform
- Administration of medications
- Receipt of verbal orders
- You may not independently assume the role, function or responsibility of licensed personnel and may not substitute for licensed nursing staff.
Work Hours
- 8-week program
- Day shift only
- Student works mentor's schedule
- Maximum of three 12-hour shifts per week times eight weeks; maximum of 24 shifts for the summer
- Additional hours as a nursing assistant may be available with management approval.
Questions?
If you have questions or need additional information regarding our Nurse Extern program, please contact us.
