Are you looking for a way to make your new career as a nurse thrive? If so, then a nursing internship is a great place to start. The internship programs are designed to provide graduate nurses with a comprehensive orientation to a specialty unit in order to create a seemliness transition from nursing school to nursing practice.
Not only do nursing internships or residency programs train and prepare graduate nurses to provide competent, safe, and effective nursing care; internship programs also teach graduates how to apply therapeutic communication, critical thinking, professionalism, and legal and ethical skills to the clinical area.
In these training programs, graduate nurses are able to practice the skills they learned in school, acquire new skills, and continue to develop these skills in a non-threatening, supportive environment.
Although the objectives of nursing internship programs differ across the country, all internship programs have the common goal of preparing new graduate nurses to function as a competent professional nurse.
Contents
Benefits of Nursing Internships
Experienced Preceptor
Nursing internship programs give you the chance to work with an experienced RN preceptor. RNs who agree to taken on the role of preceptor to a new graduate nurse have an important role in mentoring other nurses into the profession.
Experienced nurses who volunteer for this position use their expert clinical knowledge, empathy, care, and support as they introduce new graduate nurses to the tools of the trade. Participating in a nursing internship program means you will be paired up with someone who is not only experienced in working in that specialty area but also passionate about helping develop novice nurses.
Interactive Learning Opportunities
Many internship programs have interactive learning opportunities where you can team up with other nurses (experienced and novice) to participate in hands-on learning. These activities can range from classroom didactic training to clinical simulation labs in order to enhance and build your skills.
While some programs meet weekly, others assemble together monthly for learning seminars. Internship programs can last anywhere from the first 6 months to the end of your first year of employment.
Enhanced Specialization
When applying for a nursing internship you will be able to choose from a variety of specializations. Receiving advanced training in nursing will help build your resume and give you more opportunities for career advancement.
Some common nursing specialties include:
- Critical care
- Operating room
- Medical-surgical units
- Obstetrics
- Pediatrics
- Oncology
- Emergency department
- Mental health
Builds Confidence
Nursing internship programs build a novice nurse’s confidence in their ability to provide safe and effective patient care. Having a mentor and team of other individuals to support you during this learning curve in your career will boost your confidence as a practicing nurse.
Graduate nurses who participate in internship programs tend to have an easier transition to becoming a professional than students who did not participate in internship programs.
Encourages Professionalism
Meeting with experienced nurse leaders will help you learn how to apply the theoretical nursing principals you learned in nursing school to real-world situations.
Evidence-based practice is encouraged in internship programs and your preceptor can help you uncover how research is disseminated into nursing practice. You have heard a lot about holistic nursing care and your mentor will help you develop the skills you need to have to provide holistic nursing care in an efficient manner.
Nursing internships are geared to provide graduate nurses with a comprehensive orientation to a specialty unit, develop therapeutic communication skills, improve in time management abilities, learn the principals of proper delegation, practice critical thinking skills in a non-threatening environment, and develop clinical nursing skills specific to the specialty.
The overall goal of nursing internships is to improve the novice nurse’s experience in order to increase job satisfaction and the quality of patient care.
How to Locate Overseas and Local Nursing Internship Programs
It is better to start looking for internship programs early because there are a limited number of spots in each program. You can begin by searching online for opportunities both in your area and overseas. Your classmates and instructors are also a great resource you can turn to to help you locate local nursing internship programs.
Working in today’s health care system requires a nurse to make complex medical decisions in a timely manner. Starting your career in an internship program is a great way to prepare for the experiences you will face as a nurse. As you can see there are many benefits of participating in a nursing internship program.
If you are getting ready to graduate from nursing school and looking for a unique opportunity to successfully transition from nursing student to professional nurse consider applying to a nursing internship program. You can start by visiting nursing internships overseas or at indeed.com