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Externships for Nursing Students

The Nurse Extern Program at St. Jude is an employment opportunity for nursing students interested in pursuing a career in pediatric oncology nursing.

Apply for the Nurse Extern Program

Extern roles are valued at St. Jude and give nursing students the opportunity to acquire valuable skills and knowledge working with experienced nursing staff in a highly specialized pediatric oncology environment. These programs enable nursing students to build valuable professional relationships, as well as help in making informed decisions regarding specialized practice based on actual experience with nurses, patients and their families, all within the unique mission-driven environment of St. Jude.

Summer Nurse Externship

Nursing students complete the Summer Nurse Externship either in the summer before their junior or senior year of nursing school. This externship is eight to ten weeks long. Our Summer Nurse Externs complete a series of classroom sessions where didactic information is combined with innovative simulation to help increase pediatric nursing knowledge. Additionally, this group of externs participates in team building and enculturation activities to support a deeper engagement with the local Memphis community and St. Jude.

  • When: June-August
  • Duration: 8-10 weeks
  • Extern Level Available: Extern I or Extern II
  • Timeline in Nursing School: Within 24 months of graduating
  • Application Window: February 1 - March 1, 2024
  • Candidate Notifications: By April 30, 2024
  • Start Date: June 2024
 

Nurse Extern Experience at St. Jude

  • The extern will attend a new employee orientation and a Nursing orientation.
  • An experienced nurse will provide preceptor/mentoring in assigned clinical area.
  • The nurse extern will provide care to the patient including therapeutic play or sitting with the patient when needed; help order meals; baths; linen changes; provide relief for patient or guardian and take non-routine vitals when needed

St. Jude offers nurse externships in the following areas:

  • Bone Marrow Transplant
  • Hematology
  • Infusion Center and Acute Care Clinic
  • Intensive Care Unit
  • Intermediate Care Unit
  • Oncology
  • Outpatient Clinics
  • Surgical Services
 

Requirements

You are eligible to apply if you meet all the following criteria:

  • Completed Fundamentals of Nursing in an accredited school of nursing
  • GPA of 3.2 or higher
  • Extern I: within 24 months of graduation from an accredited school of nursing
  • Extern II: within 12 months of graduation from an accredited school of nursing

How to Apply

  • Apply online at talent.stjude.org. Search Extern I or Extern II depending on how many months you have until graduation.
  • Upload a resume, letter of interest and an unofficial copy of your transcript.
  • You must include your expected graduation date.
  • Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Applicants not selected for the current open externship will need to re-apply for future nurse extern openings.

Apply for the Nurse Extern Program

 
 

Answers to Common Questions about Nurse Externship

Nurse Externs 2022
  • This is a paid externship.
  • This externship does not offer benefits.  
  • This externship does not cover the cost of housing, but St. Jude may be able to connect externs with housing options, based on availability.  
  • If you are about to graduate from nursing school, explore our Nurse Residency Program.
  • Due to HIPAA and patient privacy laws, St. Jude does not allow shadowing.
 
 
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