News

Nineteen Student Nurses Complete Extern Program at Beebe

08/29/07

Nineteen nursing students from college and university nursing programs in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware, as well as from the Beebe School of Nursing, recently celebrated the completion of an eight-week Nurse Extern Program at Beebe Medical Center.

The Nurse Extern Program gives nursing students the opportunity to have "real-life" experience in several different hospital areas including the Emergency Department, outpatient surgery and medical surgical units, the Critical Care Unit, the Cardiovascular Step-down Unit and at the Tunnell Cancer Center.

The students shadow registered nurses and are not directly responsible for patient care. However, they are treated as team members and are able to ask questions and develop skills that will help them in their future nursing careers. One-hour, weekly classes also are incorporated into program allowing for discussions of topics such as quality methods, communication, and critical-thinking. The students will return to school in the fall to complete their final year of nursing school.

Beebe Medical Center's Education Department and Marge White, Ph.D., Vice President of Patient Care Services, organized the program. Susan E. Oswalt, RN, MSN, Director, Women's Health Services, and Jennifer L. Hargreaves, BA, RN, Clinical Education Specialist, coordinated the program.

In order to be eligible, applicants must be enrolled in a state board of nursing approved program. They must also have competency in performing basic health care tasks and have completed specific course work with a GPA of 80 percent or greater.

The Nurse Extern Program places emphasis on developing and strengthening skills required in the field of nursing. Some of these skills are: responsibility, assessment skills, patient advocate, time management, delegating, prioritizing and organization skills, as well as open communication with patients and co-workers.


"This program gives the student nurses an excellent opportunity to work in a clinical setting and get a sense of what it is to be a nurse," says Dr. White. "It also helps them to develop positive relationships with peers, and to gain the confidence and skills to go forward to the next step in their career."


Caption: Back Row Left to Right: Nancy Wilson, Beebe School of Nursing; Kristie Mitchell, Beebe School of Nursing; Jenna Riddle, Beebe School of Nursing; Sara Hengel, University of Delaware; Alyson Hinkle, University of Delaware; Rosanna Long, Beebe School of Nursing; Kim Willoughby, Beebe School of Nursing. Left to Right Front row: Virna Martin, Delaware Technical & Community College; Kaylynn Gland, Beebe School of Nursing; Stacy Challman, Beebe School of Nursing; Barbara Lee, Beebe School of Nursing; Krista Carpenter, Wilkes University, Pennsylvania; Emily Harman, University of Pennsylvania; Megan Evancho, Rutgers. Not shown: Kim Faust, Beebe School of Nursing; Amanda Mummert, York College, Pennsylvania; Nan Bell, Delaware Technical & Community College; April Hufford, Beebe School of Nursing; Kelly Thomas, Beebe School of Nursing.

Beebe Medical Center is a not-for-profit community medical center with a charitable mission to encourage healthy living, prevent illness, and restore optimal health with the people residing, working, or visiting in the communities we serve. For more information, please visit us online at www.beebemed.org