News

Nursing Students Gain Valuable Experience At Beebe Medical Center

08/06/08

Nineteen nursing students from college and university nursing programs across the East Coast, as well as from the Beebe School of Nursing, recently celebrated the completion of an eight-week Nurse Extern Program at Beebe Medical Center. Beebe welcomed Students from the following nursing programs: Beebe School of Nursing, Delaware Technical College, University of Tampa, Salisbury University, University of Delaware and Penn State.

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.

We were excited to have the nurse Extern program at Beebe Medical Center, says Vendla Esler, RN, Vice President, Patient Care Services, for Beebe Medical Center. The program has been a rewarding one for both the extern's and our medical center, and we look forward to future opportunities to share with these new nurses.

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 coordinates the program, which starts in June. 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 2.5 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, and communication skills with patients and co-workers.

The Extern program is a great way for students to gain confidence and pull together all the components of the nursing process. Jen Hargreaves BA, RN Clinical Education Specialist and Extern program coordinator. The friendships and bonds that are created during the program are amazing

Caption: Those who took part in the Extern Program are, from left to right: Sitting, Katie Carey university of Tampa, Jenna Nichols Salisbury University, Jennifer Rothenburg University of Salisbury, Lindsay Hardt BSON, Tara Bowers BSON, Diamond Brockbrader Del-Tech. Standing, Jennifer Hargreaves BA,RN Extern Program Coordinator, Veronica Lingerfelter Del-Tech, Erin Shannon BSON, Charles Marshall University of Delaware, Kim Jones Del-Tech, Michelle Shores BSON, Connie McLeran Del-Tech, Kim May Del-Tech, Emily Janoske Penn State, Megan Shepard Del-Tech, Melissa Blades BSON, Michelle McGowan BSON, and Susan Oswalt MSN advisor to the Extern Program. Missing from picture: Megan Forrestel University of Delaware and Ashley Hufford BSON

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