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For Immediate Release
July 27, 2006
Student Nurses Gain Hands-On Experience at Mercy
Memorial
Ardmore — In the three years since Mercy
Memorial Health Center in Ardmore began offering an externship program
for nursing students, its reception has gone from good to better to
best.
“The first year we had eight student nurses
participate in the program,” said Kay Trager, RN, BSN, manager of
nursing support services at Mercy Memorial Health Center. “The second
year we had 13 and this year we have 19.”
An eight-week program that runs from June 1st
through July 28th, the externship program is a paid position. It
primarily draws students enrolled in the two-year associate degree of
nursing (ADN) program at Murray State College in Tishomingo, Oklahoma,
and the four-year baccalaureate of science nursing (BSN) program at East
Central University in Ada.
In order to apply, ADN students must have completed
their first year of nursing school, while BSN students must have
completed their junior year. In addition, nursing students must be in
good standing in their respective programs.
A critical component of the program is assignment to
nurse preceptors. A preceptor is a seasoned nurse who loves the
profession and enjoys mentoring nurses. Under the guidance of the
preceptor, the nurse externs are given the opportunity to enhance their
clinical skills, including procedures such as inserting catheters and
nasal tubes.
“The externs can perform some minor nursing
procedures, but only under the supervision of their preceptor,” Trager
said. The program is designed to enhance their clinical skills while
becoming acclimated to real-world settings.
In addition to allowing these future nurses to
receive on-the-job clinical experience, the externship program is
proving to be a valuable recruitment tool.
“Our trump card is working with the nurse-externs
and allowing them to choose the areas they want experience in,” Trager
said. “Last year, well over 50 percent returned to work as RNs at Mercy
Memorial after graduating from nursing school.”
Mercy Memorial Health Center is a member of Mercy
Health System of Oklahoma and the Sisters of Mercy Health System. ###
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