Student Nurse Externship 

Summer 2026

10 Week Paid Externship at Allen Hospital

36hrs/week, (3-12hr shifts), night or day shift 

Units available for externship include: 
• Inpatient care: Medical, Surgical & Cardiac Units
• Ambulatory Surgery
• Surgical Unit (Preop,Operating & Postop)
• Emergency and Intensive Care Units
• Mental Health

Benefits
• One credit hour of tuition covered by Allen Hospital upon completion
• Eligible for reimbursement of initial nursing licensure and NCLEX testing fees, totaling
approximately $350 

Objectives
• Build strong professional relationships with clinical team members
• Gain confidence in performing technical skills
• Develop clinical judgment skills and priority setting

The Student Nurse Extern, under the direct supervision of the Register Nurse (RN), is responsible for the delivery of safe patient care, in coordination with the healthcare team. The primary role of the Student Nurse Extern is the execution of the nursing process in providing required care and evaluation of care given. Responsibilities include assessment, nursing diagnosis related to focus problem areas, planning, implementation and evaluation of nursing care. Performance of these responsibilities requires specialized knowledge and core critical thinking skills as well as excellent communication skills.

At UnityPoint Health, you matter. We’re proud to be recognized as a Top 150 Place to Work in Healthcare by Becker's Healthcare several years in a row for our commitment to our team members.  

Our competitive Total Rewards program offers benefits options that align with your needs and priorities, no matter what life stage you’re in.  Here are just a few:      

• Expect paid time off, parental leave, 401K matching and an employee recognition program.   

• Dental and health insurance, paid holidays, short and long-term disability and more. We even offer pet insurance for your four-legged family members.  

• Early access to earned wages with Daily Pay, tuition reimbursement to help further your career and adoption assistance to help you grow your family.   

With a collective goal to champion a culture of belonging where everyone feels valued and respected, we honor the ways people are unique and embrace what brings us together.   

And, we believe equipping you with support and development opportunities is a vital part of delivering an exceptional employment experience. 

Find a fulfilling career and make a difference with UnityPoint Health.

• Collaborates with assigned RN on the development of an individual plan of care using a collaborative approach with the patient/family and health care team.
• Promptly completes documentation to assure an accurate legal record of patient’s care and reviews documentation with assigned RN.
• Delivers high quality care utilizing the nursing process while demonstrating knowledge and clinical skills of the specialty required on assigned unit in accordance with established policies, procedures and standards of care.
• Utilizes holistic approach (considering biopsychosocial, spiritual, educational, safety, and related criteria) appropriate to the age of the patients and families served in the assigned service area.
• Utilizes critical thinking in making independent judgments and maintains responsibility and accountability for the knowledge of conditions of assigned patients.
• Responds quickly and accurately to the patient’s change in condition or response to treatment while keeping assigned RN informed.
• Assess and chooses teaching strategies appropriate to the patient’s and their families’ age specific needs, culture, gender, readiness to learn and level of comprehension.
• Consults appropriate resources within the hospital to provide specialized education.
• Demonstrates knowledge that patient and workplace safety is a priority by preventing errors, accidents and infections and reporting potential or actual concerns immediately.

Requirements
• Current enrollment in an accredited RN Program and completion of first
Adult (med/surg) Nursing Course
• GPA 2.5 on a 4.0 scale
• Current AHA BLS Card- Professional Provider
• Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) experience required
• All externs are required to be enrolled in a nursing course during
the duration of the externship (For students not currently enrolled at Allen College, a brief, no-cost application will be needed)

Application Materials
• Accepted November 10, 2025 - January 16, 2026
• UnityPoint Externship Application – identifying top three areas of interest
from units available
• Letter of recommendation from two school of nursing faculty
members (send directly to cheryl.mahoney@unitypoint.org)
• Deadline for application materials: January 16, 2026
• Late or incomplete applications will be automatically disqualified
• Externship interviews to be completed after application accepted