Professional Nursing Externship Program

Main Line Health is now offering the unique opportunity to current nursing students to gain valuable, hands-on clinical experience while having the flexibility to manage their school and personal life. We are offering part time, year-round paid positions on all shifts in most clinical specialties. This is an exceptional opportunity to prepare for the clinical setting after graduation.

Our Nurse Extern Program is designed for anyone currently enrolled in a nursing program. You will have the opportunity to work as a patient care technician on one of our acute care units and gain hands on experience assisting nurses in patient care. Typical responsibilities include AM care, PM care, EKGs, blood glucose monitoring, finger sticks, phlebotomy and more!

Opportunities available

  • System travel and agility team nurse extern — STAT Nurse Externs are hired into Main Line Health’s internal float pool, allowing nursing students to gain experience on a variety of different units with patient populations. Candidates must be available to travel to all of our award-winning hospitals.
  • Unit-based nurse extern — Nurse externs hired for unit-based positions will work on a specific unit/hospital in a nursing support role. This position allows nursing students to work alongside their unit team members and gain acute care skills, as well as confidence in providing quality patient care.

Qualifications

  • Actively enrolled in an accredited RN diploma, ASN or BSN program
  • Ability to work year round — Hours requirement: 24 hours per week commitment during the summer (June/July/August) and 16 hours per month during the fall and spring semesters.
  • Ability to work evenings, nights and weekend (Saturday and Sunday) shifts

Why choose Main Line Health for your nursing externship?

Main Line Health offers our communities the latest technology in a compassionate environment and gives the people who provide that care the best opportunities to learn, grow and prosper. It takes a team to care. Main Line Health provides the perfect environment for the nursing student who wants to develop and/or strengthen their clinical skills, while acquiring workplace experience.

Consider the benefits of working for a Main Line Health hospital

  • Paid classroom and clinical orientation
  • Available in a variety of clinical settings
  • 1:1 precepting/training
  • Teaching facility with state-of-the-art equipment
  • Flexible scheduling including weekend program
  • Competitive salary
  • Free parking
  • No city wage tax

How to apply

Submit your application for the current nurse externship position listed on our careers page. Included in your application should be your updated resume that reflects your anticipate graduation date from your nursing program. Once you apply, your application will be reviewed by our talent acquisition team. Due to the high volume of applicants, you will only be contacted if you are selected for an interview. Status updates will be provided.

Frequently asked questions

Get answers to our frequently asked question about lab tests: 

How long does it take to get lab test results?

Lab results need to be timely. With a few exceptions, test results are delivered to the doctor who ordered the test within 24 hours of when the test is performed. Nearly all test results are reported within a week. Tests ordered as stat are reported in a timelier manner. 

Who orders and interprets lab test results?

In the state of Pennsylvania, only certain licensed health care professionals — such as your doctor(s) — can order laboratory tests. Lab test results are used along with a physical exam and other diagnostic tests to make judgments about your health. For that reason, the doctor(s) or other medical professionals that provide your health care are in the best position to interpret your test results. 

Where are lab tests done?

Laboratory tests are performed in clinical laboratories that are licensed by the Pennsylvania State Department of Health. A lab may also be certified by the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) and accredited by the College of American Pathologists (CAP).