Nurse Externship Intern
ThedaCare
Nurse Externship Intern
ThedaCare
Integrated health system with 20 hospitals.
Why ThedaCare?
Living A Life Inspired!
Our new vision at ThedaCare is bold, ambitious, and ignited by a shared passion to provide outstanding care. We are inspired to reinvent health care by becoming a proactive partner in health, enriching the lives of all and creating value in everything we do. Each of us are called to take action in delivering higher standards of care, lower costs and a healthier future for our patients, our families, our communities and our world.
At ThedaCare, our team members are empowered to be the catalyst of change through our values of compassion, excellence, leadership, innovation, and agility. A career means much more than excellent compensation and benefits. Our team members are supported by continued opportunities for learning and development, accessible and transparent leadership, and a commitment to work/life balance. If you’re interested in joining a health care system that is changing the face of care and well-being in our community, we encourage you to explore a future with ThedaCare.
Benefits, with a whole-person approach to wellness –
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES:
Under the direction of the Registered Nurse:
ASSESSMENT: The Nurse Extern collects comprehensive data pertinent to the patient's health and/or the situation.
NURSING DIAGNOSIS: The Nurse Extern analyzes the assessment data to determine the diagnoses or the issues.
OUTCOMES IDENTIFICATION: The Nurse Extern identifies expected outcomes for a plan individualized to the patient or the situation.
PLANNING: The Nurse Extern develops a plan that prescribes strategies and alternatives to attain expected outcomes.
IMPLEMENTATION: The Nurse Extern develops and implements an identified plan that addresses the care needs of the patient.
EVALUATION: The Registered Nurse evaluates progress toward the attainment of outcomes.
QUALITY: The Nurse Extern will practice under the direction of the Registered Nurse, the organization's guiding principles and patient safety standards.
COLLABORATION: Initiates patient care above and beyond assigned tasks: Participate in and support organizational and unit-based projects and initiatives. Reinforce initial teaching by Registered Nurse. Demonstrates a proactive approach to meeting all patient needs beyond designated assignment. Works with the care team to promote positive patient outcomes. Participates in completion of self and peer evaluation in a timely manner. Other duties as assigned.
COMMUNICATION:
1. In the process of patient care, the staff member shall consistently; use appropriate communication with patient, family, and co-workers
2. Demonstrate respect for the rights and property of patients and co-workers.
3. Demonstrate written, verbal, and non-verbal communication skills with other members of the health team.
SHARED GOVERNANCE: Actively participate, is able to articulate the vision, framework, and goal of the organization Nursing Shared Governance. Participate in unit-based staff meeting and additional hospital committees during evaluation period. Role model behavior that supports Performance Excellence.
QUALIFICATIONS:
If in a 4-year program, a minimum experience of two acute care medical-surgical clinical rotations (or one medical-surgical rotation and one clinical rotation which is pertinent to the clinical area applying for) from an accredited school of nursing is required. If in a 2-year program or accelerated/direct entry, must be in or have completed one medical – surgical clinical rotation along with pertinent work experience is required. In addition, at least one of the clinical rotations must have included medication administration.
Nursing courses/clinicals must have provided theory, knowledge and experience in providing patient care, performing patient care procedures and techniques, as well as knowledge and experience in performing physical assessments, gathering of history data, development of nursing care plans and medical record documentation
Experience of six months or more as a nursing assistant is preferred.
Currently enrolled in an accredited School of Nursing is required, or a graduate of an accredited School of Nursing prepared to take the NCLEX or waiting to retake the NCLEX exam for a second time.
Ability to read, write, understand, perform simple arithmetic, and follow directions related to basic patient care.
Interpersonal skills necessary to interact with patients, visitors, and physicians in a courteous manner.
Ability to complete simple comparisons between numbers.
Ability to show experience in 60 percent of essential functions.
Ability to concentrate and pay attention to detail for 80 percent of work time when performing basic patient care tasks.
State of Wisconsin Nursing Assistant Certification is preferred, otherwise must provide documentation from an accredited school for professional nurses indicating successful completion of the basic nursing course which encompass all of the criteria noted by the State of Wisconsin administrative code.
American Heart Association (AHA) Basic Life Support for the Healthcare Provider (BLS) or an AHA approved equivalent.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
Job classification is exposed to blood borne pathogens (blood or bodily fluids) while performing job duties
Manual dexterity and hand-eye coordination to perform patient care procedures
Ability to walk and stand for up to 80 percent of work time and to lift and position patients for up to 20 percent of work time.
WORK ENVIRONMENT:
Frequent exposure to sharp objects and instruments
Occasional exposure to moving mechanical parts, fumes or airborne particles, toxic or caustic chemicals, and risk of electrical shock
Occasional high noise level in work environment
Standing and/or walking for extended periods of time
Transporting, transferring, positioning patients and/or equipment from one location to another; little likelihood for injury if proper body mechanics and procedures are followed
Possible exposure to communicable diseases, hazardous materials, and pharmacological agents
Occasional contact with aggressive and or combative patients
RN Highlights at ThedaCare:
A.D.N to BSN program with strategic Nursing Tuition Assistance
Magnet Journey- care model encompassing holistic view of people and community
Academic partnerships that support student learning and Quality Improvement projects
Clinician and Leader Nightingale Award recipient
Nursing excellence and recognition program
Robust Shared Governance
Population Health and Life Inspired Movement
Clinical Advancement Program (CAP)
Onsite BLS, ACLS, PALS, NRP, TNCC, ALSO and specialty certifications
Development/Growth opportunity within the Organization: Emergency Services/Trauma Care, Obstetrics, Medical Surgical, Intensive Care, Intermediate Care, Behavioral Health, Surgical Services, Cancer Care, Homecare, Hospice, Skilled Nursing Care, Neuro Care, Orthopedics, Bariatrics, Inpatient Rehab, Outpatient IV, Ambulatory Clinic, Diabetes Education, Wound Care, Telemetry/Cardiac, Phone Triage, and much more!
Position requires compliance with department specific competencies.
Hospital locations to include: Appleton, Neenah, Berlin, Waupaca , Wildrose, New London, & Shawano. Other locations could include ThedaCare at Home, ThedaCare Post-acute care and Skilled Nursing Facilities
The units include the following specialties: Medical Specialty, Surgical Specialty, Cardiovascular Services, Oncology, Rehabilitation, IMU/Neuro, Family Birth Center, Inpatient Behavioral Health, Surgery, PACU, Emergency Services, Intensive Care Unit, Home Health, Post-Acute Care Facilities, and additional opportunities. Please note that available units may vary by location.
Additional Program Details:
The goal of the Nurse Extern Program is to support a strong transition to practice and prepare externs to be promoted into RN roles within ThedaCare.
Program Dates: December 21st, 2026 – February 28th, 2027
Candidates must be able to:
Attend New Hire Orientation on December 21st and 22nd, 2026
Commit to a minimum of 100 hours, with the opportunity to complete up to 250 hours during the program timeframe
Be willing to work a variety of shifts, including days, nights, weekends, and holidays that are generally 8-12 hours in length depending on location of placement.
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ThedaCare is an integrated health system in Wisconsin that runs 20 hospitals and 360+ outpatient locations, serving about half of the state's population with primary and specialty care. It connects its facilities so clinicians coordinate patient care, prevention, and treatment across the network. It partners with the Medical College of Wisconsin to form the region's academic medical center, supporting medical research and education to speed up new treatments. Its goal is to improve community health by predicting health needs, preventing illness, and delivering high-quality, trusted care through community partnerships.
Explore more opportunities at ThedaCare