Student Nurse Extern Program - Summer 2026

Nursing students gain practical experience assisting with patient care activities that promote comfort and safety under Registered Nurse supervision. The program spans eight weeks, allowing participants to work in various units and learn direct and indirect nursing tasks, building skills for future roles.

Northwestern Memorial Healthcare fosters a patient-first culture across its system, leading in positive workplace development. The organization offers competitive benefits including tuition reimbursement, loan forgiveness, 401(k) matching, and lifecycle benefits to employees pursuing better healthcare.

Activities include assisting with patients' activities of daily living, collecting data, and performing selected procedures within unlicensed assistive personnel scopes. Participants work in locations like Central DuPage Hospital and Delnor Hospital, units such as Behavioral Health, Cardiac, Emergency Department, and Oncology. Interactions involve Registered Nurses, physicians, and support staff using schedules including day or night, 8 or 12 hour shifts, some weekends, with no holidays or overtime. A challenge is committing to full-time 8-week blocks, requiring reliability and punctuality.

The program runs from May 27 to July 21, 2026, with mandatory 8-week commitment in Illinois. Benefits are not provided during the program. Schedule includes day or night shifts, full time, with some weekend and no holiday work. Professional development includes foundational nursing rotation completion. No compensation or sign-on bonus is mentioned.