I recently found out I have been offered the internship I wrote about in my last blog!

I first heard about the St. Vincent internship when I was a freshman nursing student. A lot of the older nursing students talked about applying for it, and how it was a great opportunity for the summer before senior year. I kept the idea in the back of my mind but I wasn’t sure about it.
I heard about it again at the end of last year when my very close friend – and sorority sister – interviewed and got the internship for the summer. She told me all about the internship and encouraged me to apply for this summer.  I thought about it for a while, but I didn’t think I would need to apply for it until the spring semester of this year.

At an event I was working as a university ambassador, one of my nursing professors approached me and asked if I knew anything about the internship and if I had planned on applying. Without letting me answer she said, “Actually, I am going to write a letter of recommendation for you and send the link to you tonight. Fill it out and get it in before the end of the month.”

Without hesitation, I started the application that night, got my second letter of recommendation from another faculty member and sent it all in before the end of December. I thought I was a shoe-in for the interview and that I would know my summer plans before February even rolled around.  Boy was I wrong.  There were more applicants for the internship this year than there had been in the past, and they had to sort through the students who were already employed there as nurse’s aides, because they did not have many spots for students who were not already employed.

March rolled around and I still hadn’t heard from St. Vincent.  I kept asking my professor who suggested that I apply what I should do, and she just kept saying I should wait to see what happens next. Finally after over four months of waiting for a call or an email, I finally received an email saying they had two spots open and they asked would I be interested in interviewing.

I fired back an email as soon as I finished reading and had an interview two days later. My interview really wasn’t a typical interview. I met the nurse recruiter and talked to her for a little bit about what the internship is all about and the pay rate. I then met with the nurse manager and she told me what I would be doing and who I would be working with. She didn’t ask me too many questions and told me when I would be starting.  The nurse recruiter called me later that day and formally offered me a job!

I have never been more excited for a job! I will be working on the 8th floor with the two charge nurses. I’ll be able to use every nursing skill I have learned so far in school. The only thing we are not allowed to do is distribute medications.  I am looking forward to working with the nurses, learning their time management skills and learning what being a nurse really entails.

I start training – and actually start the internship – on May 16.  It is a paid internship and I will be working at least 40 hours a week, with the possibility of overtime. I’ll even have every other weekend off.  I am excited for this great opportunity.

A few of the senior nursing students had the internship last summer and said it is such a good experience as an undergraduate student because you learn so much.  I will also be working at the mall at Lane Bryant when I have days off from the internship. I am really looking forward to being in Erie for the summer and cannot wait to start both of my jobs.