When you are attending college, specifically universities with nursing programs, summertime becomes a sacred part of the year that you begin to look forward to circa The Holidays. While the primary purpose of summer is to relax and invigorate yourself from the months of working hard at school, it is also a time that should be modestly utilized to further your educational and career goals.
Externships and Internships
Summer is the most appropriate time to take part in either an externship or internship. Good nursing programs will push their students in the late fall and early spring to acquire an internship for the summer months. It’s a fun way to learn the ropes and maybe even make a little extra cash. Our Career Placement Department works very diligently with each individual nursing student to tailor the externships and internships to their specification and qualifications, as long as the needs of the facility.
Stay on Top of Medical Research and Trends
Commit yourself to spending two hours, one evening per week brushing up on the latest medical findings. There are constantly new research articles being published, and the more on-top of things that you remain, the more successful you will be in the nursing field.
Find a Nursing Mentor
Interview someone that works in the nursing field. This may be an awesome opportunity to network, and possibly even shadow a nurse for a day-or more. Additionally, it’s a great way to learn about the best, and worst, parts of nursing jobs.
Review
Take time to review your finals from last semester. If will refresh your memory and put you in a great position for where your fall classes are going to begin.
Volunteer
Volunteer at a hospital or medical facility in your local community. Again, this is a great way to learn the ins and outs of nursing without having to commit a lot of time per week to it. You will gain valuable experience, network for your future nursing career and be spending part of your summer break helping others.
Read
Check out two books every two weeks, one pertaining to your field, the other for pleasure. This way, you are not swamped with summer reading related to your nursing program, but you are able to gain a head-start on what you will be learning come fall.
Scholarships!
Apply for scholarships! Nursing school is not cheap, and scholarships are easy to obtain if you do the proper research. Our staff will give you advice and help you find the scholarships that can best help fund your nursing education. Use this extra time to your advantage!
