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How to hire a nurse extern

Nurse extern hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring nurse externs in the United States:

  • HR departments typically spend 15% of their expenses on recruitment.
  • It usually takes about 12 weeks for a new employee to reach full productivity levels.
  • It typically takes 36-42 days to fill a job opening.
  • The median cost to hire a nurse extern is $1,633.
  • Small businesses spend an average of $1,105 per nurse extern on training each year, while large companies spend $658.
  • There are currently 1,871,505 nurse externs in the US and 569,180 job openings.
  • Austin, TX, has the highest demand for nurse externs, with 50 job openings.
  • New York, NY has the highest concentration of nurse externs.

How to hire a nurse extern, step by step

To hire a nurse extern, you need to identify the specific skills and experience you want in a candidate, allocate a budget for the position, and advertise the job opening to attract potential candidates. To hire a nurse extern, you should follow these steps:

Here's a step-by-step nurse extern hiring guide:

  • Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
  • Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
  • Step 3: Make a budget
  • Step 4: Write a nurse extern job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new nurse extern
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a nurse extern do?

The job of a nurse extern is to assist the mentor nurse in their nursing duties. They help the mentor nurse in various medical procedures such as administering medications or starting intravenous therapies. They provide or help with personal patient care, including changing bed linens, oral hygiene, and bathing. Nurse externships typically have different requirements that include having finished nursing school, completing a clinical nursing course before the training, and being registered in a nursing program.

Learn more about the specifics of what a nurse extern does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    First, determine the employments status of the nurse extern you need to hire. Certain nurse extern roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    A nurse extern's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, nurse externs from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

    Here's a comparison of nurse extern salaries for various roles:

    Type of Nurse ExternDescriptionHourly rate
    Nurse ExternRegistered nurses (RNs) provide and coordinate patient care, educate patients and the public about various health conditions, and provide advice and emotional support to patients and their family members.$13-22
    Emergency Department Registered NurseAn emergency registered nurse is first in line for patients who need a response. These nurses are first to respond to emergency cases such as trauma, allergic reactions, and injuries... Show more$23-64
    Oncology Registered NurseAn oncology registered nurse is in charge of taking care of patients with cancer. Their responsibilities revolve around coordinating with physicians to devise particular care plans for patients, monitoring their daily condition and progress, administering medicine, preparing nutritious meals, and evaluating treatment results, reporting to the physician should there be any issues... Show more$18-69
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Patients
    • Vital Signs
    • CPR
    • Direct Patient Care
    • Direct Supervision
    • Patient Care
    • IV
    • Medical-Surgical
    • Infection Control
    • Catheter
    • Registered Nursing
    • Patient Safety
    • EKG
    • Blood Pressure
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Organize and manage regular clinics involving external physicians, including ophthalmology, ENT, Med/Surg, orthopedics, and podiatry professionals.
    • Assist patients with activities of daily living, obtain vital signs and assessments, and perform 12 lead EKG's.
    • Perform initial assessments on patients in outpatient oncology clinic; recording vital signs, significant medical history and chief complaints.
    • Shadow to adult medical-surgical nurse staff- head-to-toe assessment, assist with medication administration, computer charting with co-signor, and telemetry monitoring
    • Obtain ACLS, to ensure patients receive the best quality of care.
    • Obtain ACLS certification and then float to all critical care areas as needed.
    More nurse extern duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your nurse extern job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A nurse extern can vary based on:

    • Location. For example, nurse externs' average salary in south carolina is 53% less than in hawaii.
    • Seniority. Entry-level nurse externs 38% less than senior-level nurse externs.
    • Certifications. A nurse extern with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
    • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a nurse extern's salary.

    Average nurse extern salary

    $37,156yearly

    $17.86 hourly rate

    Entry-level nurse extern salary
    $29,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 16, 2025

    Average nurse extern salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1California$54,168$26
    2Oregon$48,600$23
    3Massachusetts$45,242$22
    4Michigan$40,122$19
    5Arizona$39,286$19
    6Colorado$37,575$18
    7Wisconsin$36,683$18
    8Ohio$35,298$17
    9Texas$34,623$17
    10Missouri$34,597$17
    11Virginia$34,210$16
    12West Virginia$32,914$16
    13Indiana$32,004$15
    14Florida$31,564$15
    15Georgia$31,431$15
    16Louisiana$30,660$15
    17Kansas$30,565$15
    18Kentucky$30,514$15
    19Tennessee$29,815$14
    20South Carolina$27,422$13

    Average nurse extern salary by company

  4. Writing a nurse extern job description

    A job description for a nurse extern role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a nurse extern job description:

    Nurse extern job description example

    Job DescriptionJob Description

    Join our team! Graduates of an accredited Nursing Program (RN), who plan to obtain a State of Texas RN License within weeks of graduation may apply for consideration to this annual opportunity. The internship program is paid. Successful interns will be offered a full-time RN position at the hospital, and must be committed to working a minimum of 2 years for selection. Relocation and Sign-on Bonuses are available. Skype or other Virtual Interviewing Processes (VIP) are available for out-of-town applicants. The program is under the direction of the LMC Education Department. Applicants will be provided a listing of open positions for permanent, full-time positions at a future date.

    Join our team! Graduates of an accredited Nursing Program (RN), who plan to obtain a State of Texas RN License within weeks of graduation may apply for consideration to this annual opportunity. The internship program is paid. Successful interns will be offered a full-time RN position at the hospital, and must be committed to working a minimum of 2 years for selection. Relocation and Sign-on Bonuses are available. . Skype or other Virtual Interviewing Processes (VIP) are available for out-of-town applicants.

    The program is under the direction of the LMC Education Department. Applicants will be provided a listing of open positions for permanent, full-time positions at a future date.

    This initiative supports the workforce training and development of Nurse Graduates through their transition to state recognized Registered Nurses status by the Texas Board of Nursing. Successful program interns will continue their employment as registered nurses on the nursing unit or medical/surgical floor in which they completed their internship.

    Specifics regarding the internship role:

    Administers nursing care under the guidelines of a school system. Participates in the implementation and evaluation of student care. Ensures the health, comfort and safety of students. Relies on experience and judgment to plan and accomplish goals. Performs a variety of tasks. Works under general supervision. A certain degree of creativity and latitude is required. Typically reports to a supervisor or manager. Our program provides a preceptor for in-unit support as well as a professional mentor for holistic approach towards professional integration in our facility. Applicants need to schedule their nursing boards prior to their start date and maintain current CPR and ACLS certifications.

    Intern Requirements & Responsibilities:

    Associate's Degree in Nursing Required

    Bachelor'sdegree in Nursing Preferred

    State educational and licensure requirements (GN License)

    Current CPR and ACLS certifications and proof of scheduled day for the nursing board exam* (if not taken prior to the start date*).

    Requirementsfor Completion of Internship:

    The intern must successfully meet all educational and progressive standards for theprogram and possess a valid Texas Nursing License at the end of the program.

    Preferred- prioryears of experience in a hospital setting or in an allied healthfield. Familiar with standard concepts, practices, and procedures within a particular field.

  5. Post your job

    There are various strategies that you can use to find the right nurse extern for your business:

    • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
    • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
    • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your nurse extern job on Zippia to find and recruit nurse extern candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites such as healthcarejobsite, health jobs nationwide, hospitalcareers, medreps.com.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    During your first interview to recruit nurse externs, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

    It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

    The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

  7. Send a job offer and onboard your new nurse extern

    Once you have selected a candidate for the nurse extern position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

    It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

    Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new nurse extern. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

  8. Go through the hiring process checklist

    • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
    • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
    • Define job responsibilities and requirements
    • Establish budget and timeline
    • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
    • Write job description
    • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
    • Promote the job internally
    • Process applications through applicant tracking system
    • Review resumes and cover letters
    • Shortlist candidates for screening
    • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
    • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
    • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
    • Conduct background checks on top candidates
    • Check references of top candidates
    • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
    • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
    • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
    • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
    • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
    • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)
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How much does it cost to hire a nurse extern?

Recruiting nurse externs involves both the one-time costs of hiring and the ongoing costs of adding a new employee to your team. Your spending during the hiring process will mostly be on things like promoting the job on job boards, reviewing and interviewing candidates, and onboarding the new hire. Ongoing costs will obviously involve the employee's salary, but also may include things like benefits.

You can expect to pay around $37,156 per year for a nurse extern, as this is the median yearly salary nationally. This can vary depending on what state or city you're hiring in. If you're hiring for contract work or on a per-project basis, hourly rates for nurse externs in the US typically range between $13 and $22 an hour.

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