Post job

Nurse extern vs nurse

The differences between nurse externs and nurses can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a nurse extern and a nurse. Additionally, a nurse has an average salary of $57,564, which is higher than the $37,156 average annual salary of a nurse extern.

The top three skills for a nurse extern include patients, vital signs and CPR. The most important skills for a nurse are patients, home health, and CPR.

Nurse extern vs nurse overview

Nurse ExternNurse
Yearly salary$37,156$57,564
Hourly rate$17.86$27.68
Growth rate6%6%
Number of jobs569,180696,124
Job satisfaction-4
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 53%Bachelor's Degree, 43%
Average age4444
Years of experience22

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.

What does a nurse do?

Nurses are medical professionals assigned to a specific department in the hospital and provide their trusted department services. Nurses are in charge of taking patients' medical histories, getting vital signs, preparing patients for checkups or procedures, explaining upcoming practices, answering any questions, and communicating any concerns to the assigned doctor. Nurses should ensure that patients follow the medical advice given to them. They also assist patients in completing administrative requirements, such as filling out forms, validating details, and endorsing payments.

Nurse extern vs nurse salary

Nurse externs and nurses have different pay scales, as shown below.

Nurse ExternNurse
Average salary$37,156$57,564
Salary rangeBetween $29,000 And $47,000Between $38,000 And $86,000
Highest paying CityHuntington Park, CASan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateHawaiiCalifornia
Best paying companyMenorah Medical CenterConviva
Best paying industryHealth CareGovernment

Differences between nurse extern and nurse education

There are a few differences between a nurse extern and a nurse in terms of educational background:

Nurse ExternNurse
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 53%Bachelor's Degree, 43%
Most common majorNursingNursing
Most common collegeEmory UniversityDuke University

Nurse extern vs nurse demographics

Here are the differences between nurse externs' and nurses' demographics:

Nurse ExternNurse
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 14.3% Female, 85.7%Male, 14.0% Female, 86.0%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.5% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 8.9% Asian, 9.9% White, 64.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%Black or African American, 11.5% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% Asian, 8.9% White, 65.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage9%9%

Differences between nurse extern and nurse duties and responsibilities

Nurse extern example 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.
  • Show more

Nurse example responsibilities.

  • Monitor patients' status during surgery (circulate in operating room) and manage patients in PACU.
  • Manage high-acuity cardiac/pulmonary and psychiatric patients
  • Monitor patients for cardiac rhythm changes and implement medication according to ACLS guidelines.
  • Educate patients and families on diseases processes, medications, wind care, and iv infusion.
  • Provide care for patients on medical/surgical, transplant, cardiac, orthopedic, postpartum, neonatal ICU, and psychiatric units
  • Demonstrate competence in CPR and other medical emergency situations.
  • Show more

Nurse extern vs nurse skills

Common nurse extern skills
  • Patients, 39%
  • Vital Signs, 11%
  • CPR, 4%
  • Direct Patient Care, 4%
  • Direct Supervision, 4%
  • Patient Care, 3%
Common nurse skills
  • Patients, 21%
  • Home Health, 7%
  • CPR, 6%
  • BLS, 6%
  • Acute Care, 5%
  • Acls, 4%

Browse healthcare practitioner and technical jobs