Student Nurse Extern - Psychotic Disorder Unit; Neurosciences

Overview

UNC Hospital 3 Neurosciences has an amazing opportunity for a Student Nurse Extern to join their team for the 2026 Student Nurse External Program from May 26 to August 1, 2026.

3 Neurosciences is an 18-bed inpatient psychiatric unit. The Psychotic Disorders unit serves adults with acute and chronic mental illnesses. Services typically include a thorough psychiatric evaluation, medication management, psychoeducation groups, case management services, and discharge planning.

Summary: The goal of the Student Nurse Externship experience is to provide prelicensure nursing students with an immersive experience to enhance their foundational nursing education and role socialization within a clinical setting. The Student Nurse Extern I (SNE I) position is intended for nursing students enrolled in an accredited School of Nursing to function as a member of the patient care team.

The SNE I will work with their RN partner as a partner in practice within their Nursing Assistant I scope of practice.

The Student Nurse Extern I demonstrates the ability to learn and apply the concepts they have been taught in their nursing program to provide technically skilled care in their assigned department. This position provides the chance to work with RNs in a variety of healthcare settings, earning valuable experience that will enhance nursing knowledge and prepare the incumbent for a profession as a registered nurse.

The SNE I reports to the assigned department’s Patient Services Manager or designated Education Leader and works under the direct supervision of an assigned RN partner. The RN partner facilitates and supports learning experiences to enable the SNE to proficiently perform nursing care activities in both complex and non-complex situations. Provides routine direct and indirect patient care in a hospital, clinic, or home health care setting.

All work performed is under the direct supervision of a registered nurse or provider.

• Observes, collects, and documents patient information obtained while providing care and promptly report significant changes in the patient's condition to a registered nurse or provider. Participates in the collaborative identification and reporting of patient safety issues.
• Provides assistance to patients and their families during admission to the clinical area, orientation to the hospital/clinic/home health experience, and discharge.
• Provides care/treatments to patients as outlined in plan of care including vital signs, height/weight, specimen collection, skin preps/scrubs, catheter care, capillary blood glucose checks, simple wound care, range of motion exercises, postural drainage, and supportive 1:1 patient and family interactions.
• Provides direct personal care to patients for activities of daily living (bathing, dressing, feeding, assisting with ambulation).
• Provides indirect care to patients and assigned area including cleaning, restocking supplies, transporting, assisting in orientation of new employees and students, and routine clerical functions.
• Reinforces routine teaching given to patients by the registered nurse or provider and documents patient understanding of instructions.
• Assists providers and other health care providers with routine examinations and procedures, as well as procurement of equipment and supplies during emergency situations.
• In the psychiatric setting, aids patients in reality orientation, participates in behavior modification plans/therapy, provides informal support therapy to patients/families, provides verbal de-escalation of potentially aggressive patients, aids in the physical management of aggressive/out-of-control patients, facilitates age-appropriate play for children, and monitors the therapeutic milieu activities on the assigned unit to ensure emotional and safety needs are met.

• Education Requirements: High School Diploma/GED;
  Current enrollment in an accredited prelicensure nursing program with anticipated graduation within 12 months time from the start of student nurse externship.
• Licensure/Certification Requirements: Listed as Nursing Assistant I with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services;
  Basic…