Current jobs related to Student Nurse Extern - Grand Rapids, Michigan - Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital

Application Deadline - February 28th, 2026

Summer Student Nurse Externship

Begins May 18th - concludes last week of July 2026

Department Name 
Inpatient Nursing Department

Employment Type 

Part-time
Compensation:  
$20/hr
Days Worked 
Rotating schedule; Weekend requirement
Hours: 

24 hrs/week
Primary Location 
Main Hospital - Grand Rapids, MI 

Summary:

SNEs provide important patient care within the Nursing Department. Under the direction of the registered nurse assigned to each patient, this non-licensed team member assists with patient care and other department activities as outlined in this job description and communicates effectively with the RN responsible for each patient. Work performed by each SNE must support the mission, vision, and values of Mary Free Bed.

The externship also provides the opportunity to experience and be a part of excellent rehabilitation nursing and consider this specialty as a professional nurse.

Essential Job Responsibilities:

Quality Pillar of Excellence

• Patient Care – The SNE provides direct patient care, as delegated by the RN. Patient care performed by an SNE includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Collects and monitors data and reports physiological, psychological, socio-cultural, and spiritual needs of the patient and families as directed by and in coordination with the patient's assigned RN.

• Obtains and records vital signs using appropriate equipment and technique.

• Answers call lights in a timely, respectful manner

• Documents care in the EMR according to department policies, including content and timeliness of documentation.

• Provides input to the RN for use in an individualized plan of care for each patient

• Transports patients in a safe and timely manner to facilitate patient diagnostic testing and therapy sessions, as needed. Communicates with other team members in order to ensure continuity of care and coordination of services.

• Maintains the patient's living environment in a clean, safe manner

• Assists with collection of quality data, as assigned by the RN, Nursing Supervisor, or Director of Nursing.

• Demonstrates appropriate use of all patient care equipment, in accordance with departmental policies.

• Activity/Comfort – Makes an occupied and unoccupied bed.

• Activity/Comfort- Turns and positions patients in bed, ambulates and dangles a patient according to transfer requirements.

• Activity/Comfort – Transfers patients using the mode and level of assist indicated by care plan.

• Activity/Comfort – Positions/transfers a patient with imparted mobility.

• Activity/Comfort – Transports a patient using wheelchair and stretcher.

• Activity/Comfort – Performs passive range of motion and assists with active range of motion.

• Hygiene – Gives a patient a complete, partial, shower or tub bath, allowing patient to perform according to his/her functional or cognitive ability.

• Hygiene – Assists the patient as needed with shampoos, oral care, including denture, face and hand washing.

• Hygiene – Performs perineal care and indwelling urinary catheter care.

• Hygiene – Performs back and H.S. care.

• Hygiene – Changes a non-sterile and sterile dressing.

• Hygiene – Performs ileostomy/colostomy care.

• Hygiene – Assists with postmortem care.

• Hygiene – Performs clean and sterile oral, nasopharyngeal and tracheostomy suctioning.

• Nutrition – Passes trays, snacks, and water, feeds a patient, measures, and records intake from dietary trays.

• Nutrition – Inserts, irrigates, administers feeding through, and removes various feeding tubes as appropriate.

• Elimination – Places and removes a bedpan, fracture pan and urinal, and assists patient with using a bedside commode.

• Elimination – empties, measures, and records drainage from a urinary drainage bag, Jackson Pratt drain, Hemovac, and bile bag.

• Elimination – Participates in the assessment, development, implementation and evaluation of patient bowel program. Remove fecal impaction, inserts, and removes rectal tube, administers a cleansing and retention enema, and applies and removes fecal incontinence bag.

• Elimination- Performs urinary catheterization, inserts foley under direct of RN and assists in the development of a bladder program for each patient.

• Provides education to patients regarding skin checks and pressure relief.

• Specimen Collection – Collects urine, sputum, and stool specimens, obtains wound cultures.

• Specimen Collection – Uses a glucometer to test blood glucose levels, tests urine for sugar, acetone, blood or pH and strains for kidney stones.

• Vital Signs/Measurement – Measures the following vital signs: oral and tympanic temperature, radial and apical pulse, blood pressure, respiratory rate, and pain rating.

• Vital Signs/Measurement – Measures a patient's weight using a standing, chair, sling, and bed scales

• Equipment- Operates the electronic blood pressure cuff, IV pump, feeding pump, and pulse oximeter, sets up oxygen flow meter, provides oxygen therapy using nasal cannula and mask, assists patient with incentive spirometer.

• Equipment – applies and removes ice bags, moist or dry hear, ace bandages, arm slings, binders, supports, antiembolism stockings, Intermittent Compression Devices (ICD), soft limb (wrist and ankle) restraints, mitt restraints, pelvic restraint.

• Equipment – stocks patients room as appropriate for the unit.

• Infection Control – uses aseptic technique and adheres to standard precautions, cares for patients, with special isolation precautions.

• Infection Control – uses aseptic technique and adheres to standard precautious, cares for patients with special isolation precautions.

• Infection Control – Passes clean linen and bags/disposes soiled linen

• Infection Control – Cleans equipment between patients use and cleans equipment prior to return to Central Sterile, replaces full sharps containers.

• Data Collection – Collects the following data (as delegated by RN after RN's initial assessment): neuro/behavior, cardiovascular, pulmonary, gastrointestinal, integumentary, neuromuscular, psycho-social, learning needs, and discharge needs.

• Documentation – Chart care given as directed by RN.

• Communication – Uses the intercom, voalte phone, pneumatic tube and telephone systems, answers patient call lights.

• Communication – Reports observations to RN and keeps RN informed of care delivered, prepares/gives report to the oncoming shift.

• Communication – Assists in the development of each assigned patients' care plan.

• Miscellaneous – Actively participates in maintaining a clean, safe, and efficient work environment.

• Miscellaneous – Participates in and attends continuing education programs and meetings related to job description.

• Miscellaneous – maintains patient confidentiality.

• Miscellaneous – Promotes good departmental and interdepartmental working relationships through courteous and professional communication and behavior.

• Miscellaneous – Performs other tasks as delegated by RN appropriate to scope of practice

• Miscellaneous – Attends team conference with Patient's RN and participates as appropriate.

• Miscellaneous – Develops education plan for assigned patients and families

• Miscellaneous – May be required to work on project and present to staff or leadership.

• Communication – Each staff member in the Nursing Department is responsible to communicate in a timely, professional, and respectful manner at all times. Responsibilities of the SNE include, but are not limited to:

• Patients and their families or visitors are treated with kindness and respect.

• Customers, physicians, and other staff members are treated with kindness and respect.

• Maintains effective working relationships with employees throughout the organization.

• Treats patient call lights as a primary communication method between the patient and the caregiver, and promptly responds to call lights, in person, as soon as possible.

• Delivers care in a manner that is culturally sensitive and preserves the dignity and rights of each patient. Deals discreetly and sensitively with confidential information and follows all hospital policies related to protected health information.

Service Pillar of Excellence

• Customer Service – Each SNE is required to demonstrate excellent customer service standards and behaviors in all interactions with colleagues, patients, family members, physicians, and other customers.

People Pillar of Excellence

• Employee communication – The SNE understands that communication with hospital and department leadership occurs in many ways. It is the responsibility of the SNE to answer emails promptly. Unit information is shared through various methods such as administrative bulletins, staff meetings, bulletin board postings, email, department newsletters, individual discussions, and on the MFB intranet (InsideMFB).

• Employee training and competency assessments – Each SNE is responsible to complete all required orientation and assessments by posted due dates.

• Safety policies – Each employee is responsible to demonstrate knowledge of and performance in accordance with hospital and department safety and infection control policies and procedures. Maintains a safe and clean working environment for the benefit of patients and staff.

Financial Performance Pillar of Excellence

• Fiscal Responsibility –Appropriately uses patient care items and uses best practice to decrease waste.

Customer Service Responsibilities:

Demonstrate excellent customer service and standards of behaviors as well as encourages, coaches, and monitors the same in team members. This individual should consistently promote teamwork and direct communication with co-workers and deal discretely and sensitively with confidential information.

Responsibilities in Quality Improvement:

Contribute by identifying problems and seeking solutions. Promote patient/family satisfaction where possible; participates in departmental efforts to monitor and report customer service.

Essential Job Qualifications:

• Must be enrolled in an accredited nursing program, have completed a clinical rotation, and be within one year of graduation.

• Current BLS/CPR: Current American Heart Association BLS Course for HealthCare Providers

• Education: High school graduate or equivalent GED required. Certified Nursing Assistant preferred.

Physical Requirements for Essential Job Qualification

Levels:

• None (No specific requirements)

• Occasionally (Less than 1/3)

• Frequently (1/3 to 2/3)

• Majority (More than 2/3)

Remain in a stationary position: Frequently

Traverse or move around work location: Frequently

Use keyboard:  Frequently

Operate or use department specific equipment:  Frequently

Ascend/Descend equipment or ladder: Frequently

Position self to accomplish the Essential Functions of the role: None

Receive and communicate information and ideas for understanding: None

Transport, position, and/or exert force:

Up to 10 pounds:    _____

Up to 25 pounds:  _____

Up to 50 pounds:  _____

Up to 75 pounds:   _____

More than 100 pounds:  _____

Other weight: Up to_35__ pounds Occasionally

Other: Due to possible exposure to blood-borne pathogens and hazardous materials, must be able to understand and follow department policies related to employee safety.

Consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), it is the policy of Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital to provide reasonable accommodation when requested by a qualified applicant or employee with a disability, unless such accommodation would cause an undue hardship. The policy regarding requests for reasonable accommodation applies to all aspects of employment, including the application process. If reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact the Talent Acquisition team at

Mary Free Bed is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, genetic information, veteran status, disability or other legally protected characteristic.