What Is a Nurse Apprentice and How to Become One
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What Does a Nurse Apprentice Do?
As a nurse apprentice, you assist patients with daily living activities like bathing and dressing and perform simple medical procedures, such as changing bandages, removing staples, taking vital signs, administering EKGs, and establishing IVs. Additionally, your duties entail specimen collection, patient transport, changing linens, and helping the patient become familiar with their room and the facility. As your skills develop, you are allowed to administer medications under direct supervision and perform more complex assignments like ostomy care and catheterization. You also have administrative responsibilities, including contributing to care planning, charting vital signs, recording fluid intake and urine output, and participating in staff meetings.
How Can I Become a Nurse Apprentice?
States that offer a nursing apprentice program impose requirements on both the student and the hiring facility. If you are in your junior year of college or working on an associate degree, you can apply for an apprenticeship at a participating health care facility. While you work there, your supervisor must verify your enrollment in an accredited nursing program and your competence to perform assigned tasks and procedures. To assist in this, you are required to provide verification of enrollment and a checklist of your qualifications at the beginning of each term. When you graduate, you receive an Interim Permit to practice nursing and can take the NCLEX exam.
What Is a Nurse Apprentice?
A nurse apprentice is a student who is currently working on completing an RN or PN program. As a nursing student, you can obtain employment at a healthcare facility and work under the supervision of senior medical staff, gaining experience in a clinical setting and developing your patient care skills and bedside manner. An apprenticeship is a valuable training opportunity that involves adherence to a prescribed list of approved care activities. As your knowledge and skills develop, the tasks you can perform become more advanced, and unlike a traditional program, an apprenticeship allows you to start your career in nursing while you complete your education.
