CoNAH Experiential Learning, Clinical Sites & Externships

Experiential learning is the process of “learning by doing.” Engaging students in experiences where they can connect theory and knowledge is considered a best practice in education. Experiential learning is embedded into the curriculum for all CONAH students. 

Clinical Sites for Respiratory Care Students

The College of Nursing and Allied Health maintains clinical affiliation agreements with many agencies in support of respiratory therapist education.  Among the clinical sites used to educate respiratory care students are:

Atlantic Health System (AHS)

• Chilton Medical Center
• Hackettstown Medical Center

Morristown Medical Center

• Newton Medical Center
• Overlook Medical Center

Hackensack Meridian Health (HMH)

• Hackensack University Medical Center

RWJ Barnabas Health

• Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center 
• Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital

Clinical Sites for Allied Health Students

The College of Nursing and Allied Health maintains clinical affiliation agreements with many agencies in support of allied health education.  A broad range of affiliation agreements provide students who are seeking careers in clinical laboratory science/medical technology, radiography, or radiologic science with the opportunity to be immersed within a major regional health care agency, where most will be offered employment opportunities after graduation.  Among the clinical sites used to educate allied health students are:

• Jersey Shore Medical Center, Neptune NJ
• Monmouth Medical Center, Long Branch NJ
• Morristown Memorial Hospital, Morristown NJ
• JFK Medical Center, Edison NJ
• Englewood Medical Center, Englewood NJ

Clinical Experiences for Entry-Level (RN) Nursing Students

Experiential learning in actual patient care environments is an essential component of the education of healthcare students. Entry-Level nursing students are assigned to go to acute care hospitals and subacute care centers to support experiential learning. Experiences will be selected to align with didactic course population foci (e.g., adults, pediatrics, psychiatry, obstetrics).

Clinical sites are selected for use based on their ability to provide appropriate educational opportunities. Students are expected to arrange their own transportation to these sites and must comply with the parking regulations of each agency. These sites are located throughout the region and may require commuting up to 50 miles (approximately, depending on site availability) from campus. (See CoNAH Student Manual – Clinical Issues.)

Our clinical affiliations include the following agencies, among many others:

• Atlantic Health System (e.g., Overlook Medical Center, Morristown Medical Center, Newton Medical Center, Hackettstown Medical Center)
• RWJ Barnabas Health (e.g., Children’s Specialized Hospital, Clara Maass Medical Center, Jersey City Medical Center, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospitals)
• Valley Health System (e.g., The Valley Hospital)
• Hackensack Meridian Health (e.g., Hackensack University Medical Center, Carrier Clinic, Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Mountainside Medical Center)
• Englewood Health
• Holy Name Medical Center
• University Hospital of Newark

Skills and Simulation Laboratories

Experiential learning also includes skills development in our clinical skills labs at Dickinson Hall (FDU Metro Campus, Teaneck) and simulation laboratories at Park Avenue Plaza (230 Park Avenue, Florham Park). Experiences in skills laboratories will be selected to align with didactic course content (i.e., Comprehensive Health Assessment, Foundations of Nursing I and II). Interprofessional simulation experiences (e.g., with pharmacology, physician assistant, occupational therapy, and/or respiratory therapy students) conducted in our simulation laboratories allow students to develop team and communication skills.  Students are expected to arrange their own transportation to these clinical sites, which may require commuting between campuses. 

Community Engagement

Nurses are highly impactful in promoting population health through community engagement. Providing experiences for students to develop community engagement skills is an important vehicle to bring about environmental and behavioral changes that will improve the health of the community and its members.  Nursing students will develop these community health competencies as participants in health fairs, food pantries, Head Start and WIC programs, blood drives, and vaccine clinics.  Students can also develop community wellness leadership skills through participation in FDU’s LiveWell Warriors Peer Health Educator programs. 

Clinical Sites for Advanced-Level (APN) Nursing Students

Advanced practice nursing (APN) students participate in planned clinical practice experiences that afford them the opportunity to develop professional competencies and to integrate new knowledge in practice settings that are aligned with their population concentration. Preceptors (including nurse practitioners, physicians, and other qualified providers) support students in a broad range of settings (e.g., private offices, health care clinics, telehealth, long term care settings) to ensure that students will develop competencies to function as members of interprofessional teams.

APN students can choose from sites that are in our large portfolio of clinical affiliation agreements or can identify alternate clinical sites and preceptors in collaboration with faculty, who are responsible for evaluating overall student performance in clinical practice experiences. FDU maintains cooperative agreements that support APN clinical opportunities in other states, including New York. APN students must hold an RN license in the state where they are requesting a clinical placement. (See important Title IV Professional License Disclosure documents and CoNAH Student Manual – Clinical Issues.)

Graduate students who work in a healthcare facility that has a clinical affiliation agreement with FDU are eligible to receive a tuition discount. Graduate healthcare students who are interested in establishing a clinical affiliation agreement between FDU and a healthcare facility (to either obtain the tuition discount or as a clinical site) should contact their Program Director or Track Director for guidance. 

What are Internships and Externships?

As you prepare to embark on your professional journey, you may encounter opportunities to participate in “internships” or “externships.” These terms may be used interchangeably or have slightly different/overlapping meanings between facilities offering these opportunities. In general, internship opportunities are longer immersions that require the student “employee” to perform entry-level tasks for a company and work alongside company members. In contrast, externships are usually only a few weeks long, and externs don’t usually perform independent work. Externs are usually assigned to an employee “preceptor,” who they will shadow at work, providing an in-depth look at the role the extern is pursuing. In the New Jersey region, relative to the professional goals of FDU College of Nursing & Allied Health students, “externships” are most commonly pursued. 

Externships for Nursing Students

Nurse externships are highly encouraged for BSN students during the summer between junior and senior years, when students have the prerequisites to apply for an externship opportunity. Nurse externships are usually hospital-based, 8- to 10-week structured programs that take place between May and August, and are designed to enhance student skills and confidence. During the program, externs work closely with RN preceptors to assess patient needs, plan, and deliver interdisciplinary care, and perform basic clinical skills safely and competently. These programs not only benefit student nurses to bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world experiences, but also help to create a pipeline of well-trained nursing professionals for the hospital, as nurse externs often continue on to employment in the setting.

Externships generally involve a competitive application process that usually begins in the fall semester.  Applications generally open in November and close in early December, so that interviews can begin in January. Students must be in good academic standing, have completed a substantive number of clinical courses, and accept responsibility for adhering to an orientation and work schedule. It is highly advisable that students have considered the need to obtain letters of recommendation well in advance of the application deadline, as these may be challenging to obtain from faculty on short notice. When requesting a letter of recommendation, students should provide the recommender information about (1) yourself, including related awards, skills, and interests; (2) your academic program/academic achievement; and (3) why you want to pursue the externship/why you would be an excellent fit for the opportunity.  It is best to send the recommender a copy of any essay/question responses that you are submitting with the application so that the letter of recommendation aligns with your answers. 

Students who complete an approved externship will be able to apply their experience toward assignments in NURS 4600 during the senior year.  (To learn more about this waiver, contact Professor Kelly: l.kelly@fdu.edu).

To facilitate externship participation, CONAH maintains the following list of regional externship opportunities for BSN students to use as starting points for identifying an externship that meets their needs and interests. Students are encouraged to check here frequently for new opportunities and changes to existing programs, as well as to pass along information about other opportunities (email snah-hs@fdu.edu) so that our list continues to grow.