From doubt to confidence: Growing as a nurse extern

Imagine standing at a crossroads, questioning if you're on the right path.

For Shayla P., a nursing student at AHN Citizens School of Nursing, that crossroads came with a deep-seated doubt about her chosen profession.

"Nursing school, it's really hard. I wasn't confident, and I honestly didn't believe that I was in the right profession," Shayla said.

But as she refined her nursing skills with hands on practice through the AHN Nurse Extern Program, she realized her confidence had no limits.

A leap of faith: Finding her calling

Shayla's entry into the AHN Nurse Extern Program was almost by chance. Nursing was a profession she decided to pursue later in her life, and she was already juggling a cleaning company, working with special needs individuals, and navigating nursing school. Her plate was full.

"I really didn't have the time," Shayla said. "I had another life I had to do as well. I didn't know about this nurse externship and if I had time to do it, so I wasn't going to do it."

It was eventually a friend's persistent encouragement that led her to reach out to a recruiter on the very last day that applications were being accepted.

Her initial request for an ICU intensive care placement wasn't available at this point, so she was offered the operating room (OR).

"I would have taken anything at that point. I'm a beggar, I can't be choosy," Shayla said.

But what seemed like a compromise quickly revealed itself as destiny.

"When I say it was fate, it was my calling. It was my path. It was what it was supposed to be," she said.

This unexpected turn became the foundation of her future as a nurse.

Growth and development: Hands-on learning that ignited confidence

Shayla's first week as a nurse extern was all about orientations and trainings.

"That was amazing because it helped you get back to your basics," Shayla said. "It helped you to dot your i's and cross your t's so you're ready to be patient facing. During that week, we were able to physically perform a lot of things. We were ready by that point to face anything that came our way as a nurse extern in that hospital system."

Now that she was ready to face anything, true growth came from the specialized operating room training and her incredible preceptors.

"What truly prepared me for the things that I was going to see was the OR nurse educator," Shayla said. "That's who prepared you. She had it all together. She explained everything."

The OR nurse educator was also who paired Shayla with her preceptor. "My preceptor was absolutely amazing," Shayla said. "Hands down, she needs to teach. She basically trained me as if I was stepping off of this externship right into the role."

This intensive preparation paid off dramatically. Doctors, unaware she was an extern, would comment on her readiness and wanting to work with her. These affirmations were pivotal in her shift from self-doubt to confidence.

"When you have somebody of that stature who put so much faith in you and trusts you to do this job, that let me know right then and there that I was fine," Shayla said. "I've got this. This person is putting his career in my hands. He's trusting me."

A supportive and collaborative environment: "No mean girls allowed"

Shayla's previous professional experiences had led her to expect a certain level of workplace politics. However, her experience at Allegheny Health Network was much different.

"I haven't ran into too many mean girls," Shayla said. "I've met triple and quadruple the amount of participants willing to help me find something, willing to take me under their wing, willing to teach me something. I don't know if they have this written down in a policy somewhere, but no mean girls allowed. It's wonderful."

This collaborative spirit was crucial in continuing to build her confidence. "It was that support of the team, even though I wasn't really part of their team. I'm just a nurse extern. They're like, 'You got this. You are going be great. You have the personality for it. You have the attitude for it. You have the energy for it.' So that was that first defining moment."

Making a big impact: Leading with initiative and care

Shayla's proactive approach and dedication to patient care quickly made her an indispensable part of the team. "No job in this OR is underneath me or above me," Shayla said. "I want to do what I need to do for anybody here because we're a team and at the end of the day, our end goal is that patient."

This dedication didn't go unnoticed. As she neared the end of the program, Shayla was told by surgeons and techs and nurses that they would be comfortable having her in the operating room with them.

"That was it. I got all of the confirmation that I did what I was supposed to do and they really confirmed it. I showed up. I put forth my energy, my effort, and they saw it and they were comfortable with me and they're confident in my abilities. And so that helped me get confident in my own ability."

These moments affirmed her ability to contribute significantly and highlighted the real impact she was making on her team and patient outcomes.

A future built on recognition and trust

Shayla's hard work and dedication came with a full-time job offer, to start immediately after her graduation in the same OR she worked in as an extern. This offer was more than just a job; it was a recognition of her journey.

"It's a great feeling," Shayla said. "It really brings tears to my eyes. It's a win that I'm being seen and that I'm where I'm supposed to be and where I'm being called on."

Shayla is now eagerly looking forward to returning to the OR, but this time with a lot more confidence.

"All I can tell you is the nurse extern program has made me a hundred percent confident in what I'm supposed to do as a nurse," Shayla said. "It has made me a hundred percent confident in my abilities. This place, you just don't understand what it's done to me. I was ready to give up. I didn't think I was doing the right thing in life. I honestly didn't. But the recruiter placed me in the OR, and it changed everything."

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