What types of activities can Nursing Clinical Externs support?
The Clinical Extern role provides a valuable opportunity to contribute directly to patient care, work alongside regulated healthcare professionals, and build confidence in the clinical environment.
The Nursing Clinical Extern scope is organized into three levels: standard practice, enhanced nursing tasks, and controlled acts.
Standard practice includes tasks that an Extern may complete within the Extern’s circle of care, demonstrated competence, and unit expectations. These activities form the foundation of the role and should represent a significant part of the Extern’s contribution during a shift. Examples include Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), comfort and patient safety rounding, adult vital signs, mobility, feeding, documentation, and stocking. These activities protect patient dignity, reduce the risk of falls and skin breakdown, support nutrition and recovery, help identify changes in patient condition, and contribute to a safer care environment.
Enhanced nursing tasks require more than personal confidence or previous exposure. The task must be verbally assigned by the supervising RN or RPN, and the Extern must have successfully completed the applicable education and competency verification.
Controlled acts require an additional level of authorization. The Extern must have the relevant competency, and there must be a formal delegation order in the Electronic Health Record. The patient must also meet the conditions for safe delegation, including being stable and having predictable outcomes.
Some standard activities may include:
- Performing and documenting vital signs
- Low-flow oxygen administration
- Superficial pressure injury care
- Intermittent/indwelling urinary catheterization
- Point-of-care testing-glucose monitoring (POCT-GM)
- Non-blood specimen collection
Externs have also supported initiatives such as Seasonal Influenza Campaigns, LHSC’s annual pressure injury prevalence study, and supporting our Base Hospital Partners with Paramedic Exam Simulations, among others.
Work Commitment and Scheduling
Externs commit to working a minimum of two 12-hour shifts per biweekly pay-period from September – April and can work up to four 12-hour shifts per pay period from May-August.
Balancing school and work requires planning and maturity. Reliability and consistency are essential, as patient care and team functioning depend on it.
Eligibility
In order to become a Clinical Extern - Nursing (CEN), you must be in the third or fourth year of an RN program or in the final year of an RPN program.
