Nursing Student Opportunities
At WaterburyHEALTH, we offer unique opportunities for nursing students to gain more experience.
Student Trained Aide (STA) Role
The STA role is a paid position for nursing students to gain experience at the bedside in an acute setting. Candidates must be enrolled in an accredited nursing program to be considered and must have either completed at least one semester of clinical experience or already have their CNA license. STA positions report to the Director of Nursing Education and are typically offered in the float pool. This position is similar to the role of a PCA but is non-union and has some limitations that a PCA does not. After completing orientation, STAs work 24-32 hrs/week through the summer and then drop down to per diem once they return to nursing school. STAs carry a full patient assignment on our inpatient units and support RNs and other members of the interdisciplinary healthcare team by providing direct patient care. Many of our new graduate nurse hires are former participants in the STA program.
Student Nurse Intern (SNI) Role
The SNI role is a paid position for nursing students to be immersed in the role of the RN in an acute setting for 3-4 weeks during winter break. Candidates must be enrolled in an accredited nursing program to be considered and typically a graduating senior, though we have made exceptions for outstanding candidates in their junior year. SNIs are paired with an RN preceptor and work side-by-side with them throughout the program. They can perform almost all nursing skills under the supervision of their preceptors and participate in managing the patient assignment from the RN perspective. SNIs are scheduled 32-36 hrs/week through the duration of the program – they follow their preceptor’s schedule. SNIs are highly sought after by hiring managers on the nursing units who are looking to hire graduate nurses, as they have demonstrated their abilities and have already begun to embed in the organization. Most years, a large percentage of our new graduate hires are prior SNIs.