Mercy Jefferson - Winter Externship 2026

MHM Support Services; United States; On-site; USD 20,664,000 - 30,307,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental/Vision coverage

Paid time off

Tuition support

Retirement plans match

Job summary

Mercy Jefferson Winter Externship offers nursing students a hands-on learning experience in a hospital setting. Externs participate in clinical work under an RN, rotating through units and learning directly at the elbow of Mercy nurses.

The program runs December 21, 2026 – January 15, 2027 in Festus, MO, with approximately 36 hours per week of paid clinical exposure, focusing on IV therapy, phlebotomy, assessments, and essential nursing skills.

Qualifications

• Must have completed at least 2 nursing semesters, including one clinical rotation, by start of externship.
• Nursing externs participate in clinical work under RN supervision and provide direct and indirect patient care.

Responsibilities

• Participate in clinical work under the direction of an RN.
• Assist in individualized patient care to support wellness.
• Rotate through units, learning from Mercy nurses on the floor.

Skills

Clinical care

IV therapy

Foley care

NG tube care

Tube feeding

Ostomy care

Phlebotomy

Specimen collection

Dressing changes

Head-to-toe assessments

Trach care

Education

2 nursing semesters completed

Job description

Find your calling at Mercy! As a student in an approved registered nurse or practical nurse school of nursing, the Nurse Extern student participates in clinical work under the direction of an RN. The Nurse Extern assists in the individualized care of the patient to achieve the patient’s highest level of wellness working cooperatively with others as part of the healthcare team and performs designated clinical procedures and nonclinical support tasks within the nurse extern scope.

Position Details

Mercy Jefferson Winter Externship Festus, MO 63028 December 21, 2026 - January 15, 2027

Our Mercy Nursing Externship is a unique hands‑on learning experience designed to help nursing students bridge the gap between the classroom and real‑world practice.

This paid externship gives you the opportunity to work approximately 36 hours per week, rotating through a variety of units while learning directly at the elbow of a Mercy nurse.

Participating in a Mercy Externship will help you:

• Deepen your understanding of the nursing role within an acute care setting
• Build confidence in delivering both direct and indirect patient care
• Enhance your clinical skills through dedicated preceptor time, including:
  • IV therapy Foley care NG tube care and tube feeding Ostomy care Point‑of‑care testing, phlebotomy, and specimen collection Simple dressing changes Head‑to‑toe assessments Trach care

You’ll gain meaningful exposure to diverse patient populations, strengthen your critical‑thinking skills, and work closely with experienced nurses who are committed to supporting your learning and growth.

Externship Requirement

Applicants must have completed at least 2 semesters of nursing school, including a minimum of one round of clinicals, by the start of the externship.

What Past Mercy Externs Are Saying

• "I feel that all of the nurses were very willing and happy to have students and created a very comfortable space to learn and ask questions."
• "I liked getting to see a variety of places in the hospital. It helped me get a better idea of the right nursing job for me."
• "I think it was great to see all that the hospital has to offer and what a typical day looks like on each floor. I think it was entirely more helpful than the clinical experiences I have had at school."
• "Going to different units throughout the externship helped me learn about different protocols, medications, acuity levels of patients, and more. It allowed me to experience so many different clinical areas in a short time."

Why Mercy?

From day one, Mercy offers outstanding benefits - including medical, dental, and vision coverage, paid time off, tuition support, and matched retirement plans for team members working 32+ hours per pay period.

• medical, dental, and vision coverage
• paid time off
• tuition support
• matched retirement plans for team members working 32+ hours per pay period

Join a caring, collaborative team where your voice matters. At Mercy, you'll help shape the future of healthcare through innovation, technology, and compassion. As we grow, you'll grow with us.

Transforming the Health of Our Communities

Our Mercy health system was founded by the Sisters of Mercy in 1986. But our heritage goes back more than 195 years. It began with an Irish woman named Catherine McAuley, who was determined to help women and children in Dublin experiencing poverty. Though Catherine had a modest upbringing, she received an unexpected inheritance that allowed her to fulfill that dream. In 1827, she opened the first House of Mercy in Dublin, intending to teach skills to women and educate children. Many volunteers came to help. A few years later, Catherine founded the Sisters of Mercy, one of the first religious orders whose Sisters were free to walk among the poor and visit them in their homes. In 1843, the Sisters of Mercy came to the United States. In 1856, they travelled to St.Louis. In the years to come, they would establish hospitals throughout the Midwest. Many of these would join together in 1986 as Mercy.