Nurse Intern

Gundersen Health System; United States; On-site; USD 25,000 - 36,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Tuition Investment Program

Professional Development Opportunities

Job summary

Gundersen Health System in La Crosse, WI, offers a paid Nurse Internship program designed to bridge classroom learning with professional practice. You will work with experienced nurses, gain hands‑on patient care, and develop clinical judgment across supportive, interdisciplinary teams.

Applicants must be mathing graduation timelines, hold essential certifications, and commit to full duration with 60 hours per two‑week period.

Qualifications

• Be on track to graduate from an associate or baccalaureate nursing program by December 2027 or May 2028.
• Hold at least one of the following active certifications/licenses: CNA, EMT-B, EMT-P, LPN.
• Have a current Infant‑Adult Basic Life Support (BLS) certification from AHA or Red Cross (hands‑on training).
• Be available to work 60 hours per two‑week pay period, across all shifts, including weekends and holidays.

Responsibilities

• Work alongside experienced nurses and healthcare professionals while gaining hands‑on experience in patient care.
• Develop clinical judgment, interdisciplinary communication, and critical thinking during the internship.
• Intern in one clinical area while exploring others through observation and shadowing opportunities.
• Grow professionally in a supportive environment that emphasizes teamwork and patient‑centered care.

Skills

CNA

EMT-B

EMT-P

LPN

BLS

Job description

Love + medicine is who we are, it's what we do, it's why people want to work here.

Scheduled Weekly Hours: 36

Summer 2027 Nurse Internship – 47th Annual Program Program Dates: May 24 – August 1, 2027

Program Overview

For 47 years, Emplify Health by Gundersen's Nurse Internship Program has helped nursing students bridge the gap between the classroom and professional nursing practice. This paid, 10-week summer experience is designed to build confidence, strengthen clinical skills, and provide meaningful exposure to the realities of nursing care. As a Nurse Intern, you will work alongside experienced nurses and healthcare professionals while gaining hands‑on experience in patient care, clinical judgment, interdisciplinary communication, and critical thinking. Interns are immersed within one clinical area while also exploring other areas of nursing through observation and shadowing opportunities. Whether you're building on your first clinical experiences or preparing for your final year of nursing school, this internship is designed to meet you where you are and help you grow into the nurse you aspire to become. For many students, this internship is more than a summer experience. It's an opportunity to discover what type of nurse you want to become, explore different areas of practice, and build relationships that can continue long after graduation.

Eligibility Requirements

• Be on track to graduate from an associate or baccalaureate nursing program by December 2027 or May 2028
• Hold at least one of the following active certifications/licenses: Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Emergency Medical Technician – Basic (EMT-B) Emergency Medical Technician – Paramedic (EMT-P) Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
• Have a current Infant‑Adult Basic Life Support (BLS) certification from the American Heart Association or Red Cross (must include hands‑on training)
• Be available to work 60 hours per two‑week pay period, across all shifts (days, PMs, nights), including weekends and holidays. Students must be able to complete the full duration of the internship.

Key Dates

Application Deadline: December 1, 2026

Interviews Due: December 15, 2026

Offers Extended: February 2027

Internship Placement Areas

Interns will be matched with departments based on interest, availability, and strengths. Possible placements include: Medical/Surgical Unit, Emergency Services, Surgery

What You Can Expect

Empowerment to shape your work environment, encouragement to improve processes and create efficiencies, and support when seeking opportunities for growth. Culture that encourages self‑care and provides you with opportunities to be your best self at work and at home. Competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits packages, as applicable, ensuring your comfort and well‑being as a valuable team member. Support for your career growth through Professional Development Opportunities, our Tuition Investment Program, Career Development Center, and online continuing education courses.

We inspire your best life by relentlessly caring, learning and innovating. This is our purpose. Together with our values — belonging, respect, excellence, accountability, teamwork and humility — our pillars set our foundation and our future.

Equal Opportunity Employer Around here, loving your job is part of the job. Join our mission in changing healthcare while finding a career you'll love! Gundersen Health System offers a proud, local history spanning more than 100 years. Our personalized patient care model is only the beginning of what you will experience as we foster population health transformation and innovation to serve our communities and you. We've made it a priority to enrich the lives of our employees as they find a career they love. Using each employee’s unique talents and preferences, Gundersen is committed to delivering exceptional patient and family‑centered care to the communities we serve. You can be part of an exciting, highly adaptable and mission‑driven organization with a work environment that supports you personally and professionally and a work culture where you are valued and appreciated offering an employee‑first culture, work‑life balance, and career advancement & growth opportunities. This culture allows our organization to attract elite talent, like yourself!

Gundersen Health System, based in La Crosse, WI, is the leading provider of primary and specialized care in western Wisconsin, southeast Minnesota, and northeast Iowa; serving more than 500,000 residents throughout 22 counties. Our physician‑led, not‑for‑profit healthcare system includes a 325‑bed teaching hospital, tertiary referral center, and LevelII Trauma Center; community clinics; 6 affiliate critical access hospitals; nursing homes; behavioral health services; vision centers; pharmacies; and air and ground ambulance services. Together, we inspire your best life by relentlessly caring, learning, and innovating. We deliver Love + Medicine every day to change lives in our communities and enrich the lives of our employees. Select Remote/Hybrid Eligible under More search to see our remote‑eligible openings. A rewarding career and an excellent quality of life awaits you. Learn more about our excellence in patient care, education, research, culture, and something we call Love + Medicine at www.gundersenhealth.org/careers/life.