Summer Nurse
​​​​​​​Internship

Gain knowledge and experience by completing the Summer Nurse Internship with CentraCare!


Our internship has steered countless successful nursing careers. The experience includes hands-on work to help connect your education to the future work you’ll do! You’ll learn from and work one-on-one with some of the best nurses, who bring their best to work daily.

You'll function under the supervision of the Registered Nurse. The primary focus is education, assisting the intern to prepare for a position as a graduate nurse. You may care for patients ranging in age from newborn to elderly, depending on the unit assigned.
Internship Purpose

The purpose of this internship is to guide students in developing nursing fundamentals while empowering them to feel confident as they tranisition into a professional nursing career helping those in our communities.


The objectives of the internship is to:

  • Utilize the nursing process to provide safe patient care
  • Enhance prioritization, organization and time management skills in the delivery of nursing care
  • Complete reports and assessments and collect data in a timely manner to the appropriate clinical site staff
  • Document patient care provided accurately, completely and consistently with clinical site protocols
  • Enhance communication skills with patients, families, co-workers and other members of the health care team

Internship Details


Under the supervision and delegation of the RN, and as a nursing student enrolled in an academic program, precepted interns will be allowed to perform those tasks/duties with which they have become familiar (via theory) and performed (via clinical) thus far during their nursing education. The nurse intern will work with the preceptor in learning to work with a team caring for groups of patients. Specific nursing procedures that are allowed are identified through an orientation process. This is a paid summer internship.

  • The 2026 Summer Nurse Internship application will be available starting in early November and close in December.
  • Internship offers will be extended the first Monday of February in 2026.
  • The 10-week internship will run approximately from the first Monday in June through the first Friday in August.
  • Exact 2026 internship dates will be available at the end of September.


Internship Availability

The following hospitals offer Summer Nurse Internships in these units: 


  • Long Prairie, Melrose, Paynesville, Redwood Falls, and Sauk Centre: mainly med/surg but may experience ER and OB depending on preceptor.

  • Rice Memorial (Willmar): Adult Health Care (med/surg), Emergency Trauma Center (ETC), Women and Newborn Health.

  • St. Cloud Hospital: Birth Center, Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU), Cardiovascular Thoracic Unit (CVTU), Coborn Cancer Center, Center for Surgical Care, Endoscopy, Emergency Trauma Center (ETC), Float Pool, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Medical Units 1 & 2, Mental Health (Adult & Adolescent), EmPATH, Medical Progressive Care Unit (MPCU), Neuroscience Spine, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Oncology, Orthopedics, Pediatrics, Plaza Surgery Center, In-Patient Rehab, Surgical Care Units 1& 2, OR, Telemetry, and Vascular Access.

Eligibility


  • Currently enrolled in a bachelor’s degree in nursing program between your junior and senior year, or an associate degree between your first and
         second year.
  • Prior experience as a Nursing Assistant or in a health care environment preferred.
  • Current American Heart Association (AHA) BLS Healthcare Provider card required.
  • Participation in an internship course within the state of Minnesota for the entire ten-week program is required.

Timeline & Hours


The Summer Nurse Internship is 10-weeks long and typically runs from the first week in June through the first Friday in August. Participation is required for the entire ten weeks. Interns must work full-time between 72-80 hours every two weeks. The intern will follow their preceptor’s schedule and must be available to work days, evenings, nights and weekends.


For any questions related to the internship, email GulletteL@centracare.com.