Common use of Internships Clause in Contracts

Internships. M.01 Internships Access to Hospital Internships shall be through the standard job posting process. Job postings shall describe any specific terms and conditions of the internship not already covered below. Selection into an internship program shall be on the basis of previous experience, critical thinking skills, problem-solving skills, and basic nursing assessment skills. Where the skills and abilities of the nurses being considered are relatively equal, seniority shall govern, providing that the successful applicant, if any, is sufficiently qualified to complete and meet the performance expectations of the program. Upon being accepted into an internship program, the intern shall spend a minimum of 35 hours in the unit where she will eventually work before beginning the formal educational component of the program. These tours shall be worked on a shadow basis with a senior nurse, in order to familiarize the intern with the unit and its work environment. At the conclusion of this evaluation period, the nurse shall be given the opportunity of returning to her former position if she/he no longer wishes to work in the new area. The intern will be required to complete a formal educational program at a local college or learning institute selected by the Employer for a period of a time determined by the specific qualifications or certification being sought. During this period, the intern will continue to be paid her regular nursing salary. The intern will be required to actively participate in ongoing needs based assessment of her clinical needs with the designated nurse clinician or nurse mentor. The intern will therefore be expected to provide copies to the Employer copies of any tests and formal progress reports, including final grades received, during the academic component of the program. A nurse who fails the academic portion of the program will be given the opportunity to repeat the failed components on her own time, pending which she may be placed in a vacant position for which she is already qualified or, if no positions are available, laid off under Article 10 of the Collective Agreement. Upon beginning the practical component of the program, the intern will be expected to demonstrate ongoing learning while being mentored by senior staff on the unit. A nurse successfully completing the internship program need not be considered for a further vacancy in the Hospital for a period up to eighteen (18) months following completion of the internship.