Nurse Scholar Program

Gain hands-on patient interaction, clinical experience and professional development skills in preparation for nursing employment.

The Nurse Scholar program is an immersive experiential program to prepare nursing students, newly licensed nurses, and nurses eligible for license renewal or reactivation to gain additional clinical skills practice, professional development, and advancement for their nursing education and/or career. Over a period of three months, program participants will complete over 100 hours of nurse shadowing and hands-on clinical experience alongside Registered Nurse preceptors. Nurse Scholars will complete a minimum of 38 hours of initial training in preparation for new departmental rotations and can select one of two tracks: Entry Level Track or Advanced Level Track.

Entry-Level Track: The Nurse Scholar Program’s Entry-Level Track offers students completing their prerequisites for a nursing program or new nursing students who are greater than 1.5 years from graduating from their Nursing Degree, the opportunity to further advance their nursing education and gain hands-on clinical experience in nursing and specialty units. This will help distinguish program graduates as top candidates for nursing programs, entry-level employment and the Nurse Scholar Program Advanced-Level Track.

What You Will Gain from Entry-Level Track:

You will receive mentorship from experienced nursing staff and clinical experience to help prepare you for nursing program applications and course work
You will have access to exclusive opportunities for entry-level employment
You will participate in professional development workshops to become well-versed and knowledgeable in preparation for a nursing career
This is a great opportunity to provide you with clinical skills and hands-on experience, assisting your Registered Nurse preceptor with taking vital signs, repositioning patients, and basic patient care.

Advanced-Level Track: The Nurse Scholar Program’s Advanced-Level Track offers recent nursing students or nursing graduates the opportunity to sharpen clinical skills and gain one-on-one mentorship from nursing staff. This program is an excellent platform to network for employment as participants will be deeply integrated into the patient care team. This track requires its participants to be within 1.5 years of completing their Nursing Degree, and to have an advanced skills set verifiable by their nursing program instructor. Upon program completion, program graduates receive a certificate of completion in Pre-Licensed Nurse Training and Patient Experience from the Keck Graduate Institute (KGI). This will help distinguish program graduates as top candidates for direct employment.

What You Will Gain from Advanced-Level Track:

You will close the theory-to-practice gap to develop confidence and competence
You will gain more autonomy and awareness of the workplace dynamic
You will experience “partnership in practice,” in which you are matched with an expert for guidance, evaluation and specialty matching
You will have access to exclusive opportunities for nursing employment
With limited opportunities for skills practice in nursing school, we have created a program that allows you experience placing IV’s and urinary catheters, phlebotomy, and much more!

The application and enrollment process requires an online application, in-person interview, health screening, 30-hour training and successful completion of exams. Applicants must be at least 18 years old and currently enrolled in, accepted or graduated from an accredited university or college.

Apply Online or Contact Us

To learn more or to apply, visit copehealthscholars.org/programs/nurse-scholar/overview/