Students may seek off-campus employment opportunities. Many hospitals in the East Central Illinois Region employ Lakeview College of Nursing students in a variety of positions such as student interns, CNAs, or nurse techs. It is the responsibility of the hiring agency to provide a written job description and training for the position for which they have been hired. Students employed in an agency have the responsibility to engage in only those activities which fall within their job descriptions as nonprofessional workers (e.g., interns, aides, or techs). They have a responsibility to refuse to participate in activities they have not been legally licensed to perform (e.g., giving medications, assuming total responsibility for a group of patients).
Employed students should be aware that:
- the College of Nursing assumes no responsibility for their activities as employees of an agency;
- they are personally responsible and liable for any activity they participate in while employed;
- professional liability insurance purchased will be valid only in their student role, not in their employment role;
- individuals not licensed in the State of Illinois to practice professional nursing who engage in such practices are doing so illegally and may be prosecuted accordingly. Supervision by a licensed professional nurse does not provide protection or make such actions legal;
- individuals who practice illegally may jeopardize their future careers since persons who are convicted of violations of the Nurse Practice Act may not be eligible to write State Board examinations and subsequently to receive licensure.
Students may need to limit employment hours depending upon course load and level of achievement of educational objectives.