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Employed Student Nurse Program

Applications will be accessible here starting October 1, 2024 for the following fiscal year. Nursing schools will be notified when the application becomes available, and they will share it with you.

ESN Web Graphic - July 2023.png

Employed Student Nurse Information Sessions

Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024 | 3 - 4 p.m. PST
Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024 | 9 - 10 a.m. PST

Join us for one of our virtual ESN Info Sessions where we'll share details on how to become an ESN and about our hiring programs.

Learn more and register to attend at phsa.ca/hiring-events

PHSA’s Employed Student Nurse (ESN) program provides educational opportunities for nursing and psychiatric nursing students to work in a clinical setting for 200 to 400 hours of hands-on experience with pay. These hours will help consolidate theory and skills you have learned in your nursing programs, participate as a valued team member, and learn about different practice environments and interdisciplinary teams. In many cases, you can apply your earned seniority toward your first RN/RPN job with us.

This hands-on experience will prepare you for a career specializing in neonatal, perinatal, pediatrics, child & youth mental health, adult mental health, or oncology nursing. You may also be able to use this experience as a stepping stone to acquiring a preceptorship at BC Children's Hospital, BC Women's Hospital + Health Centre, BC Centre for Disease Control, BC Mental Health & Substance Use Services, or BC Cancer as part of your fourth year. For details on areas/locations that are accepting ESNs within these programs, see below!

You qualify to apply if you:

  • Have successfully completed your medical/surgical instructor-led rotation or relevant rotation in your program of choice
  • Are a student member of the British Columbia College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM) or are eligible for student membership
  • Have current certification in CPR
  • Meet the BC Children's Hospital, BC Women's Hospital + Health Centre, BC Centre for Disease Control, BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services, or BC Cancer recruitment screening requirements; please see the program specific application forms for details on program requirements

Programs that hire ESNs

 

BC Cancer logo


BC Cancer, with six regional centres across B.C., is dedicated to excellence in patient care, cancer research and prevention. Employed Student Nurses are welcomed into the program through a provincial-level onboarding program, followed by orientation and buddy shifts, along with in-house training.


Unit / Ward Preferences include:
  • BC Cancer Vancouver
  • BC Cancer Surrey
  • BC Cancer Victoria
  • BC Cancer Abbotsford
  • BC Cancer Kelowna
  • Centre for the North in Prince George
 

 
BC Women's Hospital + Health Centre logo

BC Women’s Hospital + Health Centre is dedicated to improving the health of women, newborns and families through a comprehensive range of services, research and education.

Employed Student Nurses are welcomed into the following Units / Wards:
  • Single Room Maternity Care
  • Neonatal Intensive Care Unit 
  • Postpartum
 

 
BC Children's Hospital logo

BC Children’s Hospital provides care for the most seriously ill or injured children and youth from  across British Columbia.

Employed Student Nurses are welcome to apply in the following Units:

  • Pediatric Oncology, Hematology, BMT/Oncology Clinic
  • Pediatric ICU
  • Pediatric Medicine
  • Pediatric Rehabilitation (Sunny Hill Health Centre)
  • Pediatric Surgery and Cardiac Surgery
  • Pediatric Peri-Operative Program
  • Medical Imaging
  • Outpatients Care
Within BC Children's Hospital is their Child and Youth Mental Health program. This program offers services for children and youth who are experiencing severe mental and emotional distress or serious psychiatric symptoms.  

Employed Student Nurses are welcome to apply in the following Units:

  • Child and Youth Mental Health
  • Eating Disorder Program. 
Please note that this is a separate application form under the “How to Apply” section above.
 

 
BC Mental Health & Substance Use Services logo

BC Mental Health & Substance Use Services cares for people with complex mental health and substance use challenges.

Employed Student Nurses are welcome to apply in the following locations:
  • Correctional Health Services:
    • Vancouver Island Regional Correctional Centre (VIRCC) — Victoria
    • Alouette Correctional Centre for Women (ACCW) — Maple Ridge
    • Fraser Regional Correctional Centre (FRCC) — Maple Ridge
    • Kamloops Regional Correctional Centre (KRCC)
    • Okanagan Correctional Centre (OCC) NFPRC
    • Surrey Pretrial Services Centre (SPSC)
    • Nanaimo Correctional Centre (NCC)
    • Prince George Regional Correctional Centre (PGRCC)
    • Community Transition teams
  • Forensic Psychiatric Hospital — Coquitlam
  • Provincial Assessment Center — Coquitlam
  • Red Fish Healing Centre — Coquitlam
  • Heartwood Centre for Women (Requires incumbent be female) — Vancouver
 

 
BC Centre for Disease Control logo

The BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) provides provincial and national leadership in disease surveillance, detection, treatment, prevention and consultation.

BCCDC is accepting ESNs for the following location:
  • TB Clinic — Vancouver
 
Want to know more about why you should apply?

Here's what some of our employed student nurses have to say about the program:

PHSA Testimonial Photo Fonseca, Giselle
“I knew this would be an amazing experience from the support and knowledge I received on my virtual orientation day, and I have continued to experience learning opportunities that have allowed me to develop my skillset in so many ways. 

I am excited to carry these valuable experiences with me and transfer the skills I have learned into my future placements. I look forward to continuing my nursing experience and I’m grateful for the encouraging learning environment I have experienced at BC Children’s Hospital.”

- Giselle Fonseca, 2023 ESN, BC Children’s Hospital
PHSA Testimonial Photo Marina Neal
"When my student union sent out a flyer that BC Children's was hiring ESN's, I was just finishing my Adult In-Patient Psychiatry rotation, and I had loved it! I have been working with kids since I was 14, so I knew it was something I wanted to do as my career. Getting the chance to combine the best of both worlds was so incredible!

I have absolutely loved being an ESN! The most rewarding aspect for me is the profound difference I get to make in my patients' lives. It's incredibly fulfilling to know that my work contributes to their well-being and recovery, as well as teaching them skills that they can use for the rest of their lives!"

- Marina Neal, 2023 ESN, BC Children’s Hospital

How to apply

 

Download and complete the PHSA ESN application form.


Before filling out the form, please download it first and then fill it out electronically. Before submitting, please ensure that all information in the form is displaying properly. Save the form once completed, as you will need to submit it with all other required documents.

Download and complete the corresponding application form below. 

 

Download and complete the ESN Clinical Reference form. Please have the form completed by an instructor from your most recent or relevant placement to your program of choice.


Before filling out the form, please download it first and then fill it out electronically.  Save the form once completed, as you will need to submit it with all other required documents.


If your school doesn't provide references, please provide a letter of good standing or supporting reference.

 

 

Submit all the following supporting documents along with your application form:

Download the PHSA ESN Application Checklist as a reference guide to ensure all documentation is included in your application. 

 

 
E-mail your complete application including the application form and supporting documents (in one e-mail) to esn@phsa.ca using the subject line: ESN 2024 - (Last name, First Name - Program).
 

 

Shortlisting and interviews will be between 1–3 months after the application closes and varies from program to program. Once you apply, we recommend beginning the process of completing your BCCNM licence. Please see our FAQ sheet for more details.

Thank you for your interest in PHSA. Please note, only short-listed candidates will be contacted. Due to the volume of applications received, we cannot comment on the status of individual applications.


FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions for ESNs (PDF)
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