CHI Health “Summer Student Nurse Internship” Program Sees Record Retention

NEBRASKA/IOWA – In the midst of the national shortage, finding nurses can be a challenge – but CHI Health’s Summer Student Nurse Internship (SSNI) is seeing a record number of students taking jobs within the organization following the eight-week program. 

Following the 2025 program, 72 percent of graduates chose to continue working at a CHI Health hospital in Nebraska or Iowa as Student Nurse Techs (SNTs), which is a part-time position that’s flexible with their school schedule. In 2024, 45 percent of the summer interns were hired as CHI Health nurses following graduation.

The SSNI program lets nursing students choose what CHI Health hospital and unit they’d like to work on. They’re then paired with a dedicated preceptor to shadow throughout the summer, giving them a hands-on, in-depth experience beyond what’s required in a typical clinical. 

“We had the most students interview this last year than we've ever had,” said Jenny Stachura, CHI Health Midwest Market Chief Nursing Officer. “It's created a lot of excitement. They get a ton of experience and they feel much, much more prepared to enter the nursing field because of this experience.”

The SSNI program is a paid internship and students get class credit upon completion. Applications for next year’s program open in December