Recent grad and I have my first interview tomorrow. I am a little apprehensive. Any suggestions? I will be interviewing with the ER department head at a big hospital.
Hey Rob,
I know that some of these suggestions are obvious and that others may be viewed as extreme but they're conduct and grooming basics that have stood the test of time.
Make sure you're a few minutes early, dress well and conservatively, tattoos covered, minimal jewelry, and no cologne. It's always appropriate to have hair and especially facial hair neatly groomed or be clean shaven- no stubble. Be prepared with a copy of your resume and a binder to take notes or keep material that you may be given. When you meet, smile, make eye contact and give a firm handshake; no fingersrusher or limp dishrag. Know the name of your interviewer before the meeting and when your interview starts, hand that copy of your resume in an envelope, to the person. Do this even if you know that there's one right on the desk because in a very tangible way, it makes the statement that you're responsible, professional and prepared. During the interview, sit facing the person, with good posture and leaning slightly foreward in your chair. When asked questions, pause momentarily to think. It may feel like you're silent forever but it's just a second. You will avoid impulsive statements while formulating the best possible reply. Be sure to phrase things in a way that reflects your interest in doing the job well, learning a lot and contributing as much as possible.
This all may seem like too much to bother with but remember that it's you that you're selling, not your nursing experience, yet. You have to show good character. By dressing conservatively, you demonstrate that you are respectful of yourself and others especially patients you may work with. Your specific facility may be accepting of body art, alternative hair styles and jewelry so if after you're hired, your chance to express your individuality will come. Otherwise, it will wait for out of work time and you will not have committed the mistake of assumption.
Even when you do have nursing experience to market , don't forget that you the person, has to be sold too.
I've been on both sides of the desk, Good luck.
R
Thanks for the advice. I did what you said and I got the Job!
It is amazing that finally the day I have worked for and dreamed about is here. I will be working as an ER nurse. The first 12 weeks will be an internship and I also have gotten approval to take the NCLEX from the board of nurse examiners.
I really want to be a good nurse and make a difference.
Congrats, Rob! Glad to hear you got the job. Good luck on State Boards, too. I hope you let us know how both the job AND test go, though I am sure you will pass 'that test'pretty easily.
'Cat'
good luck with both things!
As I've told my classmates to do when they took the NCLEX...
Sit down, relax, and take a deep breath. Calm and center yourself before starting.
Great! Let us know how you are progressing.
Took my math test at the hospital and passed okay. My physical and drug screen is Monday. Nothing to worry about unless they gig me for being a little overweight.
I am struggling with taking the NCLEX on Wednesday or rescheduling for a later date. My wife says just do it. If I fail I will not be able to work or retest for 50 days. I think I know my stuff but still it's an unknown.
After I pass and look back I can laugh but right now it's no laughing matter.
I say take the test with things fresh in your mind if you've studied all along studing more just ads to frustration (for me) like Nike just do it :)
No Prob Rob wrote:Took my math test at the hospital and passed okay. My physical and drug screen is Monday. Nothing to worry about unless they gig me for being a little overweight.
I am struggling with taking the NCLEX on Wednesday or rescheduling for a later date. My wife says just do it. If I fail I will not be able to work or retest for 50 days. I think I know my stuff but still it's an unknown.
After I pass and look back I can laugh but right now it's no laughing matter.
Hey Rob,
Congrats on the math test. On the matter of the NCLEX, I agree with the others- take the test ASAP. In the meantime, don't study. Like you said yourself, you're probably more than ready. What happens though, is that people overprepare. They cram until they're so exhausted and paranoid, that they choke on exam day. Do yourself a favor and put away your books, notes, flashcards and everything else nursing now and lighten up. Practice stress reduction exercises, deep breathing, meditation, whatever works and get really good at it. Take Benadryl, Nyquil, melatonin or something else light the night before the test so you get enough sleep but no booze. If you do drink, save it for the celebration when you know you've passed.
Good luck,
R
I took the NCLEX exam today. Got there an hour early and started to test before my appointment. It was great I did not have to wait.
The exam only went to 75 questions then I was done. I was expecting 225 questions and a 6 hour marathon. It was almost anticlimactic.
Talk about security! I had to be fingerprint scanned in and out of the room just to go pee. My picture came up on the screen so they could identify me along with signature and drivers license. Everyone was videotaped and watched closely. I did not pay it much attention though because I was busy. I either passed okay or bombed early on. I think I did okay because there were only a few questions I had to completely guess at.
I am reluctant to celebrate just yet. I have to pinch myself now and then to make sure it's not a dream. For $7.95 you can go on the web site after two business days and get "unofficial" test results. I think it will be money well spent come Friday.
The Hospital called and said I was all clear to report to work on Monday. :D
I spent the $$ and called for unofficial results. And with 75 questions? Sounds like you did pass to me.
'Cat'
Hey Rob,
It sounds like you did really well. With the electronic "smart" exams, the most correct pathway through the problem sets is the shortest- with fewest questions. If you weren't doing as well, you would've been running that marathon. I'm glad that unofficial results are available, waiting six weeks is painful. I look foreward to your news on Friday. Hope you have a good day on Monday.
R
I went on to the State Board of Nurse Examiners web site and the results were already posted.
I PASSED ! :D:D::D
I won't start orientation until next week so I am going to go on a trip for a few days. I'll be Back
Congratulations, NURSE!
'Cat'
Congratulations! Enjoy your trip, you earned it.
R
Congrats!!!
No Prob Rob wrote:... I PASSED !
I won't start orientation until next week so I am going to go on a trip for a few days. I'll be Back
Sounds like the NCLEX was ... no prob for No Prob Rob ;)
You deserve to have a great time on your trip, too. :)
My second day of work in the ER and so far so good. One of my patients died but he had a ruptured aortic anurism. I Doubt if he had gotten to the operating table sooner he would have survived. Sounds cold but I realized a long time ago I am not in charge of who lives and dies.
This has turned out to be a great hospital to work for so far. We see on average 120 or so patients every day.
Any tips for what I can do to get better at starting IV's? I know practice will help but doing the wrong thing over and over will not help me get better. I have watched others but I am still skittish. Watched a good nurse start an IV on an 11 month old and I was amazed at how he was able to do it.
No Prob Rob wrote:My second day of work in the ER and so far so good. One of my patients died but he had a ruptured aortic anurism. I Doubt if he had gotten to the operating table sooner he would have survived. Sounds cold but I realized a long time ago I am not in charge of who lives and dies.
This has turned out to be a great hospital to work for so far. We see on average 120 or so patients every day.
Any tips for what I can do to get better at starting IV's? I know practice will help but doing the wrong thing over and over will not help me get better. I have watched others but I am still skittish. Watched a good nurse start an IV on an 11 month old and I was amazed at how he was able to do it.
Hey Rob,
Glad to hear that things are going so well for you. You seem to have arrived at, and come to be at peace with the reality of who lives and dies early on in your career. Many healthcare workers struggle with the inequity of death and never come to terms with it, especially in emergency care. As for starting IVs, practice, practice and more practice. Continue to watch others' technique especially paramedics and anesthesia folks, and pick brains but the skill will come because you will try what everyone else does and eventually find a technique that works for you. About the only bit of technical advice I can give over the Net since I can't hang over an arm with you, is to be deliberate with the needle. Don't take a long time looking at, slapping and stroking the veins. Be ready and as soon as you see something, go for it. Taking a long time undermines your confidence and makes the patient nervous. Once you break the skin and if you don't get it, only reposition twice. If you don't get it then, you won't get it at all. Come out and look for another site. Repeat the process but only try two sites. By then, you will be too frustrated so let someone else try and don't be hard on yourself. This is a skill that you will develop so start every IV that you can. Needle skittishness will fade over time. Pretty soon you will be the expert teaching a new nurse how to start an IV.
Keep at it,
R
Rob, I'd taken a Phlebotomy course well before I'd gone on for my RN. The instructor had said he and his ex (who is a nurse) had both agreed early on: Just because you can start an IV, you can't necessarily draw blood. If you can draw blood, you'd have a better chance of starting an IV.
Like others have said.....practice! You are still learning (but aren't we all?) I know you can do it!
'Cat'
Second week in the ER and I am just beginning to find my way around and get to know where stuff is. I did manage to start an IV on my own today. We are always very busy and I am glad there is an internship where I can learn most of what I need to know in the first 12 weeks.
The ER is a truly crazy place with a lot of dynamics between patients, nurses, and doctors. You get to see all kinds of people from every walk of life.
I know it's a ways off yet but is there any advantage to being a certified emergency nurse? I think that is the next step for me after I have gained about a years experience.
No Prob Rob wrote:Second week in the ER and I am just beginning to find my way around and get to know where stuff is. I did manage to start an IV on my own today. We are always very busy and I am glad there is an internship where I can learn most of what I need to know in the first 12 weeks.
The ER is a truly crazy place with a lot of dynamics between patients, nurses, and doctors. You get to see all kinds of people from every walk of life.
I know it's a ways off yet but is there any advantage to being a certified emergency nurse? I think that is the next step for me after I have gained about a years experience.
Yes, it would be good to have your CEN; possibly more pay, and a little more recognition. A few weeks ago I took my CCRN. It was a tough exam & heard the CEN is along the same lines.
MagRedC5 wrote:Yes, it would be good to have your CEN; possibly more pay, and a little more recognition. A few weeks ago I took my CCRN. It was a tough exam & heard the CEN is along the same lines.
So how do you think you did on the test? What materials did you use to study?
Take the test now. The longer you wait, the harder it will be.
No Prob Rob wrote:So how do you think you did on the test? What materials did you use to study?
LOL, I'd rather taken the exam under different circumstances. My travel to the testing center consisted of Blackhawk helicopter, a bus, and C-130 military aircraft. I used 6 DVD set put out by Laura Von ...
I sure hope I passed, since the Army would give me an $80,000 re-comittment bonus [4 yrs]. I left the testing center befuddled. It was not what I expected. I don't want to jinx myself in declaring I passed, or failed for that matter. I will let ya'll know once I get the results.
It has been three weeks since I started as an RN in the ER. The biggest hurdle has been to learn the paperwork and of course starting IV's. (Although I am getting a little better on IV's).
One of the surprises has been how well everyone works together and helps one another. I had heard horror stories about crusty old nurses who chew up and spit out newly graduated nurses. Nothing could be further from that misconception. When things really get hectic its not as laid back but if you get in a pinch there is always someone willing to help out.
Today was especially good when a little old lady wanted to adopt me. She had fallen and required some 30 stitches to her leg. She was having a tough time and I made an effort to comfort her. I can't believe they pay me to do this. If I didn't have bills to pay I would do this for free.
Hey Rob,
I'm glad to hear that things are coming together so well for you. It sure sounds like you're in your element there in the ED. I wish you continued success.
R
