Aloha all. I have completed my second year of nursing and am looking for a summer job. The student job market here is really horrible however I have finally managed to land an interview at a daycare for later this week. Have any of you worked in a daycare that can shed some light on what I can expect? How I can relate my nursing knowledge to make me a competitive candidate for the job? Also If you can give me some examples of questions that would be great (I imagine it would be situational questions mostly?)Thanks so much!xoxo

I should probably add that I want to be a pediatric nurse when I graduate.

is the daycare postion in any way connected to health care? For instance, are the children all generally healthy or is this a special daycare for children with needs? Either way, you can learn who has medication or therapy ordered, why and how is it done. Do a lot of observing so you will know what age child likes to parallel play, or be interactive or play alone,etc. If you know what is "normal" you can more easily assess what is outside normal. Also, learn what the State and other governing bodies have to do with your care. They have rules and regs for lots of things and it would be good to know some of them. Kids on bottles - do not microwave. Well, NEVER microwave the kid!!! Read the label on the formula cans/pkts. Kids are great teachers.

I'm in my last semester of nursing school and have worked at a day care since the beginning. It was the greatest job I could've asked for while in school. I look forward to getting away from my studies and getting to see those kids. When I interviewed, I was clear about being a nursing student and wanting to work with kids. Being a nursing student was definitely a selling point for alot of the parents and even landed me some extra babysitting jobs. Because I work at a church-based day care and not a state-based or privately-owned day care, I emphasized that I feel called to work with children (which I do) and showed my enthusiasm for being a good example for children. In all of my situational questions, I just told them that I would get down on the child's level (never stand over a child), give them choices whenever I can (you can wash your hands in this sink or that sink), discipline when appropriate (but be careful not to shake a small child's confidence too much!), and remember their safety above everything else.

Thanks for reminding me about the choices. I learned that last semester but totally forgot! @@