Can any of you please answer the following questions it is for a school project

NotMyProblem MSN, ASN, BSN, MSN, LPN, RN · Nov 6, 2014

I seriously doubt you will get a picture of anyone's degree because it has the full name listed. What I like most about my job is payday. Everything found in between clocking in and clocking out, I can live without. Occasionally, I have a patient that really wants my help so that s/he can feel better. But for the most part, the focus on pain control and patient satisfaction scores have really hit home with the local frequent-flying drug seekers.

My dad put me on the road to nursing many years ago, as that's all that he would pay for when I graduated high school. Having led a sheltered life, I didn't know anything about grants, scholarships, student loans. He told me I was going to nursing school and off I went. Three kids and many years later, I've been in it so long that I dont know how to do anything else. And, after 28 years in the field, I have finally stumbled across an area that I'm very interested in: community/public health. The problem is, I have no experience in this area. So, I'm hoping my resume will help someone to see that I might actually be worth the effort of training.

Currently, I work with a team of nursing on a busy med/surg floor, although most times it can fall into the category of independent because everyone is always so knee-deep in it, that there is rarely the opportunity to assist another, except when we meet up at the Pyxis and serve as a witness to a narcotic waste or return.

I apologize for the scattered answers to your questions. I only intended to answer one since I'm home trying to multitask. But that one led to another, and another, etc.

My credentials: LPN '86, ASN '10, BSN '14. (As I said, I don't know how to do anything else. So, occasionally, I go deeper into what I know). MSN & MSHS accepted into programs but still undecided.

LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN · Nov 6, 2014

Ok, I'm suspicious...why do you need a picture of a diploma?

MissChloe · Nov 6, 2014

I'm really hoping that the OP meant a figurative picture of what it's like to have your degree, not a literal photo of a diploma. I hope.

shennellsmith123 · Nov 6, 2014

My professor wants you guys to take a picture of the degree you can only take the part of the degree that does not have your name on ot.I know ot os stupid that she wants you guys to take a picture of the degree.

JustBeachyNurse, LPN · Nov 6, 2014

I wouldn't post a picture of my degree of license on a public worldly anonymous forum such as this. If I were to respond to such an interview request the most I would do is perhaps a generic google image search. If she's trying to verify credentials of who you interviewed why permit the query to be posted in an anonymous online forum where there is no way to verify the ID of a poster? An in person interview would be more effective in many ways from verifying credentials to increasing a students ability to step out of their comfort zone and develop client interview skills face to face or in person.

ZooMommyRN, ADN, RN · Nov 6, 2014

I too am not comfortable posting any part of my diploma as part of someone else's project, if you can get your instructor to drop this requirement I will answer the rest of the questions.

Red Kryptonite · Nov 6, 2014

My professor wants you guys to take a picture of the degree you can only take the part of the degree that does not have your name on ot.I know ot os stupid that she wants you guys to take a picture of the degree.

Tell your professor that everyone on the board said she can take a flying leap. What a ridiculous requirement. If she wants to assure the credentials of those you interview, then she should require face to face interviews.

verene, MSN · Nov 6, 2014

What is your current job title/position and how long have you been in this role?

I work as a caregiver (CNA) for a mental health agency in one of their long-term residential housing units. I've been there nearly a year.

How did you “land” this position?

I responded to an ad posted online and nailed the interview.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

My residents. Every day is a little different, some days challenging, some days lots of fun, and the residents are what make it that way.

Do you work in a “team” or “independent” environment?

A bit of both, I have to function as part of a team, both with in the team of caregivers and other staff at the house as well as part of the health care team for each of our residents. That being said with the shift I work there are usually 2 staff to 35 residents so I have to be able to operate independently.

How does this style impact your work (meaning, working with others can be challenging, supportive, helpful, frustrating and working independently can be lonely, empowering, difficult?)

I like the mix of teamwork and independent work. It has pushed me to be much more proactive in seeking out communication with others via phone, or leaving written notes for people I never actually see but still need to work with. At first it was difficult for me to deal with the fact that I almost never work the same hours as my supervisor. There are still times where it would be nice to overlap a bit more with her schedule, but I've gotten quite good at utilizing her mailbox at work for communication, and once I started that she's really good at getting back to me.

What do you like least about your job?

It found the lack of other staff around difficult when I was newer and had huge numbers of questions. I felt so guilty having to call on-call or senior staff to ask "So where do we store X?" for some necessary but not commonly used item I hadn't been told where we keep. I also dislike the fact we a a small non-profit agency somedays because our budget is so small. We do a lot of good, but if we had just a bit more money we could do more.

What was your major in college?

Russian Language and Literature and European Studies... As you can see I didn't initially set out to work in healthcare.

Please describe your career path to this current job

After college I worked in retail for a short while, finished a paralegal certificate and started work as an administrative assistant in a law firm, a year later I was promoted to paralegal and worked as a paralegal for a few years. During this time my extended family went through a lot of health issues. I became family-caregiver to a couple family members at different points. I finally realized I couldn't juggle full-time work and full-time care-giving and quit my job. Once the need for care lessened I went back to school, started volunteering with a local hospice program, and realized healthcare might be a better job fit for me than law had been. I took a CNA course a few months later and now I'm working as a CNA and going through my pre-reqs for nursing school.

mrsboots87 · Nov 6, 2014

Side note, I have to say that this is the first time that I have ever seen anyone actually respond to an interview post, let alone this many response. The best way to verify credentials is to do this interview in person. Even if your instructor allows it online (which in my opinion is the easy way out as you dont have to write anything, you dont have to actually interview anyone, and basically everyone does your homework for you so that you can copy paste the answers), faking a degree pic is very easy. Im sure a google search would come up with some proud new grads who posted their degree on a non private facebook page. This is honestly just silly. I would suggest you take the time and do the legwork of contacting medical facilities, explaining you are a student that needs to interview a nurse, and have them set you up with someone to do this in person. Then you can visually verify their status and do the work yourself. You got lucky anyone answered your questions at all.