Hopkins Interview & share time next week...what to expect?

LAtoMD · Oct 8, 2011

Congratulations!

First and foremost relax. Yes, dress appropriately for your interview in business attire and bring a change of scrubs and shoes in another bag (I brought my purse and a bookbag). Every other nurse interviewing did the same that day, so it is definitely not "tacky."

I initially applied for the UAP/RN positions since I just graduated in May with a BSN. My first day was like yours, 9-5 but my second interview got cancelled the Monday before my Friday interview. Sharetime is really good on the units, treat it as an interview and make sure you are very friendly with the staff. When I arrived for my first interview my recruiter told me that another UAP/RN position opened up on my first unit of choice. So following my initial interview I was given an offer the position but waited for my second interview. I landed a RN NC1 position and apparently it happens a lot. I met another person starting orientation with me on Halloween who had the same thing happen to her.

Apparently the UAP/RN position can go up to 90 days or longer but it depends on how you're doing, how your nurse managers and preceptors think your doing, etc.

I wasn't asked that many clinical questions but my first interview was pretty intense (I had previously had only one interview for another small hospital out of state) and on the unit where I actually got the job I was interviewed by three staff members at once which was a first. So definitely prepare for the interview and research that unit specifically.

Any other questions?

m.neugz · Oct 8, 2011

Fantastic! Thank you so much for your reply! I hope I didnt offend you about the change of clothes question; but you saved me from looking tacky showing up to an interview in scrubs! :yeah: It sounds incredibly intense. I have one more question...what is a good way to research the units themselves? Ive looked at the website, and only get departments. FYI, both floors Im interviewing on are oncology, which I did say I was interested in. Also, just outta curiostiy, what was the turn around time for an offer in your case? BTW: CONGRATULATIONS!!!

LAtoMD · Oct 8, 2011

Haha no you're fine! Haha are you interviewing for a surgical oncology unit like Weinberg 4a? What I did was actually type the unit specifically in a search engine and the nurse managers name popped up, the nurse:patient ratio popped up, general info about the unit an what patients furthest popped up. Also, make sure you know that they are MAGNET accredited and any other awards that the department you're interviewing in may have been awarded..... The tun around is typically fast. But the unit where I accepted the job offer I actually told them that I had another job offer from another unit but that I wanted this unit specifically. So I found out the same day I interviewed. The unit previously extended me an offer 2 days after my interview. If you have any other questions just let me know !you'll be fine! Oh and I one thing that made me more relaxed and prepared in the interview was that I brought a list of questions I made to ask about the unit and I brought in an attached card with little bullets of info on the unit to help me stay focused! I really think that helped me show the nurse managers ghat I was prepared and very interested for the position.

m.neugz · Oct 8, 2011

Thanks! With a little more digging I found out some info about each unit. The surgical IS Weinburg 4A, how did ya know? Is that one you interviewed with? The other one is Blood and Bone marrow transplant...FASCINATING stuff! That would definitely be my first choice. As with any interview, I know I need to have questions written down ahead of time, as well as generic answers thought out ahead of time. Like "tell me about a time when"...I am most nervous about SO MANY interview in one day...if they both are still on, that is at least 5 people I need to continually impress for 8 hours straight :kiss Also, Im thinking that I should also do some reading about oncology nursing...its always been and interest but I havent had much practice...maybe 4 pts total...and antineoplastics? Forget it, I dont know any. I atleast want to appear capable!

LAtoMD · Oct 8, 2011

haha yes Weinberg4a was my first interview...I liked it but pysch is my primary choice so when I was offered the RN position I couldn't pass it up. Think of Weinberg4a as like a surgical floor. It's not really surgical oncology so don't research it. haha. Just know about the unit. THat's the interview where she had like 3 pages of questions to ask me and I was not as prepared for this interview with the notes as I was for my psych interview. I was nervous but the nures manager was so calm and it was a very relaxed environment.

I even discussed my interest with oncology but she reinforced that it was a surgical unit. It's a TON of trache patients, which is something I had barely any experience with in clinicals.

When is your interview?

m.neugz · Oct 9, 2011

Wow, thanks for the info. Ugh...tons of trachs and strictly surgical huh...I would DEFINITELY be more interested on the strictly oncology floor, but I guess beggars cant be choosers. PAGES OF QUESTIONS?? Like typical "when was a time when you..." "How would you handle..." type questions? PS...trachs gross me out worse than poop shhhh dont tell anyone. Also, according to the actual oncology profile, there is a lot more further training for that floor, including BMT, chemo, and critical care.

Psych huh? I worked in psych as a tech for a few yrs. Definitely has its pros and cons...you gotta really want to do it...so more power to ya, and have fun with it. Just please ENGAGE your pts. On my psych rotation, I didnt see ONE nurse talk to a pt more than 3 mins to pass meds. Not cool in my book, and certainly not like where I worked. Also, be careful not to become a pt. Many of the nurses I worked with, and psych instructors were a little off...lol On the other hand, you can really have a big impact!

My interview is on Wednesday, so I have a few days to get it together. Did Weinberg offer you an RN position or UAP?

LAtoMD · Oct 9, 2011

I was offered the UAP position which I was really grateful for but when I knew I had an interview with the psych unit I could not pass that up.

Psych and OB/PEDS are my two main interests (as of now) and I am not going to be one of those boring nurses who do nothing. I actually like work, I love psych, and I'm pretty social so I like working with psych patients. Plus Hopkins psych. department is on another level compared to what I'm used to back in Louisiana. They're building a new Psych/ED, they have an eating disorder unit, they have an intensive treatment unit, and a schizophrenia unit. In addition they have an adolescent psych unit which I really want to work on too. So I'm pretty excited! I'm not sure if I'm eventually going to go back to school for MD or NP for psych specifically so this is not going to be some petty job for me. haha

On the unit description it talks about head and neck cancer, but it's for the surgical aspect of it. Not the chemo aspect of it. The nurses that I shadowed only had surgical patients. I saw 5 patients with traches that day. And there's a lot because of the otolaryngological surgical patients. That and GI sx is what 4a specifically sees but they do have other types of pts. Weinberg 4c and 4d focus on other things but do see other similar patients, like Weinberg 4c focuses on GI sx more than 4a does. But before my interview I thought it was going to be oncology from a medical perspective.

And I did not mean to scare you about the interview. That interview was a 1:1 interview with the NM. It was a very relaxed environment. and it wasn't three pages of questions back and front. The questions were spaced out on the pages so she could write notes about my responses I'm assuming so DO NOT WORRY. The one questions I didnt expect was along the lines of "if a fairy godmother could take away 3 weaknesses what would they be ?" I always had picked out 1 or 2 things but the third weakness I really went of tangent, lol, but one thing that on another interview an experience nurse told me to say was that I'm not bilingual. haha.

m.neugz · Oct 9, 2011

Im sure Hopkins' Psych is the real deal. I did a clinical rotation at a state hospital (bleh) and worked on a unit in a major teaching hospital in another city...likely accounting in such differences. I didnt mean to beat it up, because its a GREAT field, I think, as long as you are there for the right reasons. It sounds like you ARE in it to win it, and be a fantastic psych nurse. The hospital I worked at opened an adolescent unit while I was there, and a few techs I worked with transferred, they said they really liked it, but considered it a bit more difficult and completely different environment. It sounds like Hopkins really knows what theyre doing by separating so many specialties. My guess is that at some point, you would be cross trained to float on to the different units.

Whew thanks for clarifying the 3 pages of questions! I imagined a booklet. Three weaknesses definitely wouldve thrown me off because I only speak of two in an interview. Lack of speaking another language is GENIUS! I may actually have to steal that!

4A still sounds interesting, and a really good start for a new grad. I did take care of two post-op modified neck dissection pts during clinicals, and I was pretty amazed about how they were able to reconstruct a face using tissue from the legs. Of course, I would be incredibly thankful on either unit I interview at, although 5C is an actual Onco unit and find more interesting. I know I would be great at either, and would be so happy to get my foot in the door. Otherwise, Im looking at filling out paper application a la McDonalds and co soon just to have some kind of paycheck in the mean time...christmas is coming and I have kids! :eek:

LAtoMD · Oct 9, 2011

haha definitely use that as a weakness...it makes them laugh.

4A is a great place to start off in. Once you're in with Hopkins it's a lot easier to work on another unit then trying to get into the hospital.

One good thing for you to know is that the next group of UAP/RN positions orienting is November 7. So if you did get the job you would have less than a month till orientation since the deadline for any unit to extend an offer for the November 7 start date is October 14, next Friday!

m.neugz · Oct 9, 2011

Yes, that is really good to know. This way, If I dont hear by Friday, I will know I #failed! I also agree that getting in should be the hard part...moving around not as much. As long as they dont make you commit like 3 yrs on a unit, that would be tough to swallow. I can dig one or two though :)

Thanks again for sharing ALL of this info. Im definitely less anxious knowing a lot of what to expect and what to prepare!

sbrownRN · Oct 10, 2011

Im so excited that I have an interview at Hopkins next week for a UAP/RN position. Im scheduled to meet with recruiter, and interview with two nurse managers and have share time on two floors. From 9-5! Longest. Interview. Ever. Im hopeful it will be a great experience, but Im definitely nervous! Im wondering... what to expect? The email says to "BRING" scrubs/comfortable shoes...does that mean I should show up in a interview clothes and change? That seems tacky. Does anyone have experience with share time? Are there any tests or clinical type questions the first day? Also, getting ahead...anyone accept this position and move to an RN position-how long? WHEW...so many questions....anyone have any input? Thanks!

I sooo feel your pain! I too have an interview on Friday and I am so nervous! I am nit-picking every little detail. I thought I had an outfit picked out, but now I'm not sure... Really don't want to blow this opportunity. :uhoh3: