PHN interview in two days; do I have what it takes?

Specialties Public/Community

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Specializes in Med/Surge, Psych, LTC, Home Health.

I've decided, once and for all, to give public health a try. I ultimately want to be a school nurse; in most of the school districts in my state, the nurses are hired by the health departments, not the schools.

Right now I have an interview on Thurs. working inside a clinic. I am wondering if I really have anything that it takes to become a public health nurse. I have almost 5 years experience as an RN; four of those in Med Surge. I have virtually no OB experience other than what I had in school, and my own personal experience. =)

I am not bilingual but would love to become so.

I love to teach and I love to interact with patients, but am tired of having to interact with the same patients for 12 straight hours at a time.

I do not have a BSN (really wish I did!) but the job does not require it; just have to have at least 3 years experience as RN.

Any advice?

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How did it go?

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Specializes in Med/Surge, Psych, LTC, Home Health.

Eh. Not all that well. =( I was interviewed by a "panel" of the, I guess charge nurse and a couple of other nurses, and the charge nurse just seemed so cold and unfriendly and I didn't feel very at ease during the interview at all. The other two nurses seemed nice enough but.. I dunno. The first part of the interview went poorly and I really felt like I was "choking" but it kinda got smoother as the interview went on. All in all, I didn't get the feeling that this was a place where I would be happy; both because of the rapport I had with the interviewers; and also because this clinic is INCREDIBLY busy, and it's located in a fairly large town/small city. That one clinic serves that entire city.

Funny, a couple of years or so ago I had another interview at a health department and it went almost EXACTLY like this interview did. I guess SOMEONE is trying to tell me that I probably would not enjoy working in a public health clinic as much as I have thought in the past.

Fortunately, a job has opened up at the hospital where I currently work that I REALLY think I would like a lot and I am going to try to get an interview for. It's days, no weekends or holidays.

Would still eventually like to try school nursing, but maybe on down the road... if I get an interview for and get this one job, I have a feeling I will stay in it for a while. =)

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