Help! Interview with Radiology department for RN position!

Specialties Radiology

Published

Hi everyone,

I just got a call from NY Eye and Ear Infirmary in NYC for an interview. It's for a per diem RN position 9a-1p. I applied to this facility but for inpatient unit. I was surprised! Something completely different and I have no ICU/ER experience. I have 1.5 years of med/surg experience and trained on a telemetry unit for 6 weeks but we also float almost every week to telemetry units. I've been pulled to the ER once to help out. I only have my BCLS but working to get my ACLS sometime this month or next month. Even though this was totally something different than what I had originally applied for, I decided to schedule the interview and give it a try. I'm still young and I want to learn as much as possible! Don't want to waste the opportunity if it comes. Won't hurt to just interview and ask questions.

My question is: what does a radiology nurse do? I work night shift and usually don't interact with any radiology nurses. Only thing I know of is that radiology nurses start IV's, monitor patients during IV contrast, etc. Anything else I should do? Is it usually busy? how is the pace? What kind of questions do you think they will ask me?

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Specializes in ICU,ER, Radiology, Online education.

Hi Aikz,

I am a radiology nurse in a hospital 2 hours north of NYC. Radiology nurses do a lot of things. Besides screening patients and starting I.V's for cat scan, pet scan. nuclear medicine and MRi's we also do interventional radiology where we do angiogram's, PICC lines, you name it we do it. I don't know if the facility you are interviewing for does all this? We have to have ACLS, BLS, and PALS certification. Some of us have radiology certification. We have to know how to read monitor's and do conscious sedation frequently.

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Radiology nurses, also, in addition to starting IV's TE, an array of vascular procedures, TACE, Lysis, Drainages of any colection, US thorax, paras, pre-procedure, post-procedure, circulates on Gen Anesth

,pg pgj, cerebral angios etc etc etc

extremely ineresting and challenging

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Specializes in ICU,ER, Radiology, Online education.

You said it all cresent moon. Like I said, you name it, we do it!

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And how about the pace of the job? moderate? fast? Do most radiology nurses begin in other areas or is it possible for new grads to go straight into Radiology?

What are the best parts of the job and least favorite?

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Oh and how about the hours?

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I wouldn't go into radiology as a new grad. Many require icu or er experience. I had fast days and days that were non stop running from 7am until we were done. My facility was relatively small so we had only a few nurses. We would have 2 in angio, 1 in CT, 1 in US, and 1 in MRI and Xray. You need to be able to assess quickly and work independently. We did angiograms, IV starts, PICCs, conscious sedation for various biopsies, VCUGs, and much more. It's very exhilarating.

Our main shift was 8-530 with two nurses 7-330. We had call one day a week and every 6th weekend.

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Specializes in Cardiac surgical PCU, moderate sedation.

Error, duplicate post

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Specializes in Cardiac surgical PCU, moderate sedation.

I agree with S.G for the majority of new grads. In radiology, and even more so out of the hospital setting you need to be able to work autonomously. Just because they will take you, doesn't mean it's the best move professionally or more importantly,safe for your patients. Don't set yourself up for failure.

That being said, I have met a few impressive new grads and maybe your one of those types:) Hope you have the luxury of a great preceptor and orientation if you do decide to take this on.

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How about theatre experience, would that help entry into radiology? Also how long do you think it would take (generally speaking) for a new grad to gain the skills needed (for eg. in ER or ICU or theatre (if appropriate)) to then be able to move onto radiology confidently?

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Specializes in ICU,ER, Radiology, Online education.

I don't know what you mean by " theatre experience"? You really need to get Unit experience or ER experience. We are on call 4 weekday's a time period and 1 weekend day 7a-7p or 7p-7a. Yes we get called in a lot! I would say at least one year in the units. You do a lot of procedures and need to know how to do drips and read the monitors. In our department you need BLS, ACLS, and PALS

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WOW Thanks for all your replies :-)

I am from New Zealand, and a student, so please excuse me/bare with me if I use different words.

What I meant was would having experience in an operating room be an advantage?

Do you enjoy the work? Do you have favorite parts or least favorite parts of the job?

Also do you rotate between angio, CT, MRI, etc?

Thanks again for your time it is greatly appreciated!!!

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