Interview at Swedish?

U.S.A. Washington

Published

Hi! I have an interview at Swedish and I just wanted to see if anyone had advice for what kinds of questions to expect from them. Should I be ready for clinical questions?

You're not looking very hard then. Swedish has tons of nursing positions...

Not only is that rude, I'm not sure where you're getting this from. In all their Seattle campuses, Swedish is listing almost no regular full-time positions for in-patient nursing. Even looking at those few positions, there are, as far as I can tell, none that I happen to be qualified for with two years of med-surg experience.

Swedish might look to have "tons of nursing positions" if you're including every campus everywhere, and per diem and part-time work as well as full-time work, but most people can't do that--which is why the positions are open.

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Specializes in Cath Lab/ ICU.
Not only is that rude, I'm not sure where you're getting this from. In all their Seattle campuses, Swedish is listing almost no regular full-time positions for in-patient nursing. Even looking at those few positions, there are, as far as I can tell, none that I happen to be qualified for with two years of med-surg experience.

Swedish might look to have "tons of nursing positions" if you're including every campus everywhere, and per diem and part-time work as well as full-time work, but most people can't do that--which is why the positions are open.

People always equate factual with 'rude'. Had you looked at the website? If you can't find any find nursing jobs at Swedish then you aren't looking!! There are literally TONS of jobs. Med surge, icu, L&D... new jobs posted daily.

Where am I getting my info? Dunno...maybe I have inside info being an employee and all... I float between 2 campuses, and there are lots of openings.

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Specializes in Cath Lab/ ICU.
Interview is tomorrow... send me good thoughts!! The manager I interviewed with last time put in a good word for me through an email to the manager I'm interviewing with tomorrow... that was really nice of him. Hopefully that helps.

Good luck! Remember, Swedish hires for behaviors and trains for skills. That's their big saying. So as long ad you display an attitude of learning, flexibility, and teamwork then you'll do fine!

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People always equate factual with 'rude'. Had you looked at the website? If you can't find any find nursing jobs at Swedish then you aren't looking!! There are literally TONS of jobs. Med surge, icu, L&D... new jobs posted daily.

Where am I getting my info? Dunno...maybe I have inside info being an employee and all... I float between 2 campuses, and there are lots of openings.

I equate "rude" with "rude", actually. Facts can be stated politely, or they can be stated rudely.

Of course I've looked at the website. I'm not an idiot. And there are not lots of full-time in-patient nursing jobs available in Swedish's Seattle campuses, at least not for outside jobseekers. I would be happy to be proved wrong. But an up-to-the-minute search of the Ballard, First Hill, and Cherry Hill campuses shows only 10 jobs at 0.9 FTE posted within the last month, most of which require specialized experience. The most recent one was posted 6/20. I don't, personally, consider this "tons" of jobs, or "new jobs posted daily".

The Seattle job market is tough--that's what I'm hearing from recruiters, every nurse I've talked to other than you, and fellow job-seekers.

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Specializes in Cath Lab/ ICU.

I moved here from out of state. I had 3 job offers immediately. In fact, I stopped applying because I get stressed out turning down offers. I feel obligated to accept a position after going through all the interview processes.

Anyhow. I received 3 offers without a WA nursing license or WA address. I got these offers over the phone. I live here in Seattle. I work here in Seattle. The job market is fine.

There's a whole new hospital opening in Swedish. Most positions will be backfilled, thus creating a vacuum. The part time and per diem positions will get first dibs on the full time jobs.

Again, lots of jobs.

But hey, I'll take your word for it about the Seattle jobs market and situation. I mean, what do I know anyway, right?

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I think there is a a night-and-day difference in jobs for experienced nurses vs. for new grads (or with only non-acute experience).

I was not selected for the Swedish residency. I prepared for and executed answers to her questions just as I did for my other excellent interview for the ED position. I was the last interview of 7, and frankly I believe she had already made her mind up on someone else... and was just going through the paces with me.

I may consider military nursing, or finding some accelerated EMT course to take, or I may just find a new city to move to. I hate to say it but I wish I had just sucked it up for another 6mo to a year and gotten a job in Virginia where I came from. Most of my classmates there have had jobs since January or February...

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I moved here from out of state. I had 3 job offers immediately. In fact, I stopped applying because I get stressed out turning down offers. I feel obligated to accept a position after going through all the interview processes.

Anyhow. I received 3 offers without a WA nursing license or WA address. I got these offers over the phone. I live here in Seattle. I work here in Seattle. The job market is fine.

There's a whole new hospital opening in Swedish. Most positions will be backfilled, thus creating a vacuum. The part time and per diem positions will get first dibs on the full time jobs.

Again, lots of jobs.

But hey, I'll take your word for it about the Seattle jobs market and situation. I mean, what do I know anyway, right?

Hey CCL RN, can I ask when this was, that you moved here from out of state, and had 3 immediate job offers? And were you a new grad then? And if not what type of exp did you have? Oh and one more: do you have a BSN?

The reason I'm asking is because I've lived in WA all my life and am very familiar with the Seattle area job market, and well some of the things you posted, I'm having a hard time with. In 2008, when I was accepted into nursing school, I was promised by several different recruiters at different hospitals that with my previous work exp, I would be hired no problem, will probably have multiple offers, before I even graduate. Now 7 months after I've graduated, in this poor economic climate, it has been tough competing with all the other new grads, esp when all the hospitals "prefer" BSNs... I have had 6 job offers but all have been only within the last 90 days, 3 in LTC, 1 at a kidney center and 2 in hospitals. The hospital offers came in just in the last 2 days...

My point is, (and I mean no disrespect at all), that unless you moved here before 2008 or you were an exp RN with a BSN.... consider yourself veryveryvery lucky, because your experience with the Seattle job market, is definitely not the norm. :twocents:

itri4vt, I'm sorry to hear that you didn't get the position. I don't know where you are located but I know a ton of people who work at PRMCE and the rumor on the street is that they are gonna repost their residency, very soon. It's supposed to be a good program. If you know how to private mssg, I don't...:) Anyways, mssg me and I'll give you the Senior Recruiter's info.

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Specializes in Cath Lab/ ICU.
Hey CCL RN, can I ask when this was, that you moved here from out of state, and had 3 immediate job offers? And were you a new grad then? And if not what type of exp did you have? Oh and one more: do you have a BSN?

The reason I'm asking is because I've lived in WA all my life and am very familiar with the Seattle area job market, and well some of the things you posted, I'm having a hard time with. In 2008, when I was accepted into nursing school, I was promised by several different recruiters at different hospitals that with my previous work exp, I would be hired no problem, will probably have multiple offers, before I even graduate. Now 7 months after I've graduated, in this poor economic climate, it has been tough competing with all the other new grads, esp when all the hospitals "prefer" BSNs... I have had 6 job offers but all have been only within the last 90 days, 3 in LTC, 1 at a kidney center and 2 in hospitals. The hospital offers came in just in the last 2 days...

My point is, (and I mean no disrespect at all), that unless you moved here before 2008 or you were an exp RN with a BSN.... consider yourself veryveryvery lucky, because your experience with the Seattle job market, is definitely not the norm. :twocents:

I heart Dexter (me too if youre talking about the serial killer!) ....not a new grad. I definitely understand that the market is very different for new grads. And for that, I am lucky. I had just about 6 yrs exp when I moved here, mixed ICU/CCL.

Moved here a few months ago.

Got all my offers in March of this year. One place offered me a position when I called them for information about the job. I turned that one down because I felt they were too desperate.

I have an ADN. No BSN. It was asked only on my application. It was never asked or discussed during any of my interviews. All of the positions I applied for said "BSN strongly preferred". Although I have been studying for my BSN they don't know that because it never came up. I don't have any certifications either.

I always feel lucky to have a job.

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Specializes in Cath Lab/ ICU.
I think there is a a night-and-day difference in jobs for experienced nurses vs. for new grads (or with only non-acute experience).

I was not selected for the Swedish residency. I prepared for and executed answers to her questions just as I did for my other excellent interview for the ED position. I was the last interview of 7, and frankly I believe she had already made her mind up on someone else... and was just going through the paces with me.

I may consider military nursing, or finding some accelerated EMT course to take, or I may just find a new city to move to. I hate to say it but I wish I had just sucked it up for another 6mo to a year and gotten a job in Virginia where I came from. Most of my classmates there have had jobs since January or February...

Dang it! I'm so sorry. Good luck in your search...

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Specializes in Cath Lab/ ICU.

itri4vt-I sent you a PM...

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