Advice

[KMC-RN-BSN-710]

Yesterday I had an interview scheduled at a hospital that I have wanted to work at for a long time. To make a long story short I worked 7pm-730 am the night before. When they asked me what days were good for me last week I told gave them a few days that would be ok (days I was not coming off Midnights). Anyways they called back and ask me if Monday was ok, I said ok because I did not want to sound like I was dictating when I wanted my interview to be. So I ended up going to the interview with no sleep because by the time I got home and fell asleep it was 9am and I needed to get up and start getting ready and take care of things first around the house at 10am so I could leave by noon. I have been to nursing interviews before and I was so tired I forgot to bring my references and my license. By the time the interview started I had been up for almost 24 hours, I was exhausted and frankly I couldn't think of good examples for any of the questions and felt like I was rambling. To make matters worse the position was not what I thought it would be and it is in a area that is just as broad as the one I am in now.

To give you a little background, I currently work Medical Surgical managing 5-6 patients of varying acuity and I am looking for a job in a specialty area. The manager of the department after finishing my interview stated that since I had not had a lot of exposure (18 months as a nurse) she would have to start me as a new grad on this floor because of how heavy it is. I felt I was hit with a ton of bricks, I have worked in health care for 10 years and as a nurse for almost two years and I know if I had more sleep I could have come up with better examples. I guess my question is I am not really interested in this particular position after going to the interview, because if I were to drive far to a job I want to make sure it is for something I truly want and love and because I just feel I would regret it if I accepted this job even if it is at the hospital I want to work. Any examples or any suggestions on how I can come up with better questions for University hospital interview? I received another phone call from the same hospital while in the interview yesterday asking me about another position I applied for.

Is it acceptable to ask what position it is for and if it is for a Medical surgical floor to politely decline? I have been told by many individuals to apply for what position I truly want from here on out. On the phone for the previous position I interviewed for I thought the position would have a smaller patient ratio r/t acuity, I figured I would have a patient ratio of 1:3 or 1:4, instead I would be 1:5 on a heavy floor with craniotomies, trachs, a few day old post-open heart patients and lots of drains. What should I do if I offered the position? The manager seemed to accept my answers because she understood working at the level I have, I have not come across several high acuity patients. If I decide to decline will this ruin my chances for any other positions in the future? Should I only apply for specialty positions, despite the fact that they have requirements? Some advice would greatly be appreciated.

Thanks

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

the people in HR have no idea what it is like to work nights. Be specific about the times you are available and mention "for safety reasons" to try to get thru their heads you are not risking your life for an interview. I would be more specific about everything, unless you are desparate for the job, as you will not be satisfied very long otherwise. Good luck in your job hunt

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

confident professionals know their strengths, limits, and goals. that comes across as, well, confident and professional, not tentative and whiny.

1) next time they ask you when you would like to come for an interview, tell them . it is perfectly acceptable to say, "monday isn't good for me. how about tuesday?" this is why the goddess gave us calendars.

2) you are interviewing them as much as they are interviewing you. of course you can ask what kind of floor it is. if they tell you it's for m/s or whatever, you are free to say, "i'm presently working in m/s and am looking for a position in a specialty area. do you anticipate having any openings in (whatever you're interested in) within the next six months?" they just might, you know. but do not fall for that, "if you take this (undesirable position) you'll be in line for the next (desired position) when it comes up." everybody is in line for that.

3) if you don't do 1 & 2, you are going to find yourself offered a position working nights with a 8:1 or 10:1 ratio in whatever hellhole job they haven't been able to keep filled. they'll know you'll take it because you were so desperate you showed up to the interview on 24 hours of no sleep on a day that wasn't on the list of days you told them you could come in. desperate staffing people can smell blood in the water -- they just want to fill their quotas and they really do not care about you.

you have a job. you may not like it that much but if you don't actively fear for your physical or mental health if you keep it, that puts you in a position of strength when you interview elsewhere. don't worry about offending some staffing clerkish person at this point by asking questions; declining a job you know you don't want, a job that doesn't advance your professional goals is in your best interest. if you stay where you are, at least you're developing some seniority you can use there if a better position comes up; you'll have zero seniority when you move.

look at interviews as learning experiences. sometimes you're just testing the waters, sometimes you're using them as a networking event, sometimes you're just being snoopy around another facility . nothing wrong c any of that.

if an offer does occur, make sure that any xyz conditions/perqs mentioned to you in the interview(s) are in it in writing-- within 3 months they'll put you in the icu course, shifts/hours/pay/benefits/vacation/call, massage on alternate tuesdays, parking in the front row of the garage, discounts in the gift shop, whatever. if they don't, then smile sweetly and say you must turn this down with regret as you had understood that ... xyz. this is called "negotiating," and there's no reason in the world you can't do it if the opportunity presents itself, if you are working from a position of strength. now, you are: you already have a job and they want to hire you.

if they don't revise the offer, you know that either they lied or (to be charitable) whoever told you xyz wasn't authorized to make those promises, and you wouldn't want to work for them anyway. if they do revise it, terrific; that shows they really want you, and not just a warm body. then you take it, writing back to them that as per their letter of (date) you accept the position of (whatever) on the (unit) with the following conditions (xyz, pay, etc,-- just copy and paste whatever they sent you), and will report for orientation on (date) as agreed. then you give your two-week notice and celebrate. but not before.

[KMC-RN-BSN-710]

Thank you for your replies. I guess since it was a well known hospital I felt I had to go to the interview when the job was offered. At my current job I have been to two internal interviews and I was told during orientation that they would work with staff to help get them where they want to be in the future. Currently I am almost done with my MSN in education and plan on starting the NP program shortly. I am looking for an opportunity to utilize my critical thinking skills and nursing skills at a higher level. I interviewed for ICU and I didn't get chosen despite my high grades, ACLS training, knowledge base, work performance and excellent IV skills. I found out it was political and individuals who got the jobs "knew" someone.

I felt hurt because I know I would do well in and ICU or ER. I applied for the other positions after I wasn't chosen because I felt I would have a better chance to move at a bigger insitution. I never thought about senority playing a role. Right now my seniority is kind of low because there are nurses on our floor that have worked there 35 years. Most individuals choose to stay on our floor. I am not saying it is not a good environment. I have a 1:5 to 1:6 ratio on a busy MS floor, and I work with great individuals however I am just wondering what would specialty would provide me with the best opportunities to be an FNP or ANP in the future? I plan on working as an NP and an educator (each one part time) in the future. I am thinking now ER may suit me better because I would be assessing, treating (in colaboration with the physicians) and seeing patients with varying acuities. I only have 18 months MS experience, however I am ACLS certified.

I never thought of making demands when you are hired, I am becoming stronger to get the needs I want, but that is amazing. I never thought I could dictate the terms of my employment!! I am glad to know that interviews can just be learning experiences and that I can safely decline a job, if it is not what I ultimately wanted. On the phone the interviewer made it seem like it was something different. Only I discovered it was the same thing I was doing with slightly higher acuity patients, a higher patient load, further drive, and more stress lol.

[tyvin, BSN, RN]

As has been said you are interviewing them just as much as they are checking you out. Be specific...you're a professional so act like one. Of course you can dictate terms of employment! You got to go in there and take charge; that's basically what employers are looking for. If you don't act confident at the interview how are you going to take control of patients?

BTW; if you're going for the NP why wouldn't you want to be on a general busy med-surg floor where you're exposed to a variety of a patients and experiences? The ICU and ER are two different devils but I don't know how that opposed to med-surg could prepare you for the NP role. Maybe the ER. Anyway, have you thought about what role as an NP you'll play? If it's family practice I would stay on the med-surg or perhaps a float (wheww forget I said that) or tele or stepdown unit, something that has variety.

You've been a nurse for 8 years and you're only now realizing that it's who you know, seniority ect... Yep, that's how it works. So get in there and play. It's not always like but... Anyway; good luck to you and don't forget to have fun.:)

[KMC-RN-BSN-710]

I guess my problem is on my Medical surgical floor I am getting exposed to the same things over and over again and I feel like it becomes monotonous. I figure an ER may provide me with more things. I wouldn't even be opposed to staying on my MS floor as a registry individual and then working in the ER somewhere else so I can have the best of both worlds by getting experience in two different areas. Every instructor I had in nursing school had either ICU or ER experience and the wealth of knowledge they had was incredible. I know it is all "who" you know but it seems that they would rather hire the more qualified individual :). I guess I am a still a little naive and not tough skinned enough to make my demands. I have another interview set up next week and I am going to be meeting with a variety of different managers. I will be sure to state that I want ER, or some specialty or it is a no go.