Any nurses want to answer some interview questions for me?

NurseKatie08, MSN · Oct 11, 2008

Hello all!
I am doing a health profile paper on nursing. I have already interviewed one nurse but it seems as though I need more information so, I was wondering if anyone could help me out by answering some of my questions. I would really appreciate it if anyone could spare the time. Thank you all again for your time.
1. What is a typical day like for you? How many hours do you work? I work Monday-Friday 3pm-11pm on a Transitional Care Unit within a Skilled Nursing Facility (also on our campus are long term care floors, a floor for residents with alzheimer's disease & an assisted living facility). A typical day for me includes passing medications, doing treatments (dressing changes, etc) hanging IV antibiotics, monitoring tube feedings...all depends on what is going on with my patients. I take care of anywhere from 8-11 patients, depending on how full my area of the floor is. Right now, my TCU uses 2 nurses on days & evening shifts, but beginning next Thursday, where I get off of orientation, the floor will be expanding, and each of three nurses will be responsible for 8 patients if they work my section of the floor, or 9 if they work the other two.
2. What is your life like in and out of your job? Do you work nights, or are you on some sort of on call situation? How do you balance your life?
I am still getting used to balancing my personal life with work, because I am a new grad. I like that I have a set schedule, and always know that I will have every weekend off to make plans. (But please note that this is not common for most new nurses)
3. What kind of environment do you work in? (Hospital, clinic, lab)
As I previously mentioned, I work on a transitional care unit (sub-acute/rehabiliation nursing) within a skilled nursing facility. This type of floor is what we call the link between hospital and home for our patients. They are medically stable, so don't need to be in an acute hospital, but are in need of rehabilitation or education about their disease processes and management, so they are not well or safe enough to go home yet.
4. Is it an intense work environment? All ‘high speed’ or more relaxed?
It seems for most people that it is a balance of high speed and relaxed. For me, it is all high speed, because I am still working on time management.
5. Do you do a lot of lab work? No. There is an offsite lab that comes in and draws our labs for us and then faxes us the results.
6. What was life like during your clinicals? Do you think it was worthwhile to have all the years you spent training? It was definitely worthwhile to have all the years I spent learning in school, but it doesn't put a dent in what you need to know in the real world. Nursing school prepares you for the types of things nurses do, but since you only take partial care of 1-2 patients, you really don't get the full picture.
7. Do you like the system they have or do you think it should be changed? I'm not certain I understand what you are referring to here.
8. What kind of schooling did you go through? Where? Specific degrees?
I went to a state college right out of high school and graduated in May with my Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
9. Any paid internships?
No. I worked as a nurses' aide at my current facility & at an acute hospital during school to gain experience.
10. What kind of education do you have to do in order to keep practicing or keep your licensure? I will need to complete continuing education, but am not yet certain of the details as I am a new grad & newly licensed RN
11. Do you have to be licensed to do what you do? Yes. All nurses must be a licensed RN or LPN/LVN to practice nursing. No exceptions.
12. How did you go about getting that license? (school, work, exam, interview, fee) Paid the appropriate fees to my state & to Pearson VUE, sat for and passed the NCLEX-RN.
13. What types of patients do you typically see? I typically see patients age 65+, but my floor is licensed to take people as young as 21. Diagnoses run the gammut from Congestive Heart Failure, UTI, COPD Flares to infected knee or hip hardware with IV antibiotics to status post total gastrectomy (stomach removal for cancer) and j-tube (intestinal feeding tube) placement. It is a very diverse place to work in terms of patient diagnoses.
14. Who do you work with? Other nurses, doctors, lawyers, drug reps? I work with lots of people. I work with other nurses (RNs and LPNs), nursing technicians, nursing management, dieticians & dietary aides, physical, occupational and speech therapists, doctors, pharmacy, the list goes on.
15. How much time in your day do you actually spend helping people?
While there is a lot of paperwork, helping people comes first & doing the paperwork comes later, even if it means I don't get out on time.
16. How much time is spent doing paperwork? A couple hours at least. I try to mix it in between treatments. Time management is a big thing in nursing
17. Why did you select to work with the demographic of people who you treat? Was it decided for you?
I chose to interview at this facility knowing I would be working with Geriatric patients, because that is what I wanted. They always have stories to tell and they are a blast to work with.
18. Do you spend a lot of time filling out charts?
Yes, charting for Medicare purposes is very important on my unit.
19. How much time do you spend worrying about legal issues? What kinds of legal issues ever do come up?
None have come up yet for me personally, and none that I have witnessed, but again I am still a newbie.
20. How much writing do you normally do?
A lot. It's very hard to quantify.
21. What type of writing?
Nurses notes, assessments, lab slips, filling out the 24 hour report book..
22. How do you go about growing in the nursing field?
Right now, the most important thing for me has been to learn every day from everyone that I can.
23. How do you gain esteem, get higher wages have more responsibilities and get a better job?
You gain more experience, and those things will come in time.
24. What are some major problems in the nursing field today?
This is too broad a question to answer, IMO.
25. Would you do it all again?
Would I become a nurse again? Sure.
26. What advice would you give someone thinking of entering this field of work? Please become educated on what nurses do (coming to a site like this is a great start) the public & media's perception and portrayal of nursing is far off the mark and very misleading.

mama_d, BSN, RN · Oct 11, 2008

Whew! That's alot of questions! I'll do my best not to be too long-winded.

1. What is a typical day like for you? How many hours do you work?

I work 12 hr night shifts (1845-0715), four to five shifts per week. See this thread for what kind of time management I try to follow... https://allnurses.com/forums/f8/new-nurses-considering-quiting-332429-3.html#post3102139 ...hope that worked, not sure how to link previous threads in!

2. What is your life like in and out of your job? Do you work nights, or are you on some sort of on call situation? How do you balance your life?

At home, I have a family to take care of (hubby, two kids, and two stepkids who I usually just call my own...they're 11, 9, 8, and 2) plus I'm taking 7 hours at school to bridge from LPN to RN. It's very hard to juggle it all, especially since I do the grocery shopping, errands, etc. in general and all three big kids are in school activities/sports/scouts etc. Organization is not my strong point, I'm always experimenting to try and come up with a better system!

At work, however, I tend to be anal-retentive (maybe I just use it all up there). I love being a nurse and being able to be a resource for the other staff whenever needed. I've been on the same floor for five years now, currently it's tele/oncology.

3. What kind of environment do you work in? (Hospital, clinic, lab)

Work in a largish community hospital (average census is around 380).

4. Is it an intense work environment? All 'high speed' or more relaxed?

It tends to be more high speed days than relaxed days. Since people are coming in more and more sick, the patients we have now are similar to the ones that would have been on step-down five years ago when I first started. I enjoy the challenge.

5. Do you do a lot of lab work?

Nights does the majority of the lab work, so yes. I'm a pretty good stick so I often get to do labs for other nurses as well.

6. What was life like during your clinicals? Do you think it was worthwhile to have all the years you spent training?

Honestly, clinicals were great for establishing a foundation of how to assess and care for patients who were not too critically ill; mine were mostly in skilled units. Plus, we got at max three patients to work with, which is a far cry from what you get on the floor in reality.

7. Do you like the system they have or do you think it should be changed?

I'm assuming you're referring to clinicals here... I don't think students should be given much responsibility over more critical patients personally, so no, I don't think much needs to be changed there. There does however need to be (in my experience at least) more discussion of care of the critically ill.

8. What kind of schooling did you go through? Where? Specific degrees?

I went through a 50-week LPN program; no time off the whole time. Not a degree, a diploma instead. Plus IV certification.

9. Any paid internships?

Nope.

10. What kind of education do you have to do in order to keep practicing or keep your licensure?

My state does not require CEUs, however, for my floor I have to keep up BLS, ACLS, and various required inservices, along with doing blitz every year (basically a bunch of booths set up where you get re-validated for various skills, from ROM exercises to doing CAPD).

11. Do you have to be licensed to do what you do?

Absolutely!

12. How did you go about getting that license? (school, work, exam, interview, fee)

Graduated from school, pass pretend boards well enough that they allow you to take boards, then take the NCLEX. Don't remember how much the fee was.

13. What types of patients do you typically see?

A surprising variety. We get most of the patients undergoing chemo/rad therapy. Also chest pain, syncope, CHF, renal failure, significant arrythmias, pacer placements, mental status changes...pretty much anything they can manage to justify having the patient pay the extra for a monitored bed.

14. Who do you work with? Other nurses, doctors, lawyers, drug reps?

Nurses, techs, doctors, secretaries, and the dreaded management.

15. How much time in your day do you actually spend helping people?

Pretty much the whole shift is dedicated to helping people, even though it may not seem like it...even the paperwork b/c it justifies to the insurance company paying for the treatments received. I do spend less time at the bedside than I'd like to.

16. How much time is spent doing paperwork?

Too much. Alot of it depends on the patient...you'll do less charting on a stable, compliant, walky-talky than on a confused, noncompliant, bedridden, tubefeeder who you think is starting to stroke out.

17. Why did you select to work with the demographic of people who you treat? Was it decided for you?

It was the position that was open, plus I was ready to work with more critical patients.

18. Do you spend a lot of time filling out charts?

Yep.

19. How much time do you spend worrying about legal issues? What kinds of legal issues ever do come up?

As a nurse, you always have that at the back of your mind. It's why we chart like we do. Luckily, I haven't had any legal issues come up that I'm aware of in regards to my care.

20. How much writing do you normally do?

&

21. What type of writing?

Mainly, charting. And as much as is needed. It pretty much consists of broken sentences in the third person.

22. How do you go about growing in the nursing field?

&

23. How do you gain esteem, get higher wages have more responsibilities and get a better job?

More certifications, more education, and being in the right place at the right time.

24. What are some major problems in the nursing field today?

Reimbursement/money issues. And the whole customer service aspect of it overrunning the nursing aspect of it.

25. Would you do it all again?

In a heartbeat!

26. What advice would you give someone thinking of entering this field of work?

Only do it if you're ready to have people's lives in your hands and go home physically and emotionally exhausted on a regular basis. Don't do it if you're in it just b/c you think it pays well, you have to actually care to be a great nurse.

cherrybreeze, ADN, RN · Oct 11, 2008

1. What is a typical day like for you? How many hours do you work?

I work 12 hour pm shifts, 11am-1130pm. 3 shifts per week, and often some extra four hour shifts (3p-730p) thrown in.

2. What is your life like in and out of your job? Do you work nights, or are you on some sort of on call situation? How do you balance your life?

We take call on a rotating basis, if our census doesn't require all of our staff to be there. For example, I was on call for a total of 8 hours last Sunday, I wasn't called in but basically, I have to *wait* to be called in. We have 30 minutes to get there if we are needed.

3. What kind of environment do you work in? (Hospital, clinic, lab)

I work in a hospital. There are four hospitals in my city (a city of approx 100,000). My hospital is the regional trauma center.

4. Is it an intense work environment? All 'high speed' or more relaxed?

It varies on the patient census/acuity. For the majority, it is fast-paced. We have some relaxed days spliced in, but I would say, few and far between.

5. Do you do a lot of lab work?

We do a fair amount of labs, but not personally. Labs are drawn by the lab dept. On central lines, we draw them ourselves. Night shift draws the AM labs, so they do the most.

6. What was life like during your clinicals? Do you think it was worthwhile to have all the years you spent training?

I do think it was worth it. I worked about 32 hours a week while I was in school, so I was busy ALL the time. I was stressed out, I'll admit. I had NO life other than school and work! Knowing that it was temporary kept me going.

7. Do you like the system they have or do you think it should be changed?

There are things about the healthcare system that I don't agree with, but these are things that are not going to change, so we just have to adapt. I think the shrinking nurse to patient ratio is a shame, but I know fiscally it has to happen. It requires us to become better managers of our time, for sure.

8. What kind of schooling did you go through? Where? Specific degrees?

I went to a tech school, I have an Associate Degree in Nursing.

9. Any paid internships?

No.

10. What kind of education do you have to do in order to keep practicing or keep your licensure?

There are several CE's the hospital requires nursing staff to complete yearly, including HIPPA, restraints, fire safety, CPR, IV therapy, blood administration ... I can't even think of them all right now. Every three years, we have vascular, renal, wound and ostomy review courses.

11. Do you have to be licensed to do what you do?

Yes (obviously).

12. How did you go about getting that license? (school, work, exam, interview, fee)

College and graduation, and passing the NCLEX-RN. I do not recall the fees associated.

13. What types of patients do you typically see?

I work in med/surg, so I see literally everything. We see stable trauma (MVA's/MCA's, falls, etc), plastics (breast reconstruction/mastectomies, complicated wounds of all types, facial surgery, etc) , eye surgery (virtrectomy, enucleation, etc), urology (kidney stones, nephrectomies, urostomies, etc), abdominal surgery (appys, choles, bowel resections, colectomies, etc), cardiothoracic surgery (chest tubes, thoracotomies, post CABG infections, pericardial windows, etc), vascular bypass, tracheostomies, amputations, bariatric surgery (lap bandings, gastric bypass)...these are only the things I can think of off the top of my head! Plus we deal with all the medical conditions that occur concurrently with the surgical issue at present, so...diabetes, CHF, dementia, obesity, cancer, feeding tubes, etc.

14. Who do you work with? Other nurses, doctors, lawyers, drug reps?

On the floor we have our director, team leader, RN's, LPN's, CNA's, and HUC's. We deal with MD's, primarily surgeons but also with all specialties. I regularly deal with all depts of the hospital incuding dietary, radiology, OR, housekeeping. I know I am leaving something/someone out!

15. How much time in your day do you actually spend helping people?

The bulk of it. Time certainly is spent charting, for example, but it is mixed in with patient care. A conservative estimate would be 75% overall, probably more (as I consider time spent on the phone with a doc to BE "helping people," even though I am not AT the bedside).

16. How much time is spent doing paperwork?

In response to what I said above, maybe 25%? That is a very tough question to answer.

17. Why did you select to work with the demographic of people who you treat? Was it decided for you?

I originally figured, as nursing students often do, that med/surg would offer the greatest range in which to hoan/expand/perfect my skills. I assumed it would be a "starter" position. Seven years later, I DO consider M/S a specialty, and I love my patients and what I do!

18. Do you spend a lot of time filling out charts?

I suppose I do, but I know that it is necessary time. You have to do it, and do it right, to provide proper patient care across the board.

19. How much time do you spend worrying about legal issues? What kinds of legal issues ever do come up?

I don't spend that much time worrying about it. I make sure when I DO have to decide to do something, I get the opinions of my colleagues as to what THEY would do. Any med that's HIGH ALERT (such as insulin) is always double-checked by 2 RN's. I cannot recall a legal issue that has come up in my career that I've had TO worry about (knock on wood). I've been involved as a WITNESS to a visitor assaulting a patient, but it had nothing to do with anything that I actually did.

20. How much writing do you normally do?

You're kind of repeating yourself here. Our charting is streamlined to keep writing to a minimum. I make notes when there's been a change from a patient's baseline, or a variance from an expected outcome. I sign my name a lot, whether to checking a med, clearing a PCA, or signing off a med order. I write when a doctor gives me a verbal or telephone order.

21. What type of writing?

As stated above.

22. How do you go about growing in the nursing field?

You can grow by advancing your education, this is first and foremost. I belong to committees and task forces that improve the delivery of care both on my unit and throughout the hospital as another way.

23. How do you gain esteem, get higher wages have more responsibilities and get a better job?

See #22.

24. What are some major problems in the nursing field today?

BUDGET. It's all about budget. Doing less with more. More patients, fewer nurses. Patients are sicker, and they go home sooner. They don't stay in the ICU as long. They are not held accountable for their own care (very few patients even know what meds they are taking at home). We as nurses are expected to fix this problem, which is something we just cannot feasibly do.

25. Would you do it all again?

YES.

26. What advice would you give someone thinking of entering this field of work?

Work hard. Don't lose sight of your goal. Have faith in yourself, and in your abilities. ALWAYS ASK QUESTIONS. And don't ever think you're going to make a lot of money going in to nursing, (ha!)

angelwingsamy · Oct 12, 2008

Hello all!

I am doing a health profile paper on nursing. I have already interviewed one nurse but it seems as though I need more information so, I was wondering if anyone could help me out by answering some of my questions. I would really appreciate it if anyone could spare the time. Thank you all again for your time.

1. What is a typical day like for you? How many hours do you work?

i work 3 12 hour night shifts. 7p-730a

2. What is your life like in and out of your job? Do you work nights, or are you on some sort of on call situation? How do you balance your life?

my life at my job=great. i love the people i work with they are all great. i do work nights and it seems to be working out fine on that shift. no on call. i balance my life by having good quality family time when im off. and when my hubby and kids are sleeping (im on night shift even at home lol) i get me time.

3. What kind of environment do you work in? (Hospital, clinic, lab)

i work in a hospital. small local hospital but its perfect. its not so small but its smaller than the UofM hospital and DMC hospitals.

4. Is it an intense work environment? All 'high speed' or more relaxed?

right now because im so new it seems to be high speed. it does seem to calm down a bit some nights around 2-4 am. but then it picks right back up. and between those times its still busy just not toatlly busy if you can understand that. lol

5. Do you do a lot of lab work?

i have to do some. but we do have a lab crew so i dont do much.

6. What was life like during your clinicals? Do you think it was worthwhile to have all the years you spent training?

i loved my clinicals. i learned alot from them. we had great mentors. plus i learned alot working with my classmates. i learned some tricks from school that i use now for time management. we worked up to 4 patients and that has helped me alot since i have 5-6 each night at work.

7. Do you like the system they have or do you think it should be changed?

so far it seems like its pretty good.

8. What kind of schooling did you go through? Where? Specific degrees?

i went to schoolcraft community college and obtained my associates in applied science degree in registered nursing

9. Any paid internships?

no. offered to me though but did not take them.

10. What kind of education do you have to do in order to keep practicing or keep your licensure?

i have to do CEU credit classes. the hours are set up by the michigan board of nursing. i believe it is state specific.

11. Do you have to be licensed to do what you do?

yes... thank God!

12. How did you go about getting that license? (school, work, exam, interview, fee)

i had to complete about 3 years of schooling. no work (being a wife and mother does count though). i took the nclex rn. and paid a fee of $250 to my state and to pearsonvue.

13. What types of patients do you typically see?

it is such a variety. i work on a critical care unit and i see a little of everything. i guess mostly cardiac related and respiratory related ppatients though.

14. Who do you work with? Other nurses, doctors, lawyers, drug reps?

nurses mostly rn's but there is one lpn. a variety of doctors, nurse aides, secretary, resp. therapists, the list goes on....

15. How much time in your day do you actually spend helping people?

not enough. but i will say the people always come before the paperwork.

16. How much time is spent doing paperwork?

to much. but it is a necessary part of the job :)

17. Why did you select to work with the demographic of people who you treat? Was it decided for you?

i chose it because it just called out to me. there were so many jobs to chose from. i think i made the right choice.

18. Do you spend a lot of time filling out charts?

yes. i try and put a few minutes of charting in here and there but i have had to stay over a couple times to finish up what i didnt have time for.

19. How much time do you spend worrying about legal issues? What kinds of legal issues ever do come up?

since im new i value my license like its my life so im constantly worried about the legal issues of the job. im sure that will fade at some point to a certain extent but as for now i dont want to lose something i worked so hard to get.

20. How much writing do you normally do?

alot. i write whatever i feel is necessary.

21. What type of writing?

various types of charting.

22. How do you go about growing in the nursing field?

i constantly read up on things. for interest and for growth. i will be continuing with my education soon also. i would like a masters.

23. How do you gain esteem, get higher wages have more responsibilities and get a better job?

with time im sure it will come. but i will add more education to help with that also. :)

24. What are some major problems in the nursing field today?

i wish i had fewer patients so i could spend more time with them.

25. Would you do it all again?

in a heartbeat.

26. What advice would you give someone thinking of entering this field of work?

if its your dream and your passion go for it. just remember its not for everyone. some are there for the wrong reasons. its sad. and if you want the night shift dont think for a second that patients like to sleep all night like they do at home. lol i learned that the hard way. lololol