Are you an RN?

hello everyone!

i'm in my first quarter of a 2yr rn program, and i need to interview an rn...any rn functioning in any role, as long as you are currently working as a registered nurse. it is completely anonymous......i need only to identify you by your position and type of facility (ex: infection control rn at ltc facility; urgent care center rn; staff/charge nurse at a hospital; etc)

i'm a single mom with 3 young kids, and i don't know any rn's personally that i could interview, and i would really appreciate the help if someone could take a few min to answer these questions.

thanks in advance to all who respond!

terri

oic (officer in charge) of night shift, combined intensive care unit, 28 beds; level ii trauma army medical center (medcen)

1. what type of education did you have in order to become an rn?

when i went to nursing school it had been a 3 year program, but they condensed it into a 24 month program. i received my nursing diploma in 1975

2. how long have you been in practice?

since september 13, 1975. i guess that is 33 years now.

3. what was it that made you choose nursing as a career?

my first cousin, many years my senior, was an rn, but i had always wanted to be a nurse since i was a wee one.

4. what drew you into your current role?

when i got promoted to captain in the army nurse corps

5. what are some of your job duties?

responsible for directing all patient care activities and supervising 10 rns and 1-3 lpns. i also orient and precept new assigned personnel (military and civilian) and nursing program students; also collaborate with the physicians and ancillary health care professionals to ensure a multidisciplinary approach to meeting the needs of the patients and their families; i am expected to participate in unit level performance improvement, staff development and continuing educational programs. also i am expected to maintain a high level of personal military readiness.

6. what experience / qualifications are needed to perform your role?

i must maintain the army values at all times: honor, integrity, courage, loyalty, respect, selfless-service, and duty.

i must have a "good" officer evaluation report (oer) and i must maintain military readiness at all times (which means, in this case, i must pass my biannual apft (2 minutes of push-ups, 2 minutes of sit-ups, a 2 mile run) and maintain my height and weight (5 foot, 3 inches: 131-146 pounds)

7. how would you define your leadership style?

easy going, but hard if i have to be. i am an advocate for my staff and my unit. i am a soldier first, nurse second (well, that is the "official party line", smile....but i consider myself a nurse/officer first, soldier second) i have a good rapport with the officers, soldiers and civilians that make up the icu team

8. do you perceive yourself as a manager/leader or both? why or why not?

never thought of this....i guess a leader. to me a manager is someone who is not involved, a "paper pusher" unfortunately, as you go up in rank you get farther away from the bedside (in the army nurse corps)

9. what is your stance on the importance of nurses being involved in the political process?

as a commissioned officer in the united states army and according the the ucmj (uniform code of military justice) i am apolitical....that is my "official stance" while wearing the uniform. but as a human i think that nurses sometimes must become involved in order for us to be "change agents" and patient advocates

10. what reasons do you feel have contributed to the nursing shortage in your area?

speaking from the military side of the house: deployments resulting in army nurse corps shortages in the various medcens

thank you so much to anyone who replies!!!!

when i'm an rn, i'll be sure to return favors like this to students just like me!

good luck terri333!

you go to beckfield don't you

hello everyone!

i'm in my first quarter of a 2yr rn program, and i need to interview an rn...any rn functioning in any role, as long as you are currently working as a registered nurse. it is completely anonymous......i need only to identify you by your position and type of facility (ex: infection control rn at ltc facility; urgent care center rn; staff/charge nurse at a hospital; etc)

i'm a single mom with 3 young kids, and i don't know any rn's personally that i could interview, and i would really appreciate the help if someone could take a few min to answer these questions.

thanks in advance to all who respond!

terri

not sure how many replies you needed, but maybe this will help.

1. what type of education did you have in order to become an rn?

i had an adn for 18 yrs, then got my bsn

2. how long have you been in practice? 26 yrs

3. what was it that made you choose nursing as a career?

i needed something that would help me provide for my kids quickly. the 2 yr degree looked good. and i came from a medical family, so i had a head start on the knowledge.

4. what drew you into your current role?

i work in ltc. when the previous don quit, i was the only person in house qualified to take the job. i hadn't really wanted it, but the staff and i were close. they didn't want a stranger coming in, so i agreed to take the job.

5. what are some of your job duties?

as the don, i am responsible for every thing that goes on that has to do with nursing. i have a massive amount of paperwork to keep up with, must monitor to insure things are done correctly, am responsible for education / inservice needs, hiring and firing, have to occasionally help on the med cart, do iv's and help with labs, communicate with the doctors and hospitals, review charts and orders, reports to the state, try to keep us ready for the state surveyors, attend lots of meetings, keep the administrator happy, and on and on.

6. what experience / qualifications are needed to perform your role?

it is only required to have an adn for this position where i work. i think some places a bsn is required. it was not required that i had any experience as a don, but it was helpful that i had been the adon. you must be able to communicate with all sorts of people and you have to be able to listen well. you absolutely must be able to be calm under almost any circumstance. a particular leadership style is not necessary, as long as you have one that you and your staff are comfortable with.

7. how would you define your leadership style?

i am quiet, calm, and patient. i do not yell at my staff, and no one else is allowed to yell at them either. i do not ask them to do anything that i cannot or will not do myself. my staff can come to me at any time with any problem, work related or personal. that may mean they call me at home with a personal problem. i expect absolute truty from them even when they are wrong, and i will always stand behind (or in front of) them. i rarely tell anyone what to do. i prefer to ask. i expect my staff to do their best. and i expect for them to treat me the same way i treat them.

8. do you perceive yourself as a manager/leader or both? why or why not?

both. i am told i am a natural leader. the job requires that i also be manager.

9. what is your stance on the importance of nurses being involved in the political process?

there are not enough nurses in the political arena. there needs to be more. how are we to be heard if there is no one to speak for us?

10. what reasons do you feel have contributed to the nursing shortage in your area?

i live in the rural south. education is not a priority here unfortunately. children are not taught that education is very important. teen pregnancy rates are very high as are drop out rates in high school. we have higher than the state average for lpns because of factory closings. the state pays for re-education. but the state does not pay for rn school. there is not a 2 yr program here, only a 4 yr. most young people can't afford 4 yrs of college, aren't motivated to go if they do have the money, and are often so behind scholastically that they cannot keep up even if they try.

thank you so much to anyone who replies!!!!

when i'm an rn, i'll be sure to return favors like this to students just like me!

hope this helps.

To Athena55 and Travel50:

Thank you so much!

This is exactly what I needed!

you go to beckfield don't you

Yes, I go to Beckfield......

Are you in one of my classes?

Were you able to find an RN to interview?

If not, I'm sure someone here would help out........

I love this site, this is a great group of people!

:lvan:

no i'm in the 7th quarter. I wish i could help you out with the a&p ppt thing, but i didn't take a&p at beckfield so i don't have what you need. I just knew you went to beckfield because i remember doing that RN interview 1st quarter and the fact that you're from NKY gave it away. Good luck anyway. Sorry I couldn't help you out.

no i'm in the 7th quarter.

Hey, I have a question you might be able to help with......

I know someone in 3rd quarter now. She was on the President's List for quarters 1 & 2. Now in 3rd quarter(which as far as I understand is one of the hardest) she is failing....along with many others.

My question is....

Do you have any tips on how to get through /prepare/study for tests?

This student said her tests are all critical thinking & applying skills, but no one can figure out how to prepare for it. It's still 2 quarters away, but any tips are greatly appreciated....I'm already worrying about it!

thanks!

terri

What type of education did you have in order to become an RN?

BSN, 4 year

2. How long have you been in practice?

2 years

3. What was it that made you choose nursing as a career?

I wanted to work when I wanted to, where I wanted to, for whomever I wanted to.

4. What drew you into your current role?

The ability to self schedule, Straight Days, No weekends

5. What are some of your job duties?

IV/Phlebotomy, Med Admin, Documentation, Pt Education, Coordination of care between professionals, departments.

6. What experience / qualifications are needed to perform your role?

Associates Degree

7. How would you define your leadership style?

By example

8. Do you perceive yourself as a manager/leader or both? Why or why not?

Nah, yeah. lol I precept on my floor, so I must do somethings right!?

9. What is your stance on the importance of nurses being involved in the political process?

Uh, I'm on three committes at my hospital. that's enough. Education, Staffing, and Quality Control.

10. What reasons do you feel have contributed to the nursing shortage in your area?

First of all, there are no full time rn jobs within a sixty mile radius, so I work far away (1.75 hr drive), stay for three days (roomate &rent apt), then come home.

Hey, I have a question you might be able to help with......

I know someone in 3rd quarter now. She was on the President's List for quarters 1 & 2. Now in 3rd quarter(which as far as I understand is one of the hardest) she is failing....along with many others.

My question is....

Do you have any tips on how to get through / prepare/study for tests?

This student said her tests are all critical thinking & applying skills, but no one can figure out how to prepare for it. It's still 2 quarters away, but any tips are greatly appreciated....I'm already worrying about it!

thanks!

terri

If I remember correctly there were 2 tests and 1 final when I took that class. The first test I studied a lot and got a 76. I didn't know what else to do and all the studying I did for the first test didn't seem to help so I didn't study at all for the second one and still got a 76 (before ?s were thrown out). So I really don't know what to tell you, as far as study tips go. I can tell you that I remember that there were several ostomy questions on one of thosetest. She had a lot of those "What would the nurse's best response be" type questions. If it helps any, I've heard from people that had to retake it that its easier now that it was when I took it. The only advice I can give you is just take things one week at a time. Don't focus on things too far ahead. Good luck!

Hey, I have a question you might be able to help with......

I know someone in 3rd quarter now. She was on the President's List for quarters 1 & 2. Now in 3rd quarter(which as far as I understand is one of the hardest) she is failing....along with many others.

My question is....

Do you have any tips on how to get through /prepare/study for tests?

This student said her tests are all critical thinking & applying skills, but no one can figure out how to prepare for it. It's still 2 quarters away, but any tips are greatly appreciated....I'm already worrying about it!

thanks!

terri

That is MaryAnn's class...I hope you have survived...she is really tough, but a great teacher.