Change in speciality

[red2003xlt, LPN]

Hello,

I"m considering a change from Addiction/Pain Management to Neuro-Rehab.

First, I'm an LPN who spent the last 3.5 years in an outpatient clinic. However, I did the first 3 years in the world of inpatient psychiatric / Addiction. The duties of LPN are directing the floor and doing the med pass. The RN in charge handling the rest of the nursing duties (charting - Yeah!) I eventually moved up to earn my own 14-bed detox unit (ETOH and Opioid)

Now, the hospital chain my clinic is affiliated with their rehab hospital began hiring LPN's and with me wanting to go back to school for my RN I applied and was granted an interview.

Somewhat of a mistake on my part, the Rehab hospital had morphed from ortho (large joint replacement) to neuro rehab - stroke (confirmed by the DON during the interview). I was somewhat lost when the DON asked me if I had any questions.

I didn't.

I want to email and thank for the interview but also ask some semi-intelligent questions.

Any suggestion? I was thinking mainly about the care plan and LPN role in creating or continuing the care plan.

Treatment team? Does LPN sit on the treatment team as in the psychiatric hospital? Bad question?

Any questions to avoid?

Thanks in advance.

[adventure_rn, MSN, NP]

I'm confused--are you trying to ask questions for the sake of asking questions because you didn't have any prepared for the interview?

If so, resist the urge. During the interview was probably the best time, since there's time set aside at the end of the interview. If you ask a lot of questions for the sake of asking them now, it will probably be annoying for the person who has to respond (since they'll have to make extra time to write out the answers).

If you have questions that will truly impact whether or not you would accept the job, then sure, ask them. But if you're asking a bunch of questions just for the sake of asking, then I feel like that's going to hurt your application more than it will help. Just know for next time that having questions for the manager/interviewer is part of the interview process, and that you should probably have some thoughtful questions prepared.

Do go ahead and write them a thank you message, though. Try to reference some of the things that you discussed in the interview, and circle back around to why you think you'd be a good fit (if you can do so without sounding too pushy or forced).

[Forest2]

If she said you could call her if you had any questions then that is an invitation to call her and ask. I would not put these questions in a thank you letter.

Rehab used to be for hip and knee replacements but they are sending these people straight home now and sometimes they get HHC or go outpatient for therapy. This is why they are getting away from that because they are having more problems getting paid for them. They are going to neuro and all the other issues out there, such as trauma, back surgeries, stroke, new diagnosis parkinsons, and other deconditioning diagnosis to try to get patients back to prior functioning.

So yea, don't put it in a thank you note. I wouldn't ask unless she offered. Send her a thank you note by email and follow up with one in paper form.