Charge Nurse Interview

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

Hi all,

I've been doing charge in my ICU for two years on an "as-needed basis." That is to say, if there wasn't a REAL charge nurse around, I filled in. (Without the email that the charge nurses get on policy changes, who needs watching, etc. and without passwords to the charge resources on our website.) Now they're finally posting a charge position. In the past, I'd been led to believe that when they posted a charge position, I'd get it since I'd been unofficially doing the job anyway. Now I find out that I need to write an essay on why I want to be a charge nurse and interview with the staff and with the charge nurses for the position.

I'd appreciate advice anyone can give me on what to include in the essay and how to ace the interview!

thanks,