Charge Nurse Interview

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Specializes in Pediatrics.

My unit recently posted a charge nurse position. I expressed an interest and now I have an interview coming up.

What can I do to prepare? I think I would be interviewed by my manager, director, and current charge nurses.

Should I bring a copy of my resume?

Anything else I should bring?

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Review the charge nurse job description.

Be prepared for questions as to how you can fill those duties.

Give examples as how you have filled the leadership role. What is your definition of a leadership role.

What does leadership mean to you?

My question to you... why do YOU want the charge nurse role?

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Specializes in Critical Care/Vascular Access.

Is this a position for charge on the unit you're already working on? If that's the case, then you have already basically been interviewing by your job performance. All you current managers and charges will already know what kind of nurse you are and what you're capable of just by working with you, so I can't imagine going into an interview with them is going to make a drastic difference in how they already perceive you. Just be yourself, they already know you anyway.

If it's not on your current unit and the interviewers don't know you, then go with the above response, and maybe situational types of questions like how you would handle conflict between two staff working under you, or rumor spreading, etc.

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Specializes in Pediatrics.

It is for my current unit. I want the position to grow within the company as I really enjoy my job and my unit and coworkers.

Since I have been in healthcare I haven't taken on any leadership positions. My life before I became a nurse I was a restaurant manager. Not sure if they would want to hear about that as that.

Any idea of the questions they may ask?

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How to handle certain situations and stress related questions

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, PACU.

They may ask you how you will feel about having to approach your friends on the unit for errors, complaints, and how are you going to hold people responsible for certain things.

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ALWAYS take multiple resumes! It doesn't matter what job you apply for! Staff nurse- whatever. TAKE RESUMES!

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