Chief Nurse Interview Question

Published

Hello all, I just found out my Chief Nurse interview for the Air Force is March 5th. I'm applying for NTP, not FQ. I applied last year and didn't make it, so I know what the interview is like. However, this time around, I've graduated (December) and have my license as of last week. Here's the problem/question...

I don't have a nursing job yet (not for lack of trying). My area is saturated with new grad nurses, with not enough people to train us at hospitals. I'm working on getting a job, but will it hurt my chances if I interview without a nursing job?? Trust me when I say I'm doing everything possible here. I'm even going to volunteer through Red Cross as a RN at a hospital, and volunteering at a free walk-in clinic...Any thoughts?! The only reason I'm interviewing so soon is my packet is technically ready (from last year but improved) and my current recruiter is leaving soon. He wants to make sure I'm all taken care of first.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Adult Critical Care.

It'll hurt you if you don't get it this time around and have to apply as an FQ applicant the next time. It sucks because you get 50% of your full-time RN experience as credit towards your next promotion too.

I would say it's not good, because they'll implicitly blame you rather than the situation you may be facing. I would frankly move to another area or take a job at a nursing home, etc. If you wait on the Air Force (till July I'm guessing), you'll be 8 months out of school without a real RN job. That might make it hard for you to get a new grad RN job at all. Any manager is going to look at you like damaged goods almost a year out of school with no job.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

That's what I figured. I've only had my license for one week, so it's not like I've been able to work for long. I'm widening my search, trying to find areas that have less people applying. Obviously I'd prefer a hospital job, since that would look better for NTP. However, at this rate I'm looking at nursing homes as well. I'm assuming any job is better than none, even if it's not in a hospital...but like I said, I'm volunteering as an RN through Red Cross, so I'm using my nursing skills, it's not like I'm sitting on my butt here...

Up Vote Up Vote ×

By the way, chief nurse interview was postponed due to bad weather and I now have a PRN nursing home job and a full-time PCU job. I think I'm good lol

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU.

I had a question about the CNO interview as well. I went last year and the officer said my GPA from college wasn't crazy high, which it isn't, but I'm applying for fully qualified, so it doesn't matter. But she said that it matters if I want to apply AFIT to be a Nurse Practitioner. Does that have a major impact on my getting in or not?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Adult Critical Care.

I'm curious why that person told you grades don't matter if you have experience. I doubt that this recruiter has ever rated packages on a board. I would ask the chief nurse this question; one of the O-5's I interviewed for FQ with said it absolutely does matter. If you do get in and are worried about AFIT, take some MSN classes part-time with tuition assistance and get A's.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU.

Thanks jfratian! I thought it was weird that they said it didn't matter. I think they meant more that it didn't disqualify me from applying for the FQ boards, but would matter later on when I went to apply for AFIT. I'll tell them when I interview this year that I plan to take more classes part time to raise my GPA. Thank you

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion