Endoscopy interview/no experience

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Apr 24, 2012

What is the position for which you are applying? If it's as a procedure room nurse (assisting the doc with the scoping), you don't have anything to bring to the table UNLESS you are able to convince whoever's hiring that you are exceedingly detail-oriented (required), a very fast-learner (over-used, true, but it's going to necessary here). You will need to be able to take direction well, move quickly, and be exceptionally meticulous: infection control, specimen-handling, etc require extreme care.

If the job is in PACU/discharge, you can focus on your strong assessment skills, ability to multi-task more than might be expected (you may have a number of patients at different points in their recovery path to discharge, all needing something).

Admissions would require strong IV skills, plus attention to detail to catch things on their med sheets, allergies, etc that need to be passed on.

Both admissions and discharge nurses require friendly, warm personalities, as you are going to be facing patient after patient after patient who is nervous, anxious, and oftentimes with an equally-so family member. You have to be able to be professionally calm without being cold. They need to know YOU know what's going on, and that everything will be fine; many a nurse thinks they do this....but don't.

Strong people skills, I can't stress enough. I realize this might be said of any area of nursing, but hopefully I gave you a little insight :)

eCCU · Apr 26, 2012

Best wishes but endoscopy GI is usually considered specialty high acuity...most mangers require ICU experience due to noting when patient is about to crash during procedure, picking up on things like low EF=less fluid volumes, EKG changes during procedure and before, Airway, breathing, circulation and defibrillation management. Most require ACLS unless they are planning on extensive training. Then comes the GI specialty itself which part of the colon is the doctor in during the procedure, where is the biopsy from? ERCPs, Colonoscopies, EGD, EUS,FNAs, Nerve blocks its like a whole new world! lol EGDs take like 10minutes but you may just be sedating patient the whole time and securing the airway no time to chart got to remember how much you gave when because mosts docs do not they tend to ask you when the procedure is done! enjoyable but make sure you get the appropriate training. Know your reversals my manager loves challenging new hires on those and medications used and how to manage hemodynamic instability during procedure.

We get a lot of GI bleeders, varices, liver issues, mostly they can be quite tricky with lab values out of the zoo...literally:uhoh3:

Best wishes :yeah:

Lilme04 · May 10, 2012

Hey there. I applied to an endoscopy center about 6 months after nursing school. I had no hospital experience at all, and I got the job. Yes, I had to basically learn IV starts again, but the patients were, with a few exceptions, really understanding. I mostly work in recovery, and really love it. Our patients are mostly fairly healthy. While it's not quite the same situation as yours, I just wanted to give you some hope!

moncibrv · May 14, 2012

I am an LPN since '92, I worked in the GI Lab pre-op admitting patients and starting their IV's for concience sedation and anesthesia. I loved it, it was very busy , somedays we saw 98 patients and only 2 LPN's were pre-oping. Rosie ,M,LPN, Nashville,TN

TucsonGINurse · May 15, 2012

I manage an outpatient GI center. As long as the nurse is trainable and eager to learn, I focus more on the person's attitude and personality than I do on experience. I have hired new grads as well as seasoned nurses with no GI experience. Since we are a small group, it is imperative that the nurses get along well with others, can work under stress without breaking down, can put up with doctor's attitudes, and are great with patients. Stress to the manager that you get along well with everyone and are super friendly to patients and you should be fine.