my interview

[ianurse]

I recently interviewed on a CCU. I have been a nurse for a few years, but had never taken the leap into critical care. Anyway, the interviewer described the job, and mentioned that I could be asked to work 12, 16, and it was possible a 24 hour shift. (is that even legal?) Also, I listed my priorities as being 1. patient care 2.delegation and 3. management The interviewer said she saw priorities for her RN's as being exactly backwards of mine (management first, and so on). Needless to say, after that comment the interview was pretty much over for me. She told me to call her the next week, and even tried to give me the impression that she was doing me a favor by interviewing me as I had no experience in that area. So do you think my answer for priorities was way off base( they practice team nursing by the way)? She really made me feel like a moron.

[purplemania, BSN, RN]

why would you even want to pursue a position in that Unit? Call Human Resources and ask about the hours. Check out the facility's Mission Statement and see if patient care comes before or after Management then notify the DON or VP or whomever if there is a discrepancy. Maybe she was just trying to see how you reacted. Anyway, I would not want to work for her.

[wanna B an RN]

hello?? shouldn't the patient care be the #1 priority no matter what? shouldn't the patient care be the #1 priority no matter what?

[Stargazer]

Run. Run away as fast as you can, and count yourself lucky you had an insight into this dysfunctional manager and her (in all probability) dysfunctional and deeply unhappy unit, before you got into anything you couldn't easily get yourself out of. This is not a situation in which I would advise a veteran critical care nurse to work, much less a newbie.

There are much better places in which to start your critical care education. You need to be in an environment where the emphasis is on learning and is supportive, not one where you are looked at as slave labor and the manager can't wait to "make you feel like an idiot."

Keep looking. It's worth waiting a little longer if it means you'll be supported and nurtured and will feel good about your unit. Good luck!

[arbley]

Be thankful that you did not get that job. Dysfunctional with a capital D for sure. I spent some time in a unit with a similar type of manager. I feel lucky to have escaped with my license intact.