Help for an up coming interview

nutella, MSN, RN · Jun 19, 2016

I applied for a position to a new inpatient hospice unit. I passed the initial interview with the DON. Now I am meeting a group of seasoned Hospice and Oncology nurses for a peer review. My experience has been in LTC/SNF. As they are looking for hospice experience I am worried that I don't have enough pallative care experience ( I work mostly on the rehab unit) and I have no Oncology experience. I am greatful for the opportunity to even sit down with these nurses. I really want this job! Any advise is welcome! Thanks!

Inpatient hospice requires very broad skills depending on what is going on with the patient.

You do not write when your interview happens but have a look at the

http://hpna.advancingexpertcare.org/

and read around to get a feeling for palliative and hospice care.

The focus in inpatient hospice is to maximize comfort and it is a team approach.

You can have patient with pleurx catheters, iv or sc pumps, some offer palliative sedation, sometimes NG tube to suction. Symptom management and standing orders. No monitors.

Hospice inpatient units commonly take patients with symptoms that are so severe they can not be managed in a less restrictive setting. There is routine hospice and general inpatient hospice (GIP) - most patients are GIP level of care though that is a day to day decision.

You can have a patient in the inpatient unit who fits criteria for GIP 3 days, gets stable and is routine hospice , than GIP again - this all refers to medicare criteria for level of care. See this for more info:

http://www.nhpco.org/sites/default/files/public/regulatory/GIP_Tip_GIP_Sheet.pdf

You can expect to see sick patients who are dying and family that is stressed out, not all of them coping. Important to know is that the team approach also includes social work and spiritual coordinator (chaplain) and volunteers. There is always a medical director available / on call, larger agencies/facilities also have NPs now to cover all shifts.

Be sure to prepare when you interview to answer questions like:

Why do you want that job ?

How do you cope?

How do you manage conflict?

How are your team working skills?

How do you envision that position to further your career?

Will you obtain a higher nursing degree?

I think coming from rehab /SNF you have some things going for you! One is that you know how to take care of patients who are not acute acute - so you will be perfectly fine in providing basic care and also other care like dressings, iv management, and so on. You have proven to survive in that environment as a nurse and you can talk about resilience (!). You probably have good time management as you are used to having a lot of patients with medications.

If you have a hobby that keeps you "even" you can talk about how you deal with stress.

Boundaries are very important as well.

Don't forget to dress professionally, make some small talk if appropriate about a book you are reading or a course you have taken recently or such....

Talk about professional goals (specialty certification, more college education, courses you want to take, which nursing magazines you read, how you stay current...).

Good luck!

sugargrovefarm · Jun 20, 2016

Wow! Thank you! This is very good information. I have been reading the hospice threads here to get a good feel for the field. But I admit my nerves have been getting to me. You just don't know what you don't know. So I took a chance and posted this. Thanks again!

nutella, MSN, RN · Jun 20, 2016

Wow! Thank you! This is very good information. I have been reading the hospice threads here to get a good feel for the field. But I admit my nerves have been getting to me. You just don't know what you don't know. So I took a chance and posted this. Thanks again!

Good luck - if you are overall a good nurse, you can be trained, you have a good foundation. Don't sell yourself short!

sugargrovefarm · Jun 21, 2016

Just for an update, I interviewed today and have been recommended for the position! I will get a call in a week or so with an offer. :yes:

nutella, MSN, RN · Jun 22, 2016

Just for an update, I interviewed today and have been recommended for the position! I will get a call in a week or so with an offer.

I already wondered how you did!

Congratulation !! That is great news!

When I started hospice care there was a lot I had to catch up and it was a learning curve. But you really have a solid nursing background and with some initiative on your part you should be just fine.

If you decided to take the job I recommend the core curriculum for hospice and palliative nurses, which just came out with a new edition I think.

HPNA

It is cheaper for members of the HPNA ....

The book is great , I used it when I prepared for the specialty certification and passed without problems.

I hope you will enjoy working in hospice if you decide to take the job.

Make sure they give you enough money!

sugargrovefarm · Jun 27, 2016

Oh I'll be accepting the job. Inpatient Hospice is my dream job. And this company is a very good company to work for. Thank you again for all the information. I'll be starting my HPNA membership soon and reviewing the materials. The unit won't open till Sept/Oct. So I have time to review. Thanks again nutella =)

nutella, MSN, RN · Jun 28, 2016

Oh I'll be accepting the job. Inpatient Hospice is my dream job. And this company is a very good company to work for. Thank you again for all the information. I'll be starting my HPNA membership soon and reviewing the materials. The unit won't open till Sept/Oct. So I have time to review. Thanks again nutella =)

That is so cool! I am glad that you were able to get your "dream" job!!!

The core curriculum is really great because it literally tells you the most important things to know plus has a bunch of tables with medications and common doses.

I hope that they also offer you some tuition reimbursement - in case you want to go back to school after a while.

Good luck with your orientation!

sugargrovefarm · Jul 11, 2016

I just accepted the offer today (they finally called, what a crazy two weeks of waiting!). Do you have any advise for giving notice? It will be the first time I have to give notice as a professional.

nutella, MSN, RN · Jul 12, 2016

I just accepted the offer today (they finally called, what a crazy two weeks of waiting!). Do you have any advise for giving notice? It will be the first time I have to give notice as a professional.

Unless your company has a special policy, you have to give 2 weeks out of courtesy. You do not want to burn any bridges.

Write up a letter with your address and the company you work for and address it towards the manager.

Something along the lines of:

Dear xxx,

I would like to inform you that I decided to further my career and explore a new direction in nursing.

Unfortunately, I will not be able to continue working at (name of company) and hereby resign from my position with 2 weeks notice. My last day of work will be (date)( --- make sure you look at the calendar and count the 2 weeks from the day you talk to your manager).

I appreciate all the opportunities at company name and am grateful for the experience that helped me to become the nurse I am now.

Sincerely,

signature

Something along those lines. When you write the letter fill in the date of the day you plan on talking to the manager.

You print out the letter 3 times - 1 for the manager, one for HR and one for your records.

You take the letter for your manager and ask her to meet with you. It is better not to resign on the phone. It is best in the office where nobody can overhear you. You just stay calm and say that you would like to talk to her. Share your intention to resign and give her the letter. Talk nicely about how that job has made you a better nurse, given you lots of experience and that you feel prepared to enter a new chapter in your professional life.

Don't let her talk you into staying. Re-assure her that you will work the 2 weeks notice.

After you talk to her you get the other letter to HR.