Ideas for Interview Questions for a new LTC RN

[MeganAK]

For those of you out there who have some experience under your belt, I need some advice. I am considering a move from ER/Inpt care to LTC. I have no experience with LTC and am hoping that you can give me some questions to ask at the interview that would help me solicit information about what the facility is like.

For example, what is the RN//LPN/CNA staff to patient ratio? On days? ON nights?

Please add your own questions. I would like to go into the interviews prepared, but also know what to ask so that I can make an adequate determination as to whether it is a place that I would be comfortable/safe working in.

[ejonesrn]

I would suggest that you ask about the different kinds of "restraints" at that particular facility. Do they use actual physical restraint? What about chemical restraint? How often is it used, and for how long? What is the reasoning behind the restraint? How do YOU feel about the different kinds of restraint??

We had a lady come to our facility - 92 years old, 85 lbs, 4'9" if she stood erect. She drew blood on 3 of us the first night! The FIRST thing we did was take the cane off her!! Wicked swing with that thing!! Took 5 of us to give her a loxapine injection - very little effect. Our facility does not use restraints. Understanding that she was terrrified, confused and VERY unhappy, we spent a few weeks getting to know her and allowing her to get to know us. She still had episodes, but much fewer and WE learned how to deal with her - and all of us became much happier!

The incredible change of lifestyle new residents to LTC undergo is terrifying. From a home, with a bed shared with a spouse for 30+ years, your own space, even your own towels! to a small room with a single bed shared with a stranger and strange people trying to give you your pills - and make you eat your meals when THEY want!! It is an intense learning curve!

Sorry if I babbled! LTC is great...if you like it!! LOL!!

[Reigen]

Interview questions:

What qualifications are you looking for in the person who fills this job?

What do you see in my work history or skill set that attracts you to me?

What do you expect from the person in this position?

What are the most immediate challenges of the position that need to be addressed in the first three months?

What area(s) has the highest priority?

If this position is offered to me, why should I accept it?

If I were to accept this posistion what do you think I should have learned in the first week? The first month? At the end of orientation?

If I were to ask one of the staff nurses what they liked best about working for this facillity, what do you think they would tell me?

What keeps you here?

What are the traits and skills of people who are the most successful within the organization?

How many employees would I supervise?

Who will be scheduling me?

How are call ins and short staffing issues handled by the facility? Would I be expected to cover the shift if call ins are made?

Would I be expected to take weekend call? Who are the others that take nursing weekend call?

What do you bring to the table that warrants a nurse's employment with you?

What time frame are you looking at to have this position filled?

The Financial Questions you could ask are:

What is the salary range?

What are the benefits and perks?

Is there a sign on bonus?

Is there a yearly bonus?

Is there relocation assistance?

How is that determined?

What type of pension plan is there? How much does the company contribute?

Is life insurance provided?

Does the company offer short-term and long-term disability coverage?

Can I review a summary of the the health insurance plan options?

What percentage of health insurance is paid?

How much for individual coverage and/or family coverage?

Is the premium deducted from my paycheck?

How much is the deductible?

What type of retirement plans are offered?

How is vacation time determined?

How much time per year and how is that accurred?

[Amanda3RN]

Hey Megan,

I have worked in a privately owned LTC for almost 10 years and absolutely love it!!! The key to working LTC is finding the right place to do it. I work as the Monday thru Friday nurse manager and I assist with most of the nursing interviews. If I were to go to another place I would definitely ask about their training program...many LTC's are trial by fire . I know nursing is nursing but the paperwork and regulations for LTC are quite different. I would also ask about the physician services that they have. How often does the MD/NP make rounds? Is it one doctor or a service? How active is the MD/NP in the care of the residents? Are they active with meeting with families? Having an apathetic physician servicing your residents can make your life very difficult. Ask how they did on their state survey? What sort of things were they sited on? Ask what their turnover rate is? Fortunately many of our nurses and CNAs have been with us for years, some 15-20 years. Ask to take a tour of the facility. Look at the condition of the residents and ask yourself if your would want your parent or grandparent to live there. If the answer is no then your probably don't want to work there. I would also ask what type of alarm/lock systems they have to protect wandering patients, because if someone escapes or gets hurt then your license could be the one on the line. What type of management support do you have? On your tour notice if all the administrative people are sitting in their offices or are they involved with the daily life of the facility?

Good luck! I hope you find a great place to work!

[MeganAK]

Oh my gosh, you are both wonderful! AManda3- your ideas are so helpful, and I appreciate the time you put in to writing. I will definitely take note of the things you mentioned when I go for an interview/tour! And Riegen, thank you so much as well. I am thinking I might cut and paste the list and think about for a bit- and figure out which ones I would want to ask, they are all great! Thank you SO much- you have been so helpful. I will keep you posted- am picking up applications on Tuesday at the facilities that have openings!

[CoffeeRTC, BSN, RN]

Ask if you can observe or shadow an nurse for a shift.

[elprup, BSN, RN]

Ask if you can observe or shadow an nurse for a shift.

This is exactly what I asked and they said no due to hipaa regulations (hmmm, I am an RN and am bound by HIPAA professionally and legally...but they want to hire me???? Not a good sign. I posted this as question to forum and got feedback. At my interview tomorrow I am going to ask again and see what they say (I am even going to put scrubs and good shoes in my car in case they say "sure how about now". Thanks for the ideas in this thread as well as far as other questions to ask....I have a feeling they are not going to like my questions..