Interview for A School RN position

txbootsy · Mar 29, 2016

They asked me how to care for diabetic patients which you have as an OB nurse.

They asked me about tube feedings

They asked me about CPS

They asked me about organization skills

They asked about working well with others

tat_nurse · Mar 29, 2016

Ok. I will review the tube feedings,

Diabetics...hmmm OB diabetics are different than normal life diabetics, but I think I m ok due to my experience subbing.

CPS- never had to deal with it... in the hospital we involve a social worker and it kinda goes from there...

working well with others- I got plenty of it....!!!

gnor · Mar 30, 2016

Know about the school district, policies and procedures. go to a school nursing site and look at their language, abbreviations etc.

Farawyn · Mar 30, 2016

Habla Espanol?

Know the population of kids.

Whoops, sorry gnor. ^

You said pretty much the same thing.

GdBSN, RN · Mar 30, 2016

A few scenario questions I remember: What would you do if you had a parent show up at school and wanted you to give medication to their child? What would you do if you had a student who needed a tube feeding but the orders have not been signed by the doctor or parent? What would you do if you had a student with a peg tube, and it fell out?

Some questions you could ask them: Does the district admin OTC meds? Does the district have standing orders for any meds?

A principal friend of mine told me to emphasize adhering to school policy.

Good Luck!!!

BeckyESRN · Mar 30, 2016

Mostly they were looking for ways that your current position could help you in the position that you want. I worked adult cardio/pulmonary, I saw asthma exacerbations on a daily basis, so translating that to using my assessment skills to determine the severity of the situation and administering medication per protocol and then coordinating with the parents, was not a far stretch. Glowing examples of how your LD experience will help would be communication with parents, also, you are well versed in operating under extreme stress, dealing with life and death situations, acting quickly and appropriately, communicating with the multidisciplinary team (new team will be teachers, psych(if you're lucky), guidance, principal, PT/OT(again, if you're lucky), resource officer, and other nurses in your system).

txbootsy · Mar 30, 2016

Ok. I will review the tube feedings,
Diabetics...hmmm OB diabetics are different than normal life diabetics, but I think I m ok due to my experience subbing.
CPS- never had to deal with it... in the hospital we involve a social worker and it kinda goes from there...
working well with others- I got plenty of it....!!!

I have cared for gestation diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and type 1 diabetes as an OB nurse, so hopefully you do have diabetic experience from being an OB nurse. :)

tat_nurse · Mar 30, 2016

A few scenario questions I remember: What would you do if you had a parent show up at school and wanted you to give medication to their child? Would it depend on a school policy? I think in the district that I sub it's ok for the parent to do that on the premises of course that there is a reason to do it

What would you do if you had a student who needed a tube feeding but the orders have not been signed by the doctor or parent? Would it depend on a school policy again?

What would you do if you had a student with a peg tube, and it fell out? I honestly don't know. I would think contact MDs office and call a parent?

Some questions you could ask them: Does the district admin OTC meds? Does the district have standing orders for any meds?

A principal friend of mine told me to emphasize adhering to school policy.

Good Luck!!!

tat_nurse · Mar 30, 2016

Mostly they were looking for ways that your current position could help you in the position that you want. I worked adult cardio/pulmonary, I saw asthma exacerbations on a daily basis, so translating that to using my assessment skills to determine the severity of the situation and administering medication per protocol and then coordinating with the parents, was not a far stretch. Glowing examples of how your LD experience will help would be communication with parents, also, you are well versed in operating under extreme stress, dealing with life and death situations, acting quickly and appropriately, communicating with the multidisciplinary team (new team will be teachers, psych(if you're lucky), guidance, principal, PT/OT(again, if you're lucky), resource officer, and other nurses in your system).

thank you- thank you!

yllekRN14 · Mar 30, 2016

I just had my interview last month. It was different than I expected. They had bullet points written down (seizures, diabetes, asthma, allergy/anaphylaxis, concussion etc.) and just asked me to talk about what I knew about each topic. They talked about when I would call 911 with seizures/allergic reactions/injuries. The rest was what you said -HR type questions. I interviewed with the Nurse Supervisor and a supervisor from Special Education. Good luck!! (I changed to school nursing from OBGYN and LOVE it!!)

GdBSN, RN · Mar 30, 2016

A few scenario questions I remember: What would you do if you had a parent show up at school and wanted you to give medication to their child? Would it depend on a school policy? I think in the district that I sub it's ok for the parent to do that on the premises of course that there is a reason to do it. Of course state that you would follow school policy, in my district we are not allowed to admin ANY medication without signed doctor's orders. Until we receive the completed paperwork, the parent would have to come to school to give the meds.
What would you do if you had a student who needed a tube feeding but the orders have not been signed by the doctor or parent? Would it depend on a school policy again? Until orders have been signed by the physician, the parent would have to come to school to do the feedings.
What would you do if you had a student with a peg tube, and it fell out? I honestly don't know. I would think contact MDs office and call a parent? Most physicians complete an emergency plan to address this situation, most of the ones I have received say to cover stomach area with dry gauze and tape, keep the g-tube, call the parent to re-insert. Funny thing is the parent is allowed to re-insert the tube, but as a nurse, I am not.
Some questions you could ask them: Does the district admin OTC meds? Does the district have standing orders for any meds? In my district, we do not admin any OTC meds, or have any stock medication.
A principal friend of mine told me to emphasize adhering to school policy.
Good Luck!!!

Try to work these into your answer "for the health and safety of the child," and "to minimize lost instructional time," "to follow school policy"

tining, BSN, RN · Mar 30, 2016

NEVER say you would like to be a school nurse because of the schedule.

I was asked about a parent that refused to have child immunized - what would you do scenario:

Give them information about conscientious objection paperwork, and we may have to exclude them until this is complete - with principal's knowledge of the situation.

I was also asked 'When do you call parents?'

You will also need Hearing/Vision/Acanthosis training.