Interviewing questions

[OhioMTCRN07]

New grad in June -- asking for input on questions to ask during interview.

I' m thinking the following:

1. How long is orientation?

2. Will I have a preceptor and how long.

3. Pt to nurse ratio, does the hospital do team nursing (RN, LPN and/or aide).

4. Sources of education for new nurse, ie., nurse educator, when are they available, etc.

Of course I want to know about the benefits, pay, etc -- felt that went without saying. Just starting so I'd be glad to have some suggestions on what to ask. Thanks much and have a great day!

[anonymurse]

Let's see. Avg length of pt stay, avg pt load per shift per RN, how often you can expect to float and where to, and if it's not your dream job, ask the mgr her view of letting people go on to other experiences, whether she has ever denied someone's reasonable request to transfer to another unit, how long she expects you to work for her to get a fair return on her training investment, whether she will help you attend hospital committee meetings you're interested in, the exact process for work scheduling, her goals for the unit, what she expects you to do to help achieve those goals, and any pet peeves she may have. You will make up most of your best questions on the fly by listening closely to the mgr when she describes her unit. Ask the HR person who is scheduling your interview what options you have. She will know if a certain available time slot allows plenty of time, or if the mgr will be rushing to a meeting shortly after another time slot. Also she might be able to arrange for you to shadow a RN on that unit before the interview. That would really help you with your Qs.