Job Interview for an Ortho/Neuro Unit

XNavyCorpsman · Mar 5, 2015

Your school should have prepared you for interviews. Interviews don't usually ask skills or practical questions. They will ask questions like, 'tell me a difficult decision you had to make in the last 6 months and how did it turn out'? I also had questions like, 'what is an excusable absence and an un-excusable absence'. Search the internet for interview questions. I found some really good ones.

ANelson732 · Mar 6, 2015

thanks so much for the help!

Cheyenne RN,BSHS · Mar 6, 2015

If you have any experience in ortho-neuro I would be sure to mention it. If you really have not had the opportunity (you didn't work somewhere while in school etc) then show a passion for the speciality. Read up on the needs of the client and the type of care and skills required. Most of all relax and be professional, you are secretly interviewing them to meet your own life goals as well.

Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN · Mar 6, 2015

Therapeutic communication, patience, and a keen attention to detail are important in neuro. Many neuro conditions that land someone in the hospital are scary and life-altering, e.g. strokes, brain tumors, TBIs, SCIs. Patients can be confused and impulsive. I say attention to detail because changes in a neuro exam can be subtle, and when things start to go south it can happen fast.

One piece of advice that I give to all new neuro nurses is that self-care is very important. It's challenging, and can be an emotional roller coaster. When it's bad, often times it's really bad. On the other side though, there are outcomes that border on miraculous.

With ortho, pain control is extremely important not only because nobody likes to be in pain, but because PT/OT can be very painful for the pt. If they can't fully participate in PT/OT, their recovery is slower. Collaboration with rehab to properly time the pt's PRN pain meds is a must.

So your communication skills, attention to detail, understanding of pain management, and interdisciplinary collaboration are attributes that you should emphasize.

Otherwise, many nursing interviews (in all different specialties) ask about a difficult decision you've made, conflict-resolution questions, what would your colleagues say about working w/ you, etc.

Good providence on your interview!