at loss........

[RNatloss]

Hi everyone,

I was ecstatic when I got a call for an interview however, I was not given much time to prepare for the interview. I had two hours to get ready for the interview. I called up my friends who work at this hospital and were told that the interview was very laid back and easy. Did not asked any critical thinking questions and only asked a few personality questions. I rushed to get myself ready and head to the hospital. The interview with the nurse recruiter went well. Basically she told me about the HR stuff. Then I was sent to the unit to be interviewed by the manager and the charge nurse. I felt that I bombed the interview because they end up asking me critical thinking questions and I bombed it. They asked me to provide five words to describe my personality. That should have been easy right? Nope, I had to squeeze the last of my brain juice to come up with five words. The interview was nothing like how my friends describe it. At the end of the interview, the manager said they can not count my one year nursing experience and I may be consider more of a new nurse. However they don't know if they have the resources to hire another new nurse.

So I bombed it and suddenly I really just want to get out of there, however, she then said why don't you come back on Tuesday for a shadowing. So I am so confused and stressed that I haven't been able to sleep well at all. I had tried to write a thank you letter but unable to because what can I truly say other than thank them for granting me an interview? I can't sell myself because I sucked at the critical thinking questions. I've been trying the last couple of days to write a decent thank you letter but unable to come up with words to describe myself. Other than hard working, reliable, and wanting to learn, I can't come up with fancy words to sell myself and have them choose me.

Sorry everyone, I just want to rant awhile. Whoever reads this, thank you.

[Lev, MSN, RN, NP]

You don't need to be fancy; you just need to be honest. Genuine passion speaks the strongest. Being given the opportunity to shadow is a good sign. It means they are interested in you! As far as thank you letter. Just keep is short and to the point. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to interview, I look forward to shadowing on xyz unit, and I feel I will be a real asset to the team for x, y, and z reasons.

[icuRNmaggie, BSN, RN]

Don't be at a loss or discouraged just yet. A job shadow means that you are a candidate. If you have not done a job shadow before, what it is is a means for you to meet the staff and for them to decide if you would be a good fit for their team. First impressions and how you present yourself is so important. Greet everyone and smile but don't be over the top about it. They are hoping you are normal .

Be uniformed and ready to help out your assigned nurse with small tasks. They are watching you to see if you have situational awareness and if you have a pleasant demeanor with the patients.

You mentioned that they might consider you a new nurse even with a year of experience. If you have strong time management skills, experience with geriatric and dementia pts, IV therapy, wound care, PEG and Trach or other skills or experience that would make you an asset work it into the conversation. If you are bilingual or good with IT that's a big plus. They won't have to teach you how to be a nurse, do an assessment or call an MD. Share your background, strengths and be honest about skills that you need to work on and any long term career goals.

Ask about computer charting, the unit routine, educational opportunities, nurse pt ratios, cna pt ratios, scheduling, length of orientation, available positions, and how are holidays obligations assigned. The nurse who is assigned to your job shadow will probably be a senior nurse who also will orient you if you are offered and accept the position. Good luck!

[caliotter3]

Your shadow day is a chance to improve upon your interview. Relax and do your best. Envision yourself walking away one step closer to having a job on that unit.

[RNatloss]

Thank you guys so much for the encouragement. I have less than a year of nursing experience at LTC. I always wanted to work in the acute care setting and had a hard time even getting a interview at a hospital so this is very important for me. I do not even know how to study or prepare myself and since the interview was last wednesday, it seemed a little too late to write the thank you letter.

[icuRNmaggie, BSN, RN]

just keep it real. best wishes, maggie

[Gooselady, BSN, RN]

I think you may not have 'bombed' your interview as badly as you think. Not everyone is 'good' at 'performing' during an interview, and an experienced manager knows that. Confidence during an interview is (or the lack of it) is not an indicator of how well a person will do on the floor, after a good orientation. I got the sense you wouldn't have been asked back to 'shadow' unless the manager liked you, in spite of how 'badly' you think you did.

You are probably being too hard on yourself (who isn't LOL) and I see being offered to 'shadow' a positive in your favor.

Best of luck and all that stuff when you do shadow! You ought to let us know how it goes :)

[Nurse SMS, MSN, RN]

Sounds like it went well to me. Enjoy the shadowing opportunity, be friendly and open, definitely not timid. Pitch in when it is reasonable (ie: turning patients). Ask appropriate questions at appropriate times. Enjoy the experience. You are halfway through the door already.

[Lev, MSN, RN, NP]

Thank you guys so much for the encouragement. I have less than a year of nursing experience at LTC. I always wanted to work in the acute care setting and had a hard time even getting a interview at a hospital so this is very important for me. I do not even know how to study or prepare myself and since the interview was last wednesday, it seemed a little too late to write the thank you letter.

Just wait til after shadow day and send to HR and nurse manager.

[RNatloss]

I'll definately update once I get the news! Thank you to everyone that responded. It meant so much to know I can count on you guys to boost me up.

[RNatloss]

Update: hi everyone, I didn't get the job but a couple of months later I got another interview for the telemetry unit at another hospital and a week later got hired. I am currently in orientation and find myself overwhelmed. Although I have been an RN for over a year I find I don't know squat. Even the new grads know more than me. I am feeling inadequate and frankly stupid. Is it common to forget a lot of my knowledge after graduating and not using it?

[Libby1987]

Yes it's common.

Some things you can't prep for and you just have to learn while on your feet, but as far as forgetting what you've already been taught, self study would help bring it back and with the concomitant patient care it will be applicable for the first time. You can at minimum know your cardiac conditions/physiology and pharmacology inside out.