Hi! I will be graduating in August (Accelerated BSN program). I have just scheduled an interview for an RN position in the NICU in an awesome hospital. It's in 2 weeks and it will be my first interview for an RN position. What terrifies me is that this is the unit and hospital I want to work at and with it being my first interview, I'm afraid I'm going to mess something up.
I've looked through the forums and know that there have been some questions answered about interviews, but I'm looking for some advice on what to expect. What kinds of questions might I be asked?
NICU is where I want to be....this is why I went back to school to be a nurse. I have a bachelors already in another field - but couldn't find a job in that field. I refuse to work in another unit besides NICU! I want to show the Nurse Manager that although I don't have any experience in the NICU that I am determined, hard-working, love to learn and will make a good addition to their team (without looking too desperate!!!!). Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
i am awaiting to hear how it went - i do hope you get the job and that it went well! you sound just so excited and that you would be a perfect fit in the nicu.
although i dont work nicu ( i work peds) we need more exciting and enthusiatic nurses such as yourself!
Well, I had my interview two days ago.... I think it went very well! I was there for 2 hours! We talked for a long time, she told me all about the unit, the shifts, etc. She also spent some time showing me around the unit, telling me about the machines and about some of the conditions of the babies. They were so cute...and small!!
She wants me to come and shadow for a few hours sometime in the next couple of weeks. She told me she doesn't ask everyone to come back in to shadow, especially if she knows they won't be a good fit for the unit. So, I probably won't have any news for another month. I REALLY REALLY want this job and I'm pretty sure that came across during the interview.
Thanks for the support everyone!! I will keep ya posted.
Lilbug, I think you got your enthusiasm across or she wouldn't have spent two hours with you!! And she did ask you to shadow. Sending you good thoughts and I think you'll have good news for us in the future.
Well, I got the long-awaited email about coming back to shadow for a day. A week from this Saturday, I will be going back to the NICU to shadow one of the nurses. She said I have to stay for 2 hours but am welcome to stay longer. I told her I want to stay as long as possible so she said I can stay through the preceptor's shift which means I will be there for about 5 1/2 hours. I not only want to show enthusiasm but want to get as much from this experience as possible. I'm hoping I will learn a lot that day!
I don't know how long I will have to wait after my shadowing experience to find out if I get the job or not. Think good thoughts for me! I'll keep you all posted!!!!
Today I just got a call from another hospital to interview for a NICU position!!!! It's a much smaller unit from the first hospital I interviewed at (and will have my 2nd interview/shadowing this Sat. too!). I'm excited that I will have another interview at another hospital and that I might have two job offers. I really want to get hired on at this first hospital...it does have one of the top NICUs in the country! I'm trying to keep my options open in case the first one falls through and I don't get a job offer. I am so happy I made the choice to go back to school and go into nursing! Each day is getting better and better!
Thanks for everyone's support!! I will keep everyone posted!
Congrats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope you get the one you like the most! I got my first job offer today (and accepted of course LOL!) and am super excited!!!!!!!!!!!!! I start in September!
So this interviewing/hiring process is taking forever and it is driving me crazy!!!!!!!!!! I've interviewed at 2 hospitals and no word yet. The 1st one I interviewed at which is where I want to work is taking a long time. I interviewed in April and did my shadowing in May (about 3 weeks ago). I called the nurse mgr at the beginning of the week and she told me HR is taking over now, telling me they are still probably checking references and that I probably would hear something by the end of this week maybe. She told me to call the HR woman to see what was going on, so I left a voicemail and emailed but no response yet!!! I am thinking positively and hoping I will get an offer since I've interviewed, shadowed and now they are checking references....they've spent a lot of time with me but I don't know!
The 2nd hospital I interviewed at said I wont hear anything till mid-june but it doesn't look promising because she is looking to hire for start dates this summer. I dont graduate until end of August so I might not have a chance. It's a really small unit and I'm not that crazy about it. No biggie cuz I want a job at the 1st hospital anyways.
Now, I have another interview next week at a hospital 3-4 hours away in southern Ohio. It's a good hospital from what I've read with a large NICU but it is far away from home. I wouldn't mind moving there. It would be nice to move to a new city. But I think I would really prefer to stay closer to home for now. But i'm at the point now that I will take whatever job offer I get! I want to work in the NICU no matter what!!
Sorry for venting! I just had to get out my frustrations!!
cjulian214, sorry I forgot to update! Yes, I was offered 2 positions in the NICU at 2 hospitals (from the 3 hospitals I interviewed at)....and I eventually accepted one! I will be starting in October! I am so excited!
NICU is where I want to be....this is why I went back to school to be a nurse. I have a bachelors already in another field - but couldn't find a job in that field. I refuse to work in another unit besides NICU! I want to show the Nurse Manager that although I don't have any experience in the NICU that I am determined, hard-working, love to learn and will make a good addition to their team (without looking too desperate!!!!). Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
TexasPediRN
898 Posts
well lilibug.....
i am awaiting to hear how it went - i do hope you get the job and that it went well! you sound just so excited and that you would be a perfect fit in the nicu.
although i dont work nicu ( i work peds) we need more exciting and enthusiatic nurses such as yourself!