Need some answers to Q's please.

vlomankill · Sep 17, 2010

i have been reading posts on this site for awhile now, however this is my first post, so i would like to start off by saying hello to everyone. i started my fall semester a few weeks ago and am in an intro to nursing careers class. our first assignment is to interview a nurse. i would have liked to done a more traditional interview, however i am working full-time, going to school full-time and trying to dedicate as much time as i can to my a&p i class so i was hoping i could post my interview questions and hear some feedback from some rns. i asked my instructor if doing this over the internet would be alright and she said it would be a great idea.
my answers are in red, hope they help.
okay, so here are my questions:
1. what is your educational background? (adn, bsn, msn, were you a cna or lpn before rn?) do you plan to pursue further education, if yes, what, why, and when? how do you feel your highest educational degree has helped you do what you are doing today in healthcare?i was a lpn for about 7 years before obtaining my rn (adn), by the way this is my second career, my first was in law enforcement. i am currently working on my masters (combined program through my school to obtain my ms with my bsn). i am currently working in dialysis and can work as a nnp in my clinic when completed.
2. what is your job history, including delegation? what have you liked and disliked about any different positions you have held within the nursing field? what kind of nursing care have you provided in you different positions? did you work with other healcare providers when caring for patients, if so, who and how? i've worked from wound care, icu, ltc, doctors office to now dialysis (where i plan to stay). i was a lpn in most position, so meds was a big part of my job description. i've worked directly under a md and with rn's, techs, and students of any type.
3. what would you say is the best part of you job as an rn? why? the interaction with the patients, i've learned a lot from them, and enjoy their humor of all types. i've learned to respect their trust in me and to let them know that i trust them (with telling me when something is wrong).
4. what would you say is the most difficult part of your job as an rn? why? the paper work and the bs (from my fellow coworkers to my facility)
5. since you have been in the profession of nursing, what kind of changes have you seen in the profession?more paperwork, and more bs, i've also seen more abuse of the trust nurses have with the community.
6. how do you think the nursing profession will change within the next ten years? i honestly don't know, nursing isn't something you can plan or map out due to human nature and life.
7. do you have any advice for succeeding in nursing school? any specific study skills, how to get ready for tests, how to do better in learning nursing skills, how to think critically, how to manage time, etc.? take it one exam at a time. i found out i had a learning disability so keep that in mind when i give my advice. i reviewed every exam with my instructors after we received our exams back (even after the class went over it), it helped me realize why i picking what i was picking even when i got 100's. i combined my notes from reading with my class notes (and stay up on the reading), one teacher actually stated i had the best notes she has ever seen (they were color coded to-blue reading, red important, purple class, black questions etc). and the biggest thing was a study group (4-5 students, try to find who is having trouble in class and ask them to join it helps when you have to teach the topic).
8. do you belong to the american nurses association (ana)? if so, are you very active within the association if you don't belong, why not? no, i belong to anna (r/t to dialysis ) and bna (r/t ethnicity)
any answers would be very much appreciated!
thanks, steve

i hope this helps you with your class, good luck.

MSciRN · Sep 17, 2010

1. What is your educational background? (ADN, BSN, MSN, were you a CNA or LPN before RN?) ADN

Do you plan to pursue further education, if yes, what, why, and when? Yes, I am currently pursuing a bachelors of nursing part-time. I do not want to do bedside nursing forever and to get the higher level admin jobs, you would need at least a bachelors degree in most hospitals/companies.

How do you feel your highest educational degree has helped you do what you are doing today in healthcare? With an ADN degree, I was able to attain the basics, Nursing 101. While on the job, I have managed to pick up more experience and skills then a class could ever teach- I'm sure that all nurses could say the same. A higher level of education can give you a broader way of the thinking from everything from management to statistics and, ultimately, a deeper level of understanding.

2. What is your job history, including delegation? I worked as an insurance agent. No delegation in this job other than having someone come to fix my computer or printer from time to time. I also worked as a nurse technician prior to getting a rn license. Delegation included asking for help from a coworker to move a patient or reporting critical vitals to the nurse.

What have you liked and disliked about any different positions you have held within the nursing field?

As a nurse, I have liked taking care of patients and the feeling of accomplishment at the end of the day. Dislikes, being the ultimate one responsible for patient care out of all the people involved in patient care/experience.

As a tech, Dislike would be by being used and abused by some of the other nurses- water girl or there just to turn off the lights when patient was ready to sleep. Likes, feeling like I really helped a patient when they really needed some extra care.

What kind of nursing care have you provided in you different positions? monitoring of patients vital signs and reporting to doctor or nurse depending on being a tech or rn, assistance with ADLs- bathing, feeding, assistance with ambulating back and forth to bathroom or other places, giving medications and watching for side effects or benefits, being a support for patients receiving bad news, educating patients on specific diseases, treatment processes, and medications.

Did you work with other healthcare providers when caring for patients, if so, who and how? Yes, doctors, nurse techs, cnas, radiologist techs, radiologists, physical therapists, dietitians, food service employees, rns. Everyone plays a part, doctors plan the treatment process and plan, nurses monitor and execute the plan of care and report back the doctor, supervise all aspects of care, techs and cnas do patient care- assistance of ADLs, taking vital signs, some draw blood and can do other functions as EKGs, all make sure the Pt has fresh water, orients Pt to the room/bed, take daily weights if needed, record how much the Patient eats, drinks, goes to the bathroom, etc. PTs work with the Pt while in the hospital, especially if the Pt is immobile for long periods of time. Dietitians find what diet is best for the Pt, then educates the Patient on what to eat- big one for a dietitian is tube feedings.

str591 · Sep 18, 2010

Thank you all for your replies.