Need to interview a nurse for my class

[Miss Karu]

Hi, My name is Karen and I need to interview a nurse for a paper for my class "Nursing as a Profession". I don't know any nurses so I would appreciate someone's help. The requirements are that the person has been a nurse for a few years. I have questions that I can email to you and then put your responses in a paper. Thank You!

[bigbub3000]

Can you post the questions here? It's sometimes easier to reply here and you might get more responses.

Welcome to Nursing.

[Bill E. Rubin]

Every few days or so, someone new posts a similar request. This is meant as friendly advice and in no way is meant to sound harsh but may help you greatly if taken the right way... You've been given a gift by this assignment. You've been given an excuse to network shamelessly.

First, to say one doesn't know any nurses is like making it through high school and saying one doesn't know any teachers. Nurses, like teachers, are everywhere, from big cities to the smallest towns. Your high school most likely had a school nurse. You could start with her/him. Don't care for her or him? Perhaps you can call your town's department of public health and ask to speak to the public health nurse. If that nurse isn't receptive, another town's nearby will be. Prefer to talk to someone in an acute care setting in a hospital? You must know someone (or know somebody else who knows someone) who had surgery, or had a baby in recent years. Chances are this person has at least one nurse who touched him/her.... "Oh, nurse Jackie on 4 East was so kind and treated me/my mother/or whatever/ so well!" So, you can call or show up to the local hospital and ask to speak to Nurse Jackie on 4 East (or, better yet, ask to speak to the nurse manager of the unit explaining to her/him why you would like to speak to Nurse Jackie). Think about that. You have just made two contacts who will remember you and your diligence in getting this assignment done (as well as your chutzpah in going out to find a nurse to talk to). Nurse Jackie will be flattered that your friend/relative thought so highly of her that you came to interview her.

Now when you graduate nursing school and pass your NCLEX, you have some solid contacts you've made who can be a great asset to you in your search for a job.

This may sound time consuming and hard, but it's one of the best things you can do for your career. You might even make a friend or two along the way. The old saying still holds true that "who you know" is more important than "what you know." By using a little savvy to expand your network of professional colleagues, especially when the chance to do so has been laid at your feet by your school curriculum, you can do yourself a great favor.

Karen, I wish you the best of luck with your interview and with your career, and welcome to nursing!