nervous about interview as a new grad

[Sweetme2]

Are there any new grads here who have started work already? I have an interview on a surgical-ortho unit and I am soooo nervous. I have been a PCT for 6 years. Do you think being a PCT for a long time will help me as a nurse even if it's a different hospital? I heard school and real world nursing are different. I don't think I did a lot of hands on during clinical, but the preceptor will teach me everything from the basics right? from the IV to using needles etc? and what are the chances they will not take me after the interview with the manager??

[CalicoKitty, BSN, MSN, RN]

Your 6 years as a PCT will likely help a lot towards getting a new job. While  not "nurse" skills, the skills you learned as a PCT are absolutely used by nurses. Some of the most important things you've already got down - patient care, and dealting with trouble patients.

Your new grad training, if you go through a formal training, usually teaches most of "the basics" such as using needles and setting up IVs. You'll be trained on hospital policies and how to find them, medication administration, and how to make yourself comfortable while spending most of your shift documenting.

Getting the interview is usually the hard part, and shows that they think you are qualified for the position. As for getting the job, chances are you'll get an offer unless you bomb the interview. Most places want an eager warm body. Just be an eager warm body.

Make sure you have valid reasons for chosing new hospital instead of staying at old hospital. Make sure you know why you want to do ortho nursing. Figure out how that ortho nursing is going to make you the nurse you want to be. Think about the tedious stuff, like best day of work, worst day of work, worst interaction with patient, coworker, and boss.  Lots of interviews are about the "soft skills".