New Grad ED Interview - HELP!

Nurses New Nurse

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So I graduated last month with my BSN and applied to a graduate nurse program through one of the major hospitals in my area. I was SUPER excited to get a call inviting me in for an interview next week for their Emergency Department Nurse Internship Program (EDNIP). I know it is super competitive and I want to prepare for the interview the best that I possibly can so that I have a real shot at this job!

I've heard that there will be a mixture of behavioral questions and clinical scenarios and I wanted to see if I could get some feedback on what kinds of questions/scenarios I could expect for an ED interview or any critical care interview in general? Any and all feedback is much appreciated!

Also, what do you think would help me stand out as a potential new hire for the ED? Did anyone do or say anything in particular in their interview that they really think made the difference in them getting hired in the ED or another critical care area?

I've prepared a lot already, but I know that allnurses.com is usually a great resource for this type of thing and I wanted to see if I could get some great feedback on how I can land this job! :)

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

I've never worked in the ER, but as part of a job fair, I sat down with the nurse manager of the ER for an interview. There were the "standard" interview questions that get asked of any job, not just nursing, and a few clinical based scenarios such as patient presents with chest pain, what are your first actions? patient presents with history of N/V/D x2 days, what are your first actions? For some of the typical interview questions, you can look for TheCommuter's articles about interview questions- they can be found by typing "TheCommuter" and "interview" into the search bar.

Good luck with your interview!

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Thank you so much for the info! I'll be sure to check out those articles!

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Specializes in Infection Prevention, Public Health.

Well, we can only guess what you will be asked. I have been on quite a few interview panels and these are tips that I have:

Be able to answer the question "why are you applying for this position?" An astonishing number of applicants can't answer that question.

They are investing in you with an internship. Manage to say that you would hope to stay in the position long term

Common questions are "What are your strengths and weaknesses?" "Describe a time you had conflict with a peer and how you handled it." You may be asked about how you prioritize tasks.

Employers REALLY like it when you have done your homework. I would look up the size of this ED and anything new and exciting going on at the facility. Learn all you can about this internship and how it is set up. Bring a resume and have available the contact information for your references. Tell your references that you are applying and would like to know if they are contacted for references.

Be on time. At the end of the interview when they ask you if you have any questions, be sure you have some questions other than how much you would be paid.

Dress nicely and neatly. No heavy make up or stilettos. No jeans. Good luck.

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This is great advice! I will definitely prepare for these types of questions and be sure that I have some questions for them as well. Thank you so much!!

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

First of all Congrats on getting an interview, residencies are highly competitive. The pp sample questions are good, I have a couple more suggestions that helped me in making a good 1st impression.

Dress professionally, smile and shake everyone's hand in the interview. Let them know you're excited for the opportunity. Take some time to reflect on your clinical experiences. All of my behavioral questions, they wanted examples of how I had acted/reacted in different clinical settings. Remember to look each person in the eyes as you answer, starting with the person who asked the question. Be prepared with your own questions. I asked them what their expectations for the new grads they hired were. I also asked them as they were all experienced nurses what they would tell themselves as a new grad or one thing they wished they had known. Good luck with your interview!

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Thank you so much!! I'm nervous, but I'm just going to go in with a lot of confidence. I've definitely been trying to prepare as well as I can and I've already been thinking of some questions to ask the interviewers. I appreciate your suggestions!

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