New Grad Interview gone weird...advice/comments please

Nurses New Nurse

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Hi I had my very first nursing interview yesterday. I was sent to the interview by a recruiter. It was supposed to be a new grad residency program for the Emergency Department. I brought a portfolio, dressed for success, practiced in my head the things I would say...the interview was two hours long. The first hour was with the Med/Surg Nurse Manager, the second with the Chief Nursing Officer. This is for a small-town 100 bed, one story hospital. Anyway, mid-way through the first hour I noticed the NM wasn't talking much about the residency program for which I drove nearly 200 miles from home to interview, and incurred an overnight hotel stay, not to mention $70 in gas. I started asking her questions about it, and she abruptly said, "Oh I was thinking more Med/Surg position." I was a bit startled, but totally accepting. As a newbie, I would be happy to start in Med/Surg. I actually think it is probably better because M/S is the foundation to nursing. She then handed me over to the CNO. He didn't tell me what the rate of pay would be, if the training (which doesn't even start for two months) is paid or not, what benefits are available or much else. Only told me what he wanted from me, and that I could expect to have a 7-8 patient load most days. Although I'm accepting of a M/S position, I have to admit I am bummed. I really wanted the Specialty Cert and other Certs that go with the ED residency program. Plus, I need to know if the three months of training is paid or not, and how much I'll be making and how much I'll be making once I'm on my own. I would have to move my family all the way down to this little rural town and I need to have a budget in mind. I also asked the CNO about ACLS, and he said he didn't know if I would be getting that in my training or not. The recruiter I originally spoke with is on vacation this week. I am confused, and have many unanswered questions and I'm starting to have doubts and feel depressed. I also feel I was taken advantage of. The recruiter talked up this ED residency program, that there would be paid training, relocation assistance, etc...but none of that was mentioned in the interview. Then they went and totally changed the job I was under the impression I was interviewing for. Please share your thoughts on this...

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I didn't know how much I was going to be getting paid until I accepted a job offer. Does anywhere actually have unpaid training? I'm in orientation right now but i'm getting paid my regular hourly rate

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I was going to agree with Rose2013 about not knowing until you get an offer. Typically all of those questions would be answered in the offer letter or first with a verbal offer. For sure the recruiter should be able to clarify. Too bad she is on vacation. It could be that the NM and CNO don't really know enough about those details. It is more of an HR thing. Good luck!

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Specializes in ICU.

I'm right with you on this - what happened to the residency?! Maybe contact the recruiter when he/she gets back, and say something like, "I was under the impression that this interview was supposed to be for an Emergency Department residency, but the nurse manager seemed to be interviewing me for a position in med-surg. Is the residency full, or was there some other reason I was considered for med-surg? Is there a way I could be considered for the Emergency Department position as well, because that is where my interest truly lies?"

I wouldn't just let that go. Yes, any job is good - but as someone who fought through all of the med-surg new grad positions to finally find a critical care residency, I know EXACTLY where you are coming from. Maybe you're being much nicer than I'd be feeling, but if I thought I was interviewing for an ED residency and ended up face to face with the med-surg nurse manager, I would be extremely disappointed and angry, especially since you drove so far to get there! I'm guessing you wouldn't have done that for anything less than your first choice. It really sounds there was some kind of miscommunication and maybe if you talk to the recruiter and there are still residency positions open the recruiter can arrange the correct interview... instead of the one you somehow ended up in. They had to be interested in you to get that far along in the process anyway; it's worth a shot. Either way, I'm sorry that happened to you. I can't even tell you how furious I'd be if that were me...

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Thanks everyone for the replies. I probably should have mentioned that the CNO did verbally offer me the job, but made no mention of the pay/benes, not much info at all and gave me no paperwork to fill out and no visit to HR. Instead he ticked off his fingers what his expectations of me are and to be prepared for a typical 7-8 pt load and that they don't like us to go over 72 hours in a pay period. He also mentioned that two new grads were fired recently for not being able to keep up. They also didn't ask me too many questions about myself or seem all that interested in my portfolio. Sounds impossible to me, even for the veteran nurse. At my clinical sites, the RNs always clocked in 20 or so minutes early to prepare their WOWS and get ready for report/get report and the off-going shift never leaves at 7 on the dot. I have not been on a job interview in many years. I had been at my last job before I started nursing school for a couple of years, so it was a couple years before that that I even interviewed for it. Maybe I am naïve and rusty-out of practice, and I do feel they took advantage of me. I am so desperate to start my nursing career that maybe I need to change that and be more choosey and assertive with my questions. I am upset about the whole thing. I've come to find out that the recruiter works for an affiliate of the hospital, not the actual hospital itself. When she comes back from vacation I am sure going to ask for clarification. I don't even think I want this position. Sounds very difficult for a newbie and too much miscommunication going on. Not to mention it's over 200 miles away, no mention of the relocation assistance the website offers and it's in a little cow poke town with nothing to amuse yourself with but the yearly rodeo that comes through. I'm beginning to understand why most of their staff is comprised of travelers. Sometimes I wonder if the three years and all the money I invested in nursing school was a big mistake, that's how down I feel right now. Seems nobody wants us new grads except those that want to take advantage of us and get our nursing careers off to a terrible start.

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There are just too many red flags here for me to feel comfortable saying "go for it!". I have been a nurse for 18 months now and also had to weed thru the med surg positions to find my dream job in a NICU. I was in a residency, had 4 months with a preceptor plus 8 hour classes every Friday for 4 months where RNs, NPs, and physicians would come teach us different disease processes etc. we also had tests every week that covered the previous weeks material. We (there were only 2 of us) were told that we were expected to study hard and do well in the exams, but I felt like the program as a whole was invaluable ( especially for the NICU where it is so unique).

Even on a med surg floor I can't imagine being thrown in with 7-8 patients as a new grad! Even seasoned nurses at my hospital have 5 patients tips on med surg. If they have already let go 2 new grads that is a huge sign that their orientation program for that unit is poor (8 patients?!) and they don't give newbies time before throwing them to the wolves. On top of all that, they misrepresented the position and put you in the wrong interview!

Maybe it was just a mistake and you can get into the ER program and maybe it will be great but were I in your position I would absolutely not accept the med surg program. Especially moving your whole family! I know a few people I graduated with who settled into a position with a poor orientation and got fired for not keeping up...they both had a VERY hard time getting hired anywhere else. Getting a job as a new grad is tough, but getting a job as a new grad who has been let go during an orientation, regardless if the circumstances is nearly impossible!

Sorry for such a long post, but it worries me. I hope everything works out for you but don't be afraid to hold out for the perfect position...and don't be afraid to be treated well by your employer. An interview is of course about what you can do for the company but it should also be about what the company and unit can do for you! Your worth it!!

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And NOOO all the hard work you put into becoming a nurse was not a waste! I promise that when the right job comes around it will all be worth it. Keep your head up, your confidence high, and expect great things!

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