New Grad RN Interview for Telemetry Position -- Advice, please?

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Specializes in Trauma, Critical Care, Orthopedics.

Hi everyone!!

I have my first interview as a new grad RN this Wednesday for a telemetry position. I graduated from nursing school back in September and passed NCLEX at the beginning on December, but have had no luck at all in getting so much as a call back from any of the hospitals in my area until today. I have an excellent nursing school GPA, but no prior healthcare experience. My passion is the ER, although I enjoyed my clinical experience in a cardiac stepdown unit, as well. I've come to realize that as a new grad in this area with this economy, I can't be too picky...and the skills I would acquire on this until would easily transfer to a future ER position. Honestly, at this point, I'm willing to get experience on any unit possible, and who knows, I may even really end up enjoying it. :wink2: After being unemployed for the last 4 months, I'm appreciative of any offer that might come my way.

I'm looking for advice, as I've never been in this position before. Can anyone offer any suggestions to a new grad interviewing for a telemetry position at a major inner-city hospital, including questions I should be sure to ask, etc?

TIA for all your help!

~Cathy :heartbeat

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Specializes in Med/Surg/Tele/SNF-LTC/Supervisory.

Cathy!

Wonderful.! Congrat's! My advice is ... just keep in mind what YOU are going to bring to the company that is going to make YOU shine in their eyes. AND - show confidence!

Have a FANTASTIC interview! SMILE.. :)

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Specializes in ER.

First and foremost, congratulations on your job offer! :) You are right, it is tough times and maybe getting your foot in the door is not a bad idea. I think any experience is better than no experience. Plus, you don't want to be competing for a new grad position with 2009 grads...

I feel your frustration as I was in the same position. I didn't get a single call back for months and I started doubting myself and started to lose confidence that I was going to be a good nurse. However, even in the midst of my depression, I kept applying for all RN positions that was available even when it required at least 1~4 years of experience including ER and ICU even though I had no acute care background besides rotations. Then one day, the unthinkable happened. I actually got an interview for an ER RN position! As a matter of fact, I went in for the interview today and got the job offer on the same day! :) A lot of it was luck too as my past clinical instructor worked at that ED and didn't mind me listing her as my reference. Fortunately, the recruiter knew my professor personally and that helped my application stand out. So definitely use your resources, especially your clinical professors and don't give up on your dream! You never know what happens.

As for interview questions, I was going to ask for the length of orientation period and what was involved, but she ended up covering all that during the interview. I ended up asking how long is the probation period and how often is the performance evaluation done.:clown: haha yeah... You really only get to ask one or two questions at the end and it's almost like a courtesy....to show that you were being attentive during the interview, so don't stress. Go online and search for RN interview questions, but don't drive yourself crazy. Good luck! You will do fine!

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Specializes in Med-Tele, Internal Med PCU.

Per my manager, she's looking for a new grad's "fit" and ability to learn more than what you did in school.

What do you bring to the company/floor? What are your strengths and weaknesses? What are you doing to strengthen your weaknesses? Have you worked in a team environment? And the dreaded "Name one time you failed?"

Sorry, guess my 2cents were late.

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Specializes in Trauma, Critical Care, Orthopedics.

Hi NocturneNrse & whykiki0103!

I just wanted to thank you again for your words of encouragement. I had my interview at 10am yesterday and it seemed to go extremely well. I interviewed with the hiring manager only, and it lasted for 2 hours! She gave me a tour of the unit, introduced me to many of the staff members, and explained the training I would receive, scheduling procedures, etc. Everyone seemed so warm and welcoming. I think I'd really enjoy working with these people and on this unit! I should hear from the nurse recruiter early next week about whether or not an offer will be extended.

The formal orientation period would last 12 weeks, during which I would be paired with 2 or 3 preceptors; however, the first performance evaluation takes place at 6 months as the first 6 are considered my intro period. I would not be counted in the staffing mix in terms of assignments until the conclusion of my orientation period. I would eventually be crossed trained for the CICU, as well. Patient to Nurse ratio in Tele is 5:1 and 3:1 in CICU (or 2:1 in extreme cases). This is a 48 bed Tele unit. There is a designated monitor tech at all times for the unit. They are working toward Magnet Status and expect to file in 2011. Patient mix includes r/o MI, patients requiring ICD and pacers, cardiomyopathy, CHF, diabetes, post-op...the whole nine yards. Training includes a dysrhythmia course, clin doc training, a critical care core, and a critical care pharm course. ACLS will not be offered until after the 1st year or so.

Funny how things work out, though. I just received a call from a more local hospital today, in a much nicer neighborhood, and now have an interview scheduled tomorrow afternoon for a 6 month OR training program at a university medical center. I LOVED my OR rotations while in school, but have always feared that I'd lose some skills if I jumped into that type of position immediately following nursing school. I'm still hoping this one goes as well as yesterday, though.

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Congrats Cathy on your good interview and the interview for tomorrow -hurray! Things are definitely "tough out there" economy wise. I graduate in May 2009 and am starting my search now and am concerned! First unit I contacted that I'd REALLY like to work in said "no open positions anticipated at all in near future due to economy" and I have the BEST references and already work at that hospital so.......the economy is working against us new grads! I encourage you to pray over both offers and the attitudes of the persons you met and the training you'll receive and then GO FOR IT! Keep us posted! God Bless!

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Specializes in Trauma, Critical Care, Orthopedics.
Congrats Cathy on your good interview and the interview for tomorrow -hurray! Things are definitely "tough out there" economy wise. I graduate in May 2009 and am starting my search now and am concerned! First unit I contacted that I'd REALLY like to work in said "no open positions anticipated at all in near future due to economy" and I have the BEST references and already work at that hospital so.......the economy is working against us new grads! I encourage you to pray over both offers and the attitudes of the persons you met and the training you'll receive and then GO FOR IT! Keep us posted! God Bless!

Thanks, darimom! Yes, things are tough, especially in finding someone willing to take a chance on a new grad. I'm truly sorry to hear that you are having such a problem getting in to the unit you had hoped for. I'm sure that's very disheartening to hear that there are "no open positions anticipated at all in the near future..." I would just keep checking back, anyway. What do you have to lose? You never know what could happen. If not, get your feel wet on another unit in that same facility, if possible, but keep your eye out for any openings on your preferred unit in the future. You could always put in for a transfer later on.

You are definitely doing the right thing by starting your search now. I don't know how the hospitals around your area are, but around here hospitals will hire a student nurse and schedule them to start working following graduation; however, they must pass NCLEX prior to their start date. Knowing that, I chose to wait until after I passed boards to begin diligently submitting applications. I didn't want that added stress of worrying about losing my job if I didn't pass. Most, if not all, of my classmates who did have a job prior to graduation passed NCLEX in time to start their jobs, though. Now, here I am 4.5 months later and just finally getting some interviews.

My interview yesterday for the OR position went great as well. They called me less than 1.5 hours after I got home to offer me the position. I'm now buying time, hoping to hear from the Telemetry unit early next week, as I think I'd be better off getting some floor experience prior to going into the ER or OR, if that's what I decided to do in the future. There's so much to consider, though, especially when I've spend 4.5 months having barely stepped foot into a hospital since graduation and these positions are extremely different in absolutely every aspect.

Thanks again for your words of encouragement and understanding. Good luck in your search and God bless!

~Cathy :heartbeat

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Hey Cathy - Fantastic! 1.5 hrs after your interview you got a call with an offer - that's super! I'm sure you have a winning personality - afterall OR is like a family. I just want to encourage you that I have two different friends who work at different facilities in OR and both LOVE it! So many advantages and their team is like family to them. They both have a vast amount of knowledge and I feel it would be easier to go from OR to the floor if needed some day than from the floor to OR - so you have nothing to lose there! Regarding your extended wait for a position - well.......God is always ON time so whatever He has for you must be awesome. Take care-Nancy

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Specializes in ER.

Congrats! :) I knew you could do it! If you really loved OR, then why go through telemetry?!! I am sure they will train you well before setting your foot through the OR, so don't feel like you have to "warm up" before landing your dream job! :) I talked to a recruiter for an OR at a career fair last year and their only real requirement is that you had to be vested in OR. So I am sure they do extensive training before you are actually on the floor. Good luck!

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Specializes in Trauma, Critical Care, Orthopedics.

Thanks whykiki0103! My reasoning for going through telemetry is that I really don't see myself spending the entirety of my career in the OR. With this being the case, I'm afraid it may not be my best move to go directly into the OR as a new grad. This facility has an excellent 6-8 month OR training program, but as I noted in my original post, my passion is the ER. I had 5 OR rotations during nursing school and thought it was amazing, but the ER is really where I see myself spending the majority of my career...at least at this point. I'd imagine that starting off as a floor nurse for a handful of years or so and getting my basic nursing skills down will benefit me in the long run, no matter what department I eventually find myself in. :wink2:

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Hello everyone, I had an interview today at a hospital but I stumbled a lot because I was very nervous. The thing is I went to the UNION to search for a job, the lady there sent me to another lady whom I don't know if she was HR, then she referred me to the nurse manager(NM). I was interviewed with the NM and after the interview she didn't say whether she would call or anything(just thank you). I walked out of her office confused, she didn't even give me a tour of the unit. She talked to me about the shift and asked about experience. I DID get the feeling I might be hired but again with the NM not asking when you can start or we will contact you or anything that gives hope, I am worried. I sent her a thank u note after and she wrote back saying it was a pleasure meeting with me. Oh my what does that mean? ohhhhhhh somebody comment pleaseeeeeeeeeee

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It means be patient and chill out :smokin:

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