New RN Grad Interview

Nurses Job Hunt

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I recently just graduated from a RN adn program. I had an interview for a CCU program through a hospital. Went through 3 interviews. The last one it was with the manager of the unit I'd be hired on. Well she started off the phone interview like I already had the job. For months I've already had 2 vacations planned after graduation and knew I would have to bring it up to the employer sometime and figured it was a good time to mention it at that time on the phone interview. I explained to her I had one in July but I am able to reschedule it for next yr. I also had one for a wk in sept and would like to know if I can get that honored with no pay. She redirected me to the nursing recruiter then proceeded to ask me

Her: "You are one of two nurses on nights and a call bell is going off. You enter the room and the patient is actively having a seizure. What would you do?"

Me: "I would protect their airway, head, and any limbs of injury, stay with the patient the whole time until it is over with, turn them on their side and call for help.

Her: "How would you call for help."

Me: "I would yell help, or push the code button.

Her: "It is not a code."

Me: Well then I would use my spectra link to call the other nurse. I also would be monitoring the patient during the seizure for what movements are happening and their eyes. After it is over I would call the MD.

Her: "You would use the call bell"

Me: "Oh. ok"

After the interview I immediately emailed the nurse recruiter about my vacation time that needed to be honored. 3hrs later I get an email stating they would be looking into other candidates that better fit their requirements.

Now mind you I have 5yrs of experience as a LPN 2 yrs as a GNA and I did clinicals for 1.5yrs in that hospital.

Do you think my answer to the seizure incident was wrong? Do you think I didn't get the job because of my answer or the vacation request?

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

The call bell? Because that brings people running? I would use the code button if I needed immediate assistance with a patient and no one was within earshot.

I have no idea why you didn't get the job, but I am sorry. :( Have you asked the recruiter for feedback?

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Specializes in ICU.

I would think it's the two vacations in addition to not answering her question correctly. You were not wrong but 2 vacations??? Why are you applying for a new position requesting not one, but two vacations? That's a lot.

Maybe its because I'm from a different era, but you should never request any vacations when applying for a new position. Those should be out of the way. Why do people schedule them when they know they are applying for a new job? It makes no sense. But then again, I'm not a millenial.

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Now mind you.. the time to discuss planned time off is after the offer is made.

If a patent is having a seizure, follow protocol. Know what that is. Calling a code is not it.

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I wasn't saying push the code button to call a code it was to get someone's attention. We were taught in school if you need someone there fast to press the code button. Our instuctors said they'd rather have that than still be there for mins with no help. I didn't say press the call bell because she said it was on in the first place. That's what brought me in. Just to me pressing the call bell even if it wasn't on in the first place wouldn't get someone there that fast. As for follow protocol I don't know what their protocol was.

The vacations they would of been 6months apart and I had them planned for months before this job was even known about. They're start date would of been after my first scheduled vacation but then they moved it up halfway through the interview process by a month. I didn't know planned time off was discussed after the offer. Thank you for that info.

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The call bell? Because that brings people running? I would use the code button if I needed immediate assistance with a patient and no one was within earshot.

I have no idea why you didn't get the job, but I am sorry. :( Have you asked the recruiter for feedback?

That was my thought process in why I would press the code button.

Yes I actually emailed everyone who interviewed me a thank you letter but I haven't heard anything back. It's ok if I don't.

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Specializes in ICU, trauma.

I would hope this wasn't the deciding factor as to why you didn't get the job. How are you supposed to know this hospital's policy when calling for help or calling a rapid

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.
Why do people schedule them when they know they are applying for a new job? It makes no sense. But then again, I'm not a millenial.

To be honest, I had two things scheduled before I started my new position — a few days off to attend my MSN graduation (in a couple of weeks, yay!) and then some days off for the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) convention this fall. I guess I take weird vacations, lol. They aren't trips to the beach (darn!), but it's still time off. Sometimes you can't help what is scheduled if the timing isn't up to you. Not saying that's the case here, but just confessing my own. :D

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.

I don't think your answer to the question was wrong, I think perhaps they were put off by you requesting off for vacation so early (you didn't even have the job yet).

I don't understand why they would want you to push the call bell when someone is actively having a seizure. If there is a phone system between nurses use that or press the code button to get help in there as soon as possible. I don't understand her reasoning behind pressing the call button. You could be waiting there for awhile if you press the call button. I would've asked for clarification as to why I press the call bell. Because a call bell doesn't light a fire under someone's butt to come & help me when someone is having a seizure. For all the other nurse knows, the patient in that room wants more water or pain pills.

But next time, don't bring up your vacation until HR has made an offer & you are filing out paperwork for the job. There is no reason to bring it up so early in the interview stage anyway.

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Specializes in Neuroscience.

It's a seizure, not a code. Unless it is status epilepticus it's not an emergency. Protect the airway, watch the time, see if there are any prn's available and give them when the criteria is met. Call the doctor afterwords, mention the time the seizure took, what meds you gave and what med terminated the seizure. If the seizure is a new development, everything you said is perfect except for pushing the code button. Yell for help is a great answer. Some facilities have the ability to hit an "assist" button that appears as a different tone and color on the call light indicator. That's great too. Don't hit the code button unless it's a code.

Don't mention you have vacation until after you have the job. Even then, be prepared to be disappointed that you can't go. I'm sorry this happened and I wish you the best of luck on your Job Search.

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I would think it's the two vacations in addition to not answering her question correctly. You were not wrong but 2 vacations??? Why are you applying for a new position requesting not one, but two vacations? That's a lot.

Maybe its because I'm from a different era, but you should never request any vacations when applying for a new position. Those should be out of the way. Why do people schedule them when they know they are applying for a new job? It makes no sense. But then again, I'm not a millenial.

I don't think it necessarily has to do with being a millenial as I am one and wouldn't bring that up. I've always been taught that when you're applying for jobs you need to be ready to work whenever you are needed because you are new and need to make a good impression. You can't go into a job already wanting time off, or atleast thats what ive been told. I think it was just wrong timing to bring it up OP maybe don't mention that so early on and deal with it later on down the road. I'm sorry you didn't get the job, but good luck to you on future interviews!í ½í¸Š

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Now mind you I have 5yrs of experience as a LPN 2 yrs as a GNA and I did clinicals for 1.5yrs in that hospital.

Do you think my answer to the seizure incident was wrong? Do you think I didn't get the job because of my answer or the vacation request?

I find the "code" answer peculiar and think your experience may have actually worked against you. A new grad with no nursing experience might have been able to get away with it.

The vacation requests were also pretty bold. I could see one request being reasonable, but not more than that unless you were applying for a very part-time or per diem position.

...but who knows what they're thinking. It might not be either or those two things.

In any case, happy job hunting! It sounds like you have enough experience to land something soon enough.

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