NICU Extern Interview soon---need advice

justme1972 · Mar 16, 2008

Bump!

EricJRN, MSN, RN · Mar 16, 2008

Not a manager and my experience is far from extensive, but I wanted to wish you good luck. When is your interview?

justme1972 · Mar 16, 2008

Wednesday.

Skeletor · Mar 17, 2008

Just be yourself during your interview and convey a strong sense of confidence that is needed when working with :dncgbby:(and anyone for that matter of course). I wish you good luck as well.

Jolie, BSN · Mar 17, 2008

Do you have a job description for this position?

Will it involve supervised hands-on care, or is it more of a "tech" job involving stocking, cleaning, running errands, etc?

Either way, I would recommend spending some time preparing responses to questions like:

What experience do you have that would enable you to perform the job duties? That answer will vary depending on the focus of the job (patient care vs. staff support). Have you had your clinical experience in OB? Peds? Community Health? Geriatrics/LTC? These are the clinical areas that most closely resemble the NICU, so being able to show strong performance in these areas, and draw from clinical experiences will be helpful. Can you obtain pre-written references from any of these instructors to take with you to the interview?

I don't mean to downplay the importance of your experience as a NICU parent and mother of preemies, but I wouldn't focus too much on that in your interview. In general, I don't think it is wise to reveal too much personal information in an interview, especially pertaining to family demands that a manager may believe will conflict with work availability.

Good luck! Let us know how it goes!

justme1972 · Mar 17, 2008

Jolie, I really appreciate it, and I understand completely about not revealing too much personal information at the interview...I have been debating whether or not it would help me or hurt me to mention it.

Our clinical rotation last semester was at a hospital that was right beside of a nursing home...so all of our patients were total care geriatrics and all we got to do was bathe and feed them b/c we were first semester and the opportunity didn't present itself to do anything more.

This semester was OB....one day, we didn't even walk into a patient's room b/c there were only 2 patients on the entire floor (not kidding). I didn't even get to see a baby being born, and both moms had delivered, and both were c-section.

On my experience as a mother with babies that were in the NICU, I was going to mention it something like this (and if anyone thinks it's a bad idea, please tell me):

I was going to just simply say that my babies were born right at 2 1/2 lbs each and spent two months in the NICU...but that I wouldn't necessarily mention that to other mothers, b/c my personal experience would be of no comfort to a mother whose baby isn't doing well, who has a baby that could be dying, or who has a baby that may have defects.

What I had to offer, is that understanding the psychology behind mothers who didn't get to take that baby home, clinging to every ounce that is gained, every medical report, the desparate need for information...trying to run a household while visiting (if you are lucky enough to live closeby)...b/c at the end of the day, that is all you have to take home until your baby goes with you, and understanding that the majority of mothers never expect to have a preemie, so there is alot of teaching/education involved with each new admission.

I do know how to take the VS's on a preemie, I was allowed to take them out of the isolette and bathe them, pull their feeding tubes out...I remember the RN's aspirating stomach contents before each feeding to see if the last feeding had digested...how to feed one to keep them from getting a brady and how to show a mother to do the same (I was told to keep the head and throat level and watch the lips...which would be the first to turn blue), etc. I basically did everything the RN's would allow me to do.

I don't know how hands on the position is. I guess I'll find that out on the interview.

NICU_babyRN, BSN, RN · Mar 17, 2008

Almost every interview asks about weakness/strength you may have and I think your personal experience (in NOT too much detail) is a great example. While it may give you insight in understanding what moms/families are going through, you will have to keep in mind that it is a lot of a "to each their own" type thing.

Also, you want to make sure you know what the hospital has to offer and you want to come prepared with questions to ask the manager interviewing you.

Make sure you ask your questions too!!

justme1972 · Mar 17, 2008

Thanks Addy!

It's a small facility...they only have about 18 babies, even though it's a Level III. I have class with a girl that works at that hospital, and I am going to talk to her today to see if she happens to know the NM, what she's like, etc.

I don't know if the fact that I'm closer to 40 than 30 :) is going to help or hurt me.

I will let everyone know how the interview went!

Jolie, BSN · Mar 17, 2008

You might want to check with HR today. They may be able to e-mail a job description to you, or direct you as to how to download one from the website. That would be great information to help you prepare for the interview.

If there is a point in the interview where it feels natural to mention your NICU experience, then it may be helpful to do so.

I'm sorry your OB experience was so limited, but that is not unusual, and it won't be held "against" you. As absurd as it may seem, LTC has many parallels with the NICU: non-communicative patients who may be totally dependent on you for care, long-term involvement with patients and families, need for meticulous attention to skin care, medications, side-effects, early recognition of s/s of illness, etc. So if that has been a good rotation for you, then reinforce that.

Good luck!

preemieRNkate, RN · Mar 17, 2008

Lots of good advice above, so all I'm going to say is GOOD LUCK!!!

Jolie, BSN · Mar 20, 2008

Did you have your interview today? How did it go?