Nurse Interview....Can you please take it Nurses

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist · Jan 24, 2009

Wow, answering all those questions would take a lot of time.

BroadwayRN, ASN, RN · Jan 24, 2009

Nurse Interview

1. How long have you been a nurse? 4 years

2. From which kind of educational program did you graduate? LPN, ADN, Diploma, or BSN How long ago did you graduate? ADN 4 years ago

3. Have you returned to school for an advanced degree? I am thinking about it

4. What do you remember most about your nursing program? Alot of studying

5. What was the best part of nursing school? Friends

6. What was the hardest part of nursing education? Studying drugs

7. Did you have children to care for while you were in nursing school? Were you married? No and no

8. Have you ever left nursing to do something else? No

9. What do you remember about you “state board exams” or N-CLEX? I thought it was easy

10. What nursing jobs have you had since you have left school? One hospital, two departments. Med/Surg and ER

11. In what specialty or nursing area do you work? Or did you work last (if no longer in nursing)? ER

12. Approximately what is the salary for most nurses in your specialty area? $42/hr

13. What are the most satisfying things about your job? When the pt say Thank You

14. What shift have you worked the most? What are the advantaged and disadvantages for you in each shift? I tried nights and it just about killed me. Days are hard but I need to sleep at night.

15. What are the things that make your job most difficult? Waiting for the doctor to write orders.

16. Do most people in your workplace like their jobs/managers/peers? Why? I think so, I do.

17. If you could do it over, would you go into nursing again? Definately, no one has a safe job now a days but I feel pretty secure

18. Would you encourage your son/daughter to go into nursing? If I had one I would

19. Would you have done anything differently in your education or nursing job choices? I would have gotten my BSN

20. In a perfect world, what would you change about the profession of nursing? Doctors who act like butts and patients who complain about things that I have no control over, such as waiting for the doctor to write orders

ChicagoICU_RN · Jan 24, 2009

Thank you soo much broadwayRN, God bless!

(I know this is lengthy but, its for school so thank you for helping me out) :specs:

platinum_garb · Jan 26, 2009

do you need another? i can do this...

georgia

ChicagoICU_RN · Jan 26, 2009

yes I do actually I have to do a couple, I wish I could do these in person but I have no time, Thanks to anyone who took the time to help me out, God bless. :wink2:

platinum_garb · Jan 26, 2009

Ill fill it out now. :) You should see the reply before lunchtime.

Georgia

platinum_garb · Jan 26, 2009

1. How long have you been a nurse?

18 months

2. From which kind of educational program did you graduate? LPN, ADN, Diploma, or BSN How long ago did you graduate?

community college Practical Nurse certificate obtained July 2007

3. Have you returned to school for an advanced degree?

not in nursing-I attend school full-time with the intent to go to medical school.

4. What do you remember most about your nursing program?

My teachers were really wonderful. They were very accessible and wanted everyone to succeed.

5. What was the best part of nursing school?

I loved our clinical rotation at the Veteran's home. The hospital rotations were o.k., but I felt they were sort of unorganized. I'm not sure if that was the fault of the staff or the instructor. It was probably a little bit of both.

6. What was the hardest part of nursing education?

The hardest part for me was the fact that moments before I would demo a skill with the instructors I would get terribly nervous. I could do the procedures with my eyes closed by myself or in front of a classmate. Put me in front of a teacher and I was sure I was going to break sterile field or something everytime!

7. Did you have children to care for while you were in nursing school? Were you married?

I was (and am still) married. We do not have children, nor do we want them. I chose not to work during nursing school, so having a husband with an income was definitely a plus.

8. Have you ever left nursing to do something else?

No. As I stated above, though, I would like to go to medical school and become an anesthesiologist. I intend to work as a nurse all through that education process.

9. What do you remember about you "state board exams" or N-CLEX?

I was scared to death! Also, I took the test in an office in downtown Chicago and none of my friends took it there that day so I didn't have any moral support going into it.

10. What nursing jobs have you had since you have left school?

I began working for an agency right after I had my license in hand. The assignments I've had include hospice, in home psych nursing, post hospital visits, equipment training and teaching, military clinics, immunization clinics, and so forth. My Monday through Friday gig is school nursing.

11. In what specialty or nursing area do you work? Or did you work last (if no longer in nursing)?

I would call my "specialty" either school nursing or "agency". I'm pretty flexible.

12. Approximately what is the salary for most nurses in your specialty area?

Agency nursing varies so much. It pays very well, however. I know I am paid much more than I would if I worked for a LTC facility or directly for the school system. However, I do not have benefits (thank goodness for my husband!) or paid days off.

13. What are the most satisfying things about your job?

As for the school nursing, I love my kids. The staff is quite wonderful, also. They pay also makes it easier to get up in the morning. As for agency nursing in general, I love the different experiences I've had.

14. What shift have you worked the most? What are the advantaged and disadvantages for you in each shift?

I mostly work school hours Mon-Fri. If I work Saturdays, it's usually a 10-12 hour day shift at a military base. The only disadvantage of my shift at school is that I am not a morning person. The school I work at this year is an early start facility. I get up at 530 each morning.

15. What are the things that make your job most difficult?

Well, last year I worked in an especially underprivileged area which kind of tugged on my heart a lot of days. Also, (and I guess this is a school complaint mostly) I get offered work that requires phlebotomy all the time and I have to decline it because my school didn't provide phlebotomy or IV therapy. I kind of wish I would have known that some LPN programs include that training as that might have influenced where I went.

16. Do most people in your workplace like their jobs/managers/peers? Why?

Well, I don't work regularly with other nurses, but I have contact with RNs who are CSNs (certified school nurse) who have to do IEP paperwork because I am an LPN and they seem satisfied with their job, also. School nursing is (to me) a very independent job. You work with lots of support staff, but not really with other nurses.

17. If you could do it over, would you go into nursing again?

Definitely!

18. Would you encourage your son/daughter to go into nursing?

If I had children, I sure would.

19. Would you have done anything differently in your education or nursing job choices?

As I mentioned before, I wish I had phlebotomy in my initial schooling. I work and attend school full-time right now and cannot justify taking a 25 credit hour phlebotomy certificate program. I am happy with my job choices.

20. In a perfect world, what would you change about the profession of nursing?

In a perfect world, nurses would be appreciated more, LPNs wouldn't be poo-poo'd for not being RNs, and nurses would be UNDER-worked and OVER-paid!

ChicagoICU_RN · Jan 26, 2009

thanks so much to everyone who posted, I know its long and I appreciate you taking your time to fill these out for me...I can honestly say your replies are motivation for me...thank you and God bless!

platinum_garb · Jan 27, 2009

thank YOU! I had fun doing it. :)

Georgia

CardioTrans, BSN, RN · Jan 27, 2009

Here's you one more.............

1. How long have you been a nurse? 17 yrs...oh wow..... Im getting old!

2. From which kind of educational program did you graduate? LPN, ADN, Diploma, or BSN How long ago did you graduate?

LPN, 1992; ADN 1995, BSN 2005

3. Have you returned to school for an advanced degree? Currently in ACNP program

4. What do you remember most about your nursing program? Going to class and clinicals 5 days a week from 730 am - 5pm

5. What was the best part of nursing school? One of my LPN instructors.... she taught me more in LPN school that I have learned in my ADN, BSN and MSN programs combined.

6. What was the hardest part of nursing education? Putting all of the infomation together.... how each system affects the others

7. Did you have children to care for while you were in nursing school? Were you married? Yes, my oldest was 3 and my youngest was 1 when I finished LPN school.... and yep, was married.

8. Have you ever left nursing to do something else? Never... this is all I have ever done... I wouldnt know how to do anything else.

9. What do you remember about you "state board exams" or N-CLEX? That is took two days to take my LPN boards, then it took 8 WEEKS to get the results

10. What nursing jobs have you had since you have left school? Home care, hospice, CCU, MICU, SICU, Heart Transplant ICU, case management, director of nursing

11. In what specialty or nursing area do you work? Or did you work last (if no longer in nursing)? I am working right now as a case manager in a teaching facility full time and work prn in CICU

12. Approximately what is the salary for most nurses in your specialty area? ummmm, I think that starting pay for case managers is around $55,000... must have BSN and 5 yrs nursing experience.

13. What are the most satisfying things about your job? Making sure that things are taken care of for the patient from the time they come into the hospital to the time they leave, and once they get home.

14. What shift have you worked the most? What are the advantaged and disadvantages for you in each shift? Mostly days shift...... I did work nights in the HTICU.... hated the night shift... my circadian rhythm did not work well............ worst part of day shift... leaving my house no later than 0515

15. What are the things that make your job most difficult? Insurance companies and uncontrollable and demanding families

16. Do most people in your workplace like their jobs/managers/peers? Why? For the most part they do. There are ups and downs in all of it. Sometimes the staff on the floor are a little unhappy when they have no "native" nurses to that unit... and have to staff with all pool nurses.

17. If you could do it over, would you go into nursing again? Probably

18. Would you encourage your son/daughter to go into nursing? I am trying to get my oldest to do it now.

19. Would you have done anything differently in your education or nursing job choices? Nope.... all of my experiences have made me the nurse that I am. It has also helped me decide to go on for my doctorate.

20. In a perfect world, what would you change about the profession of nursing? More respect for nurses and the education they have. It has gotten better since I have been in nursing, but it is still something that needs to be worked on.

athena55, BSN, RN · Jan 27, 2009

can you please take the time to fill this out, nurses. god bless!

nurse interview

1. how long have you been a nurse? for over 32 years

2. from which kind of educational program did you graduate? lpn, adn, diploma, or bsn how long ago did you graduate? diploma in 1975

3. have you returned to school for an advanced degree? yes, received bsn and attempting to finish up my fnp

4. what do you remember most about your nursing program? i went right out of high school and i remember thinking how difficult the majority of classes were, to me: sociology, psychology, nutrition, nursing i, microbiology....i did not have great study habits so i was on academic probation my whole first year (it was a 24 month program, used to be 36 months back in the 60's) we were also, by that first week, on the floors interacting with patients! of course, it was only "therapeutic commuication" but still the whole idea of dealing with a living, breathing person that i would ultimately be responsible for...was mind-blowing!

5. what was the best part of nursing school? since i lived at or "dormed" at the school i developed very good relationships/friendships with the other students. plus since the school was small we had great interactions with the clinical instructors....

6. what was the hardest part of nursing education? as i mentioned above, the different areas of study...plus as one progressed along going through the different rotations: psych, ob/gyn, l&d, many waaaaay out of my comfort zone!

7. did you have children to care for while you were in nursing school? were you married?no to both (but i did have three wee ones at home while i was obtaining my bsn (on-line) and my ba in anthropology (on-site)

8.. have you ever left nursing to do something else?no

9. what do you remember about you "state board exams" or n-clex?omg....two days of terror & worry. back in the day pen and paper only. didn't find out the results unitl about 8 weeks post-exam

10. what nursing jobs have you had since you have left school? have worked primarily critical care. spent almost one decade doing hospice/palliative care then back to telemetry/step-down unit and icu.

11. in what specialty or nursing area do you work? or did you work last (if no longer in nursing)? critical care

12. approximately what is the salary for most nurses in your specialty area? military has set pay grade depending upon rank

13. what are the most satisfying things about your job?the ability to make a difference in someones life r/t my knowledge

14. what shift have you worked the most? what are the advantaged and disadvantages for you in each shift? 12 hour nights

15. what are the things that make your job most difficult? death

16. do most people in your workplace like their jobs/managers/peers? why? being in an icu is like being in a time-warp or alternate universe; not sure how others outside my unit feel about their commander/chief nurse, but i get the general feeling in my unit that the chief nurse is well-liked. she is a nurse advocate. and to my knowledge most everyone gets along. at least the civilian nurses haven't said other wise to me or to the other military nurses.

17. if you could do it over, would you go into nursing again? yes

18. would you encourage your son/daughter to go into nursing? yes i have but they don't like the idea of "blood and guts"

19. would you have done anything differently in your education or nursing job choices? i would have gone directly to active duty instead of doing the reserves

20. in a perfect world, what would you change about the profession of nursing? more respect from administration; i would also make having a bsn entry level