Interview Advice!!

[alaber]

HI

I have an interview this week at a Children's Hospital in my hometown area for the NICU and I am kind of nervous because I have heard that in pediatric interviews the questions tend to be a bit harder. I am a new grad and have had a few other interviews but this is my dream to start my career in pediatrics and the newborn population. I was just wondering if anyone has had an interview with a children's hospital or works at one to give some advice about the type of questions to be prepared for and how to stand out because I only had 5 short weeks of ped rotation in school but this is the area I really want to do! Thanks in advance for anything!! :)

[JWG223]

I don't have peds experience, but I have been to a few interviews.

-Be honest

-Be positive

-Try to listen more than you talk. Don't give just 1 word answers, but don't go on and on, either. Politely answer questions once you are sure the FULL question has been asked.

[NICU Guy, BSN, RN]

The difficulty of interview questions depend solely on the interviewer. My hardest question was "Why NICU?"

Some of the standard questions are:

What are your strengths/ weaknesses?

Tell me about yourself

Tell me about how you handled a difficult patient/ customer

[buttercup99]

I don't work in peds but this advice would cover most nursing interviews. You're probably more worried about the clinical type questions but I think as long as you meet a certain standard of critical thinking, the interview could be decided based on how well you'll fit in to the workplace. You're a new grad; they expect to have to teach you things, so they would want someone who has a decent beginning knowledge base and the ability to learn (ie. good critical thinking skills and a willingness to seek out new info and experience on an ongoing basis).

"Why do you want to work for us and what can you bring to the position? (Ie. Why should we want you?)"

Have a good reason reheorificed for why you specifically want to work in peds. When I was training, every second person wanted to work with kids so you want to have a decent, well thought out answer that shows you've sat down and thought about it. Bonus points if you can give a good reason for wanting to work at that place in particular.

For example, I told an interview panel that I wanted to work there because I knew I'd have the opportunity down the track to get experience in emergency. (I knew some of the more experienced people rotated there.). This showed I'd researched their unit and thought about my medium term career goals. Little did I know they actually wanted people to rotate there, to the point where they put it in the contract and had a system of a few days orientation in ED, which is exactly what I'd planned to try to negotiate. So my goals met up with their goals.

On that point, have examples thought up for the main types of questions they ask. Real life examples are 1000x better than just telling them your strengths.

Common things that you want to have something prepared for are:

* how you've dealt with a difficult patient

* how you've dealt with conflict with another staff member

* maybe an example of when you've used critical thinking skills to figure out a medical situation

* also, any examples of when you've stepped up to the plate (without making other people look bad so de-emphasize any possible staff incompetence if that was a factor, haha)

* In any clinical scenario type question, follow the ABCDs and the general rules they tell you about NCLEX questions. Eg. Is further assessment needed? Pay attention to the wording of the question etc.

*Think broadly and outside the box for solutions but be aware of protocol and policy.

Above all,

*show that you have a passion for NICU (not just because "I love kids" or "I've always wanted to work with babies".

*come across as a team player both within nursing and the multi disciplinary team.

*be confident but not overconfident. (Don't overcompensate for nervousness by overselling yourself)

*smile! be personable

*show you are a critical thinker! This is so much more important than having knowledge or a few extra weeks/months of clinical experience.

Good luck! If you don't get the job, hopefully you'll at least walk out knowing you did a good interview and have learnt something that will help you the next time around.

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

I don't work in peds but this advice would cover most nursing interviews. You're probably more worried about the clinical type questions but I think as long as you meet a certain standard of critical thinking, the interview could be decided based on how well you'll fit in to the workplace. You're a new grad; they expect to have to teach you things, so they would want someone who has a decent beginning knowledge base and the ability to learn (ie. good critical thinking skills and a willingness to seek out new info and experience on an ongoing basis).

"Why do you want to work for us and what can you bring to the position? (Ie. Why should we want you?)"

Have a good reason reheorificed for why you specifically want to work in peds. When I was training, every second person wanted to work with kids so you want to have a decent, well thought out answer that shows you've sat down and thought about it. Bonus points if you can give a good reason for wanting to work at that place in particular.

For example, I told an interview panel that I wanted to work there because I knew I'd have the opportunity down the track to get experience in emergency. (I knew some of the more experienced people rotated there.). This showed I'd researched their unit and thought about my medium term career goals. Little did I know they actually wanted people to rotate there, to the point where they put it in the contract and had a system of a few days orientation in ED, which is exactly what I'd planned to try to negotiate. So my goals met up with their goals.

On that point, have examples thought up for the main types of questions they ask. Real life examples are 1000x better than just telling them your strengths.

Common things that you want to have something prepared for are:

* how you've dealt with a difficult patient

* how you've dealt with conflict with another staff member

* maybe an example of when you've used critical thinking skills to figure out a medical situation

* also, any examples of when you've stepped up to the plate (without making other people look bad so de-emphasize any possible staff incompetence if that was a factor, haha)

* In any clinical scenario type question, follow the ABCDs and the general rules they tell you about NCLEX questions. Eg. Is further assessment needed? Pay attention to the wording of the question etc.

*Think broadly and outside the box for solutions but be aware of protocol and policy.

Above all,

*show that you have a passion for NICU (not just because "I love kids" or "I've always wanted to work with babies".

*come across as a team player both within nursing and the multi disciplinary team.

*be confident but not overconfident. (Don't overcompensate for nervousness by overselling yourself)

*smile! be personable

*show you are a critical thinker! This is so much more important than having knowledge or a few extra weeks/months of clinical experience.

Good luck! If you don't get the job, hopefully you'll at least walk out knowing you did a good interview and have learnt something that will help you the next time around.

^ Well said advice.

[RunBabyRN]

I agree about having an answer to the question, "Why peds?" or whatever specific unit. I have had that in almost every interview.

Review your old clinical journals, logs, etc. Go over situations, because there will probably be some behavioral questions, and remembering specific patients can be helpful.

Good luck!