2009newgrad

I have just recently been through ED interviews so will throw in my 2 cents! * Go back to when you first started nursing mentally - so that you don't take anything for granted, you have to say it for the interviewer to KNOW that you KNOW it! For example - if you're giving pain relief meds, say ALL of the steps (all of the checks, patient education, siderails up for safety, checking back to ensure effect, emesis bowl if nausea or anti-emetic if required etc, etc). As you have experience you may not automatically spell it all out - if you know what I mean? * I had lots of questions on prioritising, eg patient with chest pain, patient who had soiled himself, hypoglycemia. So I had to spell it all out, and in the order I considered the most important. I added in anything and everything I could think of, meds (eg method of action, contraindications, duration, side effects) psychosocial needs (comfort, privacy, education, family support) - anything really. I kept going until I had given everything I could possibly know as a new grad and then said that I would refer/defer to senior staff as I am new grad and they are my most important resource, and have more knowledge etc, etc. I think that this was something that they wanted to hear from me * I also had quite a few questions along the lines of staff conflict/dispute and making mistakes (my actions if I make or observe etc). I hope this helps, good luck with your interview.

Another thank you to those who replied to my thread about my placement in ED. It was fantastic; I learnt SO much and really enjoyed the ever-changing environment. Great news... I applied and was accepted for my grad program in the same ED and I am sure that my 4 week placement there had a lot to do with it. So thanks for your advice and for this forum thread. I will have to change my username now but will be hanging around here a lot! Cheers!

What would it be? DO..... and DON'T....... I am in my final year of my registered nursing degree in Australia and my scope of practice on placement is that we are able to do anything with supervision. I am to have my final placement in a very busy ER dept and am SO excited. I don't want to get in the way, I have heaps of questions (but don't want to bother my buddy 'constantly') and I want to be of help so that being there is not a burden to my buddy RN. So, thanking you in advance for your kind replies, what advice would you like to give me?