Pros and cons of RN clinic nursing?

Now that I am recovering from my PTSD I'm getting back into nursing. I already have a (very part-time) home infusion job, and I have an interview soon for a two-day a week Clinic RN position. In preparation for this interview I would like to know more about Clinic RN work. What questions should I ask in the question portion of the interview? 2 days a week is just the right amount for me.

Specializes in ER.

The positive indicators from the interview are that they told me that they would be in touch with me by email or phone. They also mentioned that the next step is for HR to check my references.

@klone: 

"Our MAs have quite a bit of longevity at our clinic, so no revolving door". Consider your clinic lucky. There are so many MA jobs for the taking in my area. They are very difficult to recruit and retain. If you're not expected to leave your triage room to do the MA's job (when he/she quits or calls in sick), consider yourself lucky too! In one clinic I was doing double-duty. MA and RN.

Specializes in Occupational Health Nursing.

I guess, questions you can asks are those where you want to have clear expectations like salary, schedules, and their expectations to you, like your role and responsibilities. 

Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
15 hours ago, Emergent said:

The positive indicators from the interview are that they told me that they would be in touch with me by email or phone. They also mentioned that the next step is for HR to check my references.

Do you want the job? Do you think you would enjoy it?

Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.

What do you have to lose? Give it a try.

Specializes in ER.
2 hours ago, klone said:

Do you want the job? Do you think you would enjoy it?

After talking to the ladies who interviewed me, I think it would be interesting. I enjoy learning new things. I really liked the vibes. They have a very stable staff there, I was told. I would have a lot of contact with patients, which is the part of nursing I enjoy. 

Hi,

I’ve worked in 2 speciality clinics. Promoted in one rather quickly. 
Pay attention to what’s being discussed or brought up even the demeanor of interviewers/staff/environment because things can be very different in the interview than the actual setting.

questions- ask about patient ratio/load, what typical day looks like, what is expected of me in my role(and is this written down/know your job description well), what is the environment like at this job, who are the supervisors(learn their qualifications big one-turn over rate! What are the primary skills you will be using, what is the schedule like, lunch breaks, who is actually hr. The more questions the better and definitely look at job reviews and company reviews. Hope this helps. By the way I would choose clinic over hospital work(worked in hospital 2 years and never looked back that direction). However, Now I’m a remote nurse and I love it! I couldn’t read all of your question but I saw ptsd so be careful being overloaded and taking too much responsibility and caring for yourself because even clinic can be hectic and busy. Hope it goes well

Specializes in school nurse.
15 hours ago, 2BS Nurse said:

@klone: 

"Our MAs have quite a bit of longevity at our clinic, so no revolving door". Consider your clinic lucky. There are so many MA jobs for the taking in my area. They are very difficult to recruit and retain. If you're not expected to leave your triage room to do the MA's job (when he/she quits or calls in sick), consider yourself lucky too! In one clinic I was doing double-duty. MA and RN.

I would expect that almost anything that the MA does would fall under the scope of nursing practice as well. What was the differentiation of job duties?

That was part of the problem. No clarity of roles and responsibilities. MAs in my state have a wide scope of practice (they can pretty much do any skill except IV push meds). They aren't technically supposed to triage, but there is a find line that is crossed. Some of them get resentful and express the attitude of "you're getting paid more so I'm not going to do that". They get away with it because there is a major shortage in my area. By state law, the provider is responsible for observing the MA and deeming her/him "competent". The nurses in my clinic were expected to do phone triage, medication and DME prior auths, refills, teaching, etc. while hanging out in the nurses station with the MAs. It was loud and we had constant interruptions and complaining. 

Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
22 hours ago, Jedrnurse said:

I would expect that almost anything that the MA does would fall under the scope of nursing practice as well. What was the differentiation of job duties?

See my first post in this thread regarding the RN job duties. MA job duties are to support the clinician during their clinic day. They are the "rooming staff" and room, take vitals, do med reconciliation, give immunizations, help with procedures, do ear washes, anything that the clinician they work with needs during the day as they see patients for appointments. 

At our organization, the MA and the RN have completely different/separate roles, and the RNs would never fill in for the MAs (they would have no idea what is expected or how to chart). If we are extremely short-staffed, we would have one MA double up with two clinicians, or the clinicians room their own patients (and then just shout out to whoever is available if the patient needs immunizations). 

It's not that the RNs CAN'T do the MA job, legally. It's that they don't know HOW to do the MA job. Because they are two different roles, the RNs are not trained to do what the MAs do. Also, at our organization, if we had an RN regularly doing the MA job, we would get in trouble with the union.

On 2/20/2022 at 7:07 PM, gemswanson90 said:

LOL; you won't need to oversee them much. In my experience, they're calling out sick or on break when most needed.  You will wind up rooming patients, taking vitals, and making appointments much of the time.  

I'm sorry this has been your experience. By and large, the MAs at my primary care practice are great. I am the only nurse in the clinic. I can't remember the last time I had to room. I do make lots of appointments because I am doing telephone triage, so naturally if they need to be seen same-day, next-day etc. I am going to schedule that while I am on the phone with them. 

Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

The prior posts give you a great picture of the possible experencies you may have in clinic nursing.  For the most part, I really enjoyed my clinic jobs.  The only pitfall I can think of is that the staff is usually more insular than in large inpatient facilities, and thus a dysfunctional personality can have a magnified negative effect on the entire team.

Fortunately, I only worked at one place where this occurred, and I eventually had to move on.  Higher-ups in the food chain protected this person, and there isn't much to be done about that.

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