questions to ask at interview

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thought i would get some feedback from others on this topic. i come from a L&D unit from a community hospital with no staff education, high turn over rates and new physicians with great god complexes. it is basically unsafe to work on this unit and i will be looking for a new position at a different hospital. i know this time around i need to ask specific questions about the floor as to not get stuck in that kinda position again. i have a list started but wanted to know what is important to you when interviewing, and what kinds of things should i be asking????

thank you nichole

[SmilingBluEyes]

I would ask about the chain of command and how well supported nurses are when they have physician-nurse disagreements/issues. And you would want to ask the people who WORK THERE, not the manager, about this. Interview, if you will, several of the nurses who work there and ask them how they feel about their environment. Are they supported and respected? Do they truly LIKE working there? How long have they worked there (in many cases, if many have been there a long time---that can be a very good sign).

Good luck. I would ask the nurses about their impressions, not just the manager. That I think is your key.

[kitty=^..^=cat]

Ask about the frequency and availability of inservice opportunities - are they scheduled conveniently and is staffing such that you are able to participate?

My experience with smaller community hospitals is that the boards of directors are often top-heavy with physicians, and nursing concerns aren't really given a voice (one of the reasons I'll NEVER work as a hospital DON again...). Inappropriate behavior by physicians and "unsafe conditions" are frequently out of the control of even nursing administrators, because physicians are at the wheel. You might ask about shared governance, the amount of control that nursing has over its own issues vs. the impact of the medical staff regarding those same issues...

Good luck :balloons: