Questions about being a Nurse/ER Nurse

Editorial Team / Admin · Feb 16, 2017

Is this an interview for an assignment? If so, I highly recommend you find a nurse to speak with in person. Here's why:

1. You can't verify identities on an anonymous website- you have no way of knowing you're really talking to a nurse vs. someone who doesn't actually hold a license.

2. I've had to do interviews for school. I sat down with those people and talked with them- we were able to easily go off on tangents or more deeply explore answers. I learned so much more from spending time with them than simply a back and forth exchange of text, even some things that were incredibly eye-opening that I never would have thought to ask if it weren't for the availability of immediate feedback.

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Feb 16, 2017

Hi! Welcome to AN! The largest online nursing community!

We get these requests from nursing students as homework frequently.

Here you will find lots of help as you continue your path to being a nurse. Here at AN! Our focus is to help you become the best nurse you can be. I do not like these assignments in the prereq phase because so many students do not know any nurses. These assignments are to make you go out and get out of your comfort zone. The nursing interview assessment is a nursing skill just like learning how to take a blood pressure or IM injection. Nurses need to become experts at getting personal information from a complete stranger. The face to face interview give a nurse non verbal clues to a patients disease process and safety at home.

Call your local schools and ask for the Nurse. Call your local health department, Red Cross, Senior Center or urgent care. There is usually nurses you can talk to....it will be worth it.

applesxoranges, BSN, RN · Feb 16, 2017

1) Why/how did you choose to become a Nurse? It allowed me to have a job that paid well with nontraditional hours.

2)What are some sacrifices you have had to make to have this career? A lot of time dedicated to work and school.

3)What was it like for you when you first started as aNurse? Stressful

4) What does a single day at your job look like? I come in at 1045. We sit in the break room for a huddle unless it's the weekends because the weekend charge nurse doesn't believe in huddles. We take assignments and then we see patients.

[COLOR=#000000]5) How do you stay calm when a situation becomes very stressful/emotional? Repetitive situations. You end up seeing the same stuff over and over and you do what you gotta do. [/COLOR]

6) What are some dangers that you have faced while working at your job? I have been hit by pscyh patients. I chased one outside and grabbed her so she hit me. Big mistake. Don't chase them. Almost hit walking out of the ambulance bay due to the design so I tell people I'm not joking when I tell people do not leave via the ambulance bay.

7) What advice would you give to someone considering this career? Try to limit how much you work in school because GPA is related to that.

8) What was your education path to get where you are? Started LPN but realized the cost of the program so I quit. Then EMT, paramedic, ADN, RN to BSN, and now I am in a MSN program.

9) Are you passionate about this job? If so What is it that makes you feel passionate about it?

10) What is one thing (or more) that has surprised you about being a Nurse?