Questions for a Nurse

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Hi, I'm a nursing student and I was wondering if there was a practicing registered nurse that could answer a few questions for me. My nursing course is requiring that I have an interview with a RN, and unfortunately I don't know any nurses. Thanks!

1. Can you describe your practice area?

2. What made you choose that area?

3. What are your typical duties working in that area?

4. What educational preparation do you have?

5. Do you have any certifications?

6. How many years have you been in practice?

7. How many years have you been in the current position?

8. What are the advantages of working in this practice area?

9. What are the disadvantages of working in this practice area?

To any RN's who answer these questions for me, thank you so much! It means the world to me!

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

1. can you describe your practice area?a med surg unit specializing in the trauma patient, in a medium sized not for profit hospital.

2. what made you choose that area?i initially requested icu and they had an internship starting in a few months so they put me there for those few months until the internship started. that was 15 years ago and i've stayed. i enjoy the challenge and variety of the patients.

3. what are your typical duties working in that area?i am a charge nurse. sort of like an "air traffic controller", my job it to see that everything that is supposed to be getting done is getting done. i supervise the staff, act as a resource, i manage conflicts, make assignments, do annual evaluations, attend committee meetings

4. what educational preparation do you have?started out adn and just recieved a bsn

5. do you have any certifications?certified in medical-surgical nursing by the ancc, advanced cardia life support

6. how many years have you been in practice?16

7. how many years have you been in the current position?15 years at this hospital as both a staff nurse and charge nurse

8. what are the advantages of working in this practice area?the biggest disadvantage is the short staffing and the rn to patient ratio. it's usally 6:1 and it's tough to get the job done adequately and safely under those conditions. ideal the rn to patient ratio for med-surg should be 4:1 in my opinion.

9. what are the disadvantages of working in this practice area?

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Specializes in Travel Nursing, ICU, tele, etc.

1. can you describe your practice area? icu

2. what made you choose that area? it had caught my attention in nursing school, it seemed like a very intriguing area to work.

3. what are your typical duties working in that area? monitoring and caring for critically ill patients. we do things that other practice areas do not do, such as: manage acute ventilated pts, hemodynamic lines and drips, post mi's, post surgery, shock, ards, sepsis, end stage diseases of all types.

4. what educational preparation do you have? associates degree in nursing, working towards an accelerated adn to msn program.

5. do you have any certifications? ccrn

6. how many years have you been in practice? nearly 10

7. how many years have you been in the current position?

1 1/2 years.

8. what are the advantages of working in this practice area?

having 1 or 2 patients which means i feel that, for the most part, i can give them the total care and constant scrutiny that they require. it is challenging and there is always an opportunity to learn new things. it is extremely rewarding to save someone's life.

9. what are the disadvantages of working in this practice area?

sometimes it can be very stressful. even with 2 patients, it can be extremely busy. you are performing life saving interventions on a regular basis.

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