I recently interviewed with a Nurse Manager of a medical-surgical floor combined with Telemetry. From what I gathered, these patients would be admitted with an acute/chronic condition related to the heart, in addition to another medical/surgical issue. I am fairly new nurse with one year's experience, and I am eventually wanting to work in one of the critical care areas (ICU, CCU.) I was willing to give this job two years, to gain telemetry experience with less critical patients.
A) Job description presented" "No experience is required, but 2 years is preferred."
B) What are you looking for in a candidate? "Someone who has integrity/honesty, Someone who will be here everyday, on time. Someone who wants 'to do' the job."
(Code: Warm-body) These are nice traits of a hard worker, but will this ensure someone's success?
C) NM: "You will be given a 8 to 12 weeks orientation. You will work with the same preceptor throughout your orientation, unless they are absent. Then, you will be placed with another Nurse for that day." (Why would they not show up for work?)
D) NM: "During your 8 to 12 weeks, you will complete the telemetry class. Upon completion of the class, you will have an examination. If you do not pass the telemetry examination the first time, We will help you to pass it the second time." (a...a.. do what?)
E) NM: "I will not lie to you, this is a fast-paced floor." (what medical floors are not fast-paced.) Majority of the "day-shift" Nurses are having difficulty getting their medications passed on time." (Oh, that's bad!) 
F) NM: "Nursing culture around here can present one with a challenge." "Night-shift nurses seem to assist each other, and support each other." "Day-shift nurses seem to not help each other out, and stick to completing their own work." (Great, new guy on the floor with no co-worker support.)
G) For an entry-level person what acuity level should I expect, less critical?.
NM: "Oh no, you would have the same patient acuity level as the experienced nurses." "And, we get several admits during the day." 4 to 5 patient ratio. Total of 3 nurses on the floor. (Nice!)
H) What is the Nurse retention rate for this floor?
NM: "Actually, it is low. Approximately, 26%. 
I) What heart dysrhythmias are Nurses presented with on this floor?
(Are we talking afib?) NM: Oh, no... V-tach, heart blocks, anything, and we run "Codes" too! (Three Nurses on the floor, and 'we' run codes, with the combined Nursing year's experience around 10 fingers.)
J) NM: The Nurses do narrative charting at the present, but a computer system is on
the way..to do Electronic Charting- Maybe by June." (Critical patients, and the Nurses are still doing narrative charting...no wonder the Nurses are unable to complete their Med- pass on time.)
K) The unit also has 16 rooms with double beds. Total census is kept around 16. This enables the patients to have a "private" room. That is nice, but the work ergonomics is destroyed. The nurse is forced to walk a great distance between the 4-5 assigned patients, not congruent with time management. Then, if another patient is admitted to an occupied room, the nurse has to deal with the fall out of a disgruntled patient ." I WANT A PRIVATE ROOM!"
NM: "Would you be interested in this position?" ME: I think I will pass... where is the elevator, I am really distraught right now. Where is my truck, I got to get out of here!
