Trying to get hard-to-get job... need advice

suzanne4, RN · Mar 27, 2005

I've been a med surge nurse for going on two years now, and have worked on that very med-surge unit for six. I'm rather burned out on both med-surge, and the hours that I work (either 7p-7a or 11p-7a, it kinda varies).
I just applied for and have interviewed for, a job that I feel is right up my alley. It is nothing short of an **AWESOME** sounding job, and the type of job that probably every nurse is scrambling to find. It's a job in my hospital's outpatient surgery department, as the P.A.T. nurse. (and I've actually forgotten at the moment what P.A.T. stands for!) Basically, my job would be to see patients five days before they come to the hospital to have their surgery, and go over different things with them. I'd take their medical histories, do physicals, do blood draws, do EKG's, send them for chest x-rays... and then send them home.
When I'm having a slow day without a lot of appointments set up, I would help out admitting and assessing the patients who are having outpatient surgery THAT day, or I would help out in the recovery room.
The hours are wonderful... 8am-4:30 pm, five days a week, with call one day a week. It just really sounds like a fantastic job that i would really enjoy. The problem is that it's just one of those REALLY competitive positions. I do have certain things going for me; one I already work in the hospital. Plus, I know rather well and am friends with several people who work in the surgical department. I have a lot of experience with surgical patients. I'm very familiar with my hospital's computer charting and EMAR systems; the outpt surgery dept. doesn't even have these in use yet but they WILL in the near future, and then I will be an excellent resource person and I was quick to point that out to my interviewer. =)
The problems? Well, mainly I've only been a nurse for two years, and this is the type of job usually given to nurses with tons of experience who have "paid their dues". You know? Plus, I kinda wonder if I really would need a BSN for this job because it requires a lot of teaching; although I would have thought that my interviewer would have already pointed that out to me??
Anyway, do you all have any thoughts? Any of you been lucky enough to land a job like this early on? What could I do to increase my chances of getting the job? When I've interviewed for jobs in the past, sometimes I've sent the interviewer a little thank-you card. I could do that I suppose, and maybe even send a small gift, like a little bag of candy or something? What else? I've thought about perhaps a recommendation letter or two, although I'm not sure who to have write them! I think asking my current manager to write it would be a tad awkward, although if I just explained to her what a fantastic opportunity it would be for me, and also explained that I really want a day shift job as well... maybe? Who else could I ask? Former instructors? One of my friends who is an RN and has a rather important job working for state government as an RN case manager?
Again, any thoughts are appreciated.... thanks!!

P.A.T stands for "Pre-Admission Testing"--

It is going to come down to who else has applied for the position. To say that you will "help out" in the PACU, means that you will be expected have experience in this area. If you have already applied, the letter of recommendation will be of no help.............It should be sent at the same time, but this type of position that usually will go to someone already working in the surgical area of the hospital or even from the Emergency Dept..............one that wants the better hours, as you call it. They are very familiar with what the anesthesiologists want, and can pick up on subtle problems going on that may prevent this patient from having surgery at this time.

Sorry that this isn't what you want to hear.....but I would suggest getting experience in something related to surgery first for a position like this. It will put you in a much better light..........and more helpful for the job. A BSN is not a requirement for this type of position, but experience is.

allnurses Guide · Mar 27, 2005

Well, I was told that I would get orientated to the PACU, the Outpt. surgery department, and the position itself. Plus, I do have experience sending patients to surgery, and receiving them back from surgery, as the unit that I work on is primarily surgery patients.

I'll probably just send her a thank you card for the interview, and then hope for the best. I didn't figure that anyone else currently in the surgery department was applying for the job, since the manager has gone to so much trouble to interview me and also several outside applicants. In my hospital, I believe that the manager of each department does have the option of hiring within the department without conducting interviews, if someone within the department expresses interest in the position, pretty early on.

Also, the person who currently has the job was an OB nurse, for a long time.

If I don't get the job, I don't get it. *shrug* I do feel like I have a clearer view now of the type of job that I'm looking for, so I think I will start looking around at other area hospitals. I really hate to leave the one that I'm currently at, but perhaps they will be able to keep me on a PRN basis, if I do leave. I think I would like to have a job in an outpatient surgery department, or even a job as a PACU or OR nurse. I just would really like to have day shift. I can't remember if I mentioned this in my other post, but our surgical department does also have a full time PACU and a full time OR position open. I wouldn't mind those jobs at all, except the hours are 11a-7:30 pm. Sorry, but those hours bite, especially since I have both a toddler, and a hobby doing community theater in the evenings.

allnurses Guide · Mar 27, 2005

Okay, another question...

After I made that last post, I did a little thinking. I'm really trying to find my niche, and I think that surgical nursing, whether in the PACU, OR, or OPS, might be it. Having said that, I've come to two conclusions:

1) It would really be in my best interest to try to stay with this hospital, for now. I have a good reputation there.

2) It may really be a good idea to try to get a job starting out WHEREVER I can. Like I said, I hate the idea of working 11a-7:30 pm, but if that's where I would have to start out... so be it.

So... when I did my interview, I think I expressed to the manager that the PAT position WAS the primary position that I was interested in, but I think I did also at least mention that I might be interested in the other two positions. So, I kinda wonder if she WILL go ahead and consider me for one of the other two positions, of if I should perhaps contact her either by phone or email, and say, first of all, thank you for the interview =), and then go on to ask if she would please consider me for one of those positions. Explain that I would like to give surgical nursing a try and that I would like to start wherever and however I can.

What do you think? And yes, I know I should have thought about all of this before the interview, but I honestly did not know how many positions she had available before the interview. She explained the openings to me during the interview.

suzanne4, RN · Mar 27, 2005

I would suggest going for the PACU position, or expressing a wish for that type of position. Just because you get an orientation to PACU, it isn't going to give you the skills to fully function in there, especially when you will need to orient to other areas as well. I can't see them giving you a six month orientation for this type of position. Or even a three month. They are expecting you to have the skills and just orient you to specifics.

For PACU, you will ned to learn the monitors and know them well, and anesthesia drugs used in OR and their different precautions. Extubation of a patient, as well as bagging a patient................with ICU skills already under your belt this would be much easier, but without, it is just a whole other world.

Sending patients to surgery and getting them back after surgery is extremely different from the position that you are looking at. Perhaps you can shadow someone for a day or two, and see what it is really like. Also, shadow someone in PACU as well as OP Surgery.

Hope that this helps.................

BETSRN · Mar 30, 2005

Okay, another question...
After I made that last post, I did a little thinking. I'm really trying to find my niche, and I think that surgical nursing, whether in the PACU, OR, or OPS, might be it. Having said that, I've come to two conclusions:
1) It would really be in my best interest to try to stay with this hospital, for now. I have a good reputation there.
2) It may really be a good idea to try to get a job starting out WHEREVER I can. Like I said, I hate the idea of working 11a-7:30 pm, but if that's where I would have to start out... so be it.
So... when I did my interview, I think I expressed to the manager that the PAT position WAS the primary position that I was interested in, but I think I did also at least mention that I might be interested in the other two positions. So, I kinda wonder if she WILL go ahead and consider me for one of the other two positions, of if I should perhaps contact her either by phone or email, and say, first of all, thank you for the interview =), and then go on to ask if she would please consider me for one of those positions. Explain that I would like to give surgical nursing a try and that I would like to start wherever and however I can.
What do you think? And yes, I know I should have thought about all of this before the interview, but I honestly did not know how many positions she had available before the interview. She explained the openings to me during the interview.

11a-7:30p is my dream job! Those are great hours!!

BabyRN2Be · Apr 6, 2005

Hey RNW,

Although I don't have much to say about how to go about in getting this job, I just wish you the very best of luck. It sounds like a great place for you and would meet your needs.

Just a note to say that I'm rooting for you, and such a unit would be lucky to have you!!

BTW, I'm DC Ten from ISCA and I've read posts by you there.

I REALLY hope that you get the job and I wish that I could be of more help! :)

RN4NICU, LPN, LVN · Apr 6, 2005

11a-7:30p is my dream job! Those are great hours!!

I worked 11a - 730p when I worked in surgery. I hated it. It wrecked the whole day.