Upping my chance of landing a job on the CTSU

[flying_ace2]

Without giving out too much identifying information, I was introduced to the NM of the CTSU by a nurse recruiter for the large teaching hospital where I've done the majority of my clinicals. I graduate next May (thank God!!! ) and have been in contact with the NM several times since our face-to-face introduction to try to set up a shadowing experience - I'd LOVE to get a position on this unit after graduation because, from what I understand from my communication with her and this website, it would offer an amazing amount of knowledge and skills for a new grad to gain. I already love cardiac and want to eventually progress into a CT/CICU environment, and I think that a stepdown unit would be a great place to start so that I could really learn the ropes of nursing and cardiac in particular. Unfortunately, the hospital does not allow students to shadow there - those experiences are reserved for nurses who've already applied for jobs. I explained this to the NM and asked if it was ok to stay in touch. The NM graciously agreed to stay in touch, advised me to let her know when I applied to the hospital's new grad nurse residency program so that she could have them pull my application, and then we could set up a shadowing experience after she'd interviewed me ! After she'd INTERVIEWED me!! I am so excited that I can hardly believe this is happening and I still have a semester and a half until graduation - I guess networking really does help!

My question for any NMs on the site and for anyone else with insight into the hiring process is: what can I do to help myself stand out as a new grad candidate so that I can ace my interview next semester and get a job on this unit? I want it like nothing else and I want to convey that to the NM without seeming desperate. I've already come up with a list of 27 medications commonly used for cardiac patients, and I'm going to review my EKG notes so that I can easily recognize the rhythms. I'm also compiling a list of questions to ask her during the interview - examples: what types of patients/comorbidities are frequently seen on the unit, what is orientation like for new grads, etc. There are many certifications that new grads obtain as part of the residency program - EKG interpretation, ACLS, etc. Should I attempt to get some certifications on my own? What other types of things should I study up on to show my interest and dedication to learning and succeeding in this unit? Is there any other advice anyone else has? Any tips are greatly appreciated - please keep your fingers crossed for me, even though I won't be able to interview until next semester!

[renardeau, BSN, RN]

I am starting a nurse residency later this month on a Heart Transplant/Advanced Heart Failure Unit (considered part of the cardiac IMC department), so I can offer some insight at least on my journey to the institution I'm starting at (large, urban, level 1 trauma center). For me, 2 things I think made my application stand out.

1) ACLS. Right after I graduated and passed NCLEX, I signed up for ACLS and got certified on my own. (I was a July grad, and the market is extra tough since you're already behind the May grads , so I wanted any leg up I could get, and I knew I wanted to be in med/surg or critical care.)

2) Research/patient-centered care, safety, quality improvement interest. I was lucky in that I have a fair amount of research behind me, both medical and nursing. I think the nursing research is what helped the most though, because NMs are always looking for nurses to sit on patient quality and safety committees. If you can get in on some quality assurance or quality improvement projects at your hospital, I highly recommend it.

My 2 cents. Best of luck!