What did I do wrong?

[carebearsRN]

i had at interview for a micu position today. I'm a new grad. I was asked to do a head to toe assessment verbally.

So I went ahead and said the assessment in detail from head to toe exactly like how i was taught during clinicals.

Afterwards, the interviewer told me that my assessment skills seem very basic and not advanced enough for ICU setting. How do ICU nurses do their head to toes assessments? If you dont mind walking me through ......

I dont know what went wrong w/ me being detailed about it =(

[littleneoRN]

Have you spent any time in the ICU at all? I mean as a tech? An intern? Have you even shadowed? I would definately say learn from this experience and try to at least get a shadowing experience in the ICU. That way you will at least be able to speak upon what you have seen other nurses do and you can know if it is a fit for you or not. An ICU assessment is very different than a floor assessment, an ER assessment, or any other area of nursing. I believe it is the most detailed. Yes as a new grad you won't be able to speak about everything but if you are applying as a new grad in the ICU you should have done a bit more research to see what it is that ICU nurses are doing everyday. How else will you know it is a fit? Obviously they gave you an interview to give you a shot and you were not prepared. If that weren't the case they wouldn't have even bothered to interview a new grad. I am not trying to be mean but you have to look at it from the employer's standpoint. Why would they waiste their time, money, and effort on a new grad that didn't even take the time to research the department they want to work in? Most people don't even think about how much money these facilities spend on bringing newbies up to speed. If you never spent any time in the ICU and didn't bother to do research what makes them think you will even make it?

If I were you I would absolutely get some shadowing done, do as much research as possible, get your portfolio together (reference letters, awards, etc) and bring your "A" game to the next interview if you are so fortunate to get one. Lets not forget that positions are hard to come by these days and employers are fortunate to be able to only except the cream of the crop. I am giving you this advice because I too started as a new grad in the ICU, but I wouldn't have had the audacity to come to an interview without blowing them out of the water with my skills and background (I had one year of LPN experience at a Vent hospital, a prior internship in ICU, and already had my ACLS, and EKG certification as well as numerous recommendation letters from instructors and former employers). None of the other new grads could compare with what i brought to the table which is why I was told i got the position.

If you really want to fulfill your dream YOU will make it happen.

Good luck.

Ok, I know I work in the NICU, so I'm a bit out of my specialty. But, I couldn't disagree much more with this. There is a big difference between shadowing and being able to perform a detailed ICU assessment. You need to show that you want it, but I would NOT expect a grad without prior nursing experience to be able to walk in knowing all of this. The OP was interviewing for a new graduate program, so clearly the employer was seeking new graduate nurses and had expectations of orienting them. Not everyone has the luxury of prior experience and skills to be blowing people out of the water. But there are great future nurses looking to gain them. I'd precept a a new grad who is green, humble, but ready to learn any day.

[carebearsRN]

Thanks for your input AngelRN and congrats on working at the ICU. I do agree with LittleneoRN, some ppl did not have the opportunity for prior experiences and I graduated from a 1 yr program. With the intensity of the courses and clinical hours, I did not get a chance to do any internship/externships. I did, however, shadowed ICU nurses a few times and know that it is a fit for me. Right now, I'm trying to get all the experience that I can volunteering at the hospital and free med clinics.

Not many ppl can spend the money on taking ACLS and EKG courses.

I am new but I'm eager to learn and ready to take on any task if given the opportunity. I know I can do it.

[LeLeeFNP]

"

Thanks for your input AngelRN and congrats on working at the ICU. I do agree with LittleneoRN, some ppl did not have the opportunity for prior experiences and I graduated from a 1 yr program. With the intensity of the courses and clinical hours, I did not get a chance to do any internship/externships. I did, however, shadowed ICU nurses a few times and know that it is a fit for me. Right now, I'm trying to get all the experience that I can volunteering at the hospital and free med clinics.

Not many ppl can spend the money on taking ACLS and EKG courses.

I am new but I'm eager to learn and ready to take on any task if given the opportunity. I know I can do it.

"

As I stated earlier I was not trying to be mean or offensive, nor was I trying to suggest that you need to have all the experience I had to work in the ICU. It's good to hear that you did shadow, at least that is something. I was simply saying that if the manager was willing to interview a new grad, they wanted to give you a shot and they were looking for something specific from you which for whatever reason they didn't feel you brought to the table. I understand how difficult nursing school is and how hard it is to fit in experiences and such, but unfortunately if you don't fit that stuff in you leave yourself in a position where you cannot compete with other new grads. I worked the entire time i was in school even though i was struggling with two kids and a husband, but i knew i had to, even if it was just one day a week. The jobs i held during school provided me with my ACLS and EKG training for free as I would not have been able to pay for those myself either. You or anyone else who read my post can feel free to disagree with me (as that is the whole point of having a discussion) but either way I can guarantee you if you were to follow some of the advice I gave you'd be quite shocked at how you stand out from other new grads when going for any position. If you want a job these days you have to constantly be thinking about how to make yourself look more qualified than the next person. Even if you can't take the path I took, there are numerous other things you can do or highlight about yourself. Did you take in reference letters and/or a portfolio? When you talked about your head-to-toe assessment did you incorporate the things you saw the ICU nurses doing when you shadowed?