What would YOU ask the E.R.? (interview)

Specialties Emergency

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Hello all!

I have an ER interview this Thursday at the hospital across town. Ive worked at the Main Hosp of my city for almost 9 years in different capacites, 2 years as an RN on a telemetry floor. Im ready for a change. The ER I applied to is not a trauma center; its the smaller for profit hospital in town. 265 bed hospital i think, 16 beds in the E.R.

Ive scoured the board for questions the ER may ask me and have found many useful things, so now I want to ask...what is it YOU would ask the ER if you were interviewing? Aside from the standard Q's of pay, hours, benefits.

I look forward to all responses. :p

Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

Do you get a raise or bolus of cash for CEN? What about CPEN? Will they pay for exam fees? What kind of tuition reimbursement do they offer?

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Specializes in peds cardiac, peds ER.

Yes please make this a sticky! My ER interview if Friday and this is a great thread.

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Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, Emergency, SAFE.

You guys are great. Im typing up my list of questions now...and with any luck, I'll appear to be interviewing the E.R director. Lol. :p

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Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, Emergency, SAFE.
AMEN!!!

Like others have said: Daily Census, Average acuity of those patients (it makes a huge difference if you're seeing 100 lvl 1's or 10 lvl 1's and 40 lvl 5's), will you be asked to float to other floors, do they pay for certification classes (my current employer does not; highly recommend TNCC even if it's on your own dollar).

Can you clarify these levels? I dont know what they mean...:o

Also, I dont wanna float! ugh. I would probably turn it down if offered if that was the case. Thats what Im trying to get away from.

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Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, Emergency, SAFE.
Do you get a raise or bolus of cash for CEN? What about CPEN? Will they pay for exam fees? What kind of tuition reimbursement do they offer?

I was told by my friend that works there that CEN is an extra $2 an hour.. Does this sound reasonable? I feel like thats alot for a certification, but i'll admit I dont know all what it entails. :p

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Specializes in ER.

I'll clarify acuities for you.

You know when you go to the ER and theres a long wait and the nurse says,"I'm sorry, we have to take the sickest people back first." Theres a way we decided, as a nurse, how sick people are and how soon they need to be seen.

Level 1 acuity is resusitation - literally, somebody is coding.

Level 5 is was explained to me "They can walk out and you wouldn't be worried at all." So basically, totally non urgent stuff.

These are based on complaint, VS, history, ect.

It matters the acuity because my hospital sees a LOT of 2's and 3's, because we are a cardiac hospital and we see lots of chest pain and CHF with fluid overload, so our patient ratios are a little lower than others because we see sick sick people.

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Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, Emergency, SAFE.

Level 1 acuity is resusitation - literally, somebody is coding.

Level 5 is was explained to me "They can walk out and you wouldn't be worried at all." So basically, totally non urgent stuff.

These are based on complaint, VS, history, ect.

It matters the acuity because my hospital sees a LOT of 2's and 3's, because we are a cardiac hospital and we see lots of chest pain and CHF with fluid overload, so our patient ratios are a little lower than others because we see sick sick people.

Thanks! That makes lots of sense to me now. Ill sound smart for sure. Lol. Im a cardiac tele nurse at this point, we get ALOT of CHF and Chest Painers post ER, so at least thats a pt pop Im familiar with.

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Specializes in ER.

Good luck!! I think you have a really great list of questions to ask! Be sure you update us!

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Specializes in Pediatrics.
Yes please make this a sticky! My ER interview if Friday and this is a great thread.

I second this, my interview for an ER internship is in 3 weeks and I want to be prepared as possible!

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Specializes in Emergency Medicine.

I would ask what the length of orientation is. I would also be curious to know if this ED staffs agency nurse's. That has a lot to say about staffing issues. I would talk to fellow ER nurse's and ask them how long they have worked in that ED. If a majority of nurse's have been there a long time that usually (to me anyhow) says it is a decent place to work if people stay.

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Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, Emergency, SAFE.

Well, I had the interview this afternoon and it went great! They were truly impressed with my list of questions I had for them, Thanks All!

The ER director and NM both said they really liked me and thought Id be a good fit for the team, but then the Director went into a story about HR and budgets. Long story short, she wanted to fill 3 positions and has people for 2 of the 3 positions. She'd like me to be in that 3rd position but doesnt know if a 3rd position will me allowed to be hired due to $$ reasons.

I'll hear next week either way, and in the meantime I have an ICU interview coming up as well. :D

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Specializes in ER.

Stay positive. It may go through and they might remember you! Just follow up and it will be fine! :)

Good luck on the ICU interview!

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