Follow your arrow

We talk a lot about how we work together as a team, but sometimes, it seems like we miss the point.

I have had to work with Manglement to bring nurses into the Hotel. One manager has retooled all the interview questions (yes, we use them for a number of reasons) to ask questions about the team.

One nurse wanted to transfer from one unit to another. No dice because this nurse has had an issue with the hiring manager in the past. We also had other unsuitable candidates. Why? Because some of them just don't come prepared. They don't sell themselves. You give them time and they don't know how to do it!

So, if you're on a journey, and want to go somewhere new, follow your arrow. Learn along the way. Just because something fails once or twice, or even three to thirteen times, you will eventually get to success. Listen. Find mentors and read the signs along the way.

Enjoy your weekend wherever you may roam.

 

Hurry up and go

Survived my presentation, survived my interrogation, er, interview for the SU.

Now to enjoy the rest of this conference and the long Labor Day weekend.

More later

Now I know why...

The Hotel requires fluent nurses, since you just have to ask ahead of time.

I guess they were so busy that the nurse manager didn't get an interview and just did not pick up on that little tidbit that most likely would not have escaped notice in a verbal interview.(scratches head)

Wow!

More to come...

Here's to the chief

Or at least to the general...In the Off the charts blog (AJN) Shawn Kennedy, AJN editor recently noted about the new Army Surgeon General, who is not only the first woman, but the first nurse:

General Horoho said in an interview, (following) “the Vietnam era, we lost sight of the importance of rehabilitative nursing and health care,” and noting that this would be a significant area of emphasis for her.

Moral of the story: Never underestimate the power of a rehab nurse.

And from Dahey, a profound bravo zulu!

More to come...

Spent

I'm still tired from my weekend shifts. It does not help that I slept horribly last night. I had what was one of my biggest meetings today. I am in contention for a brand new position at the Hotel and while it was posted on job hunting sites galore, there are very few people being considered.

Happily, I made it through our meeting/interview without a hitch. I believe I made my points that I would be a good person to work at this new Hotel position. It involves management, but is so far removed from my current work (and that of the SU). It will require a lot of mental stamina, more than physical, and not a lot of perks (no office, but plenty of freedom).

Only time will tell...more stories to tell later. Stay tuned.

January

“There comes that mysterious meeting in life when someone acknowledges who we are and what we can be, igniting the circuits of our highest potential.” Rusty Berkus


I have come to believe I am where I am now, because it's where I'm supposed to be. I have seen many things happen in life and I wonder why sometimes. At first, it may not seem clear, but over time, things do become clearer.


The meeting I had with the unit secretary's boss was enlightening. Hopefully, it will mean things are more efficient. If they aren't, it will be the beginning of the end for the secretary. I'm shocked no one ever asked about this topic we discussed before. The changes needed should be implemented early next week.


In addition, my own future is coming around. I had an interview today, which will hopefully put me on the road to a job that doesn't tire me out so much and suck the life out of me, wondering if I'll ever get a vacation week when I really want it.


I'm so ready. Stay tuned...

Could this be it?

Monumental things going on to close out this week:

1. We may actually get all of our scheduled patients finished in the mornings. This will be nice, if it actually happens.
2. VIM (Very Important Meeting). This may determine the fate of the unit secretary. My job: collect information from her boss, give to SU higher-ups and they proceed from there.
3. Telephone interview. I have a very important interview with a leading MD about my future. I hope I can pull off  a winner on this one, to get to the next step. Don't you just love multi-step interviewing processes?

Stay tuned...

In case you have an interview soon...

One of our regular readers has an interview with a SNF coming up, so I thought I'd put on the career hat and start a list of interviewing tips. Feel free to jump on in the comments section and add your $0.02.

Interviewing for a nursing job is not unlike interviewing for any other job, so keep the following in mind.

RehabRN's 10 interviewing commandments

1. Show up on time. Be nice to the receptionist/secretary/clerk. Some of them do make hiring decisions in one way or another.

2. Do not bring your cell phone. If you have to, turn it off. Do not make or take phone calls in your interview. It is considered rude.

3. Dress appropriately. Business attire is not bad, nor is leaning on the conservative side. You can save the bright pink shoes for when you have the job.

4. Practice your speech in your head before you go in. You'll have to introduce yourself, so make sure you can do that with a firm handshake. You may interview with one or multiple people, so make appropriate eye contact with each person.

5. Bring a portfolio with notebook and take notes. You'll need these notes to ask questions at the end. Be sure to note the name of the interviewer and any other people you may talk to during your interview.

6.  Have an additional copy of your resume and any important documents (i.e. license, BLS info, etc.) with you.

7. Pay attention. If you don't understand something, ask the person to repeat it. Maintain appropriate eye contact and actively listen.

8. Sit up straight and do not slouch. Posture is important in communicating that you're paying attention, just like your second grade teacher said.

9. Answer the questions posed by the interviewer after you count to 5 or 10, even if you already know what you're going to say. This helps you to keep calm and appear poised and thoughtful. If you don't understand something, tell the interviewer.

10. Finally, once all the questions are done, thank the interviewer and any other staff who may have participated in your interview.

Be certain to follow up with a personalized thank you note (to one or all of the people who interviewed you), using those notes you took during the interview and make sure to ask for the job. You can send them via regular mail or e-mail.

DO NOT blow off a thank you note...it may be the difference between hiring you and someone else.

An example:

Dear Nurse Manager:

Thanks so much for meeting with me today. I'm really impressed by ABC SNF and I'd really appreciate an opportunity to use my RN/LPN/CNA skills to work with your residents.

Please contact me at xxx-xxxx (NOTE: you can use e-mail also if you'd like here) if you have any other questions.

Sincerely,

Random Nurse

Also, check out the following nursing related interview pages below. Prepare, be courteous, and be confident.


Interview Tips and Tricks.com has a few questions to consider for nursing interviews.
Nurse Careers also has more questions and tips.
Nursing Link has some of the worst answers to nursing interview questions, so make sure you don't answer like one of these examples!

Last but not least, check out Jennifer LeClaire's questions on www.monster.com and related articles, such as How nurses can detect an unhealthy work environment and information on the behavioral health interview.


Happy interviewing! And as a veteran of more interviews than I care to count, if at first you don't succeed, try, try again.

Great expectations

That's what I get for opening my mouth in class.

The instructor assigned me to quiz, query and otherwise get one of our guests to tell us everything we'd possibly want to know about a certain nursing terminology.

Oy! Off to my reading...stay tuned for more goodies!

Nuggets for May 19

Yes, it's Tuesday again, and I'm waiting for my car today. So since Starbucks is so lovely, I remembered the ear buds and am listening to intermittent Christmas music, yes, on May 19, thanks to Adore Jazz.

Here are a few goodies I've run into in between reading for my cert exam and writing an essay.

From my ANA SmartBrief (via e-mail)
Hospital secret shoppers looking for handwashing violators (at wcvb.com)
Just use that hand sanitizer or wash please!

Just another reason to get your red dress on...
Gender disparities seen in EMS care for chest pain (from reuters.com) I was thinking about this the other day when I was talking to my grade school friend who just got a new mitral valve (along with a free CABG x 4...yes 4)

On the job hunt
Okay, all you nursing school grads, and general job hunters, here are a couple of great articles on things to do for your interview and things not to do for your job interview (both from nursinglink.com)

'Tis the season
It's getting warm in our neck of the woods and sunny, too. Memorial Day is right around the corner, and you know what that means...the pools open and you spend more time out in the sun.

To keep your skin in shape keep an eye out for the signs of skin cancer. If you're high risk, like yours truly, stock up on your favorite sunscreen and stay out of the sun if you can avoid it. If not, use that sunscreen liberally and cover as you can. You'll avoid scars and wrinkles that way, too.