A little help for my nursing peeps :)

Life as a new grad nurse is just plain crazy. Because my schedule was a little out of control, I never got a chance this spring to go back to my nursing program and speak to the current students. I was hoping to share a little about life as a new grad and the steps I took while interviewing for new grad spots. I am hoping this post will help with that!

First of all, before applying to a new grad program make sure your resume is a reflection of your clinical experience in nursing school. A new grad RN resume will look different than what's considered the "norm". It needs to show your education, your clinical experience, extracurricular activities and professional development, and your work experience. You can see an example of my resume here.
It's not perfect by any means ;)

A tip for current nursing students: work on those professional development activities! Interviewers really do look at volunteer work!

Put together a portfolio that includes your resume, transcripts, certifications, semester summaries of nursing school, immunizations, volunteer work etc. that is pertinent to nursing. I made copies, slipped them in portfolio covers and handed them to each member of the panel. They really liked being able to see in print my resume, transcript, volunteer certs, reviews from my job at the lab, etc.

When applying for new grad programs, make sure you prepare yourself for a long wait. It will take quite a few weeks to see the hiring process through till the end if you're successful. After submitting your application (which is impeccably spell-checked, right? ) make sure to follow up with a recruitment specialist/human resources a few days after to check the status of your application.


Some key points to know for phone and panel interviews:

• Make sure you know the organization you want to be hired at. You need to be familar with the mission statement, how the organization measures it's quality and patient satisfaction. How will you be able to contribute to patient satisfaction? 
• Be prepared to be asked why you chose the nursing profession; if you have chosen to be a nurse for the right reasons, you won't get this question wrong :)
• Have some examples ready of times you showed critical thinking, provided care for a difficult patient, how you've managed conflicts with co-workers, etc. 
• You will be asked critical thinking questions; for example you are given a scenario where a patient presents with new onset chest pain... what are the steps you are going to take to care for this patient? 
• Be yourself... every new grad out there has the same skill set and experience, but interviewers want to see what you bring to the table. Don't be so nervous that your real personality doesn't shine through. 

When it comes to interview guides, this document was very helpful. For a few days prior to my panel interview, I practiced answering these questions out loud. Having a little of a public speaking background from my State FFA days, practicing an interview will make your answers come out smoother since you already have an idea of the point you want to make. Post interview, make sure to send a note or email to the interview panel members for their time; this is important also. Based on feedback from my experience the unit directors really appreciated the follow-up. 

At some point I will post further about my experiences in a new grad program and NCLEX, but right now my bed is calling me! Namaste :D

The thing from nursing school that has stuck with me the most: wash your hands, assess that patient like nobody's business, and safety first!