Final PaperHealthcare Worker InterviewInterview Questions
a. What made you chose your healthcare field?
As a registered nurse, I had a passion for caring for people ever since I was a toddler. This passion grew as I aged and in my high school years, I wanted to start nurturing my nursing desire so I enrolled to the HOSA club (Health Occupants Students of America) in my school. Here, I learnt a lot of issues to do with medicine in general and nursing in particular. I also got a chance to network with different people with similar perceptions and my love for the profession continued to grow. When I was through with high school, I definitely knew I wanted to become a Registered Nurse and help different people with varied healthcare needs. I am happy I am doing what I loved to do all my life.
b. What schooling/training did you have to complete for your profession?
First of all, despite the passion I had, you need to know that joining the nursing profession is not a walk in the park. You just can’t say you want to join a nursing school and you’re right at it. First of all there is a lot of planning and decision making just to make sure that this is the right profession for you. After you have made the decision, then you are faced with the legal, financial and personal requirements depending on your state before you can be allowed to join a nursing profession.
Ideally, after meeting all the necessary requirements, I began my career as an Assistant Nurse as my entry level which I did in a community college, then I progressed slowly to a Licensed Practical Nurse then enrolled for an Associate Degree in Nursing where I was licensed as a Registered Nurse a few years ago. I chose to begin at an entry level because it was more affordable and knew that with the skills gained, I would get some employment and save for my advancement in the profession. Again, I had the advantage of schooling at a young age so I did not have many responsibilities after my entry-level studies and that enabled me to save for my advanced degree.
I have realized that the higher the education the more chances one has for work. I am now employed and earning a good salary which helps me to meet my daily needs, those of my children and family and also save for an advanced degree (BSN – Bachelor of Science in Nursing) which I plan to begin sometimes next year. My overall target is to become a Doctor in Nursing in which I will be able to engage in research roles and help advance the profession of nursing with new evidence-based practices.
c. What aspect of your job do you find most rewarding?
I can say from experience since the time I was a member of HOSA to now when I am a RN, the most rewarding part of my career is the tenderness, care and passion I put in my work. I am delighted and fulfilled at the end of the day when I examine myself and what I did in the day and find that I did the best thing I could to save a life, offer emotional support or even give hope to a patient or family who have lost hope. Seeing other people smile because of my contributions makes me so happy and is so rewarding. Also, the fact that I can earn and take care of my needs and loved ones and also save for my advancement in career is also very rewarding and makes me gain more energy and passion each day to continue doing what I love the most.d. What aspect of your job do you find most challenging?
Two areas are most challenging to me. One is the fact that no matter how good you offer care or use the best technologies, some patients will have to expire at some point. It is especially challenging when these patients are young babies or children or even mothers trying to bring forth a life. But all in all, this does not discourage me because I know no matter what happened, we did the best thing we could for that patient(s). Second is the pressure of wanting to know everything or much for you to offer the best care. For you to refer to books, and journals, and other people’s experience can be challenging given the nature of our profession. e. What is the biggest piece of advice you would give someone that wants to pursue a career in your profession?
Firstly, nursing is a very rewarding career if it is your thing. Secondly, if you decide to join nursing, never shy off to ask for help or offer one because this is a team work kind of profession. No one knows everything, but we all know something and together we can achieve much or everything. Thirdly, do not be in a hurry for anything, take your time, take those baby steps and eventually you’ll be where you want to be. The hardest thing is to begin or not to begin at all, but when you do, you realize that everything else comes into course. And finally, always be ready to offer help when needed. Like I said earlier you cannot achieve much alone but together we can achieve more.
f. As a nurse from your entry level to your current position, is there a time you can remember you messed up in a clinical setting?
I can’t say I really messed up because that was the best thing I could do at that time. As a newly employed assistant nurse, I helped a young girl deliver at the absence of the senior nurse and doctor because they were caught up with another emergency patient and the baby was already at the birth canal. I thought quickly and applied my acquired knowledge to help her before I could call for further help. That was in a remote community health centre in Georgia.
g. Is there a time you overstretched your abilities for a patient?
I think the best incidence for that question is the answer above, though as a nurse you’ll find yourself stretching your abilities for your patients. Honestly, you just can’t sit down and watch patients in pain yet you can help even when your shift is done. In fact a nurse should not leave a patient before handing them over to the next shift nurse even when their time of work is up. That’s overstretching enough for the best care for your patients.
h. How would you handle an abusive or combative patient?
I would give them my ear without provoking them further and try to understand what’s bothering them. If it is under my power I would try to help but if not, I would calmly assure them that they would get help and seek advice from my seniors. If they are combative because they are rejecting necessary care, I would sedate and offer the necessary treatment or care with orders from my seniors and then when they are up and have calmed down, we can dialogue and understand what’s bothering them or why they behave as they are doing.
