Pediatric Emergency Room nurses?

Question

I am currently a NICU nurse, preparing to interview for a position in the peds ED. I need some good questions to ask, when the interviewer asks... "What questions do you have for me?" Please help, any advice, thank you so much.

Answer 1

Seeing that you are already a Nurse and you just want to move to a different department. I would ask if there is anything that is expected of you that is not within the job description. Most times when working in a hospital, we wear many different hats. When patients come in for help for themselves or for loved ones, "they" in their eyes are the only ones that matter. Depending on your qualifications you should ask:
1. Will the role of charge nurse during my shift rotate among all staff?
2. What is the turn over time for stats in the ER?
3. Which shift hours are available? ie: 8 hours 5 days a week/ 12 hour shifts 4 days on 3 days off?
4. Current status on the unit you are currently on... will that transfer over? ie: vacation time of already requested and approved.
5. Am i aloud to take a look around and shadow someone first? This is to make sure you know where eveything is. In an emergency the last thing you want to do is yell out, "I can't find it!" or "Where is it?"
and if you know Dr.'s like i know them, they love it when you are at the top of your game.
The ER.... rather ED ( once i moved south they got me to say ER) has it's own rules. Find out what they are. What we have been taught not to do on the floors is diffrent than what you can do in this department.
Last but not least...........................
#6. Find out when the next cap inspection is, if the HIPPA guidlines are any different for outpatients than inpatients. Sometimes there is just a little bit of a difference. Remember, until the patient is actually admitted to the hospital and is in a bed with a room number they are still an outpatient. OSHA's guidelines are the same throughout.
ok one more..........
7. Depending on what staff you have and if you are not the one doing the blood draws.. (you've probably done PKU's) Never, never, never....allow anyone to stick(blood draw) a baby in the middle of it's foot. The right or left side working from the outer areas of the foot(heel). I have seen it over and over again.
8. If the baby is a really hard stick and your going for a vein for an IV... please try the feet first. Babies really do not have great viens to begin with. But they have easier ones to fet on the side just below the ankle. PLace a heel warmer on first.
Good luck i hope i helped.