Calling all nurses!?

Question

My assignment is to interview someone from the career that I'm interest in - which is RN. I have some few questions to ask about your job. I'd like to know what it's like being a nurse in someone view. My questions are:

What is your name? [ Don't worry, you can fake this ]
How long have you been a nurse / RN?
What are your educational background?
What are the responsibilities of your job?
What is a typical day in this job like?
What part of this job do you fid the most satisfying?
Did you always planned to be in nurse / a job like this?
What training or education is required for this type of job?
What opportuniy for advancement are there in this filed?
Is there a demand for people in this occupation?
From you prespective, what are the problems do you see working in this field?
And lastly, what special advice would you give to a person entering this filed?

Thank you - I appreciate the help.

I did infact interviewed someone face to face, but I got so nervous, and she was very nice. Although, I've recieved only a sentence from her answers. I'm looking for answers that are long, and thank you soo much for helping me.

Answer 1

I have to agree that you would get a better feel if you interviewed someone in person, but I will give you some answers to your questions.

What is your name? [ Don't worry, you can fake this ]

How long have you been a nurse / RN? 30 years

What are your educational background? I started with training as a nurses aide and pharmacy tech to see what I wanted to do (and so I could have a job while in school), then I got a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN), which let me sit the RN boards and work as a novice nurse. After several jobs, and seeing what I wanted to do in nursing, I returned to graduate school and earned a master of science in nursing (MSN) with specialization as a Family Nurse Practitioner, and I then sat for the FNP certification board. After working as an FNP for a while, I found the need for more education and obtained a Ph.D in Health Care Studies.

What are the responsibilities of your job? I now perform research and manage patients with severe headache conditions and chronic pain patients for which there is no identifiable physical cause (such as CRPS).

What is a typical day in this job like? Isee usually 20-40 patients in an office setting, and work with other professionals in the health care milieu to meet the needs of these very complex patients.

What part of this job do you fid the most satisfying? I enjoy the diagnostic challenge, often dispite being treated for their conditions for years, we find that the patients have been treated for the wrong condition, and that is why they haven't improved. Otherwise, it is the patient interaction. I like to see that my input makes a difference in their lives, and that something I do improves their quality of life.

Did you always planned to be in nurse / a job like this? Not this particular job, not at all. At first when I started school, I was on a music scholarship, and wanted to be a musician, but just did not see that working out economically, so I went with my interest and changed to psychology...I never got there either. A freind of mine was in school to be a nurse anesthetist, an we went to see one work. I thought that it looked like a very interesting and controlled job, so I went to nursing school, I never got into anesthesia either, but I don't regret the decisions I have made along the way.

What training or education is required for this type of job? First let me say RNs are educated, dogs and horses are trained.

To be an RN there are three paths, an associates degree program. This is a 2 year program (usually takes 3) normally taught at a community college. The diploma program. This is a hospital based program, which was the original method all nurses were taught. It takes three years, but there are very few of these programs left in the country. Finally there is the BSN program (which I chose). This is a 4 year program at a college or university. There is no significant difference in the degrees for your first job, if you want to work at a hospital. But a BSN has some additional courses which allows you to work in areas like public health and community programs which the others don't prepare you for, and many positions you may want to consider moving in to after you have soe experience, are identified as BSN required or BSN preferred. So the BSN will open more opportunities for you.

What opportuniy for advancement are there in this filed? There is no limit to what can be done by RNs today. While in the past they were often seen as servants to the physicians at hospitals, that role has been tossed aside. The role is much more dynamic and there are unlimited opportunities, dependent on your desire, and your willingnness to continue learning. Many CEOs of hospitals are RNs, who have gone back to school and studies hospital administration. That role was once only performed by physicians, and then was taken over by business majors. It is now understood that the purpose of hospitals is nursing care, so RNs are now much more involved in the management of the hospitals. Currently in the US Army the Surgeon General (the highest medical authority) is MG Gale Pollock, who is an RN and was a CRNA, she is the first nurse to get this position.At the same time while the Army would seem to be the last place a female nurse could rise to the top position, they have also had a male RN as the Chief of the Army Nurse Corps. There are no limits in nursing.

Is there a demand for people in this occupation? There is probably no field where there is a greater perceived shortage or a greater predicted future shortage than nursing, and health care in general. As the population no only grows but also ages there is a tremendous need for educated professional RNs in all fields.

From you prespective, what are the problems do you see working in this field? The education process is never long enough for the amount of information needed. You leave school thinking you are ready, and that is when you really start learning. Of course, you are also usually short staffed and overworked also.

And lastly, what special advice would you give to a person entering this filed? Look at all your options, and keep working for your goals. Don't just get a job and sit for 45 years and retire, or work a few years and then get frustrated and go into real estate or some other job. Keep looking for the next opportunity.

Good Luck with your project!

Answer 2

I think you should follow your assignment and actually interview someone in that position on the job site (for the actual hands-on experience I believe your teacher wants you to have).