When I applied for nursing school I was lucky enough to avoid having the dreaded phone interview with admissions office. For graduate school, however, I was not as fortunate.
The phone interview (or personal interview) has a variety of functions. The first of which is to determine if you would make a good student; furthermore, a good nurse. We had a saying in nursing school that “straight A’s don’t necessarily make a good nurse.” Some students, who received great grades and had a perfect resume, may be lacking in other areas that are vital for being a good nurse. The interview’s function is to weed-out those students in order to accept the students most likely to succeed and become great nurses. It is also a time to meet the student in person and allow time for questions.
When preparing for the interview it is important to think of it as a job interview. If the interview is in person, dress professionally, keep your phone off, and arrive early. If you are having a phone interview make sure your phone is on prior to the scheduled time interview (in case they call early), get rid of distractions (T.V., radio, children), and make sure you sound alert and awake.
Have friends or families that have gone through the interview process before ask you mock interview questions prior to the interview. Be prepared to describe exactly why you want to become a nurse and be ready to define exactly what kind of nurse you want to be. You can never be too prepared!
Remember, the interview process is your way to sell yourself to the college. It’s your way to not only get one step closer to your dream of becoming a nurse, but also to solidify in your mind the specifics of why you want this career. Take this opportunity to evaluate your prior career and school history and take the pros and cons to make this next step in your life an even more successful one.
Did you have a phone or personal interview prior to nursing school? What steps did you take to prepare yourself for it? Please share your personal experiences with us.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Nursing School Interview Tips
3 comments:
Nursing interviews for LPN programs don't seem to be as intense ans interviews for a baclurate program. I think that the important thing to remember is to be upbeat but professional, be yourself, be confident, be prepared to share your healthcare experience(even if it was taking care of grandma)and be prepared to say why you want to be a nurse.
Nursing school interviews had always been a very frightening thing for the prospective of nurses. All prospective nurses are trying to get the best value. And I strongly support their efforts. And in my opinion, the most important is optimistic and confident that you will become a professional nurse.
Nursing is hard work, often performed without being adequately acknowledged or thanked. It takes a special person to make a successful career of nursing but, for these people, there is nothing more rewarding than devoting the physical, emotional, and mental energies required of every nurse.
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