Sample Interview Introduction and Schedule

Carrie Allen Interview Plan Communication 1010-018 04/07/2014

Background Information My Interviewee: I am planning to interview Julie Greenberg. She works at Primary Childrens Hospital in Salt Lake City as a registered Nurse. I will interview Julie at her place of employment because this works best with her schedule. Interviewing Julie at her place of employment will give me a chance to see what she does on a day to day basis and how she interacts with her co-workers. I chose to interview Julie because I am interested in pursuing a career in working with children. I dont know Julie personally, however she has been one of the nurses that has helped to care for my nephew when he has had to have numerous surgerys up at Primary Childrens hospital. Career Research: I began taking classes taking classes at the Salt Lake Community College in August of 2010. When I first started taking classes I wasnt sure what my major would be. I decided that I really enjoyed working with people and I really enjoyed working with children. I decided that a degree in nursing seemed like a pretty good fit. I started to complete my required courses, first taking chemistry, then biology, then anatomy and physiology. Anatomy and physiology are some of the most interesting classes I have taken. I love learning about how my body works and how I use each part of my body to maintain my health. As I completed each course I felt that nursing would be a good fit for me as a career. I knew that I loved working with people, especially children. I felt that a career in healthcare would give me job security because unfortunately people always get sick and are always in need of care. Once deciding on a career in nursing, I felt it important to research what would be expected of me as a nurse. I already knew that one of the duties of be a nurse would to help patients and their families understand how to manage their illness or injury. I knew that nurses were required to work difficult schedules and I wanted to see how this type of schedule would with my home and family life. I knew that I wanted to earn my Bachelors of Science in Nursing otherwise known as a BSN. My plan was to start my education at Salt Lake Community College and complete my general education needs and then transfer to Westminster College to complete my BSN. I also looked into the basic salary that a nurse would be making. According to the Occupational Employment and Wages database a registered nurse with an Associates degree, a Bachelors Degree and or a Masters Degree would earn a wage of $67,720.00 annually. The more education you have the higher the wage. While searching for more information about a career in nursing I stumbled across the mission statement of Primary Childrens Hospital it states Our mission statement is to attain the highest level of excellence in the provisions of healthcare for children in an atmosphere of love and concern. I know that I truly want to be able to provide that for all the children I will hopefully someday soon be working with.

Interview Schedule Opening: Good morning Julie, Thank you so much for taking the time to meet with me. I am so excited to learn about a career in the medical field. I have always been interested in nursing. My mom was a nurse for 44 years and my brother has now been a surgical nurse for 3 years. I guess it was only a matter of time before I decided that a career in nursing would be a great fit for me too. As I said yesterday as we briefly confirmed our appointment for today, the purpose of this meeting is so I can interview you to get more information about your career. This interview is for an assignment in my communication class. However I am excited to interview you so that I can get more information about your job because I am pursuing a career in nursing. I will be asking you questions about how you got started in a job in the medical field, what education it took, what are the daily demands of your job, how it impacts your family life and if you would recommend a career in nursing to someone like myself. I will be asking you questions and writing down notes as we talk. I find it easier to recall what we have talked about if I have something written down to reference back too. This interview shouldnt take longer than half hour. Are you ready to begin?

Body: Topic 1: Getting Started in the Medical Field First on our agenda is to talk about how you got started in this field 1. Why did you chose a career in the medical field? (Primary, Open) Do you think you made a good choice and why? (Secondary, Open) Do you have any regrets about working in the medical field? (Secondary, Open) 2. How did you get started as a nurse? (Primary, open) What drew you to this career path? (Secondary, open) Do you feel that this career path fits you as a person? (Secondary, Open) 3. What educational path would you recommend that I take in order to enter into a career in the medical field? (Primary, open) How much time did you invest in your education? (Secondary, Closed) What was the approximate cost of your education? (Secondary, Closed) 4. What types of knowledge or skills would I need before becoming a nurse? (Primary, Open) Would you recommend volunteering somewhere to gain experience before becoming a nurse? (Secondary, Open) What would you say helped you the most in becoming a confident nurse? (Secondary, Open) 5. With what you learned in school, and on the job training how prepared did you feel on your first day as a nurse? (Primary, Open) What part of your training prepared you the most to become a nurse? (Secondary, Open) What part of your training did you feel you were lacking in? (Secondary, Closed but could be open) What do you think has contributed to your success as a nurse? (Secondary, Open)

1.

2. 3.

4.

5.

Topic 2: Typical Day Now that we have discussed how you got your start in nursing, let us focus on your day to day duties. Can you please tell me about a typical day for you at Primary Childrens Hospital? (Primary, Open) What tasks do you find most difficult to complete on a day to day basis? (Secondary, Open) What tasks are you most happy in completing? (Secondary, Open) What is your favorite part of your job? (Primary, Open) What part of your job is your least favorite? (Secondary, Open) What is your schedule like? (Primary, Open) How does your schedule play a part in your personal and family life? (Secondary, Open) Do you accrue vacation time or sick time? (Secondary, Closed) Do you mind if I ask you a personal question. Do you have children? (Primary, Bipolar) If yes: How many children do you have? (Secondary, closed) What happens if your children get sick, how does it affect work schedule? (Secondary, Open) How does your work schedule affect your family life? (Secondary, Open) How has your job affect your kids when they were younger and now that they are getting older? (Secondary, Open) If no: What happens when a co-workers child gets sick? (Primary, Open) What is the course of action he or she has to take to cover a scheduled shift? (Secondary, Open) Have your coworkers ever shared with you how their work schedule affects their home life? (Secondary, Open) Does working in a hospital setting and working odd shifts put a strain on their family life? Secondary, Open) If I shared with you that I am a mother with 6 children and a husband who travels, would you recommend this career path to me? (Primary, Open)

Topic 3: Continuing Education My next question will be about continuing education. 1. While working at Primary Childrens Hospital, what continuing education have you had to participate in? (Primary, Open) Is continuing education a requirement or is it recommended for employees? (Secondary, Open) Would you yourself recommend continuing education? (Secondary, Open) If so, what education would you recommend? (Secondary, Open) 2. Are the doctors at your hospital involved in continuing education among the nursing staff? (Primary, Open) Who pays for continuing education programs? (Secondary, Open) Are you reimbursed for continuing your education? (Secondary, Open)

3. What educational resources have you found most practical and valuable? (Primary, Open) What role do these medical publication and associations play in keeping you updated in this fast-paced emerging field of science? (Secondary, Open) 4. Are there any other learning strategies you use to help you make better decisions? (Primary, Open) 5. By continuing your education has it helped you make a better wage? (Primary, Open) Would you be willing to share with me your starting wage? (Secondary, Closed) Would you be willing to share with me what the top salary is for your position? (Secondary, Closed) Clearinghouse Question: The interviewees turn 1. Are there any question that you feel that we did not cover in this interview? (Primary, Open) 2. Is there any experiences or information you would like to share with me? (secondary, Open) 3. Are there any memories that stand out that to you that you would like to share? (Secondary, Open) Closing I just want to thank you for taking the time to answer all of my questions. I really appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule to meet with me. I have learned so much about what it takes to be a nurse and the commitment it takes. I know that a job in the medical field will always be one that is in high demand. I can only hope that I may be as good as a nurse as you are. Thank you for helping me complete my assignment for my communications class. Please remember that we talked about you filing out an evaluation form. I will email you the form and if you can please email me back the completed for I would greatly appreciate it. I will need to show it to my professor in order to receive credit for this assignment. Again, thank you so much, this has been a wonderful experience for me and I have learned so much from you. It was a pleasure to meet you and to be able to see what it is like to work at Primary Childrens Hospital. Thank you, Good bye.

Sample Interview Analysis Memo and Letter of Thanks Carrie Allen Interview Project Communications 1010-018 04/07/2014

Interview Analysis Memo

DATE: April 1, 2014 TO: Professor Wayne Hackett FROM: Carrie Allen SUBJECT: Interview Analysis Memo, COMM 1010-018 I had the opportunity to interview Julie Greenberg, a registered nurse at Primary Childrens Hospital. I have had brief interaction with Julie while she was attending to my nephew after having numerous surgeries at Primarys Children Hospital. I chose to interview Julie, because I am looking into entering the nursing program at Westminster College. I was interested in interviewing her because she could give me basic
information on what it took to become a registered nurse. She could give me information on what education I needed, what a typical work schedule would be like and how rewarding a career as a nurse could be. The following information summarizes my interview with her. This memo will include what I learned from her by conducting a personal interview. Summary of Lessons Learned Getting Started in the Medical Field I learned that a career as a registered nurse is an extremely task oriented job. It takes every employee working together as a team in order to carry out the day to day tasks. Working as a register nurse requires a person to give of themselves, they must be able to have a connection with not only the patient but with the parents as well. A nurse must me motivated, must be good at multi-tasking and must be compassionate. I also learned that the more education you have the further you can take your career. While I was speaking with Julie, we discussed how education can play a role in furthering your career path. Julie suggested if you are going to invest in your future it is best to receive a bachelors degree. Most hospitals are looking for applicants that have taken the time to invest in their education.

Julie shared with me that by first attending a community college that it had saved her a lot of money in student loans. She also conveyed to me that by earning her bachelors degree, her starting wage as a nurse was more competitive. Julie shared with me that a nurses starting wage is about $19 an hour. Since she has more education behind her she will be able to make upwards of $40 dollars an hour. This was interesting to me because my goal is to obtain a BSN in nursing. A Typical Day Julie spoke to me about what drew her to nursing, she said it was her love of working with people. She said she was fascinated by the human body and how it worked. She said she understood that not every situation would be a happy one but that she would always do her best to make her patients and their families comfortable. Julie said that her coworkers and where she works play a key role in how she does her job. Julie spoke about having a positive attitude helps her when she is in a stressful situation. She said she always tries to find something positive no matter how bad the situation is. Julie only works 2 days a week but her shifts last for twelve hours at a minimum. Julie works on the Childrens Surgical Unit. She takes care of 2-3 patients during her shift. Her patients range in age from a few days old to adulthood. Julie says she loves her job especially the kids she gets to work with. A typical day starts at 7:00 am for Julie, her first task of the day is to get the reports form the nurse going off shift. Next she is to go into each patients room and do a bedside report with the patient and with the parents. Next she is to make sure she traces any lines the patient has, that means make sure all IV bags are connected and that the right medications have been administered. Between 7:45 and 9 am she must take the patients vital signs and assess all the medication each patient is currently taking. Then throughout the day Julie must take vital sign again at noon and at 4:00 pm. Throughout her whole shift Julie must check drains if a patient has them, check incisions sites, must attend rounds with the doctors, must transport patients to scheduled procedures. She must care for patients daily hygiene, change their bedding, changing diapers, making sure to record what a patient had eaten and drank throughout the day. Julie expressed that part of her daily duties are to help patients get up to walk, make sure that all of the families questions get answered, discharge patients, relay information on medications or inform parents on how to change dressings. Julie says she enjoys being in contact with parents and patients. She loves making them feel comfortable and love helping to teach them what they need to know. Julie really loves connecting with her patients, she says that the most difficult part of her job is when she see a child that has been abused. It is really hard on her emotionally. She says that one of her favorite tasks is connecting with the patients and their families. She loves hearing about their backgrounds and where they come from. Julie loves her job and loves to help people, she says that there is nothing better than feeling like you were involved in a positive way in someones healing, someones hard time in their life, a happy time in their life and knowing that you really made a difference. Continuing Education Julie believes that she has gotten where she is today by continuing her education. Julie is in charge of orienting new nurses, she is over a group of staff members that she meets with four times a year to educate them on new topics and procedures. Julie enjoys teaching at their unit education carnival and she enjoys teaching new employees at orientation. One of Julies favorite parts of her job is to teach

parents and families how to care for their newborns. She says she also loves to teach parents and patients how to care for themselves or for one another.

Julie mentioned to me at the close of our interview that she will be transitioning into being a Unit Education Consultant. She said that once she has transitioned into her new position she will not be required to do any continuing education. She did mention that she likes to attend yearly conferences like the Issues of Pediatric Care Conference just to stay informed.

Interview Analysis In conducting this interview I noticed that I need to be open to new career paths. Analysis of a Register Nurse as my Career Choice While conducting this interview I realized that I am on the correct path in finishing my education. I feel reassured that I will be able to receive my bachelors degree in nursing. When I was conducting the interview with Julie, she recommended that I spend some time on a medical/surgical unit to gain some experience. She said that they are usually very busy and that they see a wide variety of patients. This would give me some experience but also expose me to what it would be like to be a nurse.

Analysis of my Interviewing Process I love talking with people in a neutral setting, however I do not like talking in large crowds or talking with a stranger one on one. When conducting an interview I tend to get really nervous and I lose my place very easily. In preparation for my interview with Julie I practiced numerous times about how I would enter into the room, what I would say in my opening, how I could make an uncomfortable situation less uncomfortable. I had my questions written out on index cards so that I wouldnt lose my place, however I kept forgetting what question I had asked and where I was. Fortunately Julie was very patient with me. After I had asked ten or so questions, I felt as though I had found my rhythm and now we were just two colleges having a conversation about work. Julie was very willing to share her knowledge about being a registered nurse, and she shared with me numerous experiences that helped to shape her into the nurse she is today. If I ever have to do an assignment like this again, I believe that I would shorten the number of questions that I had to ask. I would try to be more direct and I would probably either record the interview on my phone or by using a tape recorder. I cannot speak for Julie, but I found it distracting to keep stopping the interview so that I could jot down some notes. I found the rustling of the paper to be a distraction too. At the close of the interview, I thanked Julie again for her time and for her willingness to take time out of her busy schedule to help me complete my assignment but also for being willing to educate me on what it takes to be a registered nurse. I really appreciated her honesty and her willingness to make sure I understood that being a nurse isnt just a job, it is a commitment to care for your patients and their families.

Letter of Thanks 4743 Magnum Court Herriman, Utah 84096 April 7, 2014

Mrs. Julie Greenberg 100 N Mario Capecchi Dr. Salt Lake City, Utah 84132 Dear Julie, Thank you so much for allowing me to interview you about what you do as a registered nurse. You were so willing to answer my questions and you were open and honest with me about what it takes to have a career as a registered nurse. I wanted to let you know that I truly appreciate your dedication to your job and to your patients and coworkers. I had no idea how much you are invested in your job. I now realize that a career in nursing is much more than just administering medication and discharging patients. Thank you so much for opening my eyes to a new world that I cant wait to explore. Again I just wanted to tell you how much I appreciate you taking the time to speak with me. I know that you are extremely busy and you have really helped me understand how important your job really is. Thank you for helping me complete my assignment in communications.

Sincerely,

Carrie Allen