ISM- MENTOR INTERVIEW ASSIGNMENT QUESTIONS

Student Name: Anjelina Suarez Period: 1st

Printed Name of Person Interviewed: Jamie Suarez

Role of Individual:
RN in ICU, co-worker of my mentor
Place/Name of Business: Memorial Hermann Southeast

Business Address: 1180 Astoria Blvd.

Phone Number: 8325128131

Date of Interview: 4/3/18

Type of Interview: In Person X________________________________

1. For someone working in your field, please describe the fantasies versus realities of the job.
(fantasy vs. reality)
Fantasy: Being able to fix every single patient problem is a fantasy. These patients in the ICU are very
sick and my heart wants to be able heal them for their families but the reality in the ICU is more than half of the
patients are beyond fixing and we are their maintaining their physical body so that family can get there plans in
order.

2. What is your current educational level? What continuing education and training are required?
(educational level and requirements)
I have been a registered nurse with an associates degree for 4 years, I decided to continue my education
last year and I will be graduating with by BSN April 20th.
Our yearly education responsibilities are; CCU certifications and hospital required education. We also are
also required to renew our ACLS and BLS certifications yearly.

3. Please describe the typical day to day activities of someone working in your field.
(day-to-day activities)
Initial head-to-toe assessment, medication administration, collaboration with physicians, titration of
invasive medication, follow up ECG, X-ray’s, CT, MRI and withdraw of labs. I also need to monitor ventilation
settings, 24 hr. cardiac monitoring, hypothermia protocols, and balloon pumps. We also need to stay compliant
with all required documentation.

Revised Fall 2017

4. How secure are you in your current position? What do you think is the future of your field?
(job security)
Nurses are needed all the time and there is an ample of job opportunities available. Continuing your
education in nursing also opens many doors for opportunities. I feel nursing is the most secure job. Health care
will always be needed, and nurses are the core of all health facilities a many different fields of care.

5. What is a typical (average or lowest to highest) salary of someone working in your field?
(salary)
Starting pay for nurses in the hospital is around $60,000 a year, with overtime opportunities always
available that number can go up significantly. The more education and the more experienced the higher your
annual income will be. Again, this is why nursing is such a great career to have, it’s also very flexible.

6. What potential for growth is there in your field?

(growth potential)
Always potential for growth in many different areas of nursing, also a lot of promotion in education
through nursing. There are also many different areas in the field to choose from, and you can specialize in your
desire area of expertise. Exploring different options is a good way to find your fit with your personality and also
what fits for your family.

***Questions 7-10 will be created by the ISM student.

7. How many myocardial infarctions do you typically face in a month? How do you treat it? Do patients
suffer long-term?
Around 10 a month would be accurate for me. We specialize in cardiac patients as well as thoracic. Many
of our patients are fresh from catherization or just here for observation. The patients on observation are evaluated
for major heart surgery. We just opened a new cardiac floor specializing in open heart surgeries, so this number
will increase soon.

8. What do you wish you could change about your job? Any regrets?

No regrets, I love what I do. Fortunately, I can pursue pediatrics. This is where I always wanted to be. I
loved starting off in adult ICU, before taking on kids and babies. I have learned so much and love all my co-
workers like family. The best thing about nursing is that I can change my career or specialty at any time.

Revised Fall 2017

9. What do you love most about your job?

The good outcomes! Even some of the bad, when I know I did good by the patient and the family its
rewarding. I also love to learn what’s new in healthcare, there are always opportunities to learn. Not one nurse or
Doctor knows everything. Knowing this and being open to new things only makes you better.

10. What is your favorite memory at your job?

My favorite memory is my first year of nursing when a 24-year-old female post arrest, who was down for
an unknown amount of time was told to her family she has no brain function to live beyond a vegetable. The
family never gave up on her and neither did I. I argued with the neurologist that I have seen progress and not to
give up. I told the family after she is cleared transfer her to TIER hospital as soon as you can. Today, 4 years later
she is walking on her own and learning new ways to deal with her fine motor skills which in the only real deficit.
She has a long way to go but she has come so far. I keep up with her and her family and I love seeing her
progress.

Interview Summary
What information from this interview will you select for your ½ page typed,
bulleted list of research information—to be used in your presentation?
Create a bulleted summary list on the next page.

 When presenting my final presentation, I will incorporate the fantasies and realities of working
in the ICU to show a better understanding of what nurses in the ICU must face when working all
the time.
 I will mention my own mentors level of education, what needs to be done every year in order to
work in the hospital, and whatever she may be working on education-wise.
 I can try to describe what nurses do in their day-to-day activities by also showing what they do
when treating patients in certain diagnoses like my final presentation topic.
 It is very interesting how the medical field will never go away, and the advancements in the
medical field will always need people. Nurses jobs are very hard.
 The salary of a nurse varies tremendously, it is interesting to incorporate how much growth one
can have in this field.
 Myocardial Infarctions are my project topic, so the amount of times it comes into the hospital I
work in impacts and helps me tremendously to give me a better understanding and incorporate
this into my final presentation.
 Learning about the positives and negatives people may face while working in this field can
decide for students like me if this is something they want to pursue and be put through. Learning
from other peoples experiences are a great way to decide for one-self.

Revised Fall 2017