Interviewing a bsn

Methodist College

N100: Nursing Seminar

“Interview a BSN”

Purpose:

The purpose of this assignment is to understand the role of a professional nurse and their place within the healthcare team and be inspired to emulate these nurses in a professional manner in one’s own practice.

Instructions:

Interview a practicing BSN and describe their experience or career thus far. Ask them the following questions and then summarize their answers in 3-5 pages. Format the paper according to APA guidelines.

Questions:

1. Describe your present position

I work in the Emergency Department as an RN at Carle Hospital. In my current role, I triage patients coming in through our waiting room and brought in by ambulance and law enforcement. After triage, I put in orders from a list or given verbally by doctors, place IV and arterial lines, draw and send labs, give medications, suture and wrap wounds, place foley catheters, IO’s (intraosseous access points through drilling into a bone), and NG (nasogastric) and OG (orogastric) tubes, collect and run blood and urine samples, turn patients, clean patients, and chart a TON of information. When a patient is discharged, I go through education, follow up instructions, and often help patients find a ride home.

I see everything from common colds and stubbed toes to critical and traumatic injuries. I see newborns, elderly, and everything in between. This is a high impact, high adrenaline, highly stressful, and physically demanding position. In addition to the patients I care for, I also deal with families, coworkers, subordinates, and managers in tense situations daily. Many times, these are the worst days of peoples’ lives. I see people at their weakest, most vulnerable, and most scared moments. Some days, I do CPR on, administer blood for, put lines and tubes into a patient, give them every medication available, and still hold their loved ones’ hands at the end of the day as I sit while the doctors explain what is happening. It is exciting, terrifying, emotionally draining, and invigorating in ways I don’t know how to express. I love what I do.

In addition to seeing patients, I complete chart audits for other nurses and am continually enrolled in new certification classes to improve patient outcomes. Most recently, I have begun precepting and am involved in a new overdose prevention program. In my current position, there are constant opportunities to learn new things and be involved with my department.

2. Describe your educational journey. Was it important for the position that you presently hold?

I started my BSN program at Lakeview College of Nursing in Danville, IL in September 2019. I signed up for an accelerated program, which allowed me to complete my nursing degree in 4 back-to-back semesters