The duties of a nurse manager vary according to the hospital setting. Generally, nurse managers are responsible for hospital staff such as nurses, administrative officers and other medical staff. They are also responsible for payroll and staffing duties.
Nurse Managers are therefore leaders in their own capacity and should be responsible for employee growth, ensuring that all hospital departments and units work smoothly, and implement measures that aim at maintaining quality care for patients as well as staff and patient safety. There are a number of interview tips that can be helpful to those looking for a position as a nurse manager.
Go Prepared
Go to the interview prepared. Have all the needed paperwork ready. To work as a nurse manager, one must have a license from the state as a registered nurse. Bring the original certificates, degree and additional qualifying paperwork if available so that the interviewer can examine them.
Have information about the potential employer well in advance. The interviewee should ensure that they know the location of the interview and how they will get there. Go for the interview early to allow sufficient time to reach the interview location. A candidate may even go to the interview location way before the interview date just to determine how long it takes to get there. Surf the hospital’s website to find information about the hospital’s nursing staff ratio, growth and procedures.
Managing People
Nurse Managers normally have a large number of employees working under them. An interviewee should demonstrate their ability to manage people of varying backgrounds. They should show the recruiters that they have the requisite managerial skills by giving examples of how they managed a unit or department in their previous positions, the difficulties they faced and how they dealt with them.
Interviewees should be prepared to answer situational questions to determine if they can manage a healthcare institution. The questions may require them to describe past situations or difficulties, how they handled them, what they did correctly and what they could change given a second chance. Interviewees should have various stories ready on how they handled issues in their previous job postings.
One of the qualities of a good nurse manager is an effective communicator. When in an interview, the interviewee should show the interviewer that they can work well with diverse groups of people. The interviewee should also show that they can communicate both bad and good news in the most appropriate and professional manner. The aspiring nurse manager should show the interviewer that they can reprimand or counsel employees when they act in an unsatisfactory manner. Nurse Managers should have the ability to express themselves in all manner of situations. The interview should be viewed as an opportunity because interviewers normally take note of interviewee’s communication skills even during the interview.
Advancement
Inform the interviewer about any additional certifications awarded and membership to professional bodies. Most employers look for nurse managers who are active in developing their careers. Ensure that the interviewer knows of any advanced degree awarded.
Aspiring nurse managers should show interviewers that they are knowledgeable in nursing practices and procedures. This is the moment when the interviewee is allowed to show off a bit by indicating how they have used their skills and knowledge in their nursing practice. They should illustrate their passion for their careers and their desire to keep advancing in their careers.
The certificates and state licenses carried to an interview should be updated. In case there are any discrepancies with the certificates, contact the local state board and ask them to resolve the problem before applying for the job.
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Jackie South is a nurse practitioner and guest author at Associates Degree in Nursing, where she contributed to the guide to the Best Online Associates Degree in Nursing Programs.