I am new to traveling and I will soon be interviewing for some possible travel assignments. I was wondering what are some important questions to ask the hospital or nurse manager? Also, what should I be looking for during the conversation?
There are a few things of importance in the initial interview. First, you need to make sure this is a unit in which you are comfortable working. Is it along your line of experience? Do you they use any specialized equipment? (vents, swans, balloon pumps, etc), What is their normal patient population and the acuity of the patients (and again, is this something with which you normally deal)? As long as you get the sense that it is within your experience level, go for it.
Also bring up any requirements you might have (such as time off) and then make sure your recruiter writes it into the contract. I knew one nurse that had it written into her contract that she be scheduled off for Superbowl Sunday. Ask about working weekends (do they require a certain amount of w/e shifts each month)? Ask about how they schedule (do you put in requests, or is it self scheduling)?
Another good topic for review is floating and what their protocol might be (often, travelers float first). You can also verify some info that your recruiter might have given you already. A simple question like, "now this position is for twelve hour night shifts, correct?" can do this.
Otherwise, these questions should be about what you want to know. Even if I gave you a list of things to ask, some might not be important to you. Write down a list of questions you want to ask BEFORE you get on the phone with them. Also remember to keep your list with you if you give them a cell phone number (you never know when they might call). I once recall having to step out of a nightclub to conduct a phone interview because I really wanted the position and didn't want to miss the call (there was a six hour time zone difference and it was still during business hours there).
Bottom line, find out what you want to know and just be honest with your experience. Don't inflate your knowledge or experience or you might find yourself thousands of miles away from home working in a unit that is way over your head. However, you should not be afraid to highlight the experience you do have.
Being a Peds nurse, I will also ask about their family visitation policies, e.g., "Do you allow one or two parents to stay overnight with the child?" Ask about uniform requirements as some facilities require specific colors of scrubs for each discipline. I will also ask about staffing ratios, availability of overtime and discuss scheduling preferences with the interviewer. I will also discuss any special time off needs and then tell my recruiter to include it in the contract if I get a verbal agreement. Also include the name of the interviewer approving the time off.
