Call Flow

Sample Interview Call Script

 1. Tell me a little about yourself and why you became a CNA / LPN / RN? 

 1) I really like working with patients and making sure they get the quality of life and care they deserve. 2)The field is personal to me as I have had family who had health issues and the care provider really helped keep their spirits up. 3) I have a family member who currently works in healthcare, and I have always wanted to work in a field where I can help others. 4) I have always found the work very engaging and interesting. I like to work in a hands-on environment where things are always changing, and we get to help others.

2. Where do you see yourself in 5 years, what are some of your goals in the healthcare field?
   1) I see myself becoming an expert in my specialty and want to continue to improve my skills. 2) I plan on progressing my license from a CNA to an LPN to improve my family’s quality of life and become a better healthcare provider. 3) I want to progress my RN license to a BSN so I can work in new specialties 4) I plan on progressing and becoming a Travel nurse so that I can enjoy new places and experiences.
    

3. Explain a time that you had to work with someone that was difficult to get along with on a co-worker or supervisor capacity. How do you handle a conflict with another staff member while on shift? 

1)I once had a coworker that always was very negative on shift. They would talk about how something was going wrong in the life such as their car breaking down, a fight with their family, or a bill they had that was passed due. I had to pull them aside to remind them that telling patients these negative things when they were stuck in bed can be considered elder abuse and how we leave and move on with our day, but they dwell on these things long after we leave. My coworker discounted what I told them and made an effort to be more negative with patients when I was around. This led me to notify my supervisor to make sure the patients were being treated properly.

4. Do you work better as a team or an individual?
   1) I prefer to work as a team, but I am very capable to work on my own when needed. 2) I like working as an individual as it allows me to completely focus on my tasks, but always welcome the extra help from fellow team members.
    

5. How do you define great customer service & what does providing excellent patient care mean to you?
   1) Great customer service to me is anticipating the needs of the patient so they don’t need to ask for the care they deserve. 2) Not only doing a great job but making sure to create a happy atmosphere to keep the patients spirit up. 3) Always making sure to go beyond the minimum to make sure patients feel cared for. 4)Providing excellent patient care to me means treating them as if they were my own family, and truly caring for their well-being & safety as if he/she were part of my family member.
    

6. Tell me about a time where you witnessed an injustice or problem in the field. How did you handle it?
   1) I once had a coworker who would always skip personal care with one patient because they were difficult. This patient was bed ridden and needed extra care including bathing, regular adjustment, and help eating. This was a serious problem as it involved the safety and wellbeing of the patient, so I brought it up with my supervisor to come up with a solution. My supervisor spoke with the provider and we ended up switching patients to ensure they got the proper care.
    

7. What would you do if you are an hour into your shift, and the Charge Nurse tells you that someone did not show up. If they ask you to change your assignment, would you?
   1) Yes, it is important to make sure the patients get the care they need, and sometimes that requires flexibility. 2) I would let the charge nurse know I would be more than happy to switch and double check who would be covering my tasks to make sure the patient gets the proper care.
    

8. It’s the end of your shift, but the person relieving you didn’t show up. What would you do if the person relieving you didn’t show up?
   1) I would make sure to notify my supervisor to make sure they were aware we were missing a provider and see what we needed to do to fix the problem. 2) I would call the person relieving to ensure they were okay and notify the supervisor of the situation. 3) I would stay to make sure that the patients were taken care of and let the supervisor know someone was missing.
    

9. How would you handle it if a patient refused care?
   1) I would take time to make sure the patient understood the need for the care and how it would impact them if they didn’t receive the care. If that didn’t work I would notify the supervisor to see what our options were. 2) I would try to find out why the patient is refusing the care, listening closely to ensure I understand what is wrong. After addressing their concerns, I then try to make sure the patient understands the importance of the treatment and walk him/her through the steps I’ll be taking during treatment and explain why it would benefit them. By calmly hearing the patient out and communicating my intentions, I find that it makes them feel more comfortable with me and willing to cooperate. In case they still refuse, I would always report it my supervisor and collectively see what our options are. 3) If a patient refused care, I’d find out why. I’d take time to talk to them, to make sure they realize I’m there to help them, and that I only want what’s best for them. I found that treating people with respect and dignity goes a long way to earning trust. However, in cases where for example I’m treating a patient with dementia, sometimes it’s best to give them space if their upset, leave and come back in 10-15 minutes to try again.
   
   (However the situation, ultimately, the patient does have the right to refuse care.)
    

10. Do you know how to use/operate a Hoyer lift and a Sit to Stand Lift?
      1) Yes, I was trained how to use those in my CNA class. 2) Yes I have used those previously at other jobs and am very familiar. 3) No but I go to a training class prior to starting to learn that skill.
     

11. When we call your previous employer what will they say about you?
    1) They would say I’m a very hard worker and that I am very dependable. 2) My previous employer would say I am very thorough and detail oriented and great at catching potential oversights. 3) My old boss would say I am very good at time management and setting the next shift up for success
     

12. What are your strengths?
    1) My number one strength is my ability to effectively communicate with patients and coworkers to keep a positive and efficient workplace. 2) My greatest strength is my passion for quality healthcare to ensure patients get the best care. 3) My strengths are my ability to problem solve and spot potential improvements.
      

13. What are your weaknesses and what actions/steps have you taken to overcome it?
    1) My biggest weakness is I am forgetful, but to help alleviate this I always have a small notebook in my pocket to keep track of the tasks I need to complete. 2) My biggest weakness is staying focused, and I alleviate that by making sure to write down my tasks and add reminders in my apple watch.
      

14. What would you do if the facility you are working at did not have the resources/supplies you need to properly do your job? How would you remedy that issue?
    1) I would notify the supervisor to ensure they knew we were low on supplies. I would check if we have a partner facility nearby to see if we could get temporary replacements while we wait on shipments.
      

15. How important is punctuality and attendance to you? Are you reliable?  

• If your shift starts at 2pm, what time would you arrive to that shift? 

• What has your attendance been like over the past 3 months? 

 1) Punctuality and attendance is very important to me as everyone needs to have a good work life balance. Part of that involves being able to plan outside of work because you and your coworkers are dependable. I am very reliable and make sure to communicate whenever anything isn’t going on schedule. If my shift starts at 2pm I try to be there at 1:45pm to get up to speed and ensure I am ready to get to work. I haven’t been late in the past three months (1 minor late call is an okay answer as we want the truth)

 16. How would you handle a racially biased client? 

 1) I would make sure to contact my representative at Actriv to let them know what is going on and check if they want me to stay for the shift or if a replacement could be arranged. 2) If it’s a patient in one of the facilities, would immediately notify my supervisor on site and contact my representative at Actriv as well.

17. Are you familiar with Electronic Charting, or Electronic Med Carts if you are a Nurse/Med Tech? If so, what electronic charting system are you familiar with?
     1) Yes I am familiar with electronic charting and have used this before at prior jobs. I have experience using Epic documentation system and Point Click Care. 2) I haven’t used this before but am open to learning new skills

18. You walk into a residents room and find them on the floor, what do you do?
    1) Call the charge nurse and check their pulse and airways to ensure they are alive. Would not move the patient until they were cleared to be moved.

19. What are your preferred shifts? Available day, evening, NOC? Full-time, Part-time, On-call? 

1) My preferred shifts are NOC and I am willing to work other pre-arranged shifts as needed. 2) I have open availability and am willing to work on call when needed. 3) I need to work day shifts as I have children. 3) I want to work part-time to make sure I like the company and then I may transition over.

20. How far are you willing to drive from your home for a shift and when is your first available start date?
    1) I like to drive 25mi or less to ensure I have time to recover before the next shift starts and am available to start after I give my two weeks notice to my current employer. 2) I am only willing to go 5mi from my location as I am in the process of getting new means of transportation. I am able to start immediately though as I have just moved to the area.
    
    

21. In terms of expected pay, what are you looking for?
    1) I am currently making x amount and would like to make x amount. (CNA cap $23-26/hr, LPN $35-45/hr, RN $50-54/hr

22. Any questions for me? 

Screening Call Script 

Recruiter:

Hi Dominique, this is Natalie with Actriv Healthcare Staffing. How are doing today?

Candidate:

 I’m well, thank you.

Recruiter:

 Wonderful! Well I’m giving you a call today because you expressed interest in our current CNA positions we have open in Portland, OR. You had applied via Indeed. First I’d like to know how much you know about us?

Candidate:

 Not much, I just saw your ad on Indeed and applied.

Recruiter:

 No worries, I’d love to tell you more about us. First off, we are a workforce solutions management company, what that just means is that we staff for our clients. So we don’t own any of these facilities, they belong to our clients. Our clients are typically Long Term Care facilities, Skill Nursing facilities, we do have a several Assisted Living facilities and Memory Care units… but the majority of what we specialize in is the Geriatric population, the elderly. With that being said, do you have any experience in those settings?

Candidate:

 Yes, I currently work in a Long Term Care facility in Vancouver, WA.

Recruiter:

 Oh perfect! Well our office is located here in Vancouver, WA and we also have offices in Tacoma and Downtown Seattle. We service all of the PNW, and our office here in particular is currently looking for CNAs to fill our clients in the greater Metro Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington areas. However, due to the nature of our business, since we don’t own any of these facilities, we are not able to offer any training or ramp up period and looking for people who can “hit the ground running” at any of our client’s facilities. So we are looking for people with at least 1 year of experience and are able to confidently handle the patient loads that our clients require. So Dominque, how many total years of CNA experience do you have and which states do you currently hold an active CNA license in?

Candidate:

 I am dual licensed in both OR & WA. I’ve been a CNA for 10 years, but was a caregiver for my father who had a stroke 5 years prior to that so I’ve been in healthcare for a very long time. I’ve worked for acute hospital settings, skilled nursing facilities, and even a correctional facility. So I feel very confident in handling any patient load you put me into!

Recruiter:

 That is great to hear! And just so you know, we are a per diem company so we can’t guarantee shifts, but if you stay flexible in where you’re willing to go and are willing to take any shifts (Day, Eve & Nocs), then we definitely have full time availability for you. With that being said, are you looking for fulltime, part time, or per diem hours?

Candidate:

 Well I live in Ridgefield, WA but I’m willing to travel anywhere within 45 mins from my home. I do currently have another job, as I mentioned earlier, where I work fulltime. So for right now, I’m only looking for per diem or part time hours to pick up on my days off from there. I was hoping to give agency work a try and if it works out well, I was thinking of possibly transitioning to a full time status with you guys instead.

Recruiter:

 We definitely would love to get you started with us and help you work your way to a full time status. The perks of working with us is that we let you build your own schedule and choose where you work, so we offer you the flexibility to work as much as you need and earn as much hours as you want. Dominique, you sound like someone we would want on our team. Now the next step is to formally apply on our company website or better yet, download our Actriv App. Have you done so yet?

Candidate:

 No I have not.

Recruiter:

 Not a problem, if you go ahead and give me your email address, I can go ahead and set you up with a welcome letter that will give you access to our online application portal. What is your email address?

Candidate:

 My email is DominiqueIsTheBest@gmail.com

Recruiter:

 Thank you so much! While I get you set up with the link, this would be the perfect time for you to download our App, and I’d love to briefly walk you through some of the important items.

***(give them a couple seconds to down load it)***

Now on the online portal, you’ll want to complete all the pre-hire documents, skills checklist and a core comprehensive test (which consists of your typical HIPAA & Safety questionnaire). We will need all those items completed before we can move forward with the interview. Do you think you’ll be able to complete all those items tonight? If so, I’d love to schedule you in for an interview tomorrow. 

Candidate:

 No unfortunately I am working a NOC shift tonight and will not be able to complete it until Wednesday evening. 

Recruiter:

 No worries, in that case, will Thursday at 11am for an interview work for you?

Candidate:

 That works great for me!

Recruiter:

 Fantastic, I will go ahead and send you an email confirmation for our in-person interview on Thursday, 12/10 at 11am. On the email you’ll see a list of credentialing items that you’ll want to start sending over to me or you must bring the documents in with you on the day of your interview. They are your basic hiring documents like your CPR, First Aid & Food Handlers card, proof of 2-step TB,  Immunization records and any continuing education & training certifications you may have. This way we can expedite your hiring process! Could you please make sure you get those items to me ASAP?

Candidate:

 Sounds good, will do!

Recruiter:

 Wonderful, well if you have any questions or concerns regarding anything on the online portal please don’t hesitate to reach out to me and I’ll be more than happy to help. Again, thank you Dominique for you time and we look forward to meeting with you on Thursday!