Professional Interview
Name of Interviewer: Jhonestiee Howard
Name of Interviewee: Laquion Rodriguez
Occupation/Specialty/Facility or Location of work: Trauma ICU RN at BAMC
Prior to interview- Why are you seeking to enter this field of work? What do you think will be your biggest strength and weakness in this occupation? What will be the most rewarding part of this job? What will be the most difficult aspect to handle? (150 words)
I am wanting to enter this field in order to change lives. I have never been driven by the money aspect of the nursing field. I have always had an innate want to help people in any way possible. I feel that one of the most rewarding fields is nursing in any form. I believe that my biggest strength would be my ability to think on my toes, and my greatest weakness would probably be the need for a system to work from, however, I am able to accommodate to anything that is thrown my way. The ability to help people in their time of need seems to be a very rewarding part of the job. The most difficult aspect to handle may be loss. I do not know how I will cope with the loss of patients since I have never been in that position before.
Interview Questions
Why did you decide to be a Trauma ICU RN?
It seemed like the right thing to do at the time because it is the top of the food chain. Elite of the nursing status for bedside. It was my initial choice.
What is the most rewarding part of your job?
Taking care of patients, working with families
What is the hardest part of your job?
Sometimes, it can be very stressful. Depending on what kind of patient you get it can push you to the limits.
Is your job stressful? How do you handle the stress and demands of your day?
It is not too stressful. It’s a good stress but high intensity. Good teamwork is what gets you through it.
What is your greatest skill as a Trauma ICU RN?
Communication; communication is key. you have to be able to communicate with docs (doctors), MP (military police), Pas (physician’s assistants), coworkers... Be mindful of things you say. Nursing is a sensitive world and you can work with people who have great personalities and you get some people where it’s just horrible due to personalities. I worked medical ICU, surgical ICU, Cath (catheter) lab, and now trauma ICU. It’s like marriage; you go home and watch your partner slowly change, and you have to slowly change with them.
What is your greatest weakness as a Trauma ICU RN?
Talking too much. Sometimes you have to realize you have things to do. You can get yourself into a situation where it’ll put you behind on the work you have to do.
What are the best and worst things about the place you work?
I’m retired military, so still being a part of that community/ family would be the best part. Worst part would be taking care of civilians (non-military). It’s a different kind of stress level and more intense. You don’t know what you’re getting.
What does a typical day at work look like for you?
Pretty much, you know you’re going to take care of complex patients. So, when you wake up you know you have to give it your all, be on you’re a- game, get into your rhythm, and take care of patients the best you can.
What would your dream job be?
Being Snoop Dogg lol jk: if I could do something different it would be Marine Biology, I have a minor in Marine Biology.
If you had to start all over again, would you choose the same career? Why?
Probably not, I think there are other careers that would be better for me. I probably would have gone into a different career field that is more exciting when you go to work. Something is not dependent on you or vice versa. Nursing is like if you can’t wake up in the morning it hurts the overall mission.
Post-Interview reflection- What was the most unexpected thing you learned about this career field? How did your interviewee’s answers compare to your initial impression of this job? Has your opinion or attitude towards this career option changed? What skills do you think you need to improve so you are the best candidate for a career in this field? (300 words)
The most unexpected thing I learned about this career as a Trauma ICU RN is that a lot of the nurses find it mundane after a period of time. It is understandable that if you are working the same job in the same place you tend to establish a routine, but I thought that in a job that has to do with trauma you would have a lot of unexpected things coming your way. My interviewee’s answers put the job into a different light compared to the initial impression I had of the job. As I previously stated, I thought the job would be a lot of on the go and adhering to a lot of change throughout the day. Although there is a lot happening through the day, there is a lot that can be expected with each case that is presented. My interviewee came from a financial standpoint with this job which is something that a lot of nurses still do, so that is understandable. My opinion of the job did not change after the interview; however, I feel that in order to prevent the feeling of being stagnant, I could seriously consider options such as travel nursing in my future. A skill I need to improve on in order to survive in this field is being sure about the decisions I am making. In this field, someone’s life is in your hand and they are trusting that you know what you are doing and are confident in your knowledge. I need to work on being more confident and not second guess the decisions I am making.