any advice on er tech interviews?...

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huzzfuzz

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i'm scheduled for one on thursday and i'm freaked outta my mind!...i truly truly want this job!...i've been a cna now for only about 8 months so i really don't feel all that qualified...i don't have any hospital experience whatsoever!...yet anyway...if anyone has any advice...any at all...i'd really appreciate it!...:(

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Be professional. Convey your excitement to assist patients with whatever they need (a major portion of the ERT's job). Talk about being eager to be part of the patient care team. But first and foremost, relax! Good luck.
 
thank you so much for that reply!...yeah, i'm trying to relax...it hasn't been easy so far...do i need to read up on anything before i go?...i mean, will they ask me questions pertaining to my knowledge of the field or will the q's be more hypothetical?...
 
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thank you so much for that reply!...yeah, i'm trying to relax...it hasn't been easy so far...do i need to read up on anything before i go?...i mean, will they ask me questions pertaining to my knowledge of the field or will the q's be more hypothetical?...

I've had both types of interviews. Most of them seem to ask basic questions about your qualifications. A few asked me paramedic-type questions (although they knew I am a medic), a la "A four year old is having severe trouble breathing. She appears to be in a lot of distress with and you know she needs to be seen in the ED. The parents are refusing to let you transport her. What do you do?"

Don't worry, though. If the position you applied to doesn't list "paramedic" as a requirement, they shouldn't ask you questions like that. Perhaps other ethical questions, like "A man comes into the ED with multiple gunshot wounds. After he passes away, a police officer asks you for his name so he can 'notify the next of kin.' What do you do?"
 
oh i see...thanks alot for your input!...it's really appreciated...:)
 
"A four year old is having severe trouble breathing. She appears to be in a lot of distress with and you know she needs to be seen in the ED. The parents are refusing to let you transport her. What do you do?"
"A man comes into the ED with multiple gunshot wounds. After he passes away, a police officer asks you for his name so he can 'notify the next of kin.' What do you do?"

For the first question, I would just try to first figure out why the parents are unwilling to transport her daughter and I would convince them to let me transport her. If they don't get convinced, then I'll just forcefully take her to the ED.. LOL
For the second one, I would just tell the man's name to the police officer. Is there something wrong with doing so?
But my approach to the questions seems unprofessional and strange.

What would be appropriate answers for the two questions?
Any tips on increasing your EQ (Ethics Quotient) and PQ (Professionalism Quotient)?
Seriously, I have no clue how I can answer questions like that.
Would this mean I'm not suitable for the field of medicine?
Is it just me, or are those kinds of questions typically considered difficult?

I'm aware that you have to be professional and enthusiastic in answering such interview questions. But it's easier said than done.
 
My (unsuccessful) ER tech interview included a lot of "tell me about a time when you discovered that waiting for information before doing something was more important than doing something immediately." "Tell me about a time you disagreed with a superior."

My interviewer seemed particularly cognizant of two things:
1) most EMTs and paramedics want to do more than allowed in the hospital setting
2) average job duration for ER techs at that hospital was six-nine months, as most are on their way to nursing school or other career advancement

As a newly minted EMT with no health care experience, I was told they did not have enough experienced people to hire someone without experience at that time. (I may have just gotten a courtesy interview due to a doc friend who made a couple calls.)

I don't want to do transport EMS, so I've taken to applying to non-ER patient care tech jobs. However, they want CNAs for those. It's ridiculous that someone who's undecided between med and PA school would choose med because they couldn't find a hospital job, but it's helping a little. Hospital HR departments are a nightmare.
 
For the first question, I would just try to first figure out why the parents are unwilling to transport her daughter and I would convince them to let me transport her. If they don't get convinced, then I'll just forcefully take her to the ED.. LOL
For the second one, I would just tell the man's name to the police officer. Is there something wrong with doing so?
But my approach to the questions seems unprofessional and strange.

What would be appropriate answers for the two questions?
Any tips on increasing your EQ (Ethics Quotient) and PQ (Professionalism Quotient)?
Seriously, I have no clue how I can answer questions like that.
Would this mean I'm not suitable for the field of medicine?
Is it just me, or are those kinds of questions typically considered difficult?

I'm aware that you have to be professional and enthusiastic in answering such interview questions. But it's easier said than done.

for the first question i don't think that you can force them to take her or let you take her...if you feel her life is at stake then i suppose you could call the police or something and have them give consent...but since the child is a minor or whatever you can't just forcefully do what you want...you have to get permission from someone higher than you...like child services or something...i think i saw a scenario like this on er or law and order...lol...hardcore sources in short...

as for the second question you would direct the officer to the nurse or doctor in charge...it has to do with hipaa or something..about not releasing personal info without the patient's consent...i think anyway...
 
My (unsuccessful) ER tech interview included a lot of "tell me about a time when you discovered that waiting for information before doing something was more important than doing something immediately." "Tell me about a time you disagreed with a superior."

My interviewer seemed particularly cognizant of two things:
1) most EMTs and paramedics want to do more than allowed in the hospital setting
2) average job duration for ER techs at that hospital was six-nine months, as most are on their way to nursing school or other career advancement

As a newly minted EMT with no health care experience, I was told they did not have enough experienced people to hire someone without experience at that time. (I may have just gotten a courtesy interview due to a doc friend who made a couple calls.)

I don't want to do transport EMS, so I've taken to applying to non-ER patient care tech jobs. However, they want CNAs for those. It's ridiculous that someone who's undecided between med and PA school would choose med because they couldn't find a hospital job, but it's helping a little. Hospital HR departments are a nightmare.

so they wanted someone who would obey orders at all time?...
 
so they wanted someone who would obey orders at all time?...

Well, pretty much every employer is going to want that.

I think mainly what everyone is so strict about in the ED, just like with transport EMS, is liability. You need to make sure you're not violating HIPAA and that you're not going outside your protocols or scope of practice, because that patient you're treating that day could be sueing you another just because he/she decided they didn't want to work anymore and would rather just make money off someone else.
 
How was the interview and did you get the job?
 
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