James is nearing the end of his associate degree nursing program and is interested in pursuing his first nursing employment opportunity within his community. He has a professional goal of becoming a nurse anesthetist and would like to start as a new graduate in the intensive care unit. He has interviews at three acute care organizations for various ICU positions.

Reflective Questions

1. Prior to the interview process, what employment elements should James consider in relation to each position?
2. What should James research regarding potential employers before his interviews?
3. List important questions for nurses to ask potential employers during the interview process?
4. Considering Benner’s Novice to Expert theory, what skills sets might be helpful for James to obtain before starting a position in the ICU and working towards becoming a nurse anesthetist?

As James considers the various positions in each organization, he should take time to learn about the populations served and size of the organizations. Certain patient populations may be more beneficial to James’s professional development as he progresses in his goal of becoming a nurse anesthetist and, therefore, James should consider what background experience he will gain with each position. Additionally, James should ask potential employers regarding the orientation process within each organization. Intensive care positions can be challenging roles for new graduates, and it is important that James has an understanding of the method of orientation used in the ICU training process. James may also be interested in learning more about tuition reimbursement to facilitate his ongoing education and support from the organization for his continued education.