1224 PN Ch 14

A licensed practical/vocational nurse (LP/VN) wants to secure a position at a well-known health care institution as a team leader and wants to impress the employer, so that his or her letter of application will be chosen over numerous other

applicants wanting the position in the geriatric specialty unit. Which of the following should the LP/VN include in the letter of application to best persuade the potential employer?

• A) Briefly identify the qualifications in the letter and how the candidate will best serve the position: “I am applying for the team leader position on the geriatric specialty unit. I have 10 years of experience in geriatric nursing with certification in geriatrics maintained for more than 8 years. I have served as a team leader for past 5 years, and look forward to providing excellent service as a team leader in the geriatric specialty unit at Hospital Excellence.”

• B) Briefly identify experience in all areas of nursing in the letter: “I am applying for the team leader position on the geriatric specialty unit with 5 years of experience in pediatrics; 3 years in obstetrics, and 10 years of experience in geriatrics with current certification in geriatrics, and currently serve as a team leader on the geriatric rehab unit.”

• C) Include a detailed explanation of the qualifications and how the LP/VN will serve the institution as the best possible candidate, and include leadership and management strengths.

• D) Explain the involvement in professional organizations and how the nurse best serves the needs of geriatric nurses and the clients through exercising political voice.

Answer explanation

Feedback: The nurse should include in the application letter, which is no longer than one page, the desired position being applied for and the specific qualifications the nurse offers to meet the expectations for that career. The nurse should include all areas of previous experience as a nurse and involvement with professional organizations in the resume and not include these items in the application letter. The goal of the application letter is to spark the interest of the employer, and if this occurs, the resume will be read. The nurse should not share a detailed explanation of the qualifications the nurse offers to serve as the best possible candidate

5. Access to health care in the United States is a national concern. The licensed practical/vocational nurse can most directly influence legislation by:

• A) reading about legislation related to various issues.

• B) explaining your views to your coworkers.

• C) joining a national organization.

• D) getting elected to a public office.

Answer explanation

Feedback: Election would allow a person to write as well as influence legislation. The other cited activities facilitate involvement in public life and the political process but do not allow a person to direct legislation.

6. A licensed practical/vocational nurse plans on being active in nursing. Which activity best serves this goal?

• A) Practice safe and effective nursing practice to help make a crucial difference one client’s life at a time.

• B) Continue a lifelong pursuit to keep up-to-date in nursing and use the best evidence to guide practice at the bedside.

• B) Continue a lifelong pursuit to keep up-to-date in nursing and use the best evidence to guide practice at the bedside.

• D) Join a professional organization and initiate activities that advance the profession of nursing.

Answer explanation

Feedback: The best way for the nurse to serve the goal of being active in nursing is to join a professional organization and initiate activities that will advance the profession of nursing. The nurse is active as a nurse when practicing safe and effective nursing practice and caring for clients. The nurse is active as a nurse by keeping up-to-date in practice, which provides safe and efficient practice care for clients. The nurse is active as a nurse caring for clients by maintaining a sharp sense of cultural, ethical, and legal reasoning. The nurse working with a professional organization initiates activities (lobbying; continuing education) that advance the profession.

7. Several of the nurse’s coworkers constantly report about everything, and they try to get the nurse to join them. The nurse has always been a happy and positive person and wants to enjoy his or her time at work, especially since this is his or her first job. What should be an appropriate first step in the situation?

• A) Let the coworker know that he or she will work with them but that he or she doesn’t wish to join them in complaining.

• B) Ask for a transfer to another unit within the facility where the staff is more positive.

• C) Discuss his or her concerns with his or her nurse manager or the unit supervisor.

• D) Contact a nursing organization with his or her concerns.

Answer explanation

Feedback: Assertive behavior that clearly lets the coworkers know that the nurse will not now or ever be joining their group but the nurse will certainly be able to work with them. This is the nurse’s first job and leaving it would have a negative impact on the nurse and nurse’s resume. Being assertive should precede the involvement of a manager. A nursing organization would be unlikely to help.

16. A newly graduated licensed practical/vocational nurse plans to interview for several potential career opportunities. The nurse is apprehensive about working on a busy medical–surgical unit. The nurse wants to use the interview process to decide which employer will fit the nurse’s needs. Which question is most important to ask during the interview process?

• A) “How many clients are assigned to each nurse, and what additional expectations do you have for a staff nurse position?”

• B) “How do you determine the acuity level of the clients and staffing ratios, and how do you provide breaks for the nurses?”

• C) “May I see a job description for the position, and what type of orientation and mentoring process do you provide?”

• D) “What style of nursing care delivery model does your unit use, and what team members are used to provide nursing care?”

Answer explanation

Feedback: The nurse is apprehensive about working on a busy medical–surgical nursing unit as a new graduate nurse, and the best question when comparing job offers is “May I see a job description for the position, and what type of orientation and mentoring process do you provide?” This answer address that the job description’s expectations for the nursing position, and asking about the orientation and mentoring process will help the nurse to judge if the unit is the right fit or not. When comparing the available places for employment, the nurse needs to request to see expectations in writing in the job description, and assignments for the staff nurse may be different than the assignment for a new nurse in orientation. Asking “How do you determine the acuity level of the clients and staffing ratios, and how do you provide breaks for the nurses?” or “What style of nursing care delivery model does your unit use, and what team members are used to provide nursing care?” do not address orientation or mentoring to help the new nurse to acclimate to the unit and caring for the particular client population.

A new graduate nurse applies for a physician’s office licensed

practical/vocational nurse position. The nurse has no training in bookkeeping, clerical duties, or phlebotomy. During the interview which is the most important question for the nurse to ask?

• A) “What is the scheduling process, and what breaks are provided?”

• B) “What specific duties does this position require of the nurse to perform?”

• C) “Do you provide additional training for any skills I may not possess?”

• D) “Who is the supervisor I will report to and take orders from while working here?”

Answer explanation

Feedback: The nurse’s most important question to ask is what specific duties will the position require the nurse to perform because an office nurse may provide nursing care to clients and other staff handle the other tasks of an office, or the nurse may have a wide gamete of tasks to perform, including desk reception, scheduling appointments, obtaining labs and specimens, helping the physician, or collecting payments for the visit.