Nurse training secondment

[blueroseking]

I'm applying to do a secondment in Nursing, what can I do to increase my chances of being accepted. I'm looking for interview tips, and anything else that will help me. I've got tons of experience as a care assistant already which I think is a strong point...

[woofgang]

Where have you been a care assistant and what are your duties? What have you done over and above the job to learn more about the illnesses and disabilities of your clients and how best to help them?
Within confidentiality have ready some stories about the people you have cared for, what you did to help them or what you learned from other people and anything that might have gone better and what you learned from it. Have you got any special clinical interests, eg older people, stroke, joint replacement etc. Do some reading up before you go to interview about what interests you. Be clear about why you want to train as a nurse and what you feel you can bring to the profession and the place that employs you.
Go to the interview smartly dressed. Apologies for saying this but make sure that you and your clothes, including shoes are clean and your nails are clean, either unpolished or polish in excellent condition. Avoid or tone down extreme make up, facial piercings, extreme hairstyles. Avoid showing too much thigh or cleavage, no vest tops boob tubes etcetera. I know these things shouldn't matter but you want to maximise your chances. I used to interview regularly as part of my job, always qualified positions, either admin or clinical and you would be AMAZED at the state some people turn up in.
Make sure that your application form is spelled and punctuated correctly and that the grammar is good, Read the form carefully and fill it in correctly, again many people do not. If it is a paper form and you complete it by hand, do it carefully and keep the form clean and uncrumpled...again you'd be amazed.
Sorry if this all sounds a but brusque. You will be up against loads of other applicants and for the first couple of cuts, the shortlisters will be looking for reasons to take you off the interview list as they can't interview everyone and with respect, there will be many applications like yours. I wish you the very best of luck

[woofgang]

PS in the dress advice, I have assumed that you are female....but don't wear a boob tube if you are a guy either :-)

[rowanwitch]

Be aware of general key issues within the health service....government plans, expect a strengths and weaknesses question.... and also it is quite likely they will ask about your personal coping strategies for stress and your support network a good answer will also include you showing you will also expect to support fellow students as you will all have times when you will struggle. have you done anything academic... if not try to get on a preparation course at a local college that will fit in before the course is due to start so you can say you are on it when you have the interview if they ask what preparation you have done some colleges do things like introduction to health studies ....if you have NVQ's they are good too.

[boxtops]

blueroseking - the competition for seconded places (as against direct bursaried entry for pre-registration number) is fierce, and you will have to be able to demonstrate in your application that you are a really strong candidate, and that your becoming a nurse will be a future benefit to your sponsoring organisation.
There should be a page in the application pack where you have to make a personal statement, and this is where you can bring forward your personal qualities and your commitment to the new role, and why you want to become a registered nurse rather than to remain at HCA/Care Assistant level.
I don't know where you work at the moment but in our area, the Trusts only have a limited number of funded secondments each year, so they can afford to be very choosy and many applications can be discarded due to a weak application, without even getting to interview stage at the University. Make a strong confident application, leave nothing out, if they ask for evidence of previous courses attended, send copy certificates etc.

If you get to interview, be smart and businesslike, take your portfolio if you have one, demonstrate that you know what's involved - one of the questions is often about the amount of work involved on any long programme, and how you and your family are preparing so that you have dedicated study time (they are not allowed to discriminate e.g. if you have small children perhaps, but it helps to know that you have thought about this and you will have time to study away from uni too). (Don't be like the person I interviewed once for a nursing course, who brought a plastic carrier full of loose papers with her, and really didn't seem to understand what she might be letting herself in for - be prepared, and show that you are orderly and a good record-keeper!).
I wish you very good luck and - if you are short-listed - a good interview. Let us know how you get on!