Nurse Practitioners (NPs) and Physician Assistants (PAs) are quickly becoming a cornerstone (or THE cornerstone) to many healthcare practices across the nation. The explosion of access to healthcare insurance with the Affordable Care Act in 2010 saw organizations and practices scrambling to add advanced-practice nurses and physician assistants to all areas of medicine. At the same time, programs for nurse practitioners were expanding at impressive rates to allow more options for registered nurses to advance their education over a variety of platforms and venues, such as online or hybrid curriculums. With so many job opportunities open to clinicians, how does one narrow-down the choice of jobs that are being offered? The Reverse Interview can be the answer.
The job application process should include time for an interview (if it doesn’t, DO NOT take the job!) where the hiring employer asks both direct and behavioral questions of the interviewee. Direct questions are those related to verifiable information such as where the candidate attended nursing school/NP school, clinical procedures performed, etc. Behavioral questions are more subjective and may include lead-ins such as “Tell me about a time…” Or “Here is the scenario…” where the interviewee is expected to describe how they would handle a challenge or even provide a differential diagnosis. These types of questions can also be used by the interviewee toward the hiring organization and manager during the “Do you have any questions for us” section of the discussion.
Enter the Reverse Interview.
By getting answers to these questions, candidates will be able to know if the organization or practice is a good fit before they start in the role. Some examples include:
- Tell me what a typical day looks like for NPs/PAs in the clinic.
- How many patients do the NPs/PAs typically see in a morning and afternoon unit?
- How would you describe the practice authority in this setting?
- How many NPs and physician assistants work in this practice?
- If I need a physician to consult on a patient, what is the process?
- If a physician sees my patient as a consult, am I expected to trade a patient from the physician’s schedule?
- What is the turnover rate for staff? What is contributing to those rates?
- What does Medical Assistant (MA) or Scribe support look like in this office?
- How many providers does each MA support?
- Are there RNs who work in this office or department? What is their role?
- What type of leader are you?
- If I am not familiar with, or I wish to learn a new procedure to support the patient population in the clinical setting, what type of proctoring is available?
- How often are the oversight documents such as a Standardized Procedure updated? (state dependent)
- Does the organization use separate written protocols or is there a reference manual? (state dependent)
- What is the process if there is an emergency in the clinic?
- When I am on vacation, what is the process to make sure diagnostic results are reviewed?
By asking direct qualifying questions of the prospective employer, candidates seeking the ideal job can get a feel for how the clinical setting is operationalized and decide if it is a good fit. Unfortunately, too many clinicians find themselves quickly disenchanted with a role when it is not what they expected. Ideally, hiring organizations are honest and revealing in their answers during the reverse interview to provide a true reflection of the setting and help set expectations for the clinician. Knowing exactly what you’re heading into will allow for a positive and smooth transition into the organization with the hope of career longevity.
Catherine Burger, BSN, MSOL, RN is a board-certified executive nurse leader and contributing writer for www.RegisteredNursing.org.