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Jaymes Buttrey

Career Research Interview Part 2


Communication 1010
Feb. 27, 2015

Interview Analysis Memo

TO: Professor Joel Campbell


FROM: Jaymes Buttrey
SUBJECT: Interview Analysis Memo
DATE: 02/27/2015
I work with many top notch nurses at Primary Childrens Hospital. I was able to
interview Michelle Bowen, RN BSN for my career research assignment. I have been working in
healthcare for 10 years now as a Certified Nurses Assistant, and have decided to obtain my RN.
After completing my pre-requisites from SLCC, I plan on applying for nursing school.
Although I have been working with nurses for many years now, it was nice to be able to sit down
with Michelle and ask her formal questions about her experience with school and as a nurse. My
research on nursing and my interview are presented in this memo. This is what I learned about
my future career:
PRE-NURSING/SCHOOLING
It takes 4 years to finish school with a nursing degree (BSN.) This is not always the case
for every individual. In my interview, I learned nursing wasnt always what Michelle wanted to
do. She originally wanted to be a Physian Assistant. She attended two different universities and
changed her major twice. She was in school a total of 6 years. This is the second time I have
attempted a degree. The first time I went to college, I was going for a degree in dance. Not
everyone goes the traditional route, and that is okay.
Nursing school can be very strenuous. Some students decide not to work while they are
going to school. Michelle maintained employment while going to school. She went down to parttime during nursing school, and advised me to do the same. She worked in healthcare which gave
her experience and helped her gain employment after school. I am working in healthcare now
which I feel will help me both during school and after.
NURSING EXPERIENCE
Nursing is very diverse, and the opportunities are endless. Experience gives you a
different perspective. Before entering the workforce, Michelle thought nursing was a clean-up
job. That changed when she became a nurse. Nurses can work in lots of different fields and many

do work in multiple fields throughout their careers. Michelle has worked with both pediatrics and
adults now.
Tasks in nursing depend on the setting and can range from medication administration,
operating medical equipment, coordinating cares, and assessing symptoms. A typical shift at
Primary Childrens Hospital for Michelle starts by coming on shift and getting report from the
current nurse. She will then plan her 12 hour shift by deciding which patient she needs to see
first. Assessments follow with her med pass and getting patients settled for the evening. I asked
her how she stays on task with all the things she has to do. She said, I keep a checklist, and
accomplish things during slower periods, even if they can wait until later.
Although nursing can be stressful, there are many things that make it a great career.
Michelle loves going home at the end of her shift knowing she made a difference. She sees
children get better, and she helped with that. Michelles advice for me when I become a nurse:
remember the really good days, remember its okay to make mistakes, and do something you
love.
FUTURE
Nursing is expected to grow from 2012 to 2022 by 19%. This is a great outlook for me,
considering I will be entering my career as a nurse in 2018. The mean wage for a nurse in 2012
was $65,000. This means a significant salary increase that will help me maintain my own
independence when Im done with school.
Nursing doesnt have to stop at becoming an RN. Education can continue at any point in
your life. Some people enjoy constantly being challenged. Michelle wants to go back to school
eventually and get her degree as a Nurse Practitioner. She realizes that her body cant take being
a floor nurse in a hospital for the rest of her career. Because of the vast opportunities in nursing,
she has many options. Her dream job would be working as an NP in an office setting, in a small
community, where she knows all her patients and their families.
CLEARINGHOUSE
I was given some valuable advice from Michelle during our interview. During school, I
should find friends to study with. If nothing else, it will allow me to vent and be around others
that are sharing the same experience as me. One of the important things to remember during
school is that it is just a stepping stone, not real life. School is the step I must take in order to
reach my goals.
Qualities that make a good nurse: great communication, willingness to teach, compassion
that is obvious, thoroughness, and taking the time to do the little things.

ANALYSIS OF NURSING AS MY CAREER CHOICE


From my interview with Michelle, I learned some really important things that will help
me in my schooling and career. It is okay that I am almost 30 years old and just finishing up my
education. Many people change their minds about what career they want to be in. I learned it is
okay to not be perfect. It is okay to get a B instead of an A. Its okay to make mistakes.
I am already making great strides in the right direction. Because I have been working in
healthcare for the last 10 years, I have a head start with the knowledge I have already gained. I
have a growing network of people to help me. I have gained those real life experiences that you
can only gain through doing them, and I have the characteristics it takes to be a great nurse. It
feels like I am finally making my career a reality by taking the step of going back to school after
an eight year break.
ANALYSIS OF MY INTERVIEWING PROCESS
It was interesting being on the other side of the interview process. Being my first time
interviewing, I learned my strengths and weaknesses. One of my weaknesses is time
management. At first, I thought I would run out of questions before the 30 minutes was up. I
needed to rehearse my interview better. This may have given me a better idea of how long I
actually need to spend on each section of the interview. Another thing I should work on is not
getting side tracked with my own ideas and experiences. During the interview process, I found
myself sharing my own experiences and stories instead of focusing strictly on Michelle and what
she was saying.
It was very easy keeping an easy going feel during the interview. One of my strengths is
making people feel at ease and comfortable. I didnt need to probe for more information because
my interviewee felt comfortable communicating with me. Even though I knew Michelle prior to
our interview, I was able to keep it very professional. Another thing I did during the interview
was recall the information she was giving me. This not only helped her feel like I was truly
listening, but it helped me make sure I was understanding her correctly.
I prepared a thank you card before the interview and gave it to Michelle after we finished.

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