Locate 1 master\'s prepared nurse and interview them to learn more about the role and the responsibilities of this position.
You will need to prepare a set of interview questions prior to your interview. A list of sample interview questions is provided; however, you should develop your own set of questions based on what you wish to learn about this role.
When developing your questions, feel free to share them in the discussion with others as well.
Include at least 2 references to research sources.
Sample Interview Questions
What is your current role? Describe your responsibilities in this role.
How long have you been in this role?
How do you see your role as a master’s prepared nurse enacted differently from what you were doing as a baccalaureate prepared registered nurse (RN)?
What do you find to be most rewarding about your role? Which aspects of nursing do you find to be most satisfying or enjoyable, and why?
What do you find to be most challenging or difficult about your role? How do you motivate yourself to get through such difficulties?
Discuss your role when
working collaboratively with other member of the healthcare management team. What challenges do you face with interdisciplinary collaboration?
How do you stay current within the nursing field? What publications do you read? What research findings interest you?
Unit 4 Discussion Board: Interview
Advanced practice nurses possess competencies that they can apply to perform roles that junior nurses cannot perform. DeNisco (2015) recognizes the emerging roles that advanced practice nurses can perform. The best way to understand what these roles entail is to interview incumbents in those positions. This assignment presents the results of an interview with an Operating Room Manager, Natalie Montoya.
Interview Questions and Responses
What is your current role? Describe your responsibilities in this role.
I am currently an Operating Room Manager of a Level 1 Trauma Center in Orange County, CA. I have numerous responsibilities which I accomplish to ensure the effective performance of my unit. Five major functions that I execute as an Operating Room Manager include;
- Maintaining the operating room in compliance with documented regulations and policies
- Promoting effective staffing management
- Developing and monitoring operating room standards of practice
- Ensuring safe patient care and supporting quality improvement initiatives
- Maintaining a high level of communication and collaboration
How long have you been in this role?
I have been an Operating Room Manager for 17 years and I have been a nurse for 25 years.
What academic qualifications do you have that allowed you to be accepted in this role?
I have a Master of Science degree in nursing. Being a masters-prepared nurse, I have gained advanced knowledge, skills, and competencies that have been useful in my role as an Operating Room Manager.
How do you see your role as a master’s prepared nurse enacted differently from what you were doing as a baccalaureate prepared registered nurse (RN)?
My roles as a master’s prepared nurse (MSN) are very different from what I was doing as a baccalaureate prepared nurse (RN). The main difference between the roles of an MSN-prepared nurse and a baccalaureate-prepared nurse is that the roles of an RN are primarily focused on hands-on practice in the healthcare setting whereas those of an MSN nurse revolve around leadership, administration, and nursing education. I no longer engage in direct patient care like I used to do when I was a baccalaureate prepared nurse.
What do you find to be most rewarding about your role? Which aspects of nursing do you find to be most satisfying or enjoyable, and why?
The most rewarding thing about my role is that I am able to lead teams and participate in decision-making on matters regarding quality improvement in the Operating Room. I use the opportunity to enhance healthcare quality and patient safety in the Operating Room. I am committed to leading the Operating Room toward zero harm as recommended by the Joint Commission (The Joint Commission, 2022). The key aspect of nursing that I find to be the most satisfying or enjoyable is involving patients in decision-making when designing quality improvement initiatives. The reason this aspect is enjoyable is that it enables me to design and implement changes that have direct positive impacts on patients.
What do you find to be most challenging or difficult about your role? How do you motivate yourself to get through such difficulties?
The most challenging thing about my role is streamlining operations within a system whose success depends on the contributions of multidisciplinary teams. For example, it is sometimes challenging to convince the organization’s leadership to release funds to support the implementation of a quality improvement project in the operating room. What motivates me to get through such obstacles is the presence of published evidence that I always use to convince the leadership about the importance of such projects to the organization.
Discuss your role when working collaboratively with other members of the healthcare management team. What challenges do you face with interdisciplinary collaboration?
My role when working collaboratively with other members of the healthcare management team is to offer direction. I rely on the organization’s mission and vision to develop goals that members of the healthcare management team should work towards achieving. One challenge that sometimes affects the success of interdisciplinary collaboration is resistance from some members who may have contrary opinions regarding projects that are supported by the team.
What are some of the adverse events that commonly occur in your work environment which you strive to mitigate?
Adverse events commonly encountered in the operating room are both immediate and delayed events. Examples of immediate adverse events in the operating room are medication reactions and fire. Central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) are examples of delayed adverse events in the operating room. In their article, Wahr (2021) indicated that adverse events are indeed a big threat to patient safety in the Operating Room. I work collaboratively with other members of the healthcare management team to prevent both immediate and delayed adverse events.
To what extent do you use information and communication technology tools and evidence-based practice (EBP) in your role?
I use information and communication technology tools to a large extent in my role as an Operating Room Manager. I ensure that patients’ health records are properly stored and updated on the electronic health records (EHRs) technology. Healthcare professionals in my unit use the EHR system to provide a coordinated care to patients. To enhance quality and safety in the operating room, I ensure that all patient care activities and quality improvement initiatives are informed by best practice evidence.
Conclusion
The roles and responsibilities of masters-prepared nurses revolve around leadership, nursing education, and organizational administration. These are different from those of a baccalaureate-prepared nurse which primarily focus on hands-on practice. Master’s-prepared nurses perform advanced roles that aim to enhance quality and patient safety.
References