Mrs. J23  is an RN with just under 1 year experience. She has two jobs currently (one FT at a Detox center and one per-diem at a clinic) but wants to work in a hospital.  

She is going for a job interview at a local hospital for a Med/Surg position and is nervous.

My question for ya'll is what types of questions might she be asked? Are there usual questions that usually get covered in an interview?

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.

Well it will probably depend on a lot of things (like if there are a bunch of 10-year veteran nurses in the area that just got laid off), but med-surg is a generic nursing position. This is where the majority of newly-graduated nurses go to get some experience some like it and stay, others use the experience to move on to specialties. Unless the facility is looking to hire someone experienced as an anchor or to train the newbies, you're SO should be good to go, but expect the low end of their pay scale (if they are non-union and have wiggle room). Just generic good interviewing techniques will be fine. Show an interest in the facility, show an interest in expanding her qualifications and skills, speak the buzzwords like evidence-based-practice and patient-centered-care. She'll know what to do. Good luck to her.

Not sure about the market where you live, but in Illinois new grads are having a tough time getting hired.  Hospitals are especially hard to get into.  She may want to think of getting some experience in long term care or home health if the med surg position falls through.  I would recommend reviewing skills and meds applicable to that environment, it is likely that she will be tested on them.  I just got hired and took several written exams for my interview.

The markets not great here. She is making $29 an hour now at a detox place that specializes in ETOH and opiates, but she wants to work in a hospital. I realize it will be for a lot less money. We have been trying for hospital jobs for a year now and this will be the  second interview she has been on. She didn't think she did that well on the first interview (she must have not since she didn't get the job )

I would just be happy to get her away from the "drunkies and the junkies" as I affectionately  refer to them.