Are the Stars Aligning Already?

Last Wednesday I had my interview for a student nurse assistant position at Lurie Children's Hospital downtown (formerly Children's Memorial).  While super excited, I was uncharacteristically nervous even the day prior.  I wanted to put my best foot forward so I went out and bought a nice portfolio and folders that I could give my interviewers with my resume and references.  I even made inserts because there was a business card slot on the front of the folder.

The morning of my interview I gave myself a lot of time to get ready and allotted an hour to commute from door to door (despite the fact mapquest said it would be 20 minutes, yeah right).  Since they said I would likely be interviewing for a few hours and I had class that afternoon, I brought everything I needed for the day with me that morning, complete with a pillow and change of clothes.  We were having our labor support class, hence the reason I drove downtown rather than taking the el.  Showing up to an interview with a pillow in hand might have been a little strange.  Just saying...

Right as I was about to hop on Lakeshore I realized, shit I forgot my wallet in my other bag.  Heaven forbid I forget that stupid pilllow, but wallet was apparently on the pay no mind list that morning.  I made the executive decision to tread ahead and worry about paying for parking later.  I'd rather deal with that pickle down the line than potentially be late to an interview for a job I really wanted.

The Entrance from the parking garage

I arrived early enough to follow their strict interview day directions that were emailed to me... "first you go to security on the 2nd floor.  When you check in, let them know you're here for an interview and they will give you a guest pass.  Then take to sky elevator to the 11th floor, then take the tower elevator to the 12th floor.  Check in at the desk across form the fire truck.  They will contact HR and some will come out to escort you back to the offices for your interview."  It was like getting into Fort Knox!  As I waited for my escort, I watched a 3 yo boy play on the cab of a firetruck donated from the chicago fire department.  The mom had a little baby with braces on his legs but it looked like big brother got to have some fun on this hospital trip.  After I was brought back, I had to sit in the office for 20 minutes before I was called back for the interview.  You would think I would be thinking of potential questions they could ask, but no.  I was thinking about what the heck I was going to do with the car situation.

I interviewed with HR and it went really well.  After going over a few generic questions, "Tell me a time you went above and beyond for a patient" "Tell me about a time you had a difficult patient."  "Tell me about a time you worked as a team." she went over the benefits.  I was thinking benefits?!  This is just a part-time job, what do you mean benefits?  Turns out Lurie has awesome benefits even for part-time positions.  I would get 15 vacation days, insurance that is a heck of a lot cheaper than the one through school, tuition reimbursement up to $2,500, matching for a 403b retirement fund, I'd begin to get vested in the pension plan and there are a ton of other discounts and perks for employees.  See, at Rush the student NAs are considered "temporary workers" so they don't get any hospital benefits so I was completely blown away with the package Children's offered.  Now I really wanted this job.

Yellow Submarine MRI.  How Cool!

HR talked about the next step and how I would interview with the department I'd be working for, then they would talk to see if I would be a good fit.  Then she would contact my references and if all checked out she would extend the job offer and I would have to come in with my paper work, get finger printed etc.  We even discussed a tentative orientation date.  Before she brought me to part two of the interview, she mentioned that if the Resource Team didn't think I was a good fit, then she had other positions available.  Im thinking I nailed part one!

Every floor designed with the patient in mind :o)

Next I interviewed with a manager from the Resource Team and we hit it off real well.  The Resource Team is an amazing position because I am not tied to one unit but rather have the opportunity to work on every unit in the hospital.  I'd show up to work and they'd tell me what floor to be on that day.  I could go from oncology to neuro to cardiac to ortho even to NICU (but that's more of a hands off unit).  The Resource Team is highly regarded by the hospital and and considered an asset by the staff.  It would really enable me to see all Children's has to offer.  We went over some of the same questions I had in the HR interview and a few new ones.  Her last question was, "Is there any thing else you'd like us to know in considering you for this position?"  I already had covered that I was driven, motivated, give 100%, a team player and why I wanted to work there so I said I had a lot of heart.  I talked about how I feel so privileged to be able to go to work and take care of patients and families during what's likely the worst time in their lives and how rewarding it is at the end of the day when a patient compassionately grabs my hand and thanks me for all I did for them. And then, the unimaginable happened... I started to tear up.  I was like oh my god!, she asked if I needed a tissue and I was like oh no, this is just ridiculous and so unexpected.  She walked me back to one of the entrances of the hospital and said I would head back from them within a week. 

I was feeling pretty confident, but now on to the car/wallet debacle.  I had enough time to take a cab home and Nadine was kind enough to pick me up and drive me to school.  Then I took the el back to Children's after class and was able to drive home.  Because the hospital validated my parking ticket, it was a flat rate so I wasn't racing against the clock.  When I got home I had two emails from the hospital.  One was from HR saying it was so great meeting me and they would be checking my references shortly.  The other was from Renee who referred me.  She had forwarded me an email she received from HR which said that she had met me today and though I was a great fit for Children's and thanking Renee for the great referral.  I think that is a pretty good sign, but I'm still waiting for the official offer.  I was contacted by one instructor already that she just submitted my reference for Children's so they really are contacting them.  While it would be great to celebrate with the girls this HS reunion weekend, I just need to be patient :o)