Family Practice Nursing Interview

In my first two nursing interviews, we got to know a Pediatric ICU nurse and a Labor and Delivery Nurse. This interview features Rachel, a nurse who works for a federally qualified health center, where she provides care to a variety of patients who may not be able to find the healthcare they need anywhere else. Rachel is a compassionate nurse who uses her skills to serve her patients on a daily basis. Thanks for sharing with us, Rachel!

What type of nursing do you do? 

I work in family practice at a federally qualified health center.

Can you tell me a little bit about yourself and why you chose that specialty? 

I am a 2016 nursing grad. Being in church every Sunday is important to me. I chose this job because it allows me to have weekends off.

How is your specialty unique to other types of nursing? What are some of its challenges and rewards?

A FQHC has some differences from other family practices, because of the population with which we work. We are more likely to see dirty patients or patients addicted to drugs. Our patients are more likely to go to the ER. As far as my job is concerned, an office nurse does not use as many clinical skills as a nurse does in other types of nursing. Some of the challenges we face include patients seeking drive-by nursing. They may call with a sore throat or sore eye and expect to get an antibiotic without being seen. Another challenge is determining whether a patient needs to go to the ER or if they need to be seen in the office. Some of the rewards include making a little child smile or being told that an abnormality I picked up on could have saved a patient from serious problems. In addition, some patients are extremely grateful when we provide them with the help that they need.

Did you work in another specialty before going to this one? If so, how did your prior experience help you prepare for what you do now?

Prior to this job, I worked at a nursing home, both in long-term care and in rehab. My job at the nursing home helped me to learn to function in an understaffed environment. Although we have struggled with staffing at my current job, it has not normally been as hard as the nursing home.

Is your current job a step towards a bigger goal?

I would love to use nursing in full-time ministry someday.

What is a "typical" shift like?

I start my day around 7:30. Sometimes I have patients right away, but sometimes not until 8. I clock in and check the schedule, etc. Then I get my rooms set up. When I'm not rooming patients, I am doing paperwork or working on the inbox. The inbox includes medication refills, phone calls to triage, ER visits to follow up on, and so much more. I also keep track of my provider's controlled substances (when the scheduled ones are due for refill; urine drug screens, contracts, and prescription monitoring program reports). We also have a number of patients at the office who get meds through the prescription assistance program, and when those come in, they need to be processed and the patient needs to be called. All of those extra tasks need to be done in between seeing patients. Some visits are simple: review meds, allergies, etc. and check vital signs. Others are more involved, including wound care, EKGs, or strep or tests. Sometimes I get to draw labs as well. And then of course there are the immunizations.

What would you tell a nursing student interested in your specialty? 

I would probably get experience elsewhere before going to an FQHC, because at least at our office, we don't have the staffing to train a new grad appropriately, and you would likely be frustrated.

Health Centers are certainly different from the hospital setting! But, such a good way to meet the needs of a population of people who may never seek healthcare otherwise. Being a part of the medical field means that we help people however and wherever we can. Thanks for modelling that, Rachel! If you have more questions for Rachel, you can contact her via email at rachels11992@gmail.com