Inaugural Student Nurse Extern Hire Exceeds Expectations

Wednesday, February 24, 2010 by The Clarian Health Nurse Recruitment Team
What a successful ride! I just completed my first Student Nurse Extern hire under the new program that I launched on January 1. The ease of the process, the quality of the candidates, and the fluidity of the collection of required documentation far exceeded my expectations! I couldn’t be more excited to see the fruits of my labor, nor could I have asked for a better collaborative team to help me “pull off” my vision. Today is a good day, I love my job!

Julie Ruschhaupt, BS, RN, Clarian Health Nurse Recruiter
JRuschhaupt@clarian.org
317-278-7082

To be a registered nurse at Clarian, visit Registered Nurse Career Job Search.

The Key to a Successful Nursing Interview: Be Professional

Wednesday, February 3, 2010 by The Clarian Health Nurse Recruitment Team
Of course, nursing experience is important. But you’ll have to perform well in your interview to land a great nursing job.

The most important advice I can give an interviewee is BE PROFESSIONAL. It sounds pretty simple, but many people don’t act professional (and consequently don’t get the job).

Professionalism is the number one thing Unit Managers look for. That means be on time, dress appropriately, and be prepared not only to answer questions, but also to ask good questions. The questions you ask about Clarian and the position show your level of interest and experience. Also, be polite.

Remember – the job market for nurses continues to be highly competitive in this economy. We have MANY more applicants than open nursing positions at Clarian. And how you perform in your interview matters … a lot.

And while you are remembering to be professional, don’t forget to be yourself, too. Personality also matters when it comes to joining a nursing unit.

By Lydia Ostermeier, MSN, RN, CHCR
Director of Nurse Recruitment, Retention, Workforce Development, Resource Allocation & Customer Service
losterme@clarian.org
317-962-1886

To be a registered nurse at Clarian, visit Jobs for Registered Nurses.

The Clarian Nursing Application and Interview Process in a Nutshell

Thursday, January 28, 2010 by The Clarian Health Nurse Recruitment Team
Recruiting great nurses is extremely important to us. So we want the application and interview process to give us a good idea of who you are and what you expect from a nursing position. We try to keep the process as simple as possible. Below is what to expect when applying to Clarian for a nursing position.

The application process (should take no more than 15-20 min.):
  1. Find a position(s) you want at www.calltochange.org/nursing or www.clarian.org/clarianjobs.
  2. Click through until you reach the online application.
  3. Complete the application and upload your resume.
  4. Follow the instructions to complete the Health Care Selection Survey. (This is a tool we use to gauge how you will fit at Clarian – taking into account your personality, experience, etc.)
  5. When this is done, you will receive an automated reply by e-mail, saying we’ve received your application.
The interview process:
  1. We call ALL qualified applicants WITHIN 2 WORKING DAYS. If we don’t feel you’re a good fit at Clarian, you will receive an e-mail response.
  2. When your recruiter calls, you will discuss career goals, experience, expectations, etc. Your recruiter might also recommend other openings that might suit you well.
  3. Your recruiter will schedule an interview with the unit manager (usually within a couple of days). You may have two or more interviews scheduled, depending on your experience and qualifications.
  4. Your recruiter will coordinate every aspect of the interview process. Typically, on the day of your interview, you will meet your recruiter at the Nurse Recruitment office, where you will go over general employment and benefit details. Your recruiter will then personally escort you to your interview(s).
  5. Within a couple days (maybe sooner) you will have a response. You will either be given a formal job offer, recommended for a shadowing day, or told why you are not being offered the position.

We have some of the best recruiters in the business, and their entire job is to treat you professionally and with respect. We work hard to find and recruit the best nurses available. If you’re one of the best, we can’t wait to talk with you.

Good luck in your interviews!

By Lydia Ostermeier, MSN, RN, CHCR
Director of Nurse Recruitment, Retention, Workforce Development, Resource Allocation & Customer Service
losterme@clarian.org
317-962-1886

To be a registered nurse at Clarian, visit RN Job Opportunities Indiana.

Lydia Ostermeier, MSN, RN, CHCR, Director of Nurse Recruitment

Thursday, January 28, 2010 by The Clarian Health Nurse Recruitment Team
Lydia Ostermeier, MSN, RN, CHCR, Clarian Director of Nurse RecruitmentLydia became a nurse to have a challenging and rewarding career, which she has happily pursued at only Wishard Hospital and Clarian since obtaining her RN licensure.

"Nurses can make or break a patient’s hospital experience – you have to keep a smile on your face and your chin up at all times even in the most difficult of circumstances."

Lydia has previously served as a Neurosurgery ICU staff nurse, a Director of Staffing, and a Clinical Manager at University Hospital in Indianapolis.

To be a registered nurse at Clarian, visit Registered Nurse Job Opportunities.

Nursing Recruitment Lesson: Don't Take Vacation When Hiring Student Nurse Externs

Tuesday, November 3, 2009 by The Clarian Health Nurse Recruitment Team
The past month has been one of the most challenging times for me since I started working in Nurse Recruitment at Clarian nearly a year ago. I’ve been given a new and amazing support specialist; and I took on responsibility for recruiting Student Nurse Externs (SNEs) in addition to Critical Care nurses, LifeLine nurses and ER or emergency nurses.

I put out a “call” for those who had been on the student nurse waiting list since Feb/Mar and contacted our Clarian nursing scholarship recipients to measure interest for 29 positions that I was asked to fill. Wow! The response was tremendous, and the candidates had to compile and provide a portfolio of four documents before we determined their availability for interview.

I took a week’s vacation while deep in the throes of this work and came back to the most stressful week I’ve had in Nurse Recruitment! Getting everything organized, setting up over 50 interviews (for student nurses alone! This did not count the RN positions!), catching up on an e-mail in box that was to its limit and voice mails that filled my box to capacity literally gave me a headache that lasted for three days!

After eight days of catching up and a couple of extra long work days that required some work at home, I finally did it! I caught up! What a sense of accomplishment as well as what fun getting to meet and help place these eager SNEs into their very first nursing positions.

Lesson learned: NO vacation during the peek SNE hiring months!! Tee hee (of course my vacation was planned well in advance of my taking on this responsibility). After six years spent as a nursing manager, I have learned to just accept that it is always hard to get away and always hard when you come back. From the recruitment perspective though, it was much more challenging because my job is customer service and many things just waited on me to return and pick up where I left off!

Julie

Julie Ruschhaupt, BS, RN, Clarian Health Nurse Recruiter
JRuschhaupt@clarian.org
317-278-7082

To be a registered nurse at Clarian, visit Registered Nursing Position Indiana.

Search for available Nursing Jobs at Clarian Health by Nurse Specialty.

Excited Registered Nurse Goes Back to School for Masters Degree

Monday, September 14, 2009 by The Clarian Health Nurse Recruitment Team
This week has been so exciting with the start of the Clarian MSN program. I am proud to say that I have been accepted in the University of Indianapolis MSN program offered on site at Clarian -- a partnership that's existed for Clarian RNs since 2004.

I am going to study for my master’s in education. I forgot how busy it is to be back in school. It is so exciting. I am enrolled in two classes at a time with a combination of in-class time and online learning.
 
 Shalunda
 
 Shalunda Tyler, RN BSN
 Nurse Recruiter for Perioperative
 Services, Endoscopy, Adult
 Cinics, and Healthnet
 317 962-9083 office
 
 To be a registered nurse at Clarian, visit Jobs for Registered Nurses.
 
Search for Available Nursing Jobs at Clarian Health by Nurse Specialty.

Healthcare is an Ever-Changing Domain

Thursday, August 27, 2009 by The Clarian Health Nurse Recruitment Team
This past Friday we had our bi-monthly meeting for Nurse Recruitment. It was highlighted by saying farewell to one of our best Support Specialists as she embarks for her new position as a Student Nurse Extern at University Hospital. It is a real joy to see staff with previous careers choose the nursing profession; it is like we “grow our own!”

We also received news that we are reorganizing our Service Lines. This was a little bit of a shock to some of our staff members but change is a certainty and is just part of our everyday operations. When I was in Nursing School one of the things that was constantly “drilled” in our heads is that healthcare is an ever-changing domain and you must prepare yourself for this culture. I’m glad that I have not become “entrenched” or inflexible after fifteen years of tenure. I welcome anything that makes us better and that enables us as a department or as an organization to provide better service to our internal as well as our external customers.

Julie

Julie Ruschhaupt, BS, RN, Clarian Health Nurse Recruiter
JRuschhaupt@clarian.org
317-278-7082

To be a registered nurse at Clarian, visit Registered Nursing Position Indiana.

Search for available Nursing Jobs at Clarian Health by Nurse Specialty


Magnet Re-Designation Makes Nurse Recruiter's Cheeks Hurt Again!

Thursday, August 6, 2009 by The Clarian Health Nurse Recruitment Team
I attended the Magnet re-designation ceremony at Methodist Hospital yesterday. It was so nice to see everyone gathered around the trophy display case anticipating the award being submitted. Linda Everett, our CNO, and Rhonda Smith, MH nursing VP, both spoke about the long road we, as an organization, had to take to achieve re-designation.

They also informed us that of the few hospital systems privileged enough to obtain Magnet designation a first time, only 2 percent get re-designated. Two Clarian physicians were also in attendance and spoke about how proud they were to work with Clarian nurses. One said, “We have the best nurses here at Clarian and I am always thankful for that.”

In 2005, when Clarian was first designated with Magnet status, I was a newer nurse and a unit magnet champion. I was excited and overwhelmed, but loved every minute of it. When the phone call came, I can remember my cheeks hurt from smiling so much. I even held the yellow banner at the end of the ceremony stating that we had made it. Now, four years later, I found the ceremony and the recognition to be just as exciting. I am still incredibly proud and thankful to be a Clarian nurse. And yes, I smiled through the whole thing and my cheeks hurt... AGAIN!

Shalunda

Shalunda Tyler, RN BSN
Nurse Recruiter for Perioperative
Services, Endoscopy, Adult
Cinics, and Healthnet
317 962-9083 office

To be a registered nurse at Clarian, visit Registered Nurse Job Opportunities.

You can search all of Clarian's Nursing Job Employment Positions

You can also Search for Available Nursing Jobs at Clarian Health by Nurse Specialty.

Why Wouldn’t a Registered Nurse Want a Career at Clarian?

Thursday, August 6, 2009 by The Clarian Health Nurse Recruitment Team
This past week has been eventful as we have learned that we will be combining our Nurse Recruitment offices in one location. To date, we have been split between two campuses, which can create some challenges related to communication and scheduling office coverage. It also can cut down on cohesiveness.

I am very excited about going forward in one place where we can work more efficiently as a team, share our successes and frustrations, and just experience more synergy in Nurse Recruitment all around.

I feel so blessed to work with such great co-workers; I truly love coming to work each day, and this just adds to my job satisfaction. Thank you to our leadership team for making this happen!  :)

I also was honored to be a part of the Magnet re-designation ceremony at Riley Hospital for Children. It gives me goose bumps to really take time to re-remind myself what it took to reach this point in our nursing history at Clarian.

I can’t believe I have been here 15 years this month, and the preeminent growth I have experienced is immeasurable! I am so proud to be a Registered Nurse and to be applying my experience and knowledge in a health care system that is elite enough to be in the top 2% in the country.

Why wouldn’t a nurse want to work for us?!

Julie

Julie Ruschhaupt, BS, RN, Clarian Health Nurse Recruiter
JRuschhaupt@clarian.org
317-278-7082

To be a registered nurse at Clarian, visit RN Job Opportunities Indiana.

Search for Available Nursing Jobs at Clarian Health by Nurse Specialty

Nursing Colleague Finds Perfect Match At Clarian

Tuesday, July 14, 2009 by The Clarian Health Nurse Recruitment Team
Last week was a little crazy due to two of my office mates being away at a convention in Seattle. I covered the service line for one and helped field questions for the other one. Needless to say, this added to my load and made for a non-stop week. I am so pleased to say though that we have some of the best Support Specialists in the organization; without them, we would not be as efficient a team as we are.

The highlight of my week though was the satisfaction I received out of hiring a dear and long time nursing colleague into a job that she is so excited about. We have worked together on and off over the years in CCU & CVCC at Methodist Hospital, have watched each others' kids grow, shared good and stressful times at the bedside and overall have a deep admiration for each other. She was truly burnt out and fearful that she would leave the profession all together! Now she has taken a position where her new teammates are a perfect match for her personality, whit and temperament, including her new supervisor.

I know she is going to be happy for a long time and I am so pleased that I could be a part of it all :)

Julie

Julie Ruschhaupt, BS, RN, Clarian Health Nurse Recruiter
JRuschhaupt@clarian.org
317-278-7082

To be a registered nurse at Clarian, visit Registered Nurse Job Opportunities.

Check Your Blood Pressure at the Indiana Black Expo Minority Health Fair

Saturday, July 11, 2009 by The Clarian Health Nurse Recruitment Team
Clarian Health will be present at the Indiana Black Expo Minority Health Fair. The IBE is an annual event for Indianapolis that grows more and more every year. This is an opportunity for the Clarian staff to volunteer and help the community. We will be providing blood pressure checks and education. I have volunteered in the past five years with my sorority at the March of Dimes booth. This will be my first year volunteering for both Clarian and the March of Dimes.

I encourage everyone to come out to the IBE events and make sure you stop by the Clarian booth and say "Hello." Get your blood pressure checked while you are there. If you are a Clarian staff member and want to volunteer, it is never too late to sign up on the pulse page through the Clarian serves link. Take care.

Shalunda

Shalunda Tyler, RN BSN
Nurse Recruiter for
Perioperative Services, Endoscopy,
Adult Cinics, and Healthnet
317 962-9083 office

To be a registered nurse at Clarian, visit RN Job Opportunities Indiana.

Just Another Friday in Nurse Recruitment

Wednesday, July 1, 2009 by The Clarian Health Nurse Recruitment Team
Fridays for my Service Line are usually just as chaotic as Mondays! I think most people who work Mon – Fri expect Mondays to be a bit trying, but not usually Fridays. I came in looking forward to "winding down" the work week, clearing the piles on my desk, getting things organized and ready for the next week, then maybe spend a little time checking in with my teammates. It seems more often than not though I leave a bit frazzled and sometimes frustrated by people’s lack of planning. There are always "emergencies" that creep up from the lack of planning that now has Friday "staring someone in the face" and the problem that I am supposed to solve "stat!!" I guess this element of my job is really no different than many of my experiences as a former Manager, but the best part is this time it doesn't follow me home with pager and 24-hour accountability.

Everyone wants to master their position. whether it is as a bedside clinician, a Nursing Manager, or at this juncture in my career, as a Nurse Recruiter. I’ve been in this role since January and every month I am feeling more confident, but as is normal in life, no matter how much mastery you feel you have obtained there is always going to be a new "fly in the ointment." My latest fly came on Friday at 3:40pm when I needed to leave at 4:00p to pick up my daughter from day care 37 miles from my office! Needless to say, after another "learning opportunity." I managed to turn off my computer by 4:10p and made it there right at 5:00p - only breaking the speeding laws by 8 miles over the limit. Tee hee.

Just another Friday for me in Nurse Recruitment :)

Julie

Julie Ruschhaupt, BS, RN, Clarian Health Nurse Recruiter
JRuschhaupt@clarian.org
317-278-7082

To be a registered nurse at Clarian, visit Registered Nurse Career Job Search.


Julie Ruschhaupt, BS, RN, Clarian Health Nurse Recruiter

Wednesday, July 1, 2009 by The Clarian Health Nurse Recruitment Team

Julie entered nursing as a second career in search of a way to give back to the community and as a personal path to fulfillment, after having lived the glamorous but somewhat empty life as a manager in a retail jewelry store.

"Nursing has given me the opportunity to use my God given gifts to both directly help patients and their families and also to support other nurses and physicians who do. This is not a job, it is an identity and an enthusiasm for wanting to make a moment in time the best it can be for someone in need. "

Julie graduated from IUPUI, so despite the short walk to the Clarian campus, her professional path to nurse recruitment includes CV Critical Care and Manager of the Resource Pool.

To be a registered nurse at Clarian, visit Registered Nursing Position Indiana.
 

Free Classes for a Registered Nurse at Clarian

Friday, May 29, 2009 by The Clarian Health Nurse Recruitment Team
The weather is beautiful and it always motivates us to get outside and get moving. I always look at the Clarian Daily for the free class opportunities that are offered.

In the past, I participated in the free water aerobic class and loved it. It was offered at the IU Natatorium on the IUPUI campus. I loved it so much that I bought a 15-class pass.

This week I took advantage of the Clarian free Tennis clinic offer. The class had tennis pros from the IUPUI Tennis Center. It was nice weather and the class was so much fun. I join the 5-week class for $50.

I must warn you, I am not an athlete and having fun in the class had me wake up the next morning very sore. But it was worth it.

Shalunda

To join the free fun as a Registered Nurse at Clarian, visit RN Job Opportunities Indiana.

Verifying CPR Certification for New Nursing Applicants

Tuesday, May 19, 2009 by The Clarian Health Nurse Recruitment Team

All external and internal hires in the Clarian system require a current signed BLS (Basic Life Support) certification. This is a new requirement based on a new policy that started this January.

All applicants should fax a copy of their card to the nurse recruiter that is assigned to their area. Without the verification of that certification, it will place your job offer on hold.

Clarian does offer a CPR course for those external candidates hiring into the system. For further CPR course information and schedule availability please contact Cynthia Ernst at cernst@clarian.org.

Shalunda

To apply for a Registered Nurse position at Clarian, visit Nursing Job Employment Positions.

College Grads Ask Nursing Jobs Recruitment Questions at Indiana University South Bend

Tuesday, May 19, 2009 by The Clarian Health Nurse Recruitment Team

I recently had the pleasure to go to Indiana University South Bend’s campus and meet with their nursing students on behalf of Clarian. The students were a mixture of May, August, and December graduates. They all were excited about the end of the semester and drained from finals week.

This opportunity gave me a chance to discuss the wonderful education and advancement opportunities that Clarian has to offer its nurses. I discussed with them the importance of getting their applications in early. I asked my group at what date did they start applying for positions. The earliest month the May graduates had applied was in February. Due to the economy there is not a lot of turnover in nursing positions. New graduates should embrace that securing a position in a system and gaining experience, even if the position is not your first choice, is a wise decision.

To view all of the Clarian nursing job opportunities, please log on to RN Job Opportunities Indiana. I enjoyed the beautiful South Bend campus and the opportunity to speak on all the great things going on here at Clarian.  

Shalunda
 

Frequent Questions of New Graduate Nurses

Tuesday, May 12, 2009 by The Clarian Health Nurse Recruitment Team
"What is the best place for a new nurse to start a career?"

"I was told that to be a good nurse you must have med/surg experience before going into a specialty area. Is that true?"

"I apply for positions that require experience because I was a student nurse on the floor for two years."

"I was told that I need to pass my boards before I would be hired into a hospital."

"Does my clinical experience count for nurse experience?"

"Is Clarian on a nursing hiring freeze?"

"Do you offer a sign-on bonus?"

These are all questions and comments that come to me and my colleagues in nurse recruitment. I wanted to take time to address them. We welcome all new nurses to apply for positions here at Clarian. On the Clarian Nursing Career Center website, you will see the open positions posted, and most of the positions that require nursing experience will say that on the posting.

It is the individuals preference as to gaining floor nursing experience before going into a specialty area. We do offer, at different times during the year, specialty internships to help new nurses get training in those specialty areas. Examples are the operating rooms and critical care areas.

Student nurse extern or nursing school clinical does not qualify as nursing experience. Positions posted for RN experience are looking for registered nurse experience.

Although Clarian does not offer sign-on bonuses, we do have other incentives for employees such as the career advancement program, tuition reimbursement, and advancement in education through the Clarian degree program at work.

For answers to any other questions, please contact a nurse recruiter at 317 962-2600.

Shalunda

To apply for a nursing position at Clarian, visit Registered Nurse Jobs Indianapolis.

Advice to New Nurses Applying for Positions

Tuesday, May 12, 2009 by The Clarian Health Nurse Recruitment Team
May graduation dates are fast and approaching. The applications for new graduate nurses are coming in to the Clarian system in large numbers. Some of the positions listed may have up to twenty people applying for the same position in a single day.

I receive emails and phone calls from new graduates on a daily basis who are frustrated and anxious that they have not received an interview for a position. Some applicants have applied to the areas of their choices and now those positions are not available any more. They seek our advice on what to do at this point. Some applicants have applied to every position posted regardless on the position just in hopes of getting a call back on something.

My advice to all of these applicants is not to give up. At this point in the year, as a new graduate, you may not have an opportunity to start in the area of your first or even second choice, but any clinical experience is good experience. Also apply to positions wisely, do not just apply to any position that is posted. If the position says it requires experience please do not apply. It is a waste of your time. Spend your energy on the positions that you know that you have a choice to get an interview for.

Be assertive and follow up on your application. Once a position is filled or your application is no longer going to be considered for the position, you will receive an email informing you. If you have received several emails in a row, contact the recruitment staff for advice on why you have not been considered for the positions. Some people say they never receive any communication at all. Upon investigation, they may have listed their email address wrong on the application therefore all communication was not able to go through.

We are here as a resource for all applicants. Remember, there is a person behind all the email and online correspondence. Do not be afraid to contact us because we want you to succeed. We as recruiters want to assist you the best way we can to start your nursing career in a positive way.

Shalunda

To apply for a nursing position at Clarian, visit Registered Nurse Job Opportunities.

New Certification Update for All New Hires and Internal Transfers

Friday, February 27, 2009 by The Clarian Health Nurse Recruitment Team
I want to give an update on a new form of practice involving certifications. All new hires and internal transfers will need to provide a copy of their current BLS, ACLS, or PALS cards before their interviews. This practice was put into place January 1, 2009.

The applicant can bring the copy with them on their interview day and drop the copy off at one of the nurse recruitment offices. If you forget the day of your interview then the applicant can fax the copy to their recruiter. The fax numbers for the nurse recruitment offices are 317 962-2844 (Methodist Medical Tower location) or 317 278-4211 (Riley Outpatient Center Garage location).

Having an applicant’s certification before the interview or transfer request will not delay the nurse recruiter from processing the hire paperwork. Your nurse recruiter can assist you if you are not sure what certification is required for the specific job you are applying to.

Clarian also provides classes for those external applicants who need to certify or recertify with their BLS. The class is offered for a small fee. Please contact Cindi Ernst at cernst@clarian.org if you would like to register for one of those classes. When you contact Cindi, please let her know that you are a new nurse applying to a Clarian position and she will be able to assist you.

Shalunda Tyler, RN BSN
Nurse Recruiter for
Perioperative Services, Endoscopy,
Adult Cinics, and Healthnet
317 962-9083 office

How to Apply for a Registered Nurse Job at Clarian

Saturday, February 14, 2009 by The Clarian Health Nurse Recruitment Team
As a recruiter I received many emails daily from potential external candidates wanting to send their resume via email. I also receive just as many emails from internal candidates asking how can they get an interview to transfer to another area within the system. This has prompted me to explain the online application process.

All potential applicants external and internal can go to the online Clarian Nurse Career Center or the aCalltoChange.org websites to search for potential nursing career and job options. Once they find the position of choice then they can fill out the application and attached surveys. The application has a section towards the end where the person can cut and paste their resume to the application.

Once the application is completed it is then electronically sent to the recruiter that is responsible for that unit. Once the recruiter receives that application an email response is sent to the applicant letting them know that the application is in review. The recruiter will then contact the person to discuss the position and interview possibilities.

Please keep in mind that some management teams are very active with the screening process and will review all applications themselves. The manager then may contact the applicant instead of the recruiter to set up an interview. Internal applicants cannot transfer with an attendance warning two or a corrective action in place. Transferring before completing your six month initial employment period in your current area must be approved by your current manager.

If there are any more specific questions about how to apply online please do not hesitate to contact me at 317 962-9083.