Interview Reflection - How stupid am I?

The Interview

Two months ago I applied locally for a Midwifery Educator post within the local unit, it was an eleventh hour decision to apply, I managed to get my application in 1hr before the deadline. I don`t really know what my motivation was but I saw it as an opportunity to explore a different role in an educational capacity. I hadn`t even told my husband that I had done it. Much to my surprise I received a call from the Head of Nursing that evening whilst I was on labour ward, having just had someone birth their baby. She very kindly invited me to interview the following Friday morning and gave me the title of the 10min presentation I had to put together and she also casually dropped into conversation bring your portfolio with you. I was outwardly very calm and confident but inside was thinking, "Oh my god, presentation, portfolio bugger!"



The following week

The following week was spent bringing my portfolio up to date, furiously writing reflections and assembling some order to the folder. I was also concentrating on the power point presentation with some very supportive colleagues input. Needless to say I was so taken up with these two activites I never gave a second thought to the questions that I may be asked or to the panel of people that I would be facing. This was compounded by the fact that I only remembered to look at the job description the night before.



Day of interview.

The day of the interview finally came and I drove the one and a half hours to the venue by which time I had convinced myself that I really wanted the job and I was also a nervous wreck. When I walked into the room I faced a panel of 5 people. Needless to say the interview bombed, my presentation had some sort of fault and it fell apart and some of the questions I faced, I totally fell apart on.

Anyhow the point of this reflection is to look at what I have learnt since being asked those questions and hopefully I will tie it in with what Tania posted in the previous post.



Warm up questions.

I was asked two warm up questions one of which I had no idea on, who are the stakeholders?

I`ve since learnt that this is anyone who has a vested interest in the services that the DHB provide.



How did the Health Practioners Competence Assurance Act of 2003 affect Midwifery?
I was stumped; and I must most sincerely apologise to Jean Patterson of Otago Poly because when I first came to New Zealand 4yrs ago I had to complete a pharmacology and prescribing module to gain registration, well the first module consists of all the legislative and professional framework for the practice of midwifery in New Zealand so all the information I needed was in there but I`d never retained it.
The act was brought about to ensure accountability, health and safety of health practioners which include midwives. This progress for midwives was 30 years in the making, which is the point I wanted to tie in with Tania`s post, Australia has a long way to go and many years of lobbying ahead. It was also with powerful ministerial help that this change was brought about. Helen Clark, love her or hate her she was a strong supporter of midwives, she brought about the ability of midwives to practice independantly in 1990 with the Amendment Act and along with Annette King, then Health Minister who brought us the HPCA Act of 2003 ( I like this woman she is a straight talker who gets things done).
Anyhow the act enabled the Midwifery Council to be formed independent of the Nursing Council and makes them responsible for regulating the profession.
I would also like to mention that to meet the requirements of the Act you need to:

• Keep a portfolio
• Take part in Midwifery Standards Review
• Keep skills updated

There were a few other questions which I stumbled on throughout the interview none more so than the Treaty of Waitangi question. I forgot about the 3 P`s, Partnership, Protection and Participation and instead waffled about communication, trust and giving value to a different culture.

So I advise always before interview prepare, prepare, prepare or have a bottle of wine sit back and enjoy the experience!