Student Health Visitor Interview!!

[chewie29]

Hi all.
I am currently a staff nurse on maternity leave and I have been very lucky, I have managed to get an interview for a Student Health Visitor Post tomorrow. Has anyone any advice they can give me for the actual interview? I am stressing as it is something I have wanted to do for a long time! I have send by little man over to his nans this afternoon so I can concentrate, I have just been getting more stressed as the day goes on. I have been preparing for the interview for some time but I'm worried my nerves will ruin it for me! Any advice or tips would be great. Thank you.

[Leah80]

Hi benjade

Did you apply for Nottingham city or county? I've just applied for nottm county but really worried I won't get an interview.
How long did it take for people to find out if they got an interview?
Three places is not a lot when there's a big recruitment drive going on.
Any tips on my personal statement for future applications would be great.
Thanks x

[Roco76]

Good evening all!!!

I had a wonderful day ......I had the morning presentation along with an interview and I feel quite positive about it ......in the afternoon we had a group discussion with the university representatives and at the end of the interview i was told that they are offering me a place at the university ......now I have to wait for the response for the presentation part .
In the mean time I got another two assessments to go for numeracy and literacy ......one of them is with London deanery .
Thank you everybody for your support !!!!

[ladycelestial]

Tips for your personal statement:

Make it concise, but do include anything that might help your case. This might include membership of the NCT, being a volunteer in your community, helping with any clubs or societies, things you might have done before you started nursing.

Give an exciting reason as to why you are drawn to the health visiting profession.

There's nothing worse than a statement that goes on and on but doesn't say much. The best ones I've read were bullet pointed.

Write it all out and remove any unnecessary words that don't say anything.

Check and double check your spelling and grammar.

Remember the primary and recency effect i.e. things you say first and last will have more impact than points in the middle.

You're trying to sell yourself, but it's no use saying you can do this or that without evidence.

Say that your work is always evidence based, but give an actual example of your work that is evidence based practice.

Say that you work well as an individual, but also as part of a team, but again give an actual example.

Say that your work is innovative, but give examples.

Say that you have management and leadership skills - example

Say that your record keeping is to a very high standard - example

Say that you can prioritise your workload - example

Say that your work is to a high standard and that you are conscientious - example

These are just some suggestions, you'll have your own experiences to draw on, but give examples.

Get someone to read it for you to proof read it, but also give criticism.

Good luck.

[ladycelestial]

Well done Rocco x

[Leah80]

Thank you for your reply, hoping that my statement covered some of those at least but not feeling very positive. They said that we will hear within 3 weeks if we get an interview. I really want to get onto a course ASAP.

How quickly did people hear regarding interviews?

[dannibear2008]

Good afternoon all,
I hope you are all well. I am hoping someone can please help me. I am a registered adult nurse and just had some fab news that i have an interview for the health visitor training, i am so pleased however i have been told i have to do a ten minute presentation now a frantic lady!. the title of the presentation is ?Health Visiting Policy and its application to practice? any ideas or suggestions would be grateful, has been a while since i was at uni i would be very grateful for any help thank you

[Leah80]

Hi I've also found out I have an interview and I have the same presentation to do. Have we applied to the same place? Any tips would be great as I don't like presentations x

[PepsiJemima]

Thank you all for all your input and thankyou to Chewie29 for starting the thread. Good luck to all who have interviews and are waiting to hear and i hope its going well for those who are training.
I posted earlier saying i had an interview on 24th Jan. Originally i had a 'no' from the Uni, but the other day, i had a letter saying a space had become available and i was to start April 2013!!!!! I went into shock. In my Uni in Wales, there was only 12 places and over 100 applicants and i thought i'd really messed up at inerview!!!!!
I am over the moon as circimstances and timing couldn't be better for me now, as well as having wanted this for 6years!!!! Thank you all for your input and advice, im sure it got me through interview.

[ladycelestial]

Most applicants use power point, which is fine, although I've seen a really good presentation using a poster. If you use power point have only about six slides and just put a few points on each one to illustrate what you are saying. Don't read what's on the slides. Start with your vision for the future of health visiting. Some presentations have a few animated pictures and titles on, but don't over do it. Ten minutes is actually no time at all really to talk about Health Visiting policy and its application to practice. Do your research thoroughly on policy, which will be found on the DOH website. If you look at the Health Visitor Implementation Plan and The Healthy Child Programme as your starting point, you'll have more information than you can possibly cram into 10 minutes. Pick out the main points and expand on these. You'll need to speak enthusiastically, slowly and clearly. Show how excited you are about this very exciting time for the profession and the implications for actual practice. Talk about the four levels of intervention and what these will mean for families. Visit an actual health visitor in practice before your interview and ask them about policy and practice. Say in your presentation that what you found in actual practice (but don't include anything negative).

When you've got your presentation more or less how you want it, time yourself and make sure it lasts ten minutes. Try it out on as many people as you can persuade to listen and insist they give you honest feedback. You cannot practice it too much. On the day remember to smile and give some eye contact to the interviewers. If it gives you confidence make yourself some cards with prompts on, to keep you going. You might not need them, but it will give you something to do with your hands. I think that whilst what you are saying is important, how you say it is probably more important!

[Leah80]

Thank you so much, I really appreciate all your posts, they are so helpful. I'm hoping I don't mess this up just because of a presentation, I've never been very good at them, even though I speak to people everyday at work, the though of standing infront of people and speaking fills me with dread!

[RudolphLovesoftplay]

I got in!!!! Thank you everyone for all your tips, they were really helpful. If anyone wants any specific advice about anything pm me. I was accepted by Northants and start May 13. X

[Leah80]

Well done rudolphlovessoftplay on your place x

[jaffacake2]

So excited to read all your positive comments about joining health visiting.
Usually on mumsnet I am trying to defend HVs !
Welcome to all who can carry on after I retire as an HV in a few years time.
Then hope to write a book Lady with the scales which will be full of the many bizarre,funny and sad situations I have found myself in as an Hv over the past 25yrs.
Enjoy the journey ladies you are all in for a different journey !

[thyra30]

Just been offered a place @ solent. Starting course in sept. Thanks so much for the advice n tips placed on this website.

For those who have started de course already can u give me some tips and advice as am very happy but nervous. If possible some reading lists. Thanks

[thyra30]

@Queenbee 18.

Think its best to contact hr and ask if u were shortlisted. I had to do that in January because it took abit longer to get a response. Good luck anyway

[rlzcd]

Was a com

[rlzcd]

Was a complete nervous wreck didn't mention the papers read during the presentation, they had to tell me to relax . Got a conditional offer from university but no offer of the post yet find out end of the month. Very worried as my current manager has been really negative towards me lately and been off with stress

[Hols16]

Hi i have just heard i have an interview for the health visitor course at uni and have to do a 10 minute presentation for it. Just wanted some input as ive read through the threads on here and it seems like you all know what you are on about!
The presentation is on 'health visiting policy and its application to practice' and then to identify relevant policies and choose one to apply to practice.

[Leah80]

Hols16 where is your interview as you also have the same interview as me x

[Hols16]

leah80 its for derby uni!! Ive read so much today i think ive sent myself into panic mode!!!

[Leah80]

Ah yes mine is derby uni but the interview is Mansfield as that's where the placement will be. I've got a brick wall that mi trying to get round and its annoying me now as I really want to do well but I'm finding getting started really hard x

[Hols16]

My interview is in kirkby, how do you know thats where your placement will be??
im finding it hard to, not sure where to start!

[Leah80]

I don't know that's where the placement will be but assuming its out that way for north notts. I need to phone and get a time and date but feeling very down as I just get started so its making me feel rubbish.

[Leah80]

Sent you a message Hols16

[missymoo228]

Hi all, I am thinking about HV training too. Gardenerschoice did you have your second interview? How did it go? What did they ask? Really good advice on this thread xx