Mental Health Nurse - HSE Panel Process

robin28

Hi,

My girlfriend is a graduate Mental Health Nurse and she recently went for an interview with the HSE. The results came back and she has been paneled but not as high up the list as she had hoped. She is very disappointed as she thought she did much better in the interview. She is convinced that this means she will never get a job as she is too low down the rankings, and she will have to wait until the next panel comes around possibly 2 years away (but who knows?) to try again.

I've done some digging into the whole panel process but as far as I can see the hiring of people on the panel is completely opaque and shrouded in uncertainty. This isn't helping my GF who already depressed after the result. She absolutely loves nursing and desperately wants to be active in this profession. There's nothing I can really do or say to convince her that its not as bad as she thinks because to be honest I don't know if it is or not?

I'm hoping ye can shed some light on experiences ye have had on the panel (either mental health or otherwise if applicable) and that these experiences will help her see that the situation isn't as glum as she thinks. In particular:

- how high up the panel you may have been placed and how long it took to get called for a job.
- Temporary work. Does everyone on the panel get called for temp work? When should you hear about this?
- Any advice what she should do in the mean time while waiting to see if she gets any temp work. (Other Job Opportunities that are based in Mental Health services, Post Grad courses, Volunteering, ect...)

I really want to show her that there is more than one way to get to her destination, and to use peoples own experiences to demonstrate this, to cheer her up because she is an awesome caring person and she deserves to be doing the thing that she is so good at.

Advice Greatly appreciated!
Cheers guys.

nualahyland

Hiya
I also went for these jobs and have been listed as dormant as have to get on the register cos Im currently in England.....can u tell me what ur GF scored out of 500........was she not happy with this scoring.

Im merit 6 if this means anything...

Also there are lots of great agencies out there offering great contracts for nurses, and once u have ur foot in the door...ur half way to getting a more permanant job..

Hope this helps..

Murtinho

Dont know how this worked out but if your GF is in Dublin she'll probably be offered something.
Ive been on the panel for 4 yrs, i have a permanent post but want one in a different area than im in. They redid the interviews when your girlfriend did it and the reason she did worse than she thought was probably because all of us who did the original interviews kept our positions and the newbies came in behind us, regardless of scores.
But it appears that the posts in and around Dublin are being filled by people way down the list, for example im high up on the list and I get offered jobs around the country but dont accept them.

Murtinho

btw there has been a bit of movement on the panels recently, jobs offered in Dublin & wicklow, neither what i want though.

Dingle_berry

She should have been given, or could ask for, feedback on her interview and application (this shows interest and a desire to improve). She may have been ranked lower than expected due to something out if her control like experience. Or it could have been an answer to a question, in which case she can learn from it for the next time. (That's important, write down all the questions they asked and review them next time going for an interview).

Being low on a panel doesn't exclude you from a job. As said above the people higher up may already have a job and are just interested in a specific post - they'll ignore all others. You'll also have people who never check their email or miss the deadline for confirming interest (VERY important - even a few seconds late and you're gone). I know someone who was on the bottom of a panel and got a permanent job two years later.

She has to read the fine print carefully. If they send her an offer she may have to express interest in a certain way (writing/phone/email) by a deadline. If she's not interested she may still have to express interest in any future posts (ignoring this she might be removed from the panel).
If she's 200th on a panel 100 might already have jobs, 50 may not want the job (wrong discipline/area/location), some may miss deadlines etc

dee14

Hi Guys, Not sure if Im on the right forum here aplogies if not ! I'm applying for psychiatric nursing jobs with the HSE we have to fill out the competency based form for interview, any advice on where to start and what they will be looking for in interview My mind is gone blank

Dingle_berry

dee14 wrote: »

Hi Guys, Not sure if Im on the right forum here aplogies if not ! I'm applying for psychiatric nursing jobs with the HSE we have to fill out the competency based form for interview, any advice on where to start and what they will be looking for in interview My mind is gone blank

There should be an appendix to the form with guidelines about completing the competency section with an example. What they are looking for is in the question or the job description. Stick to them they are what candidates will be scored & compared on.

ads20101

Just to add... Be mindful that what you write should correspond to the spec and that elements of those competences will likely be directly used in the interview setting.

Good luck

dee14

Thanks Dingle Berry hopefully I am on the right track