Public Relations Interview

Conduct an interview with a public relations administrator at a hospital or health care related facility. If you cannot meet with the public relations administrator, meet with the individual that handles public relations. This may be the head nurse or facility manager, depending on the agency you contact. The focus of this assignment is to understand the difference between marketing and public relations.

Write a 1,400- to 1,750-word report about the interview.

Conduct the interview. Be sure to ask the following questions during the interview:

1. What types of products and services does your facility provide to the public?

2. What is your role as a public relations professional?

3. What does your job entail? Do you address issues and problems or promote the facility? Does you role involve issue or disaster management?

4. What individuals and organizations do you interact with externally and internally as part of your role?

5. Does your organization have a formal public relations plan? If so, what does it entail? If not, do you feel you need a public relations plan? What is your process for promoting the organization if they do not have a formal PR plan?

6. What challenges do you face as a public relations professional?

In Week Five, submit your 1,400- to 1,750-word report of the interview findings. This report should be written from a general perspective of the role of public relations representatives in the health care industry. Be sure to refrain from including any personal information in the paper, including the name of the individual interviewed and the name of the organization.

Include the following information:

1. Describe the organization and what products and services that facility provides to the public.

2. Identify the role of the public relations person you interviewed.

3. Who does the public relations person interact with externally (public) and internally (training for staff, etc.)?

4. Does the organization have a formal public relations plan? If so, what does it entail? If not, do they need a public relations plan? What is their plan or process for promoting the organization if they do not have a formal PR plan?

5. What does his or her job entail? Does he or she address issues and problems or promote the facility? Does the role involve issue or disaster management?

6. What challenges does he or she face in the public relations position?

7. What did you learn from the interview? Do you have a different understanding of public relations in the health care field now?

Submit an interview cover sheet that contains the following information:

1. Who are you interviewing? Include full name, job title, and organization.

2. Why did you select that individual to interview?

3. When will the interview take place?