Nursing Interview: Questions and Answers Which Can Help

It is easy to anticipate the types of questions that may be asked of you at a nursing interview.

Nursing interview questions and answers can vary, and it is important to be prepared for those

which are likely to steer your overall success. Here are some questions which are often asked at

interviews:

What Makes You Believe You Are Suitably Qualified For This Role?

Use this questions as an opportunity to boast about your qualifications and educational

achievements. Focus on your educational and work experience successes. If you have embarked

on any additional ventures such as voluntary work, or extra shifts in key areas which may

enhance your suitability for the role, then make sure the panel members are aware of your

activities. Nursing interview questions and answers can be in your favour so make the most of the

opportunity to make yourself stand out.

Why Are You Specifically Interested in This Role?

This is where you can use the opportunity to flatter the interview panel. When faced with a

question like this you need to convince the panel that this job is your lifelong dream and you are

hungry for it. You are interested in this role because you admire the nurses who work in this area

of healthcare, the role is a challenging one and allows you the opportunity for career

development.

It may be useful to state why this role suits you over other roles. For example, “I look forward to

the busy environment and frontline pressures of being an E.R nurse" conveys the message that

you understand the unique nature of nursing in an emergecny room environment. The panel

members will realize that you have done your ‘homework’ and have considered other nursing

roles also. What you must avoid saying is that you are interested in this role because it gives you

20 days leave per year and that you like the color of the uniform. This may be the case but the

panel do not want to view you as someone who has superficial needs and that actually the job

role itself is not the thing which has encouraged you to apply.

Where Do You See Yourself in Five Years Time?

This one always seems to come up and ‘yes’ it is relevant and definitely requires a succinct and

well structured response. The interview panel will expect at this point for you to display your true

commitment to the role for which you have applied. They will expect to see you display true

ambition and a desire to continue to improve your skills as a nurse. What you must not imply is

that you see yourself being somewhere entirely different in five years time. What they want to

hear you say is that you intend to have worked hard in that time to have achieved promotion and

upward mobility in your role and that the five year period has allowed you to develop your nursing

role significantly. Whatever you do, don’t say that you intend to be backpacking in Australia in five

years time. This type of response most certainly will not give them any indication that you are

committed to the role for which you are applying.

What Do You Hope to Gain From This Role?

Be honest about your expectations. Try to convey that you want to be employed in a stable

nursing role with opportunities for career success and financial stability. Believe it or not the latter

comment is a pivotal one. If the the panel members realize you are committed to supporting your

family financially then they know you are likely to be a ‘safe bet’ in terms of your overall

commitment to the role. Use this opportunity also to probe the panel about what the job is likely to

offer you.

Sample RN Interview Questions‘ Please give an example of how you have coordinated and managed care inprevious work environments.........It is important that the nurse has experience looking at thebigger picture and also knows how to work with a team and accessresources. This may provide this type of information for theinterviewer.‘ Why would you like to be a Contract RN?........Look for answers such as having the opportunity to learn moreabout the client, more opportunities to do holistic assessments, andenjoyment of teaching, community nursing, and being with the client.‘ Tell me why you would like to visit clients in their own homes?........Look for answers such as being able to assess the client moreholistically when they are in their own environment. The RN is able tosee barriers to egress/safety and more easily learn about supportsystems (family, friends, neighbors) and how the client meets her/hisown needs.‘ What experience have you had in teaching skilled nursing tasks tounlicensed persons? Do you feel this can be successful?........This will give the interviewer an opportunity to learn if the nurseis knowledgeable about nursing delegation and, in addition, thenurse’s comfort level for teaching tasks of nursing care.2‘ How would you react if the client lived in less than sanitary conditions orrefused to follow instructions you feel are important to her/his own health?........Look for answers that concur with the SPD philosophy aboutclient choice and importance of remaining in their own home. This isan opportunity for the RN to discuss supporting the client in their own

environment.‘ What is your experience working with individuals with physical limitationsand mental health and/or substance abuse problems? Would you becomfortable working with this type of client? How would you besupportive?........This question may give the interviewer additional information asto how the RN might function with more difficult clients along withinformation about their experience with this type of client.‘ You have a client who has a skilled nursing task that requires delegation tothe care provider. The care provider is not educated and appears almostilliterate and you have concerns about her ability to learn the task, or readinstructions. How would you proceed?........This is an opportunity to find out how flexible and creative thenurse may be (important in the community). It also may give you anopportunity to see how the nurse feels about nursing delegation ingeneral. The nurse may suggest drawing pictures for instructions andproviding opportunities to watch the care provider perform the tasknumerous times. If the RN has some understanding of the relationshipwith the case manager s/he should also mention contacting the casemanager if the care provider is unable to learn the task.3‘ During a visit you suspect the client is being abused/neglected. The careprovider, a relative, is right there and appears to be overly concerned aboutthe client’s welfare and will not leave the client’s side. What steps wouldyou take to determine that abuse/neglect may be an issue?........Look for a response such as attempting to talk to the client alonefor an interview and an in-depth assessment. The RN should also statethat the suspected abuse/neglect must be reported. This is anopportunity to talk about protective services and mandatoryreporting.‘ You receive a referral to visit and assess an elderly client who, normallyquite docile, has become confused and combative. How would you proceed?........The nurse should mention performing an assessment to look forpossible causes of the behavior changes. The assessment shouldinclude a medication review, signs of infection, environmental review,pain, and other possible causes of the behavioral changes. Suggestingcalling the physician for a medication order before an assessment isthe wrong answer.‘ How do you continue your own self-education?........This question should give you an idea of how important selfeducationis to the nurse. Look for answers such as reading journals,attending workshops, using the Internet, etc. You are looking for anenthusiasm for learning and adding to the knowledge base. If theNurse appears to be unsure of how to self-study, working as anindependent contractor would probably not be appropriate role forthis nurse.

Do You Have the Skills to Do the Job?

According to Karsh, the employer must first determine whether you have the necessary hard skills for the position, e.g., the programming knowledge for a database administration job or the writing chops to be a newspaper reporter. "By really probing intowhat the candidate has done in the past, an interviewer can tap into hard skills."

But the interviewer is also looking for key soft skills you'll need to succeed in the job and organization, such as the ability to work well on teams or "the requisite common sense to figure things out with some basic training," says Terese Corey Blanck, director of student development at internship company Student Experience and a partner in College to Career, a consulting firm.

Do You Fit?

"Every organization's first thought is about fit and potentially fit in a certain department," Corey Blanck says. That means the interviewer is trying to pinpoint not only whether you match up well with both the company's and department's activities but also whether you'll complement the talents of your potential coworkers.

Do You Understand the Company and Its Purpose?

If the organization fits well with your career aspirations, you'll naturally be motivated to do good work there -- and stay more than a month or two, Corey Blanck reasons. "I don't want someone to take the position because it's a job and it fits their skills. I want them to be excited about our mission and what we do."

How Do You Stack Up Against the Competition?

You're being evaluated in relation to other candidates for the job. In other words, this test is graded on a curve. So the interviewer will constantly be comparing your performance with that of the other candidates'.

Do You Have the Right Mind-Set for the Job and Company?

"I'm always looking for someone who has a can-do type of attitude," Corey Blanck explains. "I want someone who wants to be challenged and is internally motivated to do well.

Corey Blanck points out that an employer can't train for this essential trait. "But you can hire for it. And if you don't, you'll end up with a lower-performing employee."

Do You Want the Job?

Most employers know better than to believe everyone they interview actually wants the position being offered. They understand some candidates are exploring their options, while others are using an interview with a company they don't care about to hone their interview skills.

So you have to prove you really want the job, says Al Pollard, senior college recruiter forCountrywide Financial. "I use the ditch-digger analogy: Many of us can dig ditches, but few are willing to -- and even fewer want to."

65 interview questions for nurses

1. Where do you see yourself in 3 years?

2. What do you bring to this position? How do you stand out from the other applicants?

3. What attracts you to this facility? To this position? What do you hope to get out of the experience?

4. How would you describe your ideal job? Your ideal work environment?

5. Why are you leaving your current position?

6. What did you particularly like about your last position?

7. What's your most important professional achievement?

8. Who are your career role models and why?

9. How do you set priorities in your work?

10. Do you have any time-management tricks other nurses could benefit from?

11. What are the most important lessons you've learned in your career?

12. How much supervision do you want or need?

13. What professional organizations do you belong to?

14. How have you participated in the professional organizations you belong to?

15. What nursing publications do you subscribe to?

16. Have you attended any national conferences? If so, how did you benefit from the experience?

17. Have you ever done any volunteer work? If so, what was it like?

18. How do you keep up with the latest information in your field?

19. What are your goals in terms of going back to school, becoming certified, taking on management responsibilities?

20. Can you give an example of a time you were a leader?

21. Can you give some examples of your problem-solving skills?

22. What do you think are the most challenging aspects of meeting patients' needs?

23. How do you handle a request you disagree with?

24. What happened the last time you put your foot in your mouth?

25. What actions would you take in your first month on the job?

26. Can you give some examples of your creativity?

27. Who is the most difficult person you've ever worked with and why?

28. What type of management style do you work with best?

29. Can you describe a time when you had to intervene for a patient, what you did, and why? What was the outcome?

30. How would you rate yourself in communicating with patients-and with families?

31. Can you describe a situation in which you dealt with a difficult family member?

32. How do you motivate patients?

33. Can you describe a time you went beyond the call of duty?

34. Can you describe a situation in which you thought that you were right and others were wrong-and what you did about it?

35. Can you describe a situation in which you were supposed to work with a person you didn't like and how you handled it?

36. Have you ever been in a situation in which a co-worker put a patient in jeopardy? If so, what did you do about it?

37. What would you do if you were asked to float to a specialty area you weren't familiar with?

38. Can you describe a time your work was criticized and how you handled it?

39. How do you handle delegation issues with unlicensed assistive personnel?

40. How would your co-workers describe you?

41. How would you describe your role in a recent code?

42. How do you handle stress?

43. Have you ever been fired or asked to resign?

44. What would a background check on you show?

45. Would your previous employer recommend you?

46. What would you do if you were caring for an alert patient who suddenly got acutely confused and disoriented?

47. What would you do if you found an elderly patient on the floor in his room? How would you document it?

48. Have you worked with many foreign nurses? If so, what did you do to help them?

49. How would you handle a situation in which you couldn't read a prescriber's orders?

50. If you were offered your last job again today, would you take it?

If you're returning to nursing after not working in the profession for a while:

51. How long has it been since you worked as a nurse?

52. What have you been doing since you've been out of nursing?

53. How have you prepared to return to nursing?

54. Did you take a refresher course? How did it help?

55. How have you kept up with changes in the profession?

If you're a student applying for your first position:

56. What's your most important achievement as a student?

57. When do you plan to take your NCLEX? Have you taken a course to prepare for it?

58. Where did you get your clinical experience? What units?

59. Did your clinical experience include putting in a urinary drainage catheter or starting an intravenous line access? Inserting or removing a nasogastric tube, or caring for a patient with one?

60. What was your favorite clinical experience? Least favorite? Why?

61. What types of charting systems have you used? What do you like about them? What do you dislike?

62. What do you think is a reasonable orientation time?

63. Have you worked with an electronic medication administration record? Bar coding?

64. What new technology have you used in school, such as personal digital assistants (PDAs)?

65. Are you on-line often? What are your favorite sites for reliable health care information?

How to Answer the Question, Why Do You Want to Leave Your Job

by ADMIN  on 4:27 PM

Why Do You Want to Leave Your Job? This question can be answered in several ways, but

do your best to keep your answer short. Avoid being dishonest with this question, for what

ever reason, your interviewer may spot it and believe there is something you are not saying.

There are usually only a few [...]

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

Can You Work Well Under Pressure? Best Answer to this Question

by ADMIN  on 4:17 PM

 Can You Work Well Under Pressure? This is an easy question to answer even if it makes

you nervous. This question is asked in a way that it requires a “yes or no” answer, but don’t

just say “yes.” You should describe situations where you have worked under pressure at

your job and had to [...]

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

Do You Work Well Under Pressure? Tough Interview Questions

by ADMIN  on 4:11 PM

Do you work well under pressure? This is more of a follow-up from the previous question and

I doubt both questions will be directly asked to you, but both have slightly different answers.

Saying no to this question may be an honest answer, but it is also a negative one. If you are

a doctor, [...]

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

Tell Me About Yourself – Job Interviewing Questions

by ADMIN  on 4:00 PM

Tell me about yourself? Where to start? What do they want to know? Should I start in high

school, college, first grade? It’s one of the most frequently asked questions in an interview.

The way you answer this question will set the tone for the rest of the interview. This can be a

challenging question [...]

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

What Can You Do for Us that No One Else Can? Mastering Interview Questions.

by ADMIN  on 3:41 PM

What can you do for us that no one else can? This is a pretty open ended question and may

or may not get asked directly, but some variation of it may come up. There is no right or

wrong answer. The interviewer wants to see what you believe are your best strengths and

that [...]

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

Why Do You Want to Work Here? Answers to Job Interview Questions

by ADMIN  on 3:32 PM

Why do you want to work here? What are the reasons you want to work here? This is a great

question and is sure to come up during your interview and probably when you least expect it.

Lack of preparation for this question could very well cost you the job. One of the most

important [...]

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

Why Should I Hire You? Best Answer.

by ADMIN  on 2:44 PM

This is often the last question you will be asked in an interview. Prepare for it. This is your

chance to restate the skills you possess that are most relevant to the position and to

summarize your other qualities that make you the perfect person for the job. Outline your

answer before you go in, [...]

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

How to Ask For a Better Salary While Job Interviewing

by ADMIN  on 9:15 AM

Letter from a job seeker who wants to know what is the best way to ask interviewers for a

better salary. She says: I’ve started reading your book, and I’ll save my good remarks for

later, but for now, I really would appreciate if you could give me more pointers on how I can

ask [...]

{ Comments on this entry are closed }Why are you leaving your job for people 50 years and older

by ADMIN  on 1:39 PM

Customer question on: why are you leaving your job One of the questions that has me

having nightmares is “Why are you leaving your job?” I can’t very well say, “I am burned out”

nor does ” It is time to move on” work. The latter usually gets me that “What is wrong with

you” [...]

{ Comments on this entry are closed }What would you do if you see a fellow co-worker stealing something? Answers to Job Interview Questions

by ADMIN  on 11:30 AM

Customer interivew question on: stealing I was asked this question on an interview a couple

of years ago: “What would you do if you see a fellow co-worker stealing something?” What

would be the best way to answer these question? And, what was the interviewer trying to get

from me? -Ed Don’s answer to: what [...]

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GOOD INTERVIEW QUESTIONS1. Tell us a little more about yourprofessional experiences, particularlythose not mentioned on your resume.2. Why are you interested in leaving yourcurrent assignment and why do youfeel that this assignment would bebetter for you?3. Do you feel this position is a promotion,a lateral move, a broadening of yourprofessional experience, or just achange? Why do you think so?4. How does this position fit into youroverall career goals?5. Describe the duties of your current job6. What do you dislike most about yourcurrent job?7. What is your favorite part of yourcurrent job and why is it your favoritepart?8. What are the three college courses thatbest prepared you for your current job?9. What is the best method of creating a______? [A relevant product]10. What qualities or experiences makeyou the best candidate for thisposition?11. Describe two or three major trends inyour profession today.12. On the basis of the information youhave received so far, what do you seeas the major challenges of this position

and how would you meet them?13. Describe a situation in which you did“all the right things” and were stillunsuccessful. What did you learn fromthe experience?14. Discuss the committees of theorganization where you currently work.15. Why did you choose thisprofession/field?16. What new skills have you learned overthe past year?17. Think about an instance when youwere given an assignment that youthought you would not be able tocomplete. How did you accomplish theassignment?18. Have you ever had a great idea butbeen told that you could not implementit? How did you react? What did youdo?19. Describe the best boss and the worseboss you have ever had.20. Describe your ideal job.21. What would your coworkers or yoursupervisor say about you?22. Can you describe how you go aboutsolving problems? Please give ussome examples.23. What is the biggest conflict you haveever been involved in at work? Howdid you handle that situation?24. What new programs or services wouldyou start if offered the position?25. Please share with us your philosophyabout customer service in an academicenvironment and give us someexamples of service that wouldillustrate your view.26. Tell us how you would learn your newjob in the absence of a formal trainingprogram.27. How would you characterize your levelof computer literacy? What are someof the programs and applications withwhich you are familiar?28. Think about a coworker from the

present or past whom you admire.Why?29. What are the characteristics that youprize most in an employee? Whatbehaviors or characteristics do you findintolerable?30. Can you share with us your ideasabout professional development?31. Describe some basic steps that youwould take in implementing a newprogram32. What are one or two of your proudestprofessional accomplishments?1033. Do you have any knowledge of theunique role of a ______? [Two-yearcollege/liberal arts college/researchuniversity]34. How do you feel about diversity in theworkplace? Give us some examples ofyour efforts to promote diversity.35. Tell us how you go about organizingyour work. Also, describe anyexperience you have had withcomputers or other tools as they relateto organization.36. Please tell us what you think are themost important elements of a good_______. [service, activity, product,class, etc.]37. Describe your volunteer experiences incommunity-based organizations.38. What professional associations do youbelong to and how involved in them areyou?39. Tell us about your preferred workenvironment.40. What experiences or skills will help youmanage projects?41. Tell us how you would use technologyin your day-to-day job.42. In what professional developmentactivities have you been involved overthe past few years?43. What volunteer or social activities havehelped you develop professional skills?

44. What things have you done on yourown initiative to help you prepare foryour next job?45. Do you have any concerns that wouldmake you have reservations aboutaccepting this position if it is offered toyou?46. What do you think most uniquelyqualifies you for this position?47. Do you have any additional informationthat you would like to share?48. Do you have any questions for us11

GOOD INTERVIEW QUESTIONS FOR FACULTY1. Describe your teaching style.2. Describe your teaching philosophy.3. What technology applications have youutilized in the classroom4. How do you engage students,particularly in a course for non-Majors?5. Share your ideas about professionaldevelopment.6. In your opinion, how should theworkload of a faculty member be splitand into what areas?7. What changes have you brought to theteaching of ______?8. How would you go about being anadvocate and resource for the use oftechnology in the teaching and learningprocess?9. What courses have you created orproposed in the past five years?10. What do you think are the mostimportant attributes of a goodinstructor?11. Where would this position fit into yourcareer development goals?12. How do you define good teaching?13. What do you think are your greateststrengths as an instructor? In whichareas do you feel you can use somefurther development?14. How do you feel your teaching stylecan serve our student population?15. In what professional development

activities have you been involved overthe past few years?16. What pedagogical changes do you seeon the horizon in your discipline?17. How would your background andexperiences strengthen this academicdepartment?18. How do you adjust your style to theless-motivated or under-preparedstudent?19. Have you involved your students inyour research?20. What are your current researchinterests?21. What are the most recent books andarticle that you’ve read?12INTERVIEW QUESTIONS TO AVOIDYou cannot ask any question during aninterview that relates to an applicant’s race,color, religion, age, gender, national origin, ordisability. In some states, inquiries about acandidate’s sexual orientation are illegal. Thefollowing questions are merely a few of thequestions that should not be asked:Questions to AvoidAre you a U.S. Citizen?Where were you born?What is your birth date?How old are you?Do you have a disability?Are you married?What is your spouse’s name?What is your maiden name?Do you have any children?Do you have childcare arrangements?What is your race or ethnic origin?Which church do you attend?What is your religion?The following questions should be asked onlywhen there is a bona fide, job-specific reasonto ask them. If asked of one candidate, theyshould be asked of all candidates for the sameposition.Acceptable Alternative QuestionsDo you have any responsibilities that conflict

with the job’s attendance or travelrequirements?Are you able to work in the United State on anunrestricted basis?Are you able to perform the duties on the jobdescription with or without reasonableaccommodations?Have you ever been convicted of a felonycrime?If hired, can you provide proof that you are atleast 18 years of age?Do you have any conflicts that would preventyou from working the schedule discussed?What languages do you speak or writefluently?Have you worked under any other professionalname or nickname?Do you have any relatives currently working forthis institution?Would you have any problem workingovertime, if required?Would anything prohibit you from making along-term commitment to the position andthe institution?

Position:

Candidate Name:

Interviewer Name:

Interview Date:

Based on the interview, please evaluate the candidate's qualifications for the position listed above. In each section, space is provided to write additional job specific comments. If one of the questions does not apply to the position, please write N/A in the comment section.

Education / Training

The candidate has the necessary education and/or training required by the position.

_____ Exceeds requirements

_____ Meets requirements

_____ Needs a little more training

_____ Doesn't meet requirements

Comments:

Work Experience

The candidate has prior work experience that is related to the position.

_____ Extensive experience

_____ Meets requirements

_____ Not related but transferable skills

_____ No prior experience

Comments:

Skills (Technical)

The candidate demonstrated to your satisfaction that he/she had the necessary technical skills to perform the job successfully.

_____ Exceeds requirements

_____ Meets requirements

_____ Needs a little more training

_____ Doesn't meet requirements

Comments:

Supervising Others

The candidate demonstrated to your satisfaction that he/she had the necessary experience in supervising others to perform the job successfully.

_____ Exceeds requirements

_____ Meets requirements

_____ Needs a little more training

_____ Doesn't meet requirements

Comments:

Leadership Skills

The candidate demonstrated to your satisfaction that he/she had the necessary leadership skills to perform the job successfully.

_____ Exceeds requirements

_____ Meets requirements

_____ Needs a little more training

_____ Doesn't meet requirements

Comments:

Interpersonal Skills

Communication: articulated ideas clearly both written and orally.

_____ Exceeds requirements

_____ Meets requirements

_____ Needs a little more training

_____ Doesn't meet requirements

Comments:

Teamwork

Demonstrated the ability to work well in a team and with superiors, peers, and reporting staff.

_____ Exceeds requirements

_____ Meets requirements

_____ Needs a little more training

_____ Doesn't meet requirements

Comments:

Time Management

Demonstrated the ability to manage time independently and work efficiently.

_____ Exceeds requirements

_____ Meets requirements

_____ Needs a little more training

_____ Doesn't meet requirements

Comments:

Customer Service

Demonstrated the ability to be customer focused.

_____ Exceeds requirements

_____ Meets requirements

_____ Needs a little more training

_____ Doesn't meet requirements

Comments:

Motivation for the Job

The candidate expressed interest and excitement about the job.

_____ Exceeds requirements

_____ Meets requirements

_____ Needs a little more training

_____ Doesn't meet requirements

Comments:

Problem Solving

Demonstrated the ability to design innovative solutions and solve problems.

_____ Exceeds requirements

_____ Meets requirements

_____ Needs a little more training

_____ Doesn't meet requirements

Comments:

Skill Needed

--List an additional skill specific to the job you are filling.

Demonstrated the ability to:

_____ Exceeds requirements

_____ Meets requirements

_____ Needs a little more training

_____ Doesn't meet requirements

Comments:

Skill Needed

--List an additional skill specific to the job you are filling.

Demonstrated the ability to:

_____ Exceeds requirements

_____ Meets requirements

_____ Needs a little more training

_____ Doesn't meet requirements

Comments:

Skill Needed

--List an additional skill specific to the job you are filling.

Demonstrated the ability to:

_____ Exceeds requirements

_____ Meets requirements

_____ Needs a little more training

_____ Doesn't meet requirements

Comments:

Overall Recommendation

_____ Highly recommend

_____ Recommend

_____ Need clarification of qualifications

_____ Do not recommend

Comments: