Job hunting in the nursing field can be quite stressful whether you’re a seasoned nurse or a new graduate. You have completed your education, you’ve polished your nursing resume, and you’ve sent in your application to the positions that have caught your interest. And now you wait. Show
When you get the call telling you you’ve moved to the next step of the process and are expected to come in for an interview, at first, you are beyond excited. You’re one step closer to your dream job! And then you start getting a little nervous because – let’s face it – nursing interviews can be the make-it-or-break-it part of the whole job search. However, you needn’t worry. As daunting as they may first appear, nurse interviews are a lot less challenging if you come prepared. With the right amount of research and preparation, there’s nothing hiring managers can throw at you that will stop you in your tracks. That’s why we’ve developed this comprehensive guide. We’ve gathered the most common nursing interview questions, some nursing behavioral interview questions, as well as specialty-specific questions. We have also included sample answers and many tips and tricks to ensure you pass the interview with flying colors. Let’s dive in and help you get your dream nursing job! Most Common Nursing Interview Questions:When you go for a nursing interview, you need to demonstrate your skills, knowledge, abilities, and expertise. You ought to let your personality and experience shine. Your answers and your attitude must make it clear to the interviewer why you are the best candidate for the job. Make sure you present yourself in a good light, but at the same time, don’t exaggerate, or worse, lie during the interview. Showcase your strengths, explain what you’ve learned from past mistakes, and base your answers on personal experiences. It will set you apart from the competition. Generally, during nursing interviews, hiring managers will ask general, behavioral, and situational questions. You can expect questions about your motivations, your ability to work in a team, your patient care expertise, and the soft and hard skills you bring to the table. You might receive questions that deal with hypothetical situations in the future and questions about past work experiences. Before you panic, let’s explore some of the most common nursing interview questions and answer scenarios. Why did you choose nursing in the first place?Your future employers care about the driving force behind your decision to pursue an RN career. In addition to your education and training, your passion is what makes you a great nurse. When you love what you do, it will reflect in your work, your relationships with others, and the care you provide to your patients. So, when asked Why do you want to be a nurse? Healthcare managers are looking for a glimpse of the personal touch that sparked your interest in such a practical field. How to answer: There are as many ways to answer this question as there are candidates for job postings. Each aspiring nurse bases their career choice on different factors: for some, it’s been a lifelong dream; others became a nurse for pragmatic reasons. Try to come up with an answer that will show why this line of work interests you and how your motivation can make you a better nurse.
Why are you interested in this position?This question gives you the chance to prove that you know what you want in a job. Employers take having specific goals as an indication of reliability – you’re less likely to dislike the job or leave it if you know precisely what you want from it. For that, you should review the job description carefully before the interview. Each organization and job may have different requirements, and your answers need to be tailored to each position. The examples you provide need to reflect a proper understanding of the job demands. How to answer: After having done your background research, choose what you value most about this job. Talk about how this aligns with your goals and interests and what you bring to the table.
Why do you believe you are suitable for this role?This question, or variants of it, such as Why should we hire you? What skills do you bring to the job? What makes you the best candidate for this position? is a favorite among interviewers. It gives you the chance to display your strengths, show that you’ve done your research about the role and the organization itself. It’s an opportunity for you to show clearly that you understand what the job entails and that you possess the skills to succeed at it. How to answer: The response to this question should be rooted in your experiences. Still, you can use our sample answer as a springboard to draft your response.
Describe a difficult situation and how you handled it?How did you handle a difficult situation? is a question bound to appear during a nursing interview. Being a Registered Nurse is a notoriously difficult job. You’ll often have to deal with pressure and demanding situations. Crises are a part of the everyday routine. That’s why hiring managers want to see how you deal under pressure and whether you let tough situations get the best of you. How to answer: When they ask this question, interviewers usually look for more than standard, trite responses such as “I can handle stress.” You’ll make a much better impression if you give examples from your career to date and share the lessons learned as a result.
Tell me about yourself.One of the standard questions that might pop up during your nursing interview is Tell me about yourself. This is such an open-ended query, that you might wonder what employers expect to get from it. As easy as it may seem, this question is fundamental to interviewers creating an opinion of you. Because nurses spend so much time at work, managers need to ensure a positive, efficient, and amicable work environment. One bad apple can spoil the barrel, and one negative coworker can negatively influence the entire staff. So, hiring managers use this question to get a glance at what kind of person you are. They want to see what you consider to be the most critical and pertinent information about yourself. How to answer: Make sure you don’t simply give an overview of your resume. Also, don’t get too personal – examiners don’t need to know how many kids you have, your religion, or your personal opinions on political matters. Stick to being professional and mentioning things that are relevant to the job. While there isn’t just one correct way of answering this question, you can potentially go with the past, present, and future strategy. You mention your past experiences, your current accomplishments and qualifications, and your hopes for the future.
What are your strengths and weaknesses?This question can be pivotal in the interviewing process. There’s a fine line between coming off as arrogant and braggy or insecure and weak. You need to learn how to walk this line so that you’re neither singing yourself too much praise nor criticizing yourself unnecessarily. How to answer: You can do better than going for the overused line “my biggest weakness is I work too much.” It also helps if you back up your strengths and weaknesses with examples from your previous experiences.
How do you deal with a difficult coworker?As a Registered Nurse, you’ll have to display an excellent capability to communicate well and productively with all healthcare team members. Miscommunications are bound to happen. Or maybe your coworkers will show a level of interest in the job that doesn’t match yours. Some colleagues may prove slightly tricky to work with. You need to handle difficult situations even if they aren’t the result of your actions. Your ability to do so is exactly what interests hiring managers when asking this question. How to answer: When answering this nursing interview question, you need to highlight your interpersonal skills, your communication abilities, as well as your conflict resolution skills. Don’t forget to support your answers with examples.
Do you prefer to work independently or on a team?Nursing is a team sport. You share a working space with other nurses, and you must cooperate for the wellbeing of your patients. Collaboration is key for good patient outcomes, effective safety procedures, and increased job satisfaction. So, you shouldn’t be surprised when a question about the value of teamwork comes up during your interview. How to answer: Interviewers are looking for collaborative skills for people who know the value of working together with other nurses, physicians, and other members of the healthcare team. Emphasize these skills when answering questions related to teamwork.
How do you deal with work stress?Nursing is a very stressful line of work. Many nurses end up burnt out, hating their jobs, and wanting to quit – and that is not a desirable outcome for patients or the hospitals. Hence, hiring managers want to know that you are equipped to handle stress and have strategies in place to help you deal with the pressures of the workplace. How to answer: Your answer must make it clear you know how to manage stress and that no challenging situation at work can get the better of you.
Interview Questions Specific for Specialization:In addition to the common and generic nurse interview questions, you will get questions that relate directly to your specialization and the job you’re applying for. An excellent strategy for answering these questions is to use the STAR format. What exactly is it, and how can it help you get through an interview question successfully? Let’s find out. STAR is an acronym for Situation, Task, Action Steps, and Results. Using this method, you can outline a comprehensive and structured answer to any behavioral question.
Using this method to answer nursing interview questions is a sure way to convey your experience and expertise in real-life nursing situations. You can employ this strategy regardless of the position you apply for or your nursing level. Interview Question for Nurse Manager CandidatesWhen applying for a high management position, such as a Nurse Manager, you will undoubtedly receive questions about your leadership potential. One possible example is this: Tell us about a time that you were in a leadership position. Were you pleased with the results? This question allows you to share an experience in which your leadership skills shone through. It will enable the interviewer to learn more about your leadership style and your interpersonal skills. Interview Question for Nurse PractitionersNurse Practitioners generally act with much greater levels of autonomy than other RNs. Providing independent care within the scope of their practice is a huge responsibility, so future employers want to know that the quality of the care they offer is up to the highest standards. Thus, a potential nurse practitioner interview question would be: Tell me about a time you went above and beyond to help a patient and provide excellent patient care. The way you answer this question will make evident what “exceptional care” means in your opinion. Going above and beyond for a patient will pinpoint your commitment and dedication. This question is a great way to highlight your skills and your passion for nursing. Interview Question for ICU NursesBeing a patient advocate is a central part of an RN’s job description. However, this skill is particularly important in the Intensive Care Unit environment. In the ICU, patients can communicate very little or not at all. They may be intubated and unable to communicate their wishes or needs. So, it’s up to the ICU nurse to act as a patient advocate in critical care situations. Hence, a behavioral question such as How have you been a patient advocate in previous positions? can be expected during the interview. Make sure you give examples from your previous experiences but don’t include any details that would make it possible to identify the patient. Interview Question for ER NursesWorking in the ER is a complex position. The job is dynamic and often unexpected. But in addition to patients who are suffering and in pain, ER nurses must be experts at dealing with and educating the patients’ family members. A common nursing question for ER nurses would be: Have you ever had to deal with distressed, uncooperative family members? How did you handle this situation? It’s tough for families to stand by and keep their cool while their loved ones are suffering. So, an additional layer of responsibility for the nurse is to communicate with the family, to offer them honest, clear, and straightforward updates. This interview question is a chance to show that you can take care of the family just as much as the patient. Interview Question for Mental Health NursesNurses who work in mental health areas must deal with a lot of distressed or problematic patients. Hiring managers want to see if you have the attitude and caregiving skills to succeed at this demanding job. What is the best approach to dealing with difficult patients? this is a question that can help them find that out. When answering, describe a case from your career in which you handled a particularly difficult patient. Talk about the process of dealing with them, about the skills you used, such as compassion, fairness, active listening, and so on. Interview Question for NICU NursesThe Neonatal Intensive Care Unit is a coveted spot for nurses who love working with newborns. At the same time, the NICU can be a very emotional and delicate work environment. An essential part of a NICU Nurse’s job is dealing with distressed, overwhelmed parents who are extremely worried about their child’s condition. A situational question you may be asked during the interview is How do you deal with a parent who’s in emotional agony over their child’s conditions and keeps breaking hospital regulations to be close to their baby? Answering this question lets the interviewer know you have respect for hospital regulations, empathy for the parents, and still, your focus is unwaveringly on the wellbeing of the baby. Interview Question for Oncology NursesIn Oncology departments, nurses must handle a lot of confidential information. That’s why it’s imperative for hiring managers to employ nurses who treat ethical guidelines with respect and responsibility. They may ask: How do you maintain your patient’s privacy and get them to trust you with such confidential information? Your answer needs to reflect your knowledge of the hospital’s policy on sharing information and examples of your trustworthiness and high moral standards as a nurse. Interview Question for LPN NursesOne common interview question for LPNs is Where do you see yourself in five years? Through this question, the interviewer wants to see your professional objectives and what actions you are going to take to meet those goals. An ambitious employee who wants to continue advancing their nursing career and education is a significant asset for healthcare organizations. Interview Question for New Graduate NursesEspecially for nurses right from the school benches, the first job interviews can be more stressful. But, if you come in prepared, the interview process will seem less daunting. Because you may not have as much hands-on clinical experience as some seasoned nurses, one question you can expect is related to your education. How have your clinical rotations prepared you for a career in nursing? is one sample question. Talking about your clinical rotations gives you a chance to talk about the skills you’ve gained and procedures you have learned that you can now bring into the job. Questions to Ask the EmployerOne of the most important parts of the interview process is when the employer asks: Do you have any questions for me? And it would be best if you had a few questions prepared. It’s a chance to learn more about the facility, unit, the job itself, or the workplace culture. Saying you don’t have any questions might make you appear uninterested or unmotivated. Here are some questions that you, as a candidate, can ask in a nursing interview:
You should ask at least one question during the interview. It will help you get a better sense of what is expected of you. Also, it shows that you’re willing to go that extra mile to find information about the job and the company. Tips and Tricks to Ace the Nursing InterviewThe importance of preparing for a nursing interview cannot be overstated. You want to put your best foot forward and impress the hiring managers. Here are some tips on how to ensure your success during the interview:
Are You Ready for the Job of Your Dreams?The secret to acing nursing interviews is preparation. Combine your enthusiasm with a little bit of research and effort, and you are bound to impress the interviewer. Make sure you answer truthfully and transparently. Base your answers on examples and lessons learned along the way. Be open. And most importantly, let your love for nursing and your passion for helping others shine through. You’ve already passed so many hurdles in your nursing career. You finished nursing school, passed the NCLEX, dealt with tough patients, and lived through some challenging work situations. This interview is just one more little thing you must conquer on your way to your dream job! You got this! Good luck! |