Nursing Job Interview Questions and Answers
Nursing Job Interview Questions and Answers
Nursing Job Interview Questions and Answers
You can find more comprehensive guide for the most common nursing
interview questions from this extremely well reviewed guide “Cracking the
Nursing Interview” by Jim Keogh here, which I can recommend.
My mother was a nurse and when I was growing up I saw the satisfaction
she gained by helping others. This also contributed very greater to my
interest in pursuing nursing as a career.
Q2: Tell me about yourself.
A: There are many things I find extremely rewarding about nursing. It can
be something like seeing the joy when a mother hold her newborn infant for
the first time or helping someone get back on their feet after recovering
from major surgery. I also find interacting with patients and their families
very rewarding.
Although I was only there for the first 12 months of my nursing program, the
knowledge that I obtained has help prepared me to assist with cardiac
patients in a more effective way. I am very keen to specialize in cardiac
nursing care if I can get the opportunity.
A: I really think that the nursing experience that I will have gained will have
helped me become a first-rate nurse. I believe in providing the best care
that I can to all patients but there is nothing like the exp[experience gained
from working in a medical unit for a number of years.
A: I’m looking for new challenges. I think it’s essential that I broaden my
nursing experience and set new goals for myself otherwise I will remain
stagnant. I hope to learn new skills, see how other units operate and really
improve myself as a nurse.
I think it’s important to keep moving ahead and getting better whatever
career you are in. But particularly in nursing which is changing rapidly with
new nursing and healthcare technology. I see this job as being able to
further develop my potential as a nurse and a person.
Q8: What did you like least about your last job?
This made my tasks a little more exhausting than they should have been as
I had to shoulder the extra responsibility. After about 6 months of this I was
starting to get a little worn down and felt I wasn’t giving my own patients
they proper attention they should be receiving. So that was a bit annoying.
But, as I said, I never hated the job or became resentful.
Q9: What interests you about working at this particular facility?
A: That really depends on the situation. I love working with a good team
because I believe that providing the best care and treatment in a hospital is
a team effort. But I have worked alone on wards before and enjoyed the
autonomy and responsibility. But ideally I would prefer to be part of a well-
structured unit that works together as one.
A: Yes I would. I like to have a checklist and make sure that each item gets
the attention it needs. I’m very organized and thorough and I think this has
definitely made me a better nurse.
A: Doing the best I can for every patient. I believe that every challenge can
be overcome with the right attitude and hard work. I love nursing and the
thing that motivates me every day is knowing that I am making a real
difference to people’s lives whatever particular illness, injury or trauma they
are facing in their lives.
A: When I’m interacting with patients. I’m the happiest when I know I’m
doing a good job for them and providing the best possible care. When a
patient thanks or smiles at smile it really makes my day.
I think this attitude shows in the way I have been reviewed and rated so
highly in my peer reviews. One of the reasons I would like to work for your
hospital is that I will have even more interaction with patients on a more
critical level.
A: I provide all of my patients with the very best care and advocacy that I
can. It’s important for me to ensure that my patients are always comfortable
and are confident in my abilities so they know they are being looked after
properly. Also, I will act as their advocate if necessary and give a voice to
any concerns they may have about their treatment.
A: Some patients like to complain about everything. It’s just their nature and
also I understand that they can be worried about being in a hospital. So I
always try to be very patient and reassure them that we were doing our
very best for them.
I would confer with the attending doctor to make sure that the patient’s pain
was being managed effectively and tell the patient that everything possible
was being done to alleviate their discomfort. At all times I would listen
sympathetically to their complaint, reassure them that their concerns were
being heard and that we were doing everything possible to help them.
Q17: Have you ever had any differences with nurses you have worked
with?
A: I once worked with a nurse on a pediatrics ward and we simply didn’t get
on with each other. It was just a clash of personalities. After about 3
months it was becoming almost impossible for us to work together so finally
I pulled her aside and asked her to have a quick coffee after work and find
out what was wrong.
It turned out she was just to communicating differently with nurses in her
unit in the past. After we talked about this for about 15 minutes we actually
began laughing at what we both perceived to be slights on each other.
I’m a very easy going person but sometimes that doesn’t always come
across well. She thought I was being too casual at times and it upset her
while I thought she was too stressed and uptight every day. We ended up
working it out and we’re very good friends now believe it or not.
A: Well, I definitely wouldn’t leave the unit. I’d wait for a decent amount of
time and then talk to my supervisor and offer to stay until they turned up or
someone else was found to fill in for her.
This has happened a few times and I usually try calling to see if they are on
their way or what’s holding them up. It’s just a matter of using common
sense and not rushing off because the person hasn’t arrived on time. But
they had better have a good reason why they’re late.
Q19: How would you deal with a doctor who was rude?
If the doctor was unhappy with me in any way, I would want to find out so I
could take action to rectify the situation. I would also ask the doctor if there
was something in my care of the patient that they felt needed discussion.
A: No, I enjoy the personal contact with my patients and the comradeship
with my colleagues unique to nursing. I plan on advancing my career as a
nurse, not a doctor. I enjoy the medical field tremendously and plan to
continue my nursing education throughout my career. I have no ambition to
be a doctor, just the best nurse that I can be.
A: I’ve been an RN for the past five years and was an available team
member at my last facility. I was regularly praised for my hard work ethic
and ability to get along well with doctors and nurses and my patients.
I’ve also taken the time to educate myself on some of the latest industry
trends and changes brought about by new technology. I believe that I can
bring many years of experience and an excellent attitude to your hospital. I
will be a valuable asset to any unit here.
A: Yes I do. I feel it’s important to stay informed about the nursing
profession. I’m a member of the American Nurses Association and the
California State Nurses Association.
A: My friends would probably say that I’m pleasant but persistent. I make
and keep friends easily and I never give up. I know that if I try hard enough
I can achieve anything. Loyalty is one of my biggest qualities and my
friends would attest to that too.
Those are some of the types of nursing interview questions that you can
expect to be asked in an interview. Of course, the actual questions will be
different for each hospital and healthcare facility but these give you a
general idea of what to expect.
Q25: What is your worst trait?
1) Pick a positive that could have negative impacts, and emphasize the
positives. If you’re hard-charging and sometimes miss details, you can
focus on your single-minded determination. Or, if you are very blunt, you
can show how your honesty benefited one of your previous employers.
2) You can choose an aspect of your personality, and see how it rings true
with the interviewer. Some firms don’t mind as much if you’re a bit
cantankerous, or if you may have some negative traits. They may focus
simply on the fact that you’ve chosen to be honest.
To figure out ways to turn a negative into a positive, use your past
superiors for help. At review meetings, they may have brought up a
negative trait of yours, and talked about how it was still useful. Or, you can
even think about conversations with friends and family where it’s become
the subject of a joke. Use these, and see what positive aspects of them
have come up, similar to what was mentioned above.
If you don’t have any negative traits, please don’t tell an interviewer that.
Again, look at what friends and family joke about, or what previous co-
workers have said. And if you are still having trouble, come up with
something. Even if you’re perfect, no hiring manager wants to hear that
you are.
Your clothes should be pressed, tailored and typically in neutral colors with
a simple design. Keep accessories to a minimum. If you are applying for an
advanced practice nursing position or healthcare management position, a
suit would be appropriate.
Remember, first impressions count. Arrive at the interview early whether it’s
in a hospital, health clinic or care facility, greet the interviewer by their
formal name, smile and offer a firm handshake.
And remember, the nursing interview questions you will be asked are not
designed to trick or trip you up. The interviewers or hospital administrators
are simply trying to find the most appropriate person to fit into their medical
team.
Simply answer as honestly and as sincerely as you can and you will fly
through the most testing nursing interview questions