nursing interview assignment questions

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30 Top Nursing Interview Questions & Answers | 2024

• Types of Interview Questions
• Question Themes
• How to Answer
• Common Interview Questions & Answers

Questions to Ask the Employer

Things to do before leaving the interview.

• Interview Prep

Wondering which nursing interview questions you might be asked at your next job interview? You've come to the right place. Read on for the top nursing interview questions and answers to help you nail that next interview. 

Types of Nursing Interview Questions

Healthcare employers tend to lean towards asking behavioral-based interview questions.

Behavioral-based questions are about how you acted in a specific situation. The goal is to gauge how you react under different circumstances. It is best to answer these questions with real-life stories and examples.

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Nursing Interview Question Themes

Most behavioral interview questions asked of nurses are based on the following themes: 

• Patient-care
• Adaptability
• Time management
• Communication style
• Motivation and core values

How to Answer Behavioral-Based Questions

When telling stories during interviews, we suggest using the S-T-A-R format - this will ensure your story is direct, concise and to the point. So, what does the acronym  S-T-A-R  stand for?

A ction-steps

You can learn more about answering interview questions by using the  S-T-A-R format  by reading our complete guide to nursing interviews. 

30 Common Nursing Interview Questions & Answers

• Teamwork questions
• Patient care questions
• Adaptability questions
• Time management questions
• Communication style questions
• Motivation and core values questions

Sample Nurse Interview Questions: Teamwork

Interviewers want to envision how you will fit in with their team and how you work well with various personalities. We suggest telling a story about a time you dealt with a co-worker who had a conflicting personality, a disagreement within your healthcare team, or a challenging patient case involving your team. Always remember to talk about what you learned from the situation and if anything positive came from it. 

1. Describe a situation when you had to work closely with a difficult coworker. How did you handle the situation? Were you able to build a relationship with this person?

Never talk badly about anyone during an interview. Explain the situation and why the individual was difficult. Share how you handled the situation. Try to turn anything negative into a positive. What did you learn from the situation? What might you do differently now? What was the “silver lining”? Were you able to talk through your differences? Did you become friends? 

Sample answer:

Working closely with difficult coworkers can be challenging, but it is important to remember the patient, their care, and their family is most important. Putting aside differences is essential for all nurses because not everyone is the same. Sometimes this means not discussing specific topics such as religion or politics at work. With that being said, not everyone will become friends in the workplace but working together is key for the successful care of patients.

2. Talk about a conflict within your healthcare team. What was the conflict, and how did you handle it?

Explain the conflict surrounding the situation. Who was involved? What was your role? Did anything positive come from this? What did you learn? 

Conflict often occurs in the hospital setting, particularly between new nurses and more seasoned staff, as well as doctors and nurses. At one specific time, there was concern from a parent that a newer nurse was not monitoring a patient’s breathing postoperatively as closely as she would have liked.

I was covering the nurse for lunch and the mother brought her concerns to me. I discussed and validated her concerns. Once the nurse was back from lunch, I spoke with her regarding the mother’s concerns. The nurse was very upset and felt it was not my place to say anything to her regarding this. A parent or patient’s concerns should never be dismissed. I spoke to the nurse educator on the unit to use the opportunity as a teaching moment.

3. Describe a time when you were particularly proud of your healthcare team. What was your role in this situation? 

Describe the circumstances and actions step-by-step. What happened to make you feel proud? What was your role? Who was involved? What was the result? 

Working in the ICU setting, there are countless moments that make me proud to be a nurse and proud to be part of this amazing community. Watching a patient survive a code, take their first steps on prosthetic legs, or be in the room when a patient I tell is receiving a new heart is the moment we all want to be a part of. Even if I am not delivering the news or caring personally, the information my patient receives directly affects me.

4. Tell me about a time you stepped into a leadership role.

This doesn’t need to be anything official. Think about a time when you stepped up to the plate and took charge of a situation. What was the circumstance? What made you take the lead? Who was involved? Did any opportunities arise from this situation? 

I have acted as a charge nurse numerous times in my career. I have had to lead code teams, respond to rapid responses, and make difficult staffing decisions. As a charge nurse I have determined patient assignments to ensure that assignments are fair and equal. Furthermore, I have to ensure that the nurses’ skill set is sufficient for the assignment.

Sample Nurse Interview Questions: Patient Care 

Healthcare hiring professionals want to hire nurses who provide excellent patient care. Education is of utmost importance to healthcare employers. We suggest telling stories about times you provided top-notch patient care or went out of your way to educate patients and/or their families. 

1. Tell me about a time when a patient’s family was dissatisfied with your care. How did you handle that situation?

Make sure to explain the situation in detail, including both perspectives (the patient’s family and yours). Never talk badly about patients or their families. Take ownership if you indeed did something wrong. Share any positives that came from this - what did you learn? What would you do differently now? How did you turn this into a positive? 

I once was floated to a unit that I had never worked in and wasn’t sure where supplies were located. The patient's mother did not recognize me as a regular floor nurse on the unit, which already made the family leery of me from the start of the shift. I continually had to prove myself throughout the day because, as nurses, we all do things slightly differently.

There is not always a wrong way or a right way to do things but in this case, there was a policy to be followed. I followed it, and apparently, my dressing change was slightly different than the previous ones. I communicated regularly with the charge nurse, and she came to check in with the family to address any issues in real time.

2. What approach do you take in communicating with people who do not know medical jargon? Give an example of a time you explained medical terminology to someone who is not medically trained.

Explain step-by-step how you’ve performed in a similar situation. What specific words and terminology did you use? How did you know that the individual understood your explanation? 

It is imperative that we use simple words for our patients and families who are not medically trained and utilize a teach-back method to ensure they understand the information that is communicated to them. I once had to explain post-operative care to a family whose child had tonsil surgery. I had to use words such as poop instead of bowel movement. I used Tylenol instead of acetaminophen.

3. Describe a time you provided effective patient or family education.

Tell a story about a time when you knew your patient or family retained your teachings. How did you know that you effectively communicated the piece of education? 

After teaching families, I ask them to repeat the information in their own words. Using a teach-back method allows nurses to know if families truly understood the information that was given to them. It is also important to provide the family with written educational material and use other forms of education, such as videos or hands-on, when possible.

I taught a family post-operative spine care after a posterior spinal fusion. The parents were able to properly demonstrate how to transfer their child from the bed to the chair. In doing so, I was able to determine that they had retained the information.

4. Talk about a time a patient or their family was particularly pleased and appreciative of your care.

Tell a story about a family who was happy with your care. What did you do in particular that they were pleased with? How did you know they were happy? What were the results of this situation?

Working in pediatrics can be challenging but also very rewarding. There are times when parents are unable to stay at the bedside 24/7 because of work, other children, or previous commitments.

I was taking care of a 6-month-old twin during a specific shift. The family was unable to be at the bedside because the father had to work, and the mother was at home with the twin sister and the other children. I spent my shift playing with the infant with age-appropriate toys, and when the mother called to check in – I put the phone next to the infant. The mother was able to hear her baby laughing while singing to her. This brought them closer together and the mother to tears. She stated that no other nurse had done that during the hospitalization, and she was eternally grateful.

5. Give an example of a time you had to interact with a hostile patient. How did you handle the situation, and what was the outcome? 

Tell a story about a hostile patient and your step-by-step actions. What was the patient doing that was hostile? How did you react? How did you feel? What procedures did you follow to interact with the patient? What was the result of your actions? 

Unfortunately, hostile patients often are part of the job. It’s important to remember some of the patients are being hostile because they are in pain, away from family, and in the hospital setting.

T here was a time when a patient refused to take her medication. I tried everything, but she would spit them out at me when she tried to take them. Because of this behavior, I involved my charge nurse, the physician in charge of her care, and the social worker.

After many conversations and phone calls, it was determined the patient was spitting the medication out because she liked it mixed in chocolate pudding. The woman was elderly and suffered from dementia. It was only after speaking with the social worker that we learned of her medication preference. She was not able to communicate with us her wants and needs and this led to hostility.

6. Describe a time you were faced with a patient who chose not to communicate or disclose important information. How did you handle the situation, and what was the outcome? 

Tell a story about a patient you worked with in a similar situation. What step-by-step actions did you take to obtain the information from the patient? What were the results of your actions? 

A parent once didn’t disclose that the father of the child was not her current boyfriend. This was important as the patient was going to need consent forms signed, and legally, this boyfriend was not able to sign the consent forms. Additionally, there was a man calling the unit, claiming to be the father of the child. Social work and the nurse manager were notified.

Through an open conversation, the mother disclosed the correct identity of the father. While I personally did not discover the information, it is essential to know the resources that are available to you and utilize them to the best of your ability.

Interviewing isn’t easy—for anyone! It’s important to be overly prepared to put your best foot forward during every stage of the process. Nurse.org put together this super helpful workbook packed full of exercises, sample questions, and checklists to help you ace your next interview.

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Sample Nurse Interview Questions: Adaptability

The nursing profession is one of constant urgency, crisis, and uncertainty. Tell stories of challenges and follow up with key takeaways and learned lessons. 

1. Tell me about a time you were under a lot of pressure. What was going on, and how did you get through it? 

Tell a story about a time you were stressed and under pressure to perform. Explain the situation and why you felt pressured. Describe step-by-step the actions you took to make it through the situation. What was the result? What did you learn? What might you do differently now? 

I was the most senior nurse in the unit by over a decade. I had to handle my patient assignments and act as a resource to the other newer nurses on the unit. I had to make sure my time management was great, as well as my ability to drop everything and help someone else. I had to stay organized; otherwise, I would not have been able to assist others.

2. Describe a time when your facility was undergoing some change. How did that impact you, and how did you adapt? 

Talk about a time your facility changed. Maybe they were acquired by another facility. Perhaps they transitioned to a new computer system. Describe the change and the steps you took to adapt to such change. 

One healthcare system I worked for switched from paper charting to electronic medical records and computerized charting. This transition was confusing and often overwhelming. I was able to adapt quickly, but unfortunately, some of my coworkers were not able to.

3. Tell me about a time when you didn’t know the answer to something at work. How did you go about finding the information? 

Tell a story about a time when you did not know the answer. Explain step-by-step the action you took to find the information. Talk about the result of your actions. 

As nurses, there is no way that we can possibly know everything. Knowing where to go for help is the first step. At the beginning of every shift, I identify a nurse that I can use as a resource, such as the charge nurse, nurse educator, or unit resource nurse. This individual is generally someone who is more senior with an advanced skill set.

If I am unable to get the answer from them or they are busy I look at the healthcare systems policy and procedure manager. If there is a concern regarding a medication dosage or interaction, I look to Lexi-Comp.

4. Give me an example of an awkward situation at work. How did you remove yourself from the situation?  

Tell a story about an uncomfortable situation. What was the situation, and why did it feel awkward? Explain the steps you took to leave the situation. What were the results of your actions? What did you learn? 

I once had a teenage male patient make very inappropriate sexual comments towards me. At first, I ignored them, thinking it was a one-time thing. The second time, I told him that the comments were inappropriate and I did not want him to say those things to me. The third time, I left the patient’s room and went directly to the charge nurse.

I explained the situation and how uncomfortable I was in caring for the patient. She gathered a team to speak to the patient. My assignment was switched for the remainder of the shift.

5. Tell me about a time you failed. How did you deal with this situation?

Share a story about when you experience failure. Talk about your feelings and why you felt that you failed. Discuss anything positive that came from this failure. What did you learn from failing? What might you do differently now? 

Failing is one of the worst feelings in the world, either professionally or personally. Working in the ICU setting, patients die. We fail them when this happens. I fail them when this happens.

After every death, there is a debriefing to discuss what went well and what could have been done differently. I took that time to reflect on my participation in the event and if there was something I could have done differently. Failure doesn’t equal weakness. It simply is something that we must improve upon.

Sample Nurse Interview Questions: Time Management 

Nurses are masters at multitasking - for example, managing multiple patients and administering medication on time while maintaining detailed notes. Tell stories about your punctuality, ability to meet deadlines, and how you remain organized through it all. 

1. Talk about a time you worked in a fast-paced setting. How do you prioritize tasks while maintaining excellent patient care? 

Give an example of a time you had to prioritize your tasks quickly. Explain your thought process in detail and why you chose to complete the duties in such an order. 

Working in an ICU setting is extremely fast-paced, and it is essential to prioritize your tasks for the day. At the beginning of the shift, I make a to-do list with everything that needs to be accomplished. I put the must-do things at the top of the list and the things I would like to do at the bottom.

Administering medications is placed at the top of the list, and washing a patient’s hair is further down. While I would love to accomplish everything, it just isn’t possible.

2. Describe your experience with a very ill patient who required a lot of your time. How did you manage this patient’s care while ensuring your other patients were adequately cared for? 

Talk about the patient’s care and why they needed much of your time. What was the illness, trauma or injury? How did you ensure that this patient received quality care? How did you manage your other patients? 

Delegation is key here. Knowing when to ask for help is important. Without identifying resources and asking for help, success is impossible.

3. Talk about a time when you felt overwhelmed with your work or patient load. What did you do? 

Give a specific example of a time you were overwhelmed. Explain step-by-step the actions you took to overcome this feeling and to focus on the task at hand. 

I asked for help during these situations. Without identifying resources and asking for help, success is impossible.

4. Give an example of an important goal you set for yourself. Did you accomplish that goal? How did you ensure that you accomplished it? 

Make sure the goal you share is related to your career. Explain the steps you took to accomplish your goal. What challenges did you face? How did you feel once you accomplished your goal? 

I set the goal of earning my pediatric certification and made a list of things that I must do to achieve that. I signed up for the exam and paid the fee, so I had to take it. There was no backing out.

Sample Nurse Interview Questions: Communication Style

It is important to convey your particular communication style and techniques. Tell stories about specific times you either had difficulty communicating or times you communicated well. If you can, walk through your step-by-step thought process and give examples. 

1. Give an example of a time when you were able to successfully persuade a patient to agree to something. How did you persuade this person? 

Tell a story about a specific time when you had a difficult time getting a patient to agree to something at work. What was the situation, and what did they need to agree to? What specific actions did you take to get them to agree? What was the result? 

Ideally, we never want to persuade a patient to do something. We would like the patient to agree to it freely. However, I did bargain with a child that if he ate his breakfast, I would play video games with him afterward. Using a bargaining system worked well to ensure the patient was well nourished.

2. Tell me about a time when you had to rely on written communication to explain yourself to your team or to a patient. 

Talk about a time when you successfully relied on written (or typed) communication. What were the circumstances? What was being discussed? How did you ensure success? 

Most hospitals utilize a text feature to communicate quickly with the medical team. It is important to be concise and provide all of the important information so that the medical team can determine the best course of action.

3. Talk about a time when you had not communicated well. How did you correct the situation? 

No one is perfect; we all have flaws. Discuss a time when you experienced miscommunication at work. What were the circumstances? How did you know you did not communicate well? What did you learn? What were the results? 

This often happens when there is a language barrier. I learned that it is always better to ask for an in-person interpreter or utilize computer translation software. This ensures there is no miscommunication of information. Unfortunately, hand gestures and speaking louder don’t always work.

4. Describe a time when you received negative feedback and turned it into something positive. 

Discuss a time at work when you received negative feedback. What was the feedback and circumstances surrounding the feedback? Who gave you the negative feedback? How did it make you feel? What did you do as a result of the feedback? 

I was once told that I needed to be more social at work and try and bond with my work colleagues. I disagreed with my manager because I felt that we were there to work and take care of our patients, not to make friends. Becoming close friends with coworkers is an added bonus.

While I didn’t become best friends with anyone from the unit, I was able to spend downtime reading and studying to earn additional certifications, which helped me secure better jobs and opportunities in nursing.

Sample Nurse Interview Questions: Motivation and Core Values

These questions are designed to help interviewers understand your motivation and personal values. When answering such questions, you should share motivational stories from your life that convey your core values. 

1. What is one professional accomplishment that you are most proud of and why? 

Tell a story about one of your most noteworthy accomplishments at work. What was the accomplishment? What steps did you take to achieve it? Who else was involved in this accomplishment? What happened as a result of the accomplishment? 

Earning my advanced pediatric certification is something I worked very hard for, and it validates the years I have spent at the bedside.

2. Have you ever felt dissatisfied with your work as a Nurse? What could have been done to make it better? 

Most nurses encounter difficulties while working. Talk about a time when you felt dissatisfied with your work. What were the circumstances, and what happened? What was your role? Why did you feel dissatisfied? What would you do differently now? What did you learn? 

I once became extremely dissatisfied because I was consistently being given easier assignments and not being given the ICU level of patients. It became frustrating, and while I understood that others needed to learn and gain experience, it quickly left me annoyed with my position, the unit, and the healthcare system.

I sat down and spoke to my nurse manager about my concerns and inquired why it was happening. The nurse manager was not aware of the situation and it was later determined that a few of the charge nurses were giving the sicker patients to their friends and not spreading them out amongst the nurses.  

3. Describe a time when you went over and above your job requirements. What motivated you to put forth the extra effort? 

Talk about a specific instance when you went out of your way for your job or for a patient. What were the circumstances? Why did you choose to take the action? What did you do? What were the results? 

I personally feel like I give 110% to all of my patients every shift, but there was one that I grew especially close with. For some reason, the patient had been dropped off by a family member, and no one had come to see the child for months. It was obvious the patient was missing key developmental milestones and was becoming increasingly lonely and depressed.

I asked to become the primary nurse for the patient, which meant every time I worked, he would be assigned to me. I worked with him over several months to get him potty trained and to improve his vocabulary. I don’t know exactly why I was extra motivated, but at that time in our lives, the patient and I needed each other.

4. Give an example of a mistake you’ve made. How did you handle it? 

It is important to admit that you make mistakes and to own up to them. Talk about the specific mistake and why it happened. What was your role in the mistake? How did you know that you made a mistake? Who was involved? What did you learn? What have you done to improve? What were the results? 

Mistakes are part of nursing, whether we like to admit to it or not. It’s important to learn from those mistakes and become a better nurse. One mistake that I will never forget is leaving the gastronomy tube unclamped with medication administration.

Because it was unclamped when I opened the port to give the next medication, the last medication, as well as formula, came out. I was unable to clamp it quickly enough, and the medications I had already given were leaking onto the bed. 

I had to speak with the medical team and pharmacy to discuss replacing them. I have never forgotten to clamp the gastronomy tube again.

5. What do you find most difficult about being a Nurse? How do you overcome this difficulty? 

Be honest and talk about the most difficult component of nursing. Maybe it’s working with a specific patient population. Or acting in a leadership role. Whatever it is to you, always make sure to talk about the steps and actions you’ve taken to cope with the difficulty.

The most difficult aspect of being a nurse is watching a patient die, especially one that I have cared for when they were healthy. Watching the family lose a loved one is heartbreaking. Sometimes I sit in the bathroom and take a moment for myself to cry, to reflect, and to pause to remember the patient. Death is part of our everyday world, and sometimes that is hard to remember.

Interviewing is a two-way street. Often, nurses are so excited and nervous about answering questions well during their interviews that they forget to ask questions to their potential future employers.

After all, how do you know if the job is an excellent fit unless you ask about the details that are important to you?

Most of the time, when you reach the end of your interview, employers will ask interviewees if they have any questions about the position. This is a great opportunity to show that you have done your research on their facility and expected job duties and demonstrate how excited you are about the position. 

Depending on time, you may want to consider limiting your questions to two or three questions. Most nursing administrators set aside an allotted amount of time to interview each potential new hire, and you don’t want to be disrespectful of their time. 

Many of these questions may also be great to ask after you have the job and work 1:1 with a preceptor or other helpful nurses. Experienced nurses are great resources for questions once you get the job!

Sample Questions To Ask During an Interview: Onboarding

• How long is the training period, and what does it entail?
• How will my training success be measured?
• Will I have orientation days, and what will they entail?
• What advice would you give to a nurse who is just starting on the unit?
• How quickly are you looking to hire someone?
• Who will I be reporting to?
• What shifts are you hiring for: night, day, mid-shift, or alternating?
• Will I be required to work on-call shifts?

Sample Questions To Ask During an Interview: Mentoring

• Will I be assigned a preceptor?
• How will my success as a new hire be measured?
• What is your training process for new hires?
• What advice do you have for a new hire who wants to succeed in this unit?
• How frequently do you perform performance reviews?

Sample Questions To Ask During an Interview: Culture

• Can you explain what the nursing culture is like here?
• Does the nursing staff face any ongoing challenges on the unit? What are the most critical challenges?
• What is the management style of this unit?
• What does an ideal candidate look like for this role?
• How does this nursing environment facilitate collaboration and unity?

Sample Questions To Ask During an Interview: Professional Development

• Are there any professional development opportunities?
• How long do nurses work at the bedside before taking on a charge nurse role?
• Do you offer tuition reimbursement for nurses advancing their education to take on higher-level nursing roles?
• Are nurses encouraged to become certified in their specialties?
• Will I be expected to float to other units? How often will that occur?

Sample Questions for New Nursing Graduates

• Do you offer a new nursing graduate program, how long is it, and what does it entail?
• How are new graduates measured on performance and competency?
• Do new graduates have a mentor? How long do they provide supervision and nursing support?
• What are the most common challenges new grads experience in this unit?
• When will I be eligible to become involved on unit committees? 

Other Important Questions You May Want to Ask

You will not have enough time to ask all of these questions during your interview, but you may want to pick one or two to ask if there is any remaining time left. 

Otherwise, keep these questions handy for when you have an opportunity to ask them in the future. They may help provide essential information to help you exceed expectations in your new job!

• What electronic medical record (EMR) system does this facility use?
• Describe the patient population on the unit and how many patients will we have at capacity?
• Do you have overtime policies for nurses who want to work extra shifts?
• What are staffing ratios here?
• How does the scheduling process work?
• What are your protocols for dealing with challenging or difficult patients?

Remember to ask what the next steps in the interview process are and express your interest in the position. 

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For example, if the hiring manager says something like, “I am not sure that you have enough critical care experience to take on this position,” you can respond and assure them that you are perfect for the role.

You may want to say something like, “I have always wanted to work in a high-acuity environment. I am extremely dedicated and eager to learn new skills necessary to succeed in this role. I am like a sponge and ready to learn!”

Remember to close the interview on a high note before walking away.

How to Prepare for Your Nursing Interview 

1. dress for success.

You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression! In fact, many hiring managers say they know if they are interested in hiring someone within the first five minutes. 

It is essential to look professional and air on the more conservative side of style versus wearing bright and flashy clothing. Keep jewelry simple and understated. If it is appropriate to wear a suit, stick to neutral colors such as black, navy, or dark brown shades.

Your goal is to look as professional as possible so the person you are speaking with can focus on the essential skills you will bring to their organization.

2. Practice answering as many interview questions as you can out loud

Many interviewees review interview questions by reading them alone. But that may not help prepare you as well as speaking your answers out loud. In fact, you may find that you aren’t as clear on many of your answers as you thought you were.

Consider enlisting a friend or family member to act as the interviewer and ask you sample questions. Practice answering your questions and focus on ways you can communicate more effectively. Be assertive and don’t ramble. You will know if you are ready if you can answer questions clearly and constantly.

3. Research the institution thoroughly

LinkedIn is a great resource for learning about healthcare facilities and the types of employees who work there. Employers usually appreciate it when candidates show they have basic knowledge about an organization's goals. 

The last thing you want is to be asked something about the organization and not have an answer for it. 

4. Arrive at least 20 minutes or more before your interview starts

Arrive early enough that you can use the restroom if needed, straighten yourself up, and not feel rushed walking into the interview.

5. Bring a great attitude

Make sure you get plenty of shut-eye the night before your interview and eat a good breakfast. Drink coffee if it helps you perform at your best, but avoid it as it can make you jittery.

But most importantly, smile and bring a positive vibe. You are going to do great!

Phone Interviews

Many employers do an initial phone interview before bringing candidates in to meet face-to-face. This often helps recruiters weed out candidates who aren’t serious about a position and offer additional information to candidates to make sure they really want the job. 

Bu phone interviews are just as important as in-person or online interviews. 

Here are a few tips to remember:

• Prepare for a phone interview the same way you would for a face-to-face interview. You have no way of predicting what questions will be asked, and it's better to be overly prepared than under-prepared.
• Stand up while you are talking. Standing during a phone interview may help you project your answers more clearly than if you are sitting down.
• Keep your resume and cover letter within reach in case you are asked about them.
• Don’t eat or drink during the phone interview, even though they can’t see you. 
• Shower and get ready as if it were a face-to-face interview. You will feel more confident and professional, and it may help you perform better.

Zoom Interview Tips

Ever since the start of the pandemic, Zoom interviews have become exceedingly common. Employers continue to utilize online interviewing because it is often more accessible and convenient for everyone involved.

Preparing for a Zoom interview is similar to preparing for an in-person or phone interview. However, there are several tips you should keep in mind:

1. Dress professionally as if you were going to a face-to-face interview 

If you would have worn a suit to an in-person interview, consider wearing it for your Zoom interview. Remember that even though employers usually don’t see your lower half on Zoom, there is a slight chance you may have to stand up or grab something. So no pajama pants!

2. Make sure your background is set up nicely

The interviewer will see your surroundings, so make sure your background is clean and organized. Consider a blank wall so nothing distracts your interviewer from your amazing skills. Also, never have a window behind you because the light can drown you out. 

3. Keep it quiet

If you have roommates, let them know you will be on a Zoom interview, and they must stay quiet. If you have pets that have the potential to interrupt your interview, make arrangements for them beforehand. The last thing you want is for your cat to walk right in front of your screen!

4. Set up your Zoom space and practice the day before

If you are new to Zoom, don’t fret! It is a fairly simple platform to use. But it may be a good idea to set yourself up beforehand and practice so there are no surprises.

5. Ensure a good internet connection

No connection, no interview! Ensure that a quality connection is set up early so you don’t have to scramble when you should be starting your interview.

6. Practice with a friend

If you are new to Zoom, you may not be aware of your body language or how you present over video. Consider making a few Zoom calls with friends and family to get comfortable with it and ensure that you have an excellent video presence.

Nursing Behavioral Interview Flash Cards With Answers 

Healthcare employers are increasingly asking behavioral questions - this means they want to know exactly how you will perform during different circumstances. They will be asking for you to provide examples of specific scenarios. Sound overwhelming? Don’t fret; Nurse.org has over 50 behavioral interview questions to help you practice. We’ve even included sample answers! 

What questions are asked in a nursing interview?

• Healthcare hiring managers usually ask behavioral-based interview questions. These questions help provide information about how you may handle specific situations in the workplace and allow you to show your critical thinking skills. 

How do I prepare for a nursing interview?

• Preparing for your interview starts well in advance of your actual interview date. Here are a few essential tips to prepare for your nursing interview: Practice as many interview questions as you can, dress professionally, research the institution thoroughly, show up early, bring a great attitude, and relax. You will do great!

What are the four skills of a nursing interview? 

• Listening actively and taking notes when appropriate. Asking important questions. Good non-verbal communication - ways to do this include leaning forward slightly, smiling, making good eye contact, and head nodding when appropriate. Answer behavioral questions with examples from your own work experience.

How do you introduce yourself in a nursing interview?

• Start with your name and a brief history of your education and work history. You may want to explain why you chose this career and are so passionate about it. It is also important to talk about why you make a good fit for the position and what your career goals are in the future.

Kathleen Gaines (nee Colduvell) is a nationally published writer turned Pediatric ICU nurse from Philadelphia with over 13 years of ICU experience. She has an extensive ICU background having formerly worked in the CICU and NICU at several major hospitals in the Philadelphia region. After earning her MSN in Education from Loyola University of New Orleans, she currently also teaches for several prominent Universities making sure the next generation is ready for the bedside. As a certified breastfeeding counselor and trauma certified nurse, she is always ready for the next nursing challenge.

Plus, get exclusive access to discounts for nurses, stay informed on the latest nurse news, and learn how to take the next steps in your career.

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23 Essential Nursing Interview Questions [w/ Sample Answers]

By Isabelle Dupont

15 min read

Nursing interview questions are designed to examine the job seeker’s qualifications and determine whether they are the right person for the role . Hiring managers and employers ask these questions to evaluate candidates and ensure they’ll fit in their organization and contribute to their efforts.

In this article, we’ll examine the most common nurse interview questions. You’ll learn what these questions are, why hiring managers ask them, and how you should respond . We’ll also give you examples of good answers to use as inspiration. Let’s get started!

What Are Employers Looking For in a Nurse?

Employers typically look for relevant skills, experiences, and qualifications when hiring a nurse. Here are some of the key ones:

Qualities Employers Seek

Clinical competence . Having clinical skills is vital for nursing professionals. Employers will likely ask nursing interview questions to see whether you can provide evidence of sufficient knowledge, nursing skills , and practical experience.

Nursing credentials . Appropriate credentials, like degrees or certifications, validate your knowledge and competence.

Patient-centered mindset . In addition to technical qualifications, employers look for nurses who can provide compassionate care and treat patients with respect.

Teamwork and collaboration . Nurses primarily work in interdisciplinary teams, so employers ask teamwork interview questions to determine whether they collaborate well and can contribute to common goals.

Resilience and adaptability . The nursing job can be physically and emotionally demanding. That’s why it’s crucial to know how to navigate challenging situations, adapt to newfound circumstances, and handle stress.

How to Answer Nursing Interview Questions

One of the best ways to answer nursing interview questions is by using the STAR method . This is a structured approach that leverages storytelling techniques to give a concise and information-packed answer.

The STAR method consists of the four following steps :

Answering Nursing Questions Effectively

Situation . To give the interviewer context, you should start by describing the situation. This can be a challenging patient you had or an emergency scenario.

Task . Explain your level of involvement by talking about your role in that scenario.

Action . Follow up by giving the interviewer the exact steps you took to address the issue and carry out the task that you’ve been given.

Result . Capitalize on everything you just said by sharing the positive results of your actions.

While the STAR method can’t be used to answer every question, it’s the best one for nursing behavioral interview questions .

13 Nursing Interview Questions w/ Sample Answers

Now, let’s examine the most common nurse interview questions and answers to discover why job interviewers ask them and how you should respond.

#1. Describe a time you went above and beyond for a patient.

Hiring managers ask this nursing interview question to evaluate your commitment to patient care . Your answer should highlight your willingness to go the extra mile and your empathy and initiative.

Here’s a good example:

Good Answer

“A severely ill patient was feeling isolated during the pandemic because their family and friends couldn’t visit. I needed to ensure their well-being and provide emotional support.

That’s why I arranged regular video calls with the patient’s relatives and took the extra time to talk to them in addition to mandatory care. Ultimately, their morale lifted, and the family expressed their appreciation for the effort.”

This answer uses the STAR method to highlight not just the nurse’s clinical skills but also their empathy, diligence, and problem-solving ability . It’s a comprehensive answer that shows how the nurse improved the patient’s well-being with more than typical clinical duties.

#2. Describe a time when you were dealing with a difficult coworker.

This question aims to determine how you handle conflict . Since the nursing job involves plenty of teamwork, employers want to know how you handle challenging interpersonal situations that are bound to occur.

Let’s see a solid example of an answer to this nurse interview question:

“My colleague and I once had a differing opinion on how to care for a patient. This led to tension, and I realized we had to resolve the conflict to ensure proper care and maintain a positive work environment.

That’s why I called the coworker for a conversation, expressed my point of view, and actively listened to their statement. We found a compromise, giving the patient the necessary care while strengthening our professional relationship.”

This answer works as it shows a proactive approach and demonstrates maturity and a professional, patient-oriented mindset.

#3. What do you do when the patient asks about something you do not know?

The purpose of this question is to determine whether patient trust is a priority to you . Your answer should showcase how you handle uncertain situations and what you do to ensure the accuracy of the information.

Here’s an example:

“If a patient asks about something I don’t know, I first acknowledge their concerns, tell them any details that I know, and assure them that I will find the correct answer as soon as possible.

I then contact coworkers who specialize in that field and have more experience than me or look for the answer using reliable resources. Once I am certain of my knowledge, I report back to the patient, ensuring a transparent and honest relationship.”

The main reason this answer works is because it shows integrity . You are not expected to know everything, but employers value nurses who are able to solve problems with an honest and proactive approach.

#4. How do you handle changes in your schedule or unit?

This is a common nursing job interview question that assesses your adaptability and flexibility in a highly volatile healthcare environment.

Here’s an excellent way to answer it:

“I understand that the nursing profession requires a lot of flexibility and adaptability. When I encounter a change in my schedule or unit, I remain calm and assess the situation while prioritizing quality care for my patients. I take the time to analyze these changes or review new protocols and determine how I can adapt to them as quickly and efficiently as possible.”

This answer shows that you’re familiar with the unpredictability connected to the nursing profession. It demonstrates your willingness to embrace change and tackle challenges with a calm demeanor and determination to succeed without compromising patients’ well-being.

#5. How do you explain medical terms to patients?

This nurse interview question indirectly examines your communication skills . Your answer shows employers whether you’re able to convey complex ideas and technical information in a simple way. This is essential to ensure that patients can understand you, helping you provide them with optimal care.

Let’s check out an example of a good answer:

“When explaining medical terms to patients, I start by considering their background. A quick analysis tells me what type of language I can use. Then, I use a combination of simplified terminology, analogies, and visual aids to clarify complex concepts. Once I finish explaining, I ask them whether they have any questions to verify if they fully understood what I was saying.”

An answer like this shows that your verbal communication skills are on point. It demonstrates that you can express yourself clearly and precisely , adapting your language to each individual patient to ensure they are adequately informed.

#6. How do you handle high stress/pressure?

Employers want to know how you handle stress and pressure because stress can significantly impact a nurse’s quality of life and caring behaviors . A good answer should highlight your ability to remain composed and perform well in situations of high pressure.

Let’s see that in an example:

“During one particularly busy shift, we had to admit multiple patients that required urgent attendance. I needed to remain calm and give everyone the necessary care.

After a quick reorganization and brief communication with the team, I took a moment to focus and reprioritize my tasks. We successfully managed the situation, and I ensured every patient received the care they needed.”

This answer demonstrates the candidate’s composure and the ability to maintain quality care in demanding situations.

#7. Why did you become a nurse?

The primary intent behind this nursing interview question is to explore your motivation and passion for the profession . Employers always look for driven candidates since they are likely to be committed to the craft and perform optimally.

Here’s an example of an answer to this nursing interview question:

“I became a nurse because I always had a passion for helping others. Growing up, I experienced several situations where healthcare professionals helped my family in difficult times.

These encounters resonated with me, and I decided to become a professional who can help and support others. Through nursing, I make a tangible difference in people’s lives, and I find that immensely fulfilling.”

This comprehensive answer shows the candidate’s deep connection to their profession and profound motivation to help and care for others .

#8. Describe a situation where you disagreed with the doctor and how you handled it.

This is one of the trickier interview questions designed to discover how you navigate conflicting situations . Sometimes, you must advocate for your patients while maintaining polite and professional relationships with doctors.

Check out this example of a good answer:

“I once noticed a doctor prescribing medication that conflicted with the one the patient was already taking. I needed to address the issue to ensure my patient’s well-being, so I approached the doctor privately and explained my case.

I backed my point of view with evidence and reviewed the patient’s chart with the doctor. They ended up agreeing to prescribe an alternative that would help avoid potential adverse reactions in the patient.”

This answer shows the candidate’s focus on prioritizing patient care while simultaneously demonstrating their ability to overcome disagreements professionally .

#9. How would you handle a crisis (such as an outbreak)?

Nurses offer essential support during crises . They are on the front lines, which is why employers want to know whether you can remain calm and effective during these times.

Here’s one way to answer this nursing interview question:

“During last year’s seasonal flu outbreak, our department was flooded with patients. My task was to ensure everyone followed infection control procedures while managing the increased patient load.

I coordinated with an interdisciplinary team, delegating tasks based on each member’s critical strengths while ensuring everyone followed mandatory PPE protocols. We managed to care for all patients while preventing further spread of the flu among healthcare staff and other patients.”

This is a strong answer as it highlights the candidate’s ability to stay composed and professional during a crisis , prioritize tasks, lead others, and handle challenging situations efficiently.

#10. Describe a situation where the patient's family was difficult.

Hiring managers ask this nursing interview question to examine your interpersonal skills . Nursing professionals often have to interact with patients’ families and must be ready for challenging situations. They need to remain calm during interactions that can be emotionally charged.

“I had a situation where a patient’s family was upset because they weren’t clear on the treatment plan. I needed to address their concerns to resolve the issue, maintain a positive relationship, and continue treating the patient.

I contacted the family for a meeting and took the time to listen to their worries. After explaining the treatment step-by-step and addressing any concerns they had, they ended up being comfortable with it and thanked me for clarification.”

This is a solid answer, as it shows the nurse’s ability to have difficult conversations and convey complex information with patience and empathy .

#11. How do you stay current with the latest nursing practices?

This nursing interview question examines whether you practice continuous learning and improvement . Your answer shows how engaged you are in your career and how committed you are to professional development.

Let’s see an example:

“I stay current with nursing practices by regularly attending professional improvement events, like workshops and conferences. I am also subscribed to several nursing journals, where I read about the latest research in the field.

Finally, I am a member of several social media groups and online boards where I regularly participate in peer discussions before applying evidence-based practices to my work.”

This response shows a proactive approach to professional development . It also highlights the candidate’s efforts to stay updated on the latest and best practices through multiple channels, ensuring an optimal learning experience.

#12. Describe a time when you had to make a quick decision.

The purpose of this question is to assess your decision-making skills . Hiring managers ask this to determine whether you can think quickly and act decisively in states of emergency. This is also one of the nursing leadership interview questions that allows you to display your initiative.

“During one of my shifts in the ER, a patient went into sudden cardiac arrest. I had to respond immediately to stabilize their condition, so I instantly started CPR while calling for additional support. I continued with CPR until the code team arrived with the crash cart, successfully resuscitating them. My quick response and their efforts saved the patient’s life.”

This is a great response, as it shows how the nurse behaves under pressure and makes a quick and correct decision, getting the best possible outcome .

#13. How do you handle a shortage of staff?

Staff shortages are common in healthcare settings, and the ability to overcome them is essential for experienced nurses. When hiring managers ask this nursing interview question, they want to find out whether you can continue working and maintain a high standard of patient care even when understaffed. 

Here’s how you can answer this question:

“One day, we encountered a sudden shortage of staff due to several coworkers calling in sick. My task was to manage the workload without compromising the quality of care.

I arranged a quick meeting and collaborated with the team to distribute the assignments evenly and efficiently, ensuring that no patient was overlooked or staff member was overburdened. Despite the shortage, we managed to provide sufficient care to everyone.”

On top of showcasing how they efficiently handled the staff shortage, this answer also demonstrates the candidate’s teamwork , organization , and delegation skills .

9+ Additional Questions for the Nursing Interview

Now, let’s explore some of the more common interview questions . These can be interview questions for nursing assistants and chief nursing officers alike, but also for any other role or even profession:

General Questions

Tell me about yourself .

Where do you see yourself in five years?

Why should we hire you?

What are your salary expectations?

What is your greatest strength?

What is your greatest weakness?

How do you handle criticism?

How do you handle failure?

Tell us about a time when you demonstrated leadership capabilities.

Why were you fired from your last job?

Job interviewers can ask these questions regardless of your profession or the position you’re after. That’s why it’s important to familiarize yourself with them and come up with good answers in advance.

4 Expert Tips for a Successful Nursing Interview

Before we finish this thorough guide on nursing interview questions, here are a couple of expert tips that will help you ace the interview:

Nursing Interview Tips

Research the company . By researching the hospital, clinic, or healthcare organization you want to join, you’ll discover what they are looking for in candidates. That will help you prepare better answers for your interview.

Ask meaningful questions . It’s not uncommon for hiring managers to ask if you have any questions for them toward the end of the interview. Asking something insightful you couldn’t find out during your research shows commitment and genuine interest in the job.

Wear an appropriate outfit . A professional outfit and punctuality convey seriousness and leave a strong first impression on the interviewer. This can also help you feel more comfortable, reducing any potential interview anxiety .

Be honest and authentic . While your answers can be improved to highlight your skills and qualifications better, you don’t want to oversell yourself or lie about your competence. Honesty is essential and will maximize your chances of a favorable outcome.

Final Thoughts

The faster-than-average job outlook of 6% for nurses means there will be more than 177,000 new openings between 2022 and 2032. One of the best ways to secure one of those spots is with a strong nurse resume , a well-written nursing cover letter , and proper preparation for a job interview.

The key concepts stay the same whether you’re a newly qualified nurse (NHS) or a nursing supervisor. Being mindful of the STAR method and aware of all the potential questions you can encounter during an interview will maximize your chances of success. Remember to showcase compassion and motivation on top of your technical skills, and you’ll ace the meeting!

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Most Common Nursing Job Interview Questions, Best Answers, and Tips

Discover everything you need to know to crush your nursing job interview, from the most common questions to what to wear to top tips for success. Resources

• Job Interviews
• Table of Contents:
• Tips for Success
• Common Interview Questions
• Questions to Ask the Interviewer
• How to Prepare for a Nursing Interview
• What to Wear
• Researching the Nursing Facility
• After Your Interview

Nursing job interviews can be nerve-wracking. You might be nervous about your lack of experience in the specialty, answering questions on the fly, or dislike talking to people in an intense environment. No matter your anxieties about sitting across from a hiring manager and other interviewers, we have the information you need to make a great first impression.

New grads, LPNs, registered nurses (RNs) , and nurse practitioners (NPs) alike can use these nursing job interview questions and sample answers to prepare during the Job Search . Change the example answers to fit within your nursing experiences and scope of practice, and you've got the start of a great response to some of the most common nursing job interview questions.

Nursing Interview Success and 5 General Tips

Having a successful nursing interview takes practice and planning. While it's important to consider what types of questions the interviewer will ask and the sample answers you'll provide, preparation is critical.

Below are some nursing interview tips you can use so you'll be ready for the big day and can begin living your career goals now.

Tip 1: Practice Your Interview Answers

No two interviews are alike. Interviewers use different questions, making it a little challenging to practice. However, there are a few questions that most interviewers ask that you can practice your answer to so that you'll feel confident when asked. A few of these questions include:

• Tell me about yourself.
• Where do you see yourself in five/ten years?
• Why are you interested in this role with this company?

Tip 2: Use the STAR Method

The STAR method is an excellent strategy you can use anytime you're asked to provide real-life examples of how you handled a specific situation. You can do this by remembering the acronym STAR and laying out each detail following the prompts below:

• S - Situation Describe the situation.
• T - Task Explain the task or challenge you faced.
• A - Action Explain your action and why you chose it.
• R - Result Talk about the outcome you achieved.

Tip 3: Review the Job Description

Read the job description just before you go to the interview. This will help you keep key responsibilities on your mind when answering questions.

Tip 4: Bring Your Best Attitude and Biggest Smile

How you treat others is the first sign of the type of team player you'll be on the new team. Always smile and speak respectfully to the receptionist and other staff you encounter. The nurse manager may return to anyone you interacted with and ask how they felt about you. So, treating others with respect and kindness is essential.

Tip 5: Be Yourself

Some of the best career advice anyone can give is to always be yourself. Acting with authenticity, genuineness, and positivity helps the interviewer to see the real you and imagine how you might fit into the team culture.

Most Common Interview Questions & Best Answers

Knowing the types of interview questions you might encounter and sample answers is essential. Common types of questions during nursing interviews include:

• Skills-based interview questions seek to understand your proficiency in specific nursing skills, specialties, or practices.
• Traditional interview questions help the interviewer get to know you better and learn basic information about why you're looking for a new job or how you might describe yourself to others.
• Situational interview questions ask, "What would you do?” in a specific work-related scenario.
• Behavioral interview questions are used to identify the "soft skills" you might use on the job. Soft skills are things like teamwork, problem-solving, and communication skills.

You may also notice that interview questions have similar topics. We've rounded up some of the most common questions and answers below by subject. Remember to personalize the response to yourself and your nursing experiences and skill sets.

Teamwork Questions

The following questions focus on how you work within the nursing team.

Can you describe a time when you had to work closely with a difficult coworker? How did you handle the situation?

This question assesses your ability to navigate a challenging interpersonal situation. Highlight how you handled the situation while maintaining a productive working relationship with your coworker. Avoid discussing the coworker's lack of professionalism or specific negative traits because the interviewer may perceive this poorly.

Your answer might sound something like this:

I once worked with a coworker I never meshed well with. One night, we were the only RNs on shift and had a code, and it didn't go too well. Afterward, I asked our manager and the coworker if we could talk about the situation and how we might handle it better. The three of us spoke of the problem and our general strengths and weaknesses so we knew how to work better together in the future.

Tell us about a time when you contributed to a team achieving a specific goal.

This question concerns teamwork and how you work together to achieve team goals. Think of a time when you helped to improve a process, policy, or situation and share a specific example.

Try to tell about a situation when you used leadership qualities within the team and turned a challenging problem into a victory. This will help the interviewer see how you implement problem-solving skills and remain positive even during tough times.

How do you handle disagreements within your team, especially regarding patient care?

This question evaluates your conflict resolution skills and ability to advocate for patient care while maintaining a positive team dynamic. It also assesses your leadership skills and ability to resolve issues and remain a good team player.

Your answer might sound like this:

I feel that the best way to handle disagreements within the team is head-on. For example, suppose I disagree with a colleague about handling a difficult patient or family member. In that case, the first thing I do is have an open conversation about it and try to understand their point of view. I always keep the patient's care at the forefront of my mind because that almost always unites us as nurses, and we can quickly come to a resolution.

Can you provide an example of a time when you had to rely on your team to solve a problem or handle a difficult situation?

Nursing is all about collaboration. So, this question assesses your ability to trust and rely on your team members. It might also allow you to talk about how you depend on those in leadership roles, especially during challenging times or working with complex patients or families.

Always end this type of question by telling the interviewer about the outcome. If your story involves patient care, you might also try to discuss critical nursing topics such as patient safety or the importance of charting.

Patient Care Questions

If you're interviewing for a clinical role , you'll likely get asked about patient care. Here are a few of the most common questions.

Can you recall a time when a patient's family was unhappy with the care you provided? How did you respond to that situation?

This question assesses your ability to handle criticism, communicate effectively with patients' families, and take steps to improve the situation.

A sample answer might go something like this:

I made a medication error while caring for a pediatric patient. I took full responsibility for the mistake as soon as I realized I made it. I spoke to the family and let them know too. They asked that I no longer care for their child. I respected their wishes. However, we were able to chat about it later and move past the situation. I think about this error often and learned a lot from it. It has impacted how I conduct med passes and provide patient care even today.

Describe a time when you went above and beyond to provide exceptional care for a patient.

This question is all about your dedication to the job and patient care. It's also looking to see how you feel about exceeding the patient's, family members, and your leader's expectations to ensure patient satisfaction. You can use the STAR method to guide how you develop your answer. It might sound like the following:

I cared for a terminally ill patient who was very dear to me. He was actively dying at shift change, so I talked to the unit manager and asked if I could stay for a few hours so that the patient and family didn't have a different nurse. The manager agreed, and the family appreciated that I could sit with them and give my undivided attention to them during that challenging time.

How do you handle a situation where a patient is not following the care plan ?

This question can be a little tricky. It's evaluating your problem-solving skills, ability to motivate your patients, and strategies you use to ensure patients follow their care plans . However, you must also demonstrate your understanding and ability to advocate for your patient's rights, a crucial nursing responsibility.

You might say something like the following:

Education is key when it comes to patients not following care plans. I always make sure the patient is part of the care plan process and that they agree to the interventions. This helps ensure buy-in and increases the chances for compliance. However, if they don't follow the care plan, I educate them on the consequences while supporting their rights and ability to choose what's best for them.

Tell us about a time you had to advocate for a patient. What was the situation, and what was the outcome?

Here is another question where you can showcase your ability to advocate for your patient's needs and rights. You might share a story about a time you advocated for the patient's right to be in charge of their care or one about a conflict with a difficult patient or family member.

A sample answer might be something like this:

I cared for a 20-something quadriplegic patient after a car accident. He required around-the-clock care. His lifestyle didn't mesh well with the traditional long-term care facility schedules. So, I advocated changing his meal schedule because he didn't like to get up early and stayed awake late into the night. I worked with the food services department to create a meal schedule that worked for him that wasn't disruptive to their team or nursing. It worked very well for everyone and helped him maintain decision-making power over his schedule.

Personality and Background Questions

The interviewer wants to get to know you. So, they'll probably ask one to two questions like the following to better understand who you are as a person and a nurse.

How would you describe your communication style?

Communication is a critical skill every nurse must have. This question provides an opportunity to share how you interact and use communication skills with patients, their families, and your colleagues. Your answer should also reveal your strength in adapting your communication style to different situations or people.

A sample answer might sound like this:

I'm a direct communicator. However, I always try to change my communication style to meet the person and situation. For example, how I communicate with a 90-year-old versus a 20-year-old patient often looks different. And how I speak with patients versus colleagues is also different. Meeting the person where they are and how they learn, and process information is critical.

Can you describe a situation where you had to demonstrate empathy towards a patient or their family?

The interviewer wants to see how you use empathy on the job, handle emotionally charged situations, and your capacity to provide comfort and understanding.

To answer this question, think of a time you cared for a patient or family member by showing compassion and empathy for their situation. Your answer might include how you used communication, active listening, or specific actions to develop cultural competence or show genuine interest in the patient's care.

How do you handle stress and high-pressure situations at work?

This question aims to understand how you manage stress, maintain composure, and provide high-quality patient care during challenging circumstances. You might answer like this:

I handle stress well during the situation. However, I've found that times of high stress wear on me. So, I practice meditation and deep breathing daily. I also find much comfort in talking about things with my colleagues.

What motivates you in your nursing career?

Almost all nurses have a reason for becoming a nurse. You can show vulnerability by telling a bit of your "why" or the personal story that led you to a career in nursing . It might be a story about a personal healthcare situation with yourself or a family member. This story can showcase your passion for nursing and your ability to be vulnerable with others.

Adaptability Questions

Nurses must be agile and adaptable. Here are several questions you might encounter.

Can you share an example of a time when you had to adapt to a significant change at work?

Change is an inevitable occurrence in nursing. So, let the interviewer know how well you handle it and showcase your critical thinking skills and on-the-job resilience.

Use the STAR method to keep this answer short and specific. It might sound like this:

Our admission policies and procedures recently changed. I had to learn the new processes and be able to implement the policy in about seven days.

I reviewed the policies independently and attended an in-person training session. I took notes and made a cheat sheet that I kept in my pocket during each shift until I got comfortable with the new policies and procedures.

I had a few questions about the first admission I completed after the changes. However, once I got answers to my questions, I could complete admissions without problems. Those admissions have been through quality assurance checks, and I scored between 96 and 100% on each.

Describe a situation where you had to make a quick decision in a high-pressure environment.

If you've been a nurse for a while, you'll probably have several situations you can use here. However, if you're a new grad, you might need to consider your time as a nursing student.

Patient care scenarios make excellent answers to this question. Be sure to link your story to patient outcomes, safety, and quality of care.

Tell us about a time when you had to learn a new procedure or technology quickly. How did you ensure you became proficient?

This question provides an opportunity to talk about your agility and how you quickly learn new skills. Your answer might be something like the following:

How do you handle unexpected situations or emergencies? Can you provide an example?

This question assesses your ability to stay calm during emergencies and continue using practical critical thinking and problem-solving skills. You might talk about a code or other urgent patient care situation where you had to resolve an emergency quickly.

Questions To Ask the Interviewer

Interviews aren't only for the interviewers to learn more about you and your nursing abilities. It's also an excellent opportunity to learn about the facility, the role, and the people who may soon become your teammates.

Check out a few types of questions you can use to find out more about your new possible employer.

Company and Culture Questions

Understanding the company's culture before your first day on the job is vital. Here are a few questions you can ask.

Can you describe the company culture here and how it supports the work of nurses?

Reason: This question can help you understand the organization's values, mission, and vision and how they translate into the everyday work environment for nurses. Discovering how each person you come in contact with during the interview process describes the culture can help you understand what it might be like if you take this new job.

What is the patient-to-nurse ratio in this facility?

Reason: This question can give you an idea about the workload you can expect and how the organization prioritizes patient care.

How does the organization promote work-life balance for its nursing staff?

Reason: You'll learn much about how the organization supports its nurses' well-being and provides for work-life balance. You should be able to discover how the company puts its nurses in control of their schedule and any programs they offer that help you adjust to work.

Can you share some examples of how this organization has responded to the feedback of its nursing staff?

Reason: Listen for specific examples that can help you understand how the company values input from staff and if the administration acts proactively when making improvements based on feedback.

Training Questions

You should ask about new hire training, orientation, and what kinds of training and career advancement opportunities the company offers. A few sample questions are below.

What opportunities for professional development or continuing education do you offer?

Reason: Life-long learning is key for all nurses. This question will help you understand what to expect from the facility in terms of ongoing learning, continuing education, and other opportunities for growth.

Can you describe the orientation or onboarding process for new nurses?

Reason: Orientation shouldn't be a one-size fits all solution. Hopefully, the answer to this question will help you understand how they approach training and what happens if you need more or less of it. Ensure that the approach they take to orientation supports the transition into the new job.

Does the organization support specialty certifications for its nurses? If so, how?

Reason: Certifications are an excellent way to upskill, gain more knowledge in a specialty, and advance your career. Find out if they pay for training courses, any required exams, and ongoing certification fees.

How does the organization stay updated and implement the latest best practices in nursing care?

Reason: Best practices are imperative in nursing. Be sure the education or training department ensures that best practices are included in all policies and procedures so that you can always provide the best patient care.

Policy Questions

Here are a few critical policy-related questions you can ask.

Can you explain your policies on nurse scheduling and patient assignments?

Reason: Loving your schedule goes a long way toward overall happiness on the job. So, be sure to ask for as many details as possible about how work schedules and patient assignments are managed, and find out how tenure weighs into these processes since you'll be new to the team.

What is your policy on handling workplace conflicts or disagreements among the nursing staff?

Reason: Not only does this question provide insight into policies, but it also helps you understand how involved leadership is with any conflicts that arise. This question also gives you an idea about how positive or negative the work environment might be before you accept the job.

Can you describe your policies regarding safety and infection control?

Reason: Safety and infection control policies protect patients and workers alike. Be sure to ask for specifics about these policies to help you understand the facility's priorities.

What is your attendance policy, including holidays, weekends, and vacations?

Reason: Nurses must work weekends and holidays. However, it's crucial to understand the expectations to ensure you agree to the employer's requirements before you take the job.

Management Questions

You must always ask questions about how nursing leadership interacts with the staff. Below are a few questions that work well.

How does management support the nursing staff in their daily duties?

Reason: Supportive nursing leadership is crucial to a successful nursing team. This question should help you understand how much support, resources, and guidance you can expect from all levels of the nursing leadership team, from shift leads to unit managers to nursing directors and administrators.

Can you describe the leadership style of the nursing management team? 

Reason: Nursing leaders use various types of management styles. It's critical to learn how leadership approaches the team and if it aligns with the type of leader you need on the job.

How does management handle feedback and suggestions from the nursing staff?

Reason: It's imperative that nursing leadership is willing to give and receive feedback. This question should help you understand if leadership is open to input and what they do with it once received.

What is the process for performance reviews and promotions within the nursing team?

Reason: Knowing what to expect regarding your performance and any issues you might have is essential. Be sure to find out if the company offers career ladders or other programs that can help you advance in your nursing career.

Preparing for Your Nursing Interview

Preparation is key when looking for a new job. Below are some tips you can use to crush your next nursing interview.

In-Person Interviews

Preparing for in-person interviews is critical. A few ways to ensure you're ready include:

• Map out your route the night before.
• Arrive at least 15 minutes before the interview begins.
• Bring a water bottle so you don't struggle with dry mouth.

Video Call Interviews

Interviewing from home can reduce worries about traffic and parking. However, they still come up with worries and the need to prepare. Here are a few things you should do to be ready for your next video interview:

• Check the link the night before to ensure it works.
• Let your family know when you'll be in the interview and that you can't be interrupted.
• Schedule a family member or babysitter to care for babies and other young children.
• Dress as if you're interviewing in person.
• Find a location with adequate lighting and one that is clean and tidy.
• Use a virtual background if you don't have a background you like.

Phone Interviews

Phone interviews are often more relaxed than remote or in-person interviews. However, it's still crucial to schedule it when you can focus on the interview. Be sure young children are tended by another adult. You must also make sure your phone is fully charged and that you can talk in a quiet environment.

What to Wear and Bring to a Nursing Interview

Your appearance is likely the first thing the interviewer will notice about you. So, be sure to follow these quick five tips to ensure you make a great first impression.

• Be sure your clothes fit well, are wrinkle and stain free, and are professional.
• Wear business attire and refrain from wearing scrubs.
• Choose comfortable, stylish shoes that match your outfit.
• Wear your hair away from your face and go light on make-up.
• Keep jewelry to a minimum so it's not distracting during the interview.

Flex Your Research of the Facility

The more you know about the healthcare system, the better prepared you'll feel during your interview. Below are a few key areas you should research.

History of the Nursing Facility

Research the history of the nursing facility. This might include knowing who owns the facility and if they've recently acquired or merged with any other facilities. You should also know if the facility has any associations with other companies, organizations, or non-profit organizations.

Goal and Mission of the Facility

Knowing the facility's mission, vision, and values will help you answer questions during your interview. You can also discuss this during the interview if the mission or values align well with what you believe or how you act as a nurse.

Statistics of the Facility

Find out basic information such as how many beds it has, the types of professionals on the healthcare team, and what types of units the facility offers. Be sure to investigate if they have any specialty units you might want to advance to in the future so you can talk about future goals.

What to Do After Your Nursing Interview

You can take a nice deep breath once the interview is over. However, you're not finished.

It's critical to send an email within 24 hours of the interview to thank the interviewer for their time and hospitality. This also affords you an excellent opportunity to let them know how much you're truly interested in the job and that you'd love to join the team.

About Melissa Mills, BSN

Melissa Mills has 26 years experience as a BSN and specializes in Workforce Development, Education, Advancement.

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Most Common Nursing Interview Questions, Best Answers, and Tips

Dec 01 2023

Career Resources / Job Searching / Nursing Interview Questions

There are few things more intimidating than preparing for a nursing job interview. No matter how much experience you have or how strong your skills, it’s scary to put yourself out there.

The best way to free yourself of interview anxiety is to walk in feeling confident and well prepared. We can’t help you with your nursing knowledge or years of practice, but we can definitely provide a heads up about the questions you can expect to be asked. Take a look at the 18 nursing interview questions and answers we’ve put together for you below. If you familiarize yourself with each of these, you can walk in to any interview with confidence.

(Looking for interview questions for specific nursing roles? Read here for common ER nursing interview questions to help you ace your next interview.)

In this guide, we’ll cover

• Teamwork questions
• Patient care questions
• Background and personality questions
• Adaptability questions
• General nurse interview tips

Research the facility where you’re interviewing

• Questions to ask the employer

Additional nursing interview questions to expect

How to prepare for a phone interview.

What to wear

What to bring

Introducing Resume Wizard

AI-powered resume builder for nurses.

Common nursing interview questions and answers

The twenty interview questions below are among the most frequently asked by nursing interviewers. Reviewing them, and the sample answers we’ve provided is one of the best ways for you to prepare yourself.

• Describe a situation where you had to work with a difficult co-worker. How did you handle it?
• Tell us about a time when you were unexpectedly put into a leadership position. What happened, and were you pleased with how you responded?
• Describe a situation where you were especially proud of your healthcare team. What role did you play in your team’s success?
• How do you like working with a team?
• Describe a time there was a miscommunication between you and a teammate. How did you handle it?
• Describe a problematic patient you had in the past. How did you handle that situation?
• How do you manage questions from a patient’s family and friends?
• Can you explain situations without using a lot of medical jargon? Give an example.
• What is your idea of effective patient and family education?
• Have you ever had a family member or patient who was unhappy with your care? How did you handle it?
• Tell me about yourself.
• Why did you decide to be a nurse?
• What are your strengths and weaknesses?
• Why do you want to work here (at this hospital/health system)? What interests you the most?
• How do you deal with cultural differences?
• What are your professional goals?
• Describe a situation where you were under a lot of pressure. How did you deal with it? What methods worked well for you?
• What do you do when you don’t know the answer to something at work—whether it’s how to address a situation or the answer to a patient question?

Sample nurse interview questions and answers on teamwork

Working collaboratively and being a team player is critical to high-level patient care, whether you’re working in a hospital or any other type of health facility. Employers want to know that you’re a team player who works well with others, especially in stressful situations.

1. Describe a situation where you had to work with a difficult co-worker. How did you handle it?

The key to answering this nursing interview question is to talk about the solution you provided rather than badmouthing a colleague. Demonstrate understanding, empathy, and a positive approach. You’ll get extra points for mentioning what you learned from the situation.

Sample answer:

“I worked the night shift with a nurse who consistently showed up late for their shift. This would impact the whole team and put us behind. I took the nurse aside to speak with her, and asked if switching shifts would help her get to work on time. My co-worker expressed tremendous relief, and said it would definitely help: she explained why her assigned hours were a problem. With that information, we switched her to a different shift and the problem was solved. That experience showed me the benefits of taking initiative, as well as being open to making a change for the good of the team.”

Great answer! This shows empathy, a high level of communication, and problem-solving skills. Hiring managers want to hire nurses who can overcome a challenge and find a resolution.

2. Tell us about a time when you were unexpectedly put into a leadership position. What happened, and were you pleased with how you responded?

Hiring managers want nurses who they can rely upon, and promote. They want to find someone who not only has experience as a leader, but who takes pride in their accomplishments. Even if you’re a recent graduate, you can point to leadership experience you had while volunteering or working with your cohort on an academic project.

“Ever since I became a licensed RN, I’ve gravitated toward situations that required leadership and responsibility. I was once asked to lead a group of LVN’s. In working with the team, I emphasized patient-centered care and efficiency. We made a point of engaging with patient families, educating them on the care required for each individual patient’s needs. Each team member really became dedicated to high quality care, and one of my proudest moments was seeing one of them go on to earn their RN certification. I really felt that I had made a difference, and it inspired me to go on to mentor other nurses.”

Solid. You gave a great example of how you managed your leadership role, included care standards in your answer, and spoke to your desire to take on more responsibility in the future.

3. Describe a situation where you were especially proud of your healthcare team. What role did you play in your team’s success?

Every nursing unit experiences success in one way or another. It may be around a particular patient’s care or a challenging situation within the larger organization. Being able to describe the situation and how you and your colleagues handled it will be very helpful to the recruiting manager. Make sure you’re as detailed as possible and explain the particular role you played in the successful outcome .

“Working on a med-surg nursing team , we often see a lot of successes, but one time, one of our patients started to fail. We worked together and realized that he had infected feeding tubes. We were able to work together quickly to thoroughly clean the tubes, helping prevent further injury to the patient.”

4. How do you like working with a team?

Teamwork is essential to nursing care, and cooperation and flexibility are important. You want to make sure that the interviewer knows that you enjoy being part of a team, and work to improve collaboration and collegiality.

“I thrive while working as a part of a team. I have a strong ability to adapt and am guided by knowing that a healthy and cooperative team provides the best outcomes for patients . Everyone has a different way of looking at a problem, and I believe that we should be open to multiple perspectives . One of my favorite parts about being on a team is celebrating our successes , whether individual or together. Though I feel confident in my abilities to work alone, working with a team always teaches me something new.”

Great! You explained how comfortable you are while working on a team, and also made sure that the interviewer knows you can work alone. You killed two birds with one stone. Excellent.

5. Describe a time there was a miscommunication between you and a teammate. How did you handle it?

Miscommunications are not a problem in and of themselves, but failure to work through them can be. You want the interviewer to know that you are able to work through conflict . Again, focus on your solution and the leadership you showed in finding it rather than on describing a colleague’s bad behavior. You want your answers to be positive.

“One of my co-workers struggled to communicate during the hand-off period to begin her shift. The partial, incomplete information she provided about our patient’s status led to confusion and ran the risk of sub-quality care. After repeated issues, I approached her politely and told her that I needed proper information at the shift change. I did it directly and without criticizing her, and she immediately apologized and corrected her ways. She even began jotting down some notes for the hand-off. I learned the importance of speaking up and being direct without being confrontational or critical.”

Perfect. You took initiative by speaking up, both for yourself and for your patient. You also demonstrated your ability to provide honest, considerate feedback without putting your colleague down.

Sample nurse interview questions and answers on patient care

Patient care is a central focal point for nurse candidates. Interviewers (and your future supervisors and teammates) want to know that you’re dedicated to having a good relationship with every patient, regardless of challenging circumstances.

6. Describe a problematic patient you had in the past. How did you handle that situation?

Difficult patients are a reality of nursing practice. Your answer should acknowledge this and demonstrate that you know how to respond in a way that is constructive and doesn’t interfere with care.

“As a pediatric nurse, getting children to take their meds can be challenging. I had one child who cried and became nearly hysterical every time we needed to give him medication. One day I asked him a simple question: “What’s your favorite kind of ice cream?” When he said chocolate, I grabbed some chocolate pudding and offered it for him to take with his medication. It sounds simple, but it did the trick. He stopped screaming and crying at medication time, and I had made a friend.”

Wow. Great answer. You described being creative in the face of a challenge, as well as your willingness to go above and beyond. This response may seem simple, but it sets you up as a problem-solver who is able to adjust on the fly.

7. How do you manage questions from a patient’s family and friends?

Patients’ family and friends are typically concerned, and that leads to them asking a lot of questions that you may not be able to answer quickly. Being able to balance their questions with taking care of the patient is crucial.

“I always remember to be empathetic: I know that if it was my loved one, I’d have questions too! I try to make sure I’m answering them kindly and with patience . I know I can’t answer all of their questions, so I try to make that clear within my answer. That way I’ve set boundaries .”

Perfection. You displayed an earnest attempt to meet the patient where they are. You also talked about setting boundaries, which is key.

8. Can you explain situations without using a lot of medical jargon? Give an example.

Medical information can feel like a foreign language to patients. Nurses have to be able to effectively translate what the doctor says to a patient. When answering this nursing interview question, emphasize what you do to make sure that the  patient understands .

“Patients come from different educational backgrounds. They’re different ages and have different levels of familiarity with medical terminology, so I always work to break medical jargon down into language that is understandable . For example, if a doctor says he is ordering diagnostic imaging, I make sure that to explain that this means the patient is getting an X-ray. I also ask the patient to repeat what they think they heard so I’m sure that they’re working with the right information.”

You explained the effort you put into describing medical jargon, and even mentioned having the patient repeat back what they heard. Great job!

9. What is your idea of effective patient and family education?

Every patient has their own learning style . Emphasizing that you can work with a variety of patients to provide quality patient and family education is important.

“Patient education is most effective when it is centered around the patient and family’s needs. I work hard to understand each group’s learning style and adapt accordingly. I know some patients prefer reading medical instructions and others do better if they can watch a video. Some want detailed information and others just want the basics. Including the family in the treatment process is so important: They often end up serving as primary caretakers for the patient. When you emphasize how important they are to the process, it elevates their interest and participation. “

Excellent. You demonstrated your flexibility, your attention to cues from your patients and their family, and your understanding of expressing the importance of family involvement in patient’s needs.

10. Have you ever had a family member or patient who was unhappy with your care? How did you handle it?

Unfortunately, not everybody will be satisfied with your care. Your answer should demonstrate that you worked to find a solution rather than that you took it personally.

“I work to provide high-quality care to every patient, but the reality is that some patients or their families won’t agree with my methods. I once had a patient who complained about how I administered his insulin. He told my administrator that I stuck the needle in too quickly and hadn’t been gentle enough. I decided to go especially slowly with that patient to accommodate their needs and provide patient-centered care .”

This is a great example of adjusting to a patient’s needs rather than focusing on having been the subject of a complaint. Rather than suggesting that the patient was wrong, you demonstrated that you can respond positively to criticism.

If you’re just beginning your  nursing career , you may be concerned about how to answer these questions in light of your lack of patient experience. Address this by answering in hypotheticals, or give an example of a time when you had to work with difficult individuals in another part of your life.

Sample nurse interview questions and answers on background and personality

Your personality plays a huge role in how you fit into a healthcare environment. The interview is an opportunity to demonstrate how you will fit into an existing team. Questions about you, your personality, and your career path are fairly common.

11. Tell me about yourself.

This may feel like a very open-ended question, but it gives you the opportunity to share. As tempting as it is to answer this nursing interview question with your life story, instead work to demonstrate that you will fit in their team. Talking about your job qualifications and your ability to work as part of a team and you’re golden.

“I’m a dedicated nurse. I enjoy providing patient-centered care , and have spent eight years working as a pediatrics nurse. Helping my patients recover and regain health motivates me every day. One of the most important things I’ve learned, that’s become my mantra, is that quality care involves empathy first, and helps you determine treatment. Every patient is different and deserves personalized attention. Of all the things that I’ve learned over my nursing career, I’m most proud of my ability to juggle different patient loads . Your company’s mission of ensuring patient-centered, quality care fits my skill set and goals as a nurse.”

Great job! You provided a great synopsis of your skills and passion and demonstrated that you’ve done your homework about them too.

12. Why did you decide to be a nurse?

This may sound like they want to know more about you and your background, but what the employer wants out of this nursing interview question is to know that your ambitions match their facility’s principles.

“My family has always been involved in medicine. My grandfather and uncle were both doctors, and many of my aunts and cousins are nurses, so it seemed like a natural fit. Helping people in practical yet compassionate ways comes naturally to me.”

You’ve provided information on something essential about your character: care and compassion . Having an urge to care for others rooted in your family’s values expresses a lot about your drive to be a nurse.

13. What are your strengths and weaknesses?

Honesty is important when answering this question. Every nurse has unique strengths and weaknesses, but you also want to be careful that when you’re describing a weakness, you don’t do so in a way that makes you seem incompetent.

“My greatest strength is communication. I have a strong ability to educate and empathize with patients , speaking in their terms and helping them understand what’s going on. I guess empathy is a strength too, because I strive to walk a mile in their shoes and treat them as people first. I once worked with an older patient who dearly missed her garden. I brought her a small potted garden. She loved it, and it seemed to make her more accepting of the treatments she had to endure. My greatest weakness is over-committing. I love my job and I try and do too much at times. I need to slow down and trust my team .”

Wow! Touching. You showed how much your patients mean to you and confessed your weakness by showing your passion, without painting yourself in a negative light.

14. Why do you want to work here (at this hospital/health system)? What interests you the most?

This is not an invitation to say you want to make more money or that they have great benefits. Instead, describe the features of the facility and what you feel drawn toward. Prepare for this question by studying their website to see what they promote about themselves.

“I’ve always wanted to work in a facility that makes a point of  championing patient-centered care.  Your facility has received countless awards for its care, including the Vizient 2019 Bernard A. Birnbaum, M.D., Quality Leadership Award for high-quality patient care. I’m excited to work for this type of institution. I also saw that U.S. News & World Reports ranked you as one of the top hospitals. I’d feel tremendous pride working at such a well-regarded hospital. “

Well done. You did your research about the facility. And your goals align with the aims of the company.

15. How do you deal with cultural differences?

Nurses are trained to handle cultural differences, but doing so well often requires both experience and respect for others. Specific stories and methods are especially helpful when answering this question. Give an example of a time when you were faced with this, and talk about what you learned.

16. What are your professional goals?

Hiring managers want to hire nurses who are ambitious and have a clear sense of their  professional goals . Be ready for this question: Have a  detailed and attainable list of things you want to accomplish immediately, as well as five and ten years into the future. While ambition is good, you also need to give a realistic answer. It’s probably unwise to tell a hiring manager that you’re planning on becoming the hospital president when you’re applying for a role as a first-year registered nurse. 

“My professional goals are to earn my MSN, join the Emergency Nurses Association, and become an emergency room nurse practitioner. I hope to mentor nurses and share what I’ve learned. I’m excited about this opportunity, as I think it will help me to fulfill my long-term goals. Eventually, I hope to advance into a management role where I can oversee and train nurses. I feel drawn toward helping others grow and learn.”

Having well-thought-out responses to these questions show that you’ve put thought into your self-development and your career, which is very appealing for any employer.

Always be prepared to be questioned on anything on your  cover letter ,  resume , and reference letters.

Sample nurse interview questions and answers on adaptability and flexibility

Life as a nurse is often about adjusting quickly to changing environments. Demonstrating that you can be agile when necessary is a great way to get your foot in the door. 

17. Describe a situation where you were under a lot of pressure. How did you deal with it? What methods worked well for you?

Nursing is a stressful position . Sometimes  nurses burn out . Hiring managers want to know that you can handle stress in a healthy and practical way.

“I experience pressure every day as an  ICU nurse.  On one occasion, I had to cover more patients than usual because a co-worker called out sick. I managed the situation by  creating a patient and task list and prioritizing care . By triaging in this way, I was able to manage my increased workload successfully, caring for patients and giving myself a sense of control despite the challenges.  More generally speaking, I often  practice yoga  after work so I don’t carry stress into my outside-the-hospital life. “

Bravo. You showed an ability to prioritize and you also made clear that you’re proactive about taking care of yourself.

18. What do you do when you don’t know the answer to something at work—whether it’s how to address a situation or the answer to a patient question?

The hiring manager wants to hear that you’re confident in knowing how to resolve this common issue.

“When I don’t understand something at work or have the answer to a question, I look for help . I don’t let my pride get in the way of quality patient care. I’m honest in saying that I don’t know the answer but I will get it, then quickly ask someone who has more experience or knowledge .”

Superb. You showed humility, honesty, and a need to help the patient first.

Keeping these answers focused on how well you responded to point out your willingness to adapt to get things done can be very helpful in an interview. 

When in doubt, remember the “STAR” method for your answers: A  S ituation or  T ask similar to what they’re asking about,  A ctions you took, and  R esults you achieved.

Going into your interview, you should have a clear sense of its characteristics, including the demographic it serves, its statistics and awards, goals and mission, history, and the programs that it provides. 

• Magnet status refers to an award presented by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) to hospitals that meet a benchmark that measures the quality of their nursing.
• Where do they rank in the U.S. News & World Reports for hospitals ? (This ranks the best hospitals by specialty)

Goals and Mission

• What are some of the goals or missions of the hospital? You can find these on their website.
• Does the hospital have a religious undercurrent?
• What is the mission and how does the hospital want to serve its population?

Demographics

• Does the hospital cater to a specific population type? For example, does the facility serve an older demographic of people?
• What about the general socioeconomic status of the patients?
• When did the facility open?
• What major things have happened since it’s been opened?
• Has it recently undergone a renovation?
• What kind of programs does the facility have? For example, does it have a renowned cancer unit or a great pediatric program?
• What’s the patient-to-staff ratio? 

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Questions to ask the potential employer

Now that we’ve provided examples of common nursing interview questions and answers, it’s time to go over the questions you can ask your interviewer . Asking questions shows that you’re interested in the position and the facility, and helps you gain a greater sense of what the job will be like.

What is your company’s culture?

This question is important for any position. A company’s culture impacts every decision that is made , so you want to make sure that your values and the company’s values align. Some companies may over-emphasize efficiency and lose sight of developing healthy interactions between nurses on and off the job.

What type of orientation or training do you provide?

This is a great question: The answer will help you understand the level of support you’ll receive upon starting the job, and is also an indication of the facility’s overall attitude towards its staff. Knowing that there will be a detailed and thorough training process might ease your mind about taking the job.

How would you describe your management style?

Knowing what to expect from your future boss is a huge help, and can even inform you as to whether you should accept the job if it is offered to you. Every boss has their own managing style. Some bosses prefer a more hands-on approach while others allow their employees more freedom .

What policies or practices do you have for self-care?

The answer to this question will tell you a lot about the facility’s culture. Nurse burnout is real, and being in an environment that doesn’t allow for self-care can be toxic.

Be prepared to answer more personal questions as the interviewer goes through your resume and asks about your experience!

How to prepare for your nursing interview

Here are some key steps for making a great impression during your job interviews:

• Prepare in advance for questions  your prospective employer may ask, especially those that test your critical thinking, prioritization, and skills.
• Practice your answers out loud.  It may feel silly, but it’s the easiest way to know if an answer feels right or not. You can even record yourself speaking and listen to your responses.
• For phone interviews, select a quiet place  where you won’t be distracted during the call.
• Keep some water handy  to combat dry mouth
• Smile as you speak , even over the phone,  so they can hear your positivity  on the other end of the line.
• For in-person interviews, make sure you dress with polish  — no jeans or scrubs — and avoid overpowering scents/perfume.
• Bring a notebook and pen  along with a clean folder and copies of your resume, as well as documentation of any certifications you have (ACLS, NCLEX, etc.) 
• Make sure you read the job description carefully! The key qualifications and traits employers are looking for will be included, and you should use the same words in describing yourself.
• Prepare your own questions for the employer – Don’t just leap into asking about salary. Ask about a typical day in the position, patient and staff numbers, and how the organization gathers patient input/feedback
• Write and send a thank you note to the interviewer . Thank them for the time they spent with you and reiterate your interest in working for their organization. Be specific about why. An authentic thank you note makes a difference, especially if they’re considering other nurses for the role.
• Stay positive!
• Be ready 10 minutes early so you don’t sound rushed.
• Eliminate background noise and distractions from children, pets, and others.
• Make sure your phone or laptop is fully charged, and use headphones/earphones for optimal sound.
• If you’ll be using your landline, turn your mobile phone off.
• Have some water handy. If your mouth is dry, you’ll sound nervous.
• Use paper and pen for note-taking to avoid the noisy clicking of computer keys.
• Do some voice exercises before the call, especially if you haven’t spoken in several hours.
• Posture has an impact on your voice, so stand or make sure you sit up very straight during the call.
• Smile as you speak — it really makes a difference! A good time to smile is when you talk about the work you’ve done, ask questions, or express your enthusiasm about the company.

How to prepare for an in-person nurse interview

Looking professional is important. Your interviewer will be looking at how you dress, how you present yourself, eye contact , positive attitude, and a firm handshake . Remember, psychologists say you only have seven seconds to make a first impression !

Can you wear scrubs to a nursing interview? Despite the saying, “dress for the job you want,” the simple answer is: no. Your image is your first impression , even before you shake the interviewer’s hand. Dress professionally – this means a suit or business separates – no scrubs or denim. 

4 tips for what to wear

• Don’t wear jeans, denim, or scrubs.
• Wear a suit or business separates that fit well. You should feel like the superhero you are! Avoid clothes that are either too tight or oversized.
• Avoid strong scents, which may include perfume, cologne, aftershave, lotions, and hair products.
• If possible, wear a watch to show that you understand the importance of timing and detail.
• A pen or pencil
• Small notepad or notebook in good shape
• Several copies of your resume
• Any letters of reference you might have
• Nursing License/proof you have passed NCLEX (mainly for new nursing graduates)
• Pertinent certifications

Preparation is key for any interview

Adequate prep time will help you feel confident and comfortable heading into the interview room. Make sure to review all the tips above before your interview, practice your answers to common questions, and put your best foot forward. Good luck!

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MockQuestions

Nursing Mock Interview

To help you prepare for your Nursing interview, here are 50 interview questions and answer examples.

Nursing was updated by Tabitha Cumpian on January 18th, 2023. Learn more here.

Question 1 of 50

How have you responded when your supervisor asked you to work an additional shift to fill vacancies?

How to Answer

1st entry level example, 2nd entry level example, 1st experienced example, 2nd experienced example, 3rd experienced example.

Community Answers

Any nurse knows that one of the downsides to the career is the need for coverage on most units 24 hours per day, 365 days per year. There may be times when you are asked to alter your schedule or pick up additional shifts to fill for vacancies in the work schedule. Due to being shorthanded, you may also be asked to stay for longer hours on your current shift. Working as a cohesive team is important among fellow nurses in a department and they need to be willing to help each other out when needed. As well, it is important for you to be open and honest about your availability and for you to ensure that the job you are interviewing for fits your schedule.

"As a new nurse entering the workforce, I will be more than willing to pick up extra shifts and work extra hours when needed. I am very eager to work with and learn from as many experienced nurses as I can and this would enable me to do that. Through college, I worked in the student center book store and I picked up any extra shifts that my school schedule allowed me to. There, covering the schedule was a team effort and we had to be in constant communication due to us all being full-time students."

"Since I am just now finishing my nursing program and am a newly licensed nurse, I have not yet encountered this situation; however, I am very eager to learn and am willing to cover extra shifts when needed. Before my career change into nursing, I worked in the business/IT industry, and I often had to pull long days with many hours, so I am used to going above and beyond the standard work week in order to get the job done. As a nurse, my priority will be caring for our patients, and I will pitch in and help however I can in order to ensure they are cared for."

"I know that working as an obstetrics nurse on 12-hour shifts that teamwork and helping cover for each other is important. In my current position, we have policies on notification for paid time off, shift swapping and calling in sick. I have been open to help cover extra shifts when needed and staying over for some extra time on shifts as long as I have some notice because I need to make childcare arrangements for our little one."

"Through my career as a nurse, all units that I worked on functioned as a cohesive team and this was very important when it came to covering shifts. Just recently, I was working day shifts on my unit when we were notified that two of the evening shift nurses came down with the flu. Being down a couple of nurses due to turnover, my supervisor made calls to those on night shift to see if two people could split the shifts and work 12 hours. I volunteered to stay over four extra hours without hesitation and when two night shift nurses stepped up as well, we had the unit covered for the evening."

"As a seasoned nurse, I have experienced this on several occasions in the past. I do have children so I first have needed to ensure I have child care but then I have always been happy to pick up and work additional shifts. I feel that as a healthcare team, we must be willing to work together to cover shift needs so that our patients are always cared for in the best possible way."

Anonymous Answer

Rachelle's Feedback

Jaymie's Feedback

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50 Nursing Interview Questions & Answers

Below is a list of our Nursing interview questions. Click on any interview question to view our answer advice and answer examples. You may view 15 answer examples before our paywall loads. Afterwards, you'll be asked to upgrade to view the rest of our answers.

Table of Contents

• 1.   Behavioral Questions
• 2.   Competency Questions
• 3.   Discovery Questions
• 4.   Education Questions
• 5.   Situational Questions

Nursing interviews can vary in structure, so it's important to be prepared for all types! The interview process may look different depending on the setting you're applying to work in. For example, if it's an independent physician's practice, there may only be one, in-person, or virtual interview. If it's for a role within a larger organization, it could vary from one to several one-on-one interviews via phone, in-person, or virtual platforms, or you could have a round of panel interviews, with multiple interviewers present at one time. Asking questions upfront about the interview process and gathering as much information about the structure as possible will help you know what to expect and better prepare. Nurse interviews are typically made up of a variety and mix of questions, including discovery or get-to-know-you questions, technical or knowledge-based questions, behavioral questions (these usually start with "tell me about a time when...), compatibility questions, and situational questions, so it's important to practice and be prepared for all types. For questions that ask you to "tell the interviewer about a time when..." it can be hard to think of examples on the spot, so don't be afraid to pause and take a moment to gather your thoughts. Have a couple of examples rehearsed and prepared using the STAR method, which is a technique that gives an answer by telling a story by explaining the Situation, Task, Action, and Result. This approach helps you stay on track and give a concise and direct answer. Interviewers often ask questions about why you want to work for their organization and may ask what you know about their mission and values. It's important to do your research beforehand on this information as well as read employee reviews; that way, you can demonstrate that you're being intentional when applying for jobs. Being prepared in this way will help you stand out amongst other applicants. As you answer questions, think about qualities, characteristics, and skills that the interviewer will find valuable in the next nurse they hire to their team, and weave those into your answers. Let your personality and passion for nursing shine in your responses, be genuine, avoid speaking negatively about past or current coworkers or employers, give a direct and concise answer, try to avoid rambling (which is easy to do when you're nervous!), and just be yourself! The interview process can be stressful, but by asking questions about the interview process early on in the recruitment process, preparing, and practicing, you will give yourself every opportunity to make a positive and lasting first impression on the interviewer!

1. How have you responded when your supervisor asked you to work an additional shift to fill vacancies?

Written by Elisabeth Walter

Written by Ryan Brunner

Written by Kelly Burlison on March 17th, 2019

Written by Tabitha Cumpian on January 31st, 2023

Anonymous Interview Answers with Professional Feedback

2. we are interviewing several candidates for this position. why should we hire you.

Often one of the final questions during the interview, this is your final chance to sell yourself to the interviewer on why you are the best candidate for the job. This is a good question for you to have a prepared, but not rehearsed answer where you can talk about the skills you bring to the table and how they will benefit the organization and the patients. As well, you can discuss your personal traits that you feel put you above the competition for the position.

"Pursuing a nursing career has been a passion of mine since I was a young girl. As I made my way through nursing school, my dream of becoming a nurse developed into a passion for helping those patients that are in need of psychiatric help. I know that your psychiatric inpatient unit requires a nurse that is both compassionate and able to handle a large patient load on any given day. You'll find that my past work experience and references will point out that I am a go-getter who can handle a large workload while providing excellent care to my patients."

"Although I am sure you are interviewing more experienced candidates, I feel that I am the best candidate for this position. I left a successful career in IT project management to become a nurse, which proves that I have a passion for nursing and am committed to the profession. Also, in addition to my newly acquired nursing skills, I have a host of IT, data, project management, and informatics skills that I can bring to the table and add to the team. I am not sure, but I doubt you will find another candidate with such a diverse skill set."

"Throughout my career as a nurse, I have demonstrated that patient care is a top priority in any job that I have held. It has always been my dream to work on an obstetrics unit and I know that everything that I have worked for in my career has brought me here, speaking with you. My compassion and drive to succeed in this position make me the top person for this job and you'll find quickly that I will be a top contributing member of your obstetrics nursing team."

"As a nurse who has worked over 20 years in the field, I have developed many skills in my time working in family practice, urgent care and general surgery. These skills will translate well into your emergency setting. You'll find that I'm a very patient centered nurse who is driven to be the best that I can be each and every day that I report for duty. Being a successful nurse requires this drive to succeed along with a passion for the craft and without those traits, I wouldn't be the nurse that I am today."

1st Answer Example

"As an experienced nurse, I am very organized and dependable. I have worked in many settings throughout my nursing career and have had the opportunity to work with very experienced nurses. This has been incredibly helpful as I grew over the years because these experienced nurses were such amazing mentors. They helped to show me from the very beginning of my career the value and importance of being part of a team. That is now one of the traits that I pride myself on, being a team player. Caring for some patients can be quite complex, and I truly believe we must be willing to work together as a team and help one another provide the best care."

View This Question and Answers

3. Describe your typical relationship with physicians you work with.

As a nurse, you have a working relationship with several physicians. This question will enable you to showcase your relationship with the physicians that you have worked with and what your communication style is. As a nurse, building trust with physicians is important as well so some examples of how you've built that trust can be beneficial.

"During my clinical rotations, I had the chance to work with and relate to many different physicians. By getting to work with and learn from so many different physicians, I obtained a much greater understanding for what they are looking for in a great nurse and how I can better work with them to treat our patients. At first, I was intimidated by the fact I'd be working directly with a doctor, but after communicating and working with them, I look forward to building more of these relationships with my first employer as a nurse."

"During my career, I've taken great pride in being able to communicate and relate to the physicians that I have worked with. Together, we ultimately work as a team to provide the best care that we can for each patient and our working relationship is key in accomplishing this goal."

"In my time as a dialysis nurse, I have worked with many Nephrologists in direct patient care. As the first contact with the patient, it was my duty to communicate any changes in patient conditions to the Nephrologist and I never hesitated to so. Over my career, I took great pride to get to know how each physician prefers my communication and working style to be with them and I was able to tailor my approach for specific physicians that had particular preferences."

"I pride myself in the fact that I am able to develop and maintain very professional relationships with the physicians I work with. As I nurse, I am part of the care team, but I look to the physicians I work with for orders and for guidance. While there are times that I must bring various things to their attention and ask questions in a professional manner, I do not blatantly challenge the decisions physicians have made like I have seen some of my nursing colleagues do in the past. Also, when it comes to dealing with difficult physician personalities, I never take any difficult encounters personally. I recognize that physicians are typically under a significant amount of pressure and stress and if their emotions run high because of this, I do not need to add stress to their lives by complicating the situation."

4th Experienced Example

"Throughout my career, I have had the opportunity to work with many physicians with varying personalities. I have always communicated in a clear, friendly, and professional manner. I believe we are both part of the same healthcare team and ultimately we are here to help the patients return to a state of health. I always want to ensure I am doing my part to make that happen and for me, it begins with having clear communication with the physician."

4. How will you promote a culture of teamwork and collaboration?

Many healthcare companies promote teamwork and collaboration as core values. As a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse on the team, you will work alongside other nurses, nursing assistants, physicians, and other clinical care providers. Describe ways that you promote teamwork and collaboration in the workplace and how you will contribute to supporting these core values.

Written by Jaymie Payne on December 18th, 2022

"During clinicals, I promoted a sense of teamwork by being willing to help others, whether it was helping them lift or ambulate a patient or helping them understand a process when documenting a patient's status. It's important for those you work with to know that you can be trusted and relied upon if they need help. Communication is another way I will promote collaboration. Sharing patient updates, messages from physicians or other clinicians, family requests, etc., is essential when working with a multidisciplinary team to promote the best patient care and outcomes."

"I'm used to working short-staffed, so if there is a time my patient volume is down or I'm caught up with my tasks, the first thing I do is approach my coworkers to see if they need assistance or support. Perhaps a nurse is behind on a med pass, or there are ten call lights on in the hall. I'm happy to jump in and support others so that we're working together to make sure all patients are cared for, no matter who they are assigned to on the shift. I promote teamwork and collaboration by setting the example for other staff members."

"In my last position, I was part of a diverse interdisciplinary clinical team, so I am accustomed to working with nurses, nursing assistants, physicians, and specialists. My communication skills promote teamwork and collaboration through active listening, setting clear expectations, relaying accurate and up-to-date information on patients, and a tone of positivity. I always support my colleagues when they need help catching up on documentation or if they need help passing medications to patients. I encourage others to help one another and lend a hand and I keep a positive attitude as I find that's often contagious!"

"I promote teamwork and collaboration by example. Whenever I have my tasks caught up, I always check in with my fellow coworkers and teammates to see if anyone needs help with any care for their patients. This includes asking both the nurses and nursing assistants. I also always work to stay in tune with my surroundings. For instance, if I still have tasks to be completed but it seems that someone else is busier or has multiple urgent needs I then prioritize what I may be able to help team members with while also ensuring my own tasks are completed on time."

5. What was your least favorite patient? What was the situation.

Any experienced nurse has had to deal with a patient that was unruly, untruthful or just downright mean. For this question, be sure to provide a specific time where you had to handle a patient like this, how you handled the situation and what the final outcome was. The interviewer is looking for you to stay calm, cool and collected despite wanting to fight back.

"While not experiencing this type of patient directly during my clinical experiences during nursing school, I did encounter a few angry customers during my time working as a waiter through college. One particular customer became upset that I had brought him a different soda than he ordered. Where most customers would have simply asked nicely, he loudly proclaimed to the entire establishment that I was a poor waiter that couldn't get an order right. Knowing that his anger obviously stemmed from much more than a wrong soda, I simply apologized and returned with the correct order for him. My boss said I handled the situation properly and made sure that I put his meal on the house's tab for the day."

"I had an elderly patient who was struggling to maintain their independence, but suffering from dementia while recovering from a broken hip. They were resistant at times when they needed to take medicine, so I learned how to talk to them and involve their family member in order to encourage them to do the things they needed for care."

"During my time as a family practice nurse, I had seen several patients that were abusing prescription pain pills. One patient, in particular, became very upset with me when the physician would not prescribe more pain medication to the patient after I checked her medical record and realized that a pain specialist had just done so the week prior with a full month's prescription. Fearing that the patient may become violent, I brought another male nurse into the room and I calmly explained to her why more medication couldn't be prescribed. The conversation led to a discussion on abuse of pain medications and the dangers of the abuse. The patient left our clinic that day with educational brochures in hand about pain medicine abuse."

"To date, most of my experience has been working in outpatient family practice clinics, and the most frustrating patients for me are the ones who have no clinical experience or scientific education but question every recommendation the clinicians make because of 'research' they have conducted on the internet. I understand that everyone's opinions are valid and all patients are allowed to ask questions, but the patients who think they know more than the doctors I work with because of a blog they have read on the internet are very frustrating to me. Last flu season, when the virus was at epidemic levels, I had a patient who not only refused the vaccine but was telling me the vaccine caused the flu. I know this is clinically and scientifically impossible, but rather than becoming combative with her, I calmly presented her with the facts and allowed her to make her own decision, which ultimately was to deny herself the vaccine, but I did what I could."

"I once was caring for a young adult patient who was admitted due to a sickle cell crisis. When the patient asked for another dose of pain medication, I had to inform him that at that time I could not give him any because it was too early according to the current orders. I tried then to ask questions about the pain to gather more information and determine if perhaps I needed to contact the physician for new orders. The patient became very angry at me for not giving him pain medication when he asked and proceeded to yell at me. It was very frustrating, but I remained calm and didn't take his actions or words personally. I explained to him why I was asking the questions about his pain and would be happy to call the physician with an update and see if there were any other pain treatment options available. It took awhile, but I was finally able to gather information from the patient and contact the physician to discuss new potential orders."

Kristine's Feedback

6. How do you approach the documentation of patient records? Do you have specific strategies that you use?

Documentation of clinical encounters in patient records is extremely important and much of this responsibility rests on the shoulders of the nursing staff. If clinical encounters, medications, procedures, vital signs, and other information is not documented properly, unintended consequences could occur, some being dire. The interviewer is asking this question to determine how seriously the candidate takes documentation and to determine if they use any methods to improve efficiencies for documentation. To effectively answer this question, the candidate should talk about how they approach documentation, from beginning to end and give examples of any strategies they use to improve efficiency.

"I am new to nursing, as I just finished nursing school, but I understand how important clinical documentation is. During my clinical rotations, when I had the opportunity to document my clinical encounters, I made sure to document everything, and before signing the note, I would double-check to ensure everything was correct. Since I am new to this and have not had a chance to develop my own efficiencies, I cannot speak to that, but I can say that my background in IT project management will allow me to think outside the box, and I can see myself coming up with ideas for standardization that others may not ever think of."

"Documentation can be hard, especially on the days when I am extremely busy and I feel like I hardly have time to give basic care to my patients. While I know that I have to fill out the clinic notes completely, I also do not always have time to complete the full note at the patient bedside. What I will do is fill out the basic information and save the note so I can go back and edit it later. Then, when I have time later in the day, I will go back and complete the note using the shorthand notes that I left myself in the medical record."

"Working in a pediatric outpatient clinic, what I spent the most of my time on is documenting vaccines that were administered. This is not just the case for me, but all my pediatric nursing colleagues at work, we were spending a significant amount of time documenting vaccines. There were instances of other nurses taking shortcuts to save time, but these shortcuts did not include all the required information. Since this was such a big issue, I was always trying to find ways to help us streamline the vaccine documentation process, and one day, as I stood in the vaccine room, I came up with an idea of scanning the barcodes on the vaccines and them going straight into the medical record. While this idea took a long time to execute and a lot of work, I was able to work with our EHR and IT staff at our company to make this happen and it has freed up a significant amount of time for all pediatric nurses."

"Several years ago, when I first started working in outpatient adult medicine, I found that I was spending a significant amount of time writing clinic notes, and many days, I was writing the same things repeatedly. I know how important clinical documentation is, for everything from clinical decision-making to quality reporting, so I knew I needed to write thorough records. So, to help myself save time, I wrote out templates that included the basic information for different types of visits, such as sick visit, well visit, diabetes follow up, and senior visit, and saved them on WordPad so I could copy the information into the EHR. Now, when one of these patients comes in for an appointment, I am able to copy in the template and fill in the blanks. This process saves me a significant amount of time and my documentation is of good quality."

"When I begin documenting I always think about how I can chart everything that happened in the most comprehensive yet concise way. I prefer to use flowsheets when the EHR has them available. Then, unless specified by the organization, I always chart by exception. I feel this makes documenting more efficient. I document as much as I can by exception and with the flowsheets. If I need to document something that does not easily or smoothly fit into a flowsheet, then I will add a nursing note. I have found that this process has streamlined my documentation."

7. Tell me about your experience supervising or mentoring other nurses.

In the profession of nursing, there is much opportunity for nurses to mentor their peers or advance into leadership positions where they will supervise their colleagues. The interviewer is asking this question to assess the candidate's experience in mentorship and/or supervision to determine how these skills could potentially be utilized at your organization. To successfully answer this question, the candidate should provide an example of a time in which they supervised their colleagues or mentored another nursing professional. If the candidate does not experience supervising or mentoring other nurses, a supervision or mentorship experience in another setting would suffice.

"I just recently finished nursing school, so I have not yet had the opportunity to formally supervise or mentor other nurses in a professional position. However, since I was a career changer and went back to nursing school after I had an established career, many of my peers in school were younger than me, and they looked up to me for advice. Because I believe in helping others, I helped these academic colleagues and mentored them while we were in school and while we were doing our clinical rotations. While this mentorship experience is not directly connected to a job, I feel like I will be able to use this experience at your organization."

"Throughout my nursing career, I have held a couple of supervisory positions, in which I supervised entire teams of nurses, and was responsible for hiring and firing, scheduling, and ensuring everyone was able to grow and achieve their goals. While I am willing to take on these types of positions, I do not prefer them; however, I do enjoy mentoring young nurses who are recent graduates of nursing school. Many experienced nurses are threatened by new nurses, but I enjoy taking them under my wing and helping them grow, and I hope there are opportunities to mentor new nurses at your organization if I have the opportunity to join your team."

"While I am not seeking a supervisory position at this point in my career, I have over fifteen years of experience supervising nursing teams. Because of my experience with creating schedules, coaching employees, addressing performance issues, and handling other supervisory responsibilities, I am able and willing to fill in for the current supervisor when needed. I am always willing to use my supervisory skills to help out when needed, but because of personal obligations, right now, I am not interested in taking on a full-time supervisory role."

"I have not yet held a supervisory position in nursing as of yet, but I have mentored many of my colleagues when they first join the team. Mentoring has been one of the greatest joys of my career, and it has been an absolute pleasure seeing my mentees find their own success in their careers. One of my mentees, Marie, just applied for a new job within the company and obtained a supervisory position, and I couldn't be happier for her! Because I have been so successful at mentoring others, I think I would be a great supervisor, and I hope that there are opportunities to move into a supervisory role one day at your organization."

"Throughout my career so far, I have not held a supervisory position. However, I have mentored fellow coworkers. I was the primary preceptor for a very specialized outpatient department. After walking new hires through a rigorous orientation program, there was still consistent learning that occurred every day. Although team members were officially considered independent, I remained their mentor as they continued learning a little more each day. At the beginning of each orientation, I always worked to develop a good rapport with my coworker so that they felt comfortable working with me and would be willing to ask questions so they could learn."

8. Are you able to handle the physical requirement of the job?

The nursing profession can be physically demanding. Standing and walking for long stretches, assisting in lifting patients and staying awake for odd hours and long periods of time are some of the physical demands of the job. For the position that you are interviewing for, make sure to research what the physical demands are for the job and point out how you are able to handle those tasks. It can also be beneficial to discuss your self-care methods because being a nurse often requires being in great

"I know that as I enter a nursing career, I will be asked to do some pretty extreme physical activity. Lifting patients and standing for long hours at a time comes easy to me as I've participate in sports all the way through high school and continued this through college. Being in great shape and eating healthy is a lifestyle choice that I have made and it will definitely help me in my nursing career moving forward."

"One of the reasons I chose to change my career from a desk-job to nursing is so I would be more physically active and would not have to sit all day. My previous career in business was a marathon in sitting, so I am looking forward to the active and strenuous environment that my new career in nursing will offer. While I know that the physical activity that I have endured during my clinical training in nursing school is nothing compared to the physical work I will endure as a full-time nurse, I have enjoyed the physical nature of the job. In order to prepare myself for full-time nursing, I have been getting myself into shape, been using a standing desk, and ensuring that I get at least 45-minutes of cardiovascular activity on a daily basis."

"Through my nursing career, I have spent many long hours on my feet and working shifts at non-traditional times. To be able to do this with ease, I have worked hard to be in the best physical shape that I can be by jogging on a regular basis, eating healthy and getting ample amounts of sleep each and every night."

"In my nursing career, I have always handled the physical requirements of the job with ease. Before lift systems were standard in inpatient rooms, we physically lifted patients into and out of their beds when needed. The long hours and standing for long periods of time come easily to me as well. I realized early in my career that I needed to care for myself and my physical well-being outside of work and I continue to do this to this day."

"I am accustomed to the physical demands and requirements that nursing has. Over my years as a nurse, I have learned the importance and value of self-care for my overall health. I maintain a regular exercise routine so that my body is physically ready to work and so that my mind has the chance to rest and recover from what can be at times stressful days."

9. Tell me about an experience when you had to use ACLS, BLS, or PALS protocols in your nursing practice.

The interviewer is asking this question to assess the candidate's knowledge and skill level of Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS), Basic Life Support (BLS) and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) protocols. Every nurse, at a minimum, should be trained in ACLS and BLS, and depending on their work environment, they should also be trained in PALS. This training includes a set of clinical interventions for the urgent treatment of cardiac arrest, stroke, and other life-threatening emergencies, as well as knowledge and skills to execute those interventions. The candidate's ability to effectively respond to a crisis using appropriate life support interventions directly correlates to patient outcomes. To effectively answer this question, the candidate should articulate their knowledge of life support protocols and describe how they have used them in the past.

"Part of my nursing training was to become certified in both ACLS and BLS, and I am interested in becoming certified in PALS as well; however, I have not yet encountered a patient situation where I have had to utilize these life-saving skills. While I have never had experience utilizing these skills, with the training that I received, I am very confident that I will be able to properly execute the protocols. I take my responsibility as a nurse very seriously, and when it is time for me to provide life support measures, I will be ready to do so with confidence and skill."

"I am a relatively new nurse, as I have only had my license for two years. However, I am certified in BLS, ACLS, and PALS. Fortunately, I haven't had too many experiences in the outpatient clinic where I have had to administer life support to patients, but there was one situation where I had to utilize my PALS skills. A young couple with a newborn with pertussis, or whooping cough, had brought their baby to the clinic instead of the ER, and the baby stopped breathing and turned blue while in the waiting room. Once I was alerted of this, I had the front desk call a code and I immediately responded to the family and began resuscitation efforts on the newborn. By the time the paramedics arrived to take the baby to the hospital, he was breathing on his own again, so our efforts in the clinic likely prevented him from dying in our waiting room."

"I am very familiar with all the life support protocols that you mentioned and have used all of them in my nursing career, but most recently, while working in pediatrics, I have used PALS most often. I actually had to initiate PALS protocols while working on my unit earlier this week, when a young patient unexpectedly coded. While we waited for our hospitalist physician to arrive on our unit to help us with the response, I led the nursing team in giving the patient CPR and determining which meds were needed to stabilize them until the physician arrived. If I had not taken action and properly followed PALS protocols, the patient would have died, but because of the appropriate action I did take, they are expected to be discharged later this week."

"I have been ACLS and BLS certified for many years and have had to use my skills in these life support methods many times when patients were in distress. While I have never worked directly with pediatric patients and have never been required to be PALS certified, I am confident that I would be able to effectively execute such protocols when necessary, if I receive proper training. Because I have been a practicing nurse for so many years, I have been required to use my advanced life support skills many times, including recently when a patient I was triaging in the emergency department went into full cardiac arrest. After I pressed the emergency button, which alerted my colleagues of an emergency, I immediately got the patient onto the floor and started CPR until my attending physician could get there. Even after my attending got there to take the lead, I continued to assist, and we were able to revive the patient and get them stabilized."

"Working on higher acuity level units in my career has required that I become very familiar and comfortable using my BLS and ACLS skills. I once witnessed a frail patient aspirate during their breakfast. Although I was not the primary nurse for this patient, I was the closest at the time the patient aspirated and was able to jump into action quickly to help them. The patient's airway was compromised, and he began desaturating quickly. I promptly called for help and requested a rapid response be initiated. While another nurse initiated the rapid response call, I began supporting the person's airway. Unfortunately, the person declined rapidly, and I had to initiate CPR. Once the full team arrived, we rotated who was giving compressions to prevent fatigue, and because of our quick response time and working together seamlessly we were able to revive the patient and promptly transfer him to ICU."

10. Talk about a time you had to communicate a complicated medical issue to a patient or their family. How did you go about relaying the message?

Years of nursing school and clinical experience give nurses a lot of medical knowledge. But to most patients and family members on a clinical visit or hospital stay, medical terminology is like a foreign language. Because of this, nurses need to have conversations with patients in a manner that the patient and/or family will understand and be able to make informed decisions if needed.

"During my clinical rotations as a pediatric nurse, we had a young girl come in with severe pain in her ear and head. After my initial check on her, I noticed she had some severe congestion in her ear and nasal cavities likely causing the pain. Prior to the doctor coming in and noticing she was very nervous, I used the metaphor that her ears and nose were like a cave and bad monsters had gotten into the cave. I explained to her that the doctor needed to look at the monsters to be able to give her the right medicine to get rid of the monsters in the cave and clear the way again. With that said, she was in a giggling mood and sat nicely for the doctor to fully check her out."

"As an emergency nurse, we had a young patient come in one day that had been a passenger in a bad car accident. Due to the injuries that he sustained, he was left with a leg that was badly broken and bleeding badly as well. Upon initial triage, the doctor thought there would be a chance the young patient would lose his leg to amputation to save his life if the surgery didn't go as planned. The boy's father was in the accident as well and was being treated and the mother showed up to the ER shortly after they arrived at our facility and she was obviously in a panicked state. Knowing that we would be rushing her son to surgery, I calmly sat with her in the waiting room to explain the injuries to his leg and that the bleeding was very bad. Rather than using medical terms, I simplified the conversation to her level of knowledge so that she understood the importance of the surgery and what could happen if the surgeon wasn't able to stop the bleeding. By having an understanding of the situation, the mother was able to calm down and think clearly."

"In my time as a rehabilitation nurse, I worked with patients that spanned a wide array of physical ailments. When it came to working with patients with joint issues, my team obviously knew the medical terminology for the femur, tibia, ulna, radius and so forth. When talking about specific bones, joints and muscles with patients, I always made sure to point out where each was on their body and talked about how each part functions. Using this method, patients were better able to understand how their body worked and why their rehab processes were important to their overall health."

"Working in the emergency department, I encounter patients with a variety of conditions, some very simple, and some very complicated and sometimes life-threatening. Not too long ago, we had a young patient come in with a minor blunt facial injury, but soon after she arrived bacteria from the wound perforated the sinus cavity, which was punctured, and spread into the patient's brain. The patient went from arriving needing stitches and an X-ray to being in a life-threatening situation that required a transfer to intensive care. This was a lot for the child's family members to take in, so after the physician gave them a broad overview of what happened, I sat with the family and went over their child's condition again, in less technical terms, and took time to answer their questions. This helped the family understand what was happening, as they were very confused and shocked by the situation."

"I once had a patient who had multiple pulmonary embolisms and had to be started on an IV drip. The physician came in and explained to the patient the imaging results using medical terms. I could tell when the physician left that the patient and spouse were overwhelmed with the information and were not completely sure what all the words meant. I then took the time to sit with them and explain to them essentially what the doctor just had but without the use of medical terms. Instead, I provided all the information and education to them in laymen's terms. This helped them both to understand what the imaging showed and what the next steps would be in the treatment process. They were very grateful for the additional time spent and education given to them."

Amanda's Feedback

11. How much supervision do you want or need in your role as a new nurse in a new position?

This is a tricky one so think it through and be prepared to give an answer that illustrates that you are 'coachable' without being too dependent or needy, but also that you are confident and competent without being arrogant or a management nightmare. The employer wants the best of both worlds so be prepared to describe your competency, initiative, and willingness to both ask for and receive supervision and direction.

Written by Ryan Brown on June 5th, 2019

"I think it depends on the length of orientation I receive for the position. I am confident that I bring a level of competency to the position with my past experience, but every unit is different. I can be a self-starter with minimal supervision with regular cardiac catheter patients but would like access to supervision with more complicated patients. And I always appreciate supervision and critique from nursing leadership to learn and be better."

"During my initial onboarding and orientation period, I would expect to have oversight and a supervisor as I learn the processes and day-to-day of the unit. If there is limited oversight, I can work well in that scenario too, I would just be vocal and communicate with my manager when I felt I needed an extra level of support or supervision with a patient or treatment. As I settle in, I would expect the supervision would become less and less as I instilled trust in my manager with my competency but would still expect and appreciate regular feedback and support as needed."

"Because of my experience and background in this setting, I am able to work autonomously. I understand I would need some training and onboarding to learn the organization's ways, but after that, I will be a reliable and self-starting employee. I appreciate having a manager who provides feedback, is engaged, and offers support to the team. I work well with others, but I'm also disciplined and can manage myself well, but I also ask questions when I need advice, and I go to my manager when I need support or have concerns about a situation."

"I am flexible with the amount of supervision I receive initially. Since I am a seasoned nurse, I am able to work independently fairly quickly. I would like to have some supervision initially to learn the department's workflow, but then after that, I am comfortable being independent. I love learning so if I get to a point where I am unsure of something I will always ask to make sure that I understand the process for the department correctly so I can learn and that I am always keeping my patients safe."

Cindy's Feedback

12. How many patients is a full workload for you?

This is a question where you can open up and be honest with your past experiences and what you feel comfortable working with. Each facility/unit/department has different patients with different acuity levels, so the exact number of patients can vary from department to department. This is a good time to emphasize how you keep yourself organized in your work and let the interviewer know that you can take on any workload that comes your way.

"Going into my first job, I have put a lot of thought into this question without having direct experience. Through my clinical rotations during nursing school, I never had a unit with patients to myself as I was always working with a preceptor. In a Family Practice clinic, seeing around three patients per hour, or between 20-25 per day, seemed very manageable in the way I watched her manage the day. For myself, handling a large patient load for a day will come down to my organizational skills and ability to prioritize needs in a timely manner."

"During my career as a nurse, I have found out that the number of patients that I'm comfortable handling is relative to the unit that I'm working on. In a highly acute ICU, I've worked with as a high as 8 patients on a shift and felt this was overwhelming. On a Med/Surg unit, 8 patients on a unit that I'm responsible for is low. No matter the unit that I work on, I have a great method in place for prioritizing the needs of my patients and make sure that all of my patient's needs are met in a timely manner."

"As an emergency nurse for many years, I was able to successfully manage the shifts where we were bombarded with patients. On these days, we often saw over 60 patients on a 10 hour shift and I was comfortable on those days due to my ability to stay organized and prioritize what needed to be done first. "

"This is a really good question, and it really depends on the situation and the acuity of the patients that I am caring for. However, for the position that I am applying for at your organization, where I would be caring for hospitalized geriatric patients, I would say my capacity would be ten patients, give or take, depending on patient acuity. I feel that one of my strongest skill sets is assessing the patients I am caring for and measuring my capacity, and when I do this if I feel that I am becoming overloaded, I will communicate this to the charge nurse so they can help redistribute or offer help of a CNA. I would not ask for help unless it was absolutely needed, and I only do so when I feel like I cannot properly care for patients who are in my care."

"I've had the opportunity to work in multiple settings throughout my nursing career, and I have learned that the workload I am able to take on greatly depends on the type of unit I am working on and the patient's level of acuity. On a Med/Surg unit, I have taken up to 7 patients. This kept me extremely busy throughout my shift, but I have a system in place to stay organized, and I was still able to meet all of the patient's needs. On a step-down unit I have had up to 4 patients. These patients' acuity level has been much higher and so having fewer patients was more appropriate in order to meet their needs and ensure I was able to provide safe, comprehensive care. Ultimately, I am very organized and efficient with my care so I can handle any workload given to me. I always work closely with my team and nursing assistant to ensure all patient needs are met."

Kevin's Feedback

13. Tell me about your IV skills. Are you able to start an IV?

One of the skills many nurses will be expected to have is starting intravenous lines (IVs). IVs can be used for many purposes including administering fluids, blood transfusions, and medications. Proper delivery of IV therapy is extremely important because if the therapy is delivered incorrectly, the patient's life could be put in danger. In order for IV therapy to be properly administered, the IV must be inserted into the vein properly, which requires a specific skill-set and the ability to follow protocols. To successfully answer this question, the candidate should elaborate on their ability and experience in starting and managing IVs. A more successful answer would include an example of when the candidate successfully handled a difficult circumstance while starting and/or managing and IV.

"While I was in nursing school, I was trained on administering IVs and in my clinical rotations, I had the opportunity to get hands-on experience, especially during my rotations in the emergency department and urgent care. While in these rotations, I started more than fifteen IVs, and I became very comfortable in doing so. However, since I finished nursing school and started working in the outpatient adult medicine clinic, I have not had the opportunity to practice this skill and I have not started any VIs in over two years. But, I feel very comfortable with my IV skills, and I think I will be able to quickly get back into good practice in only a few weeks."

"The nursing position I held before my current job in pediatrics was at an infusion center, so I spent most of my days starting and managing patient IVs as they received their infusion medications. Because I worked in the infusion center for so long and started so many IVs, starting them is almost second nature to me. Many times, I find that patients are anxious about getting VIs, even in an infusion center environment, when they come in every so many weeks to get their medication; and since anxiety and stress can cause vasoconstriction, I do everything I can to explain the procedure and help the patient feel comfortable. I also take additional measures to make starting IVs easier on myself and the patient, such as placing a warm compress on the site to dilate the veins and, if possible, offering the patient water to help them hydrate. All these interventions help make the IV process easier for me but it also helps patients relax and become more comfortable."

"I am very comfortable starting and managing IVs, and, in fact, I start IVs on a daily basis at my job and I have for many years. Since I have spent the past decade working as an inpatient floor nurse, it has been my responsibility to ensure to properly manage my patients' IVs and move or reinsert them if needed. In my unit, I have a reputation for being able to start IVs even in the most difficult veins or the most difficult locations, and I am often called to help my colleagues start difficult IVs when they are running into trouble."

"Back in 2013, I spent nine months working in an urgent care department, and in this position, I did start IVs on the patients who were receiving intravenous fluids or medications. While I have not worked in a position where I had to start IVs since then, I was able to work through many difficult situations while working in that position. I remember one patient who was extremely dehydrated and needed IV fluids to rehydrate, and while I was searching for a vein in her arm, I could not find one because her veins were so deep and small, which was worse because of her condition. Rather than poking her multiple times or taking the risk of blowing a vein, I found a vein in her hand that I could use and was able to successfully start an IV in her hand."

"Starting IVs is one of my strongest skills as a nurse. I've had a lot of experience with IV starts throughout my career and with the types of settings I have worked in. Typically, I am able to start an IV by simply using my visual skills and my sense of touch. If necessary, I have used portable vein finders in the past. I am now the nurse that is called by my fellow teammates if an IV is needed on a patient that has a history of difficult IV starts."

14. Tell me about your experience and abilities in collecting lab samples, such as blood, tissue, and and other specimens. Elaborate on the entire end-to-end process of collection.

In many clinical situations, nurses are responsible for collecting lab samples to send away for testing, such as blood, tissue, and other types of specimesns. The interviewer is asking this question to assess the candidate's ability and experience in collecting various types of lab samples and their knowledge of documenting samples. In order to effectively answer this question, the candidate should talk about their experience in collecting lab samples and documenting such collections. A stronger answer to this question would include an example of when the candidate streamlined a process for collection or documentation.

"I do not have much experience with phlebotomy, so my current experience with collecting lab samples is limited to collecting tissue samples and other types of samples such as fecal and urine samples. However, each time I take a sample that is going to the lab for additional testing, I ensure that it is appropriately documented in our laboratory log, to ensure we can audit and ensure that the patient got their results. I hope to take additional training soon so I can become more comfortable with blood draws and I can begin collecting blood samples on site as well, so the patient does not have to make an extra stop at the lab to have these tests completed."

"Since I work at a family medicine practice, I have experience collecting many types of lab samples, including blood, urine, fecal, skin, and other types of samples. Any time I collect a sample from a patient, I always confirm their name and date of birth to ensure I am matching the sample back to the appropriate patient, then after the sample is collected, I document it in our laboratory log, so there is a record of it going out to the lab. It is just important that the lab sample is documented appropriately, so we can track and monitor the sample, and ensure the patient gets the results."

"I am an experienced nurse, so I have experience collecting all types of lab samples at the patient's bedside, and I have even been involved in improving such practices over the years. Even after everything went electronic at my hospital a few years ago, when we would collect specimens at the patient's bedside, we would have to manually enter the information into the EHR, and there would often be documentation errors from the accidental transposition of numbers. When multiple documentation errors occurred on my unit one month, I spearheaded a project where the nurses could scan the patient's ID band and the lab specimen bar code and everything would go into the system automatically. This automated system was piloted on my unit and eventually rolled out to the entire hospital, saving everyone time and reducing documentation and medical errors."

"I have experience collecting many types of specimens at the point-of-care of the patient, which is very helpful, as it prevents the patients from having to make an additional stop at the lab. At this point in my career, I have the most experience in collecting blood and specimens of anyone on my unit, and if there is ever a complicated blood draw or tissue sample to collect, I am called in to take care of it. I also am the point person to conduct monthly documentation audits and training for new staff because of my advanced experience."

"Collecting lab specimens is a strong nursing skill of mine that I have had a lot of experience with throughout my career. Most commonly I collect blood, urine, and stool specimens. I always begin by reviewing my order in the EHR and then gathering all the supplies I need for each specific collection. I then perform hand hygiene and don the appropriate PPE before collecting. Immediately after collecting I label and bag all of my specimens while I am still in the room with the patient and I document my collection in the EHR. Then when I leave the room, I simply need to send the lab specimen to the lab. I have developed a very efficient way of collecting specimens that also prevents any errors, and I am often asked to show any new nurses or nursing students my process for collection."

15. What precautions do you take with a patient in poor health?

This question gives you the opportunity to point out how you customize your approach to each patient on an individual basis. Nurses see patients with levels of sickness and poor health that span a wide degree of severity. It is important to talk about how you communicate with your patients and using specific examples from your past can be beneficial here as well.

"Any time I see a new patient, I take my time to get to know them both personally and what their health history looks like. Oftentimes, this can lead me to understand just how poor their health conditions are, and I am able to customize my care to them. Emotionally, I'm sensitive to the situation they are going through, and physically, depending on their illness or disease, I do my best to protect them in their fragile state by washing my hands, wearing proper PPE, etc."

"During my schooling as a nurse, we were required to take a communications class. Here, I learned excellent question and answer techniques to get to know a patients health history better. As I enter the workforce as a new nurse, I know that I will be able to put these skills to use with each and every new patient that I encounter to help me give them the best care possible."

"Getting to know each patient and their history through what I call a fact-finding process is very important in how I care for each patient individually. Recently, we had a gentleman come into our Emergency Room with what appeared to be chest pain. With him visiting family in our area, we didn't have immediate access to his medical records. While in the room, I was asking him about his health history and we learned that he was a severe diabetic. Knowing this, we were able to customize his care and avoid procedures that could potentially be harmful to him."

"Working in an adult medicine outpatient clinic, I help patients who are perfectly healthy and patients who have multiple comorbidities. While I strive to give great care to all my patients, I am extra cautious around our patients who have multiple conditions and spend extra time with them to be sure their questions are answered, they understand their medications, and that they understand their medical conditions. It is important to me that these patients are aware of their conditions and how they can self-manage them because helping keep these patients as healthy as possible is a priority."

"I always ensure I am wearing the appropriate PPE when providing care to my patients. I am particularly cautious when a person is in poor health and make sure I assess if more than simply the standard precautions are necessary. I feel communication is key for these patients and I sit with them to talk about their health concerns and to see if I am able to determine any potential underlying factors. I recently had a patient who came in malnourished and with significant body odor. It was through sitting with the patient and having a conversation that I was able to learn that he did not have the resources available to eat regularly and he was physically limited on being able to bathe himself well. After learning this, I was able to relay the information to the doctor and help develop a plan of care that included therapy services to gain strength, case management, as well as social work to make sure all his other health needs were being met and he had a safe transition back home when it was time for discharge."

16. How do you approach providing patient discharge instructions or patient education?

The interviewer is asking this question to assess the candidate's ability and skill level in providing patient education. Providing patient education and/or discharge instructions cannot be a one-size-fits-all approach, as patients have varying capacities for comprehending information and discharge instructions. If nurses do not adjust their delivery of patient education and/or discharge instructions so that patients and their family members understand what to do, the consequences could be dire. To effectively answer this question, the candidate should specifically explain how they deliver education and/or discharge instructions to patients. A stronger answer to this question would include a specific example of how the candidate adjusted the delivery of educational information or discharge instructions to ensure the patient understood what was being communicated.

"After each patient is seen at the clinic I work at, discharge instructions are printed automatically from the EHR when the clinician finishes up the visit. After the instructions are printed, I take them to the patient room and allow the patient to look over them for a couple of minutes. A few minutes later, I return to the patient room and ask if they have any questions about the discharge instructions, and if they do, I address the questions with them before they leave."

"Being a patient flow nurse, giving patients their discharge instructions is a big part of my job. Each time I am assisting with a patient discharge at the hospital, I review the written discharge instructions with both the patient and any family members or other advocates they have present. In these situations, I know, that most of the time, the patients are unable to understand and comprehend their aftercare instructions since they have been receiving inpatient care, so I ensure whoever is there with them fully understands the instructions. I do this because I know how important aftercare instructions are, especially when patients are taking medications and managing their ongoing conditions, and I want to be sure someone understands how they should be cared for."

"Throughout my nursing career, I have seen many consequences, both minor and severe, of inadequate patient education. Because of this, always try to go above and beyond when providing patient education or discharge instructions. Such an example is when I was recently reviewing discharge and medication instructions with a young patient and her mother. The patient had been diagnosed with asthma during the visit and had been prescribed an inhaler for the first time. Rather than simply telling the patient and mother how many doses of the inhaler to take, I sat with them an ensured they understood what an inhaler was and how to use it. While I was providing the education, I found that neither the patient nor her mother understood how to use an inhaler, so this additional education was essential."

"Providing patient education is one of my favorite parts of nursing, albeit it can be somewhat challenging. Not too long ago, I was dealing with a challenging situation when I was attempting to educate a patient on how to take the medications that we were prescribing to him. As I was attempting to explain the medication regimen to the patient, I quickly realized that he was illiterate and would not be able to read the medication bottles or the discharge instructions that we were providing to him. So rather than simply verbally explaining his dosage instructions to him, I drew him a visual diagram of his new medication regimen and went over it with him multiple times. I was very sensitive to the fact that the man could not read and was careful not to make him feel inadequate, and before he left, he thanked and hugged me for helping him."

"Being a patient and family educator is one of my favorite roles as a nurse. As soon as I know I have a patient planning for discharge, I go and speak with them to determine their needs regarding discharge education. I then can also determine if they will be receiving the education alone or if they have family members they would like involved in the education. I then work to tailor my education to their needs and their preferred way of learning. I recently had a patient being discharged after a total knee replacement. The patient preferred to learn by reading and having pictures. She also wanted her husband to learn all of the discharge education and instructions too and she said he preferred hands on learning. I waited until the husband arrived and then went into her room with all of the discharge instructions and paperwork and thoroughly went through each piece and allowing time for them to ask questions before moving from one piece to the next. I also demonstrated to them both how to provide incision care. By the end of the education, they both verbalized understanding of the instructions and said they felt confident in going home at that time."

17. Tell me about a time when you had to assist with an administrative project or task. What did the project/task entail and which software programs did you while completing the tasks?

While the focus of most of a nursing career is on patient care, administrative duties are often a part of the job, especially if a nurse chooses to transition into management positions. There are many nurses who are great in working with patients on a daily basis but struggle with the administrative duties that their employer requires and this can lead to on-the-job performance issues. The interviewer is asking this question to assess the candidate's ability to successfully complete administrative duties and tasks and to determine which software programs they may be proficient in. To successfully answer this question, the candidate should describe, in detail, an administrative task or project that they have worked on in the past, including details on how they used software programs to organize their work. A stronger answer to this question would include an example of when the candidate led or spearheaded an administrative project.

"When I first started working in my current position in pediatric primary care, we would send young patients to the lab for their blood lead tests; however, management found that the parents were not following up and taking the patients to the lab for the tests. Since this test is important, we started doing the tests in the clinic. Along with conducting the actual tests, I was responsible for tracking how many tests were conducted at our clinical location each week and reporting the count back to our department administrator. Each day, as I closed the clinic, I would count the number of testing slips that were ready to be shipped to the lab and document them on a manual tracker; then at the end of the week, I would email the daily counts to my administrator in a table format so she could get an overall visual of our daily progress."

"Two years ago, when the company I was working for was undergoing their EHR upgrade, my manager put me in charge of ensuring that all clinicians, nurses, and staff on my unit were trained on the upgraded product. Since there were three separate required training classes, each offered at multiple times and dates, it was difficult to keep up with who had attended which session. To make it easy for me to track who had attended the training sessions, I created a tracking spreadsheet on Excel with validations and dropdown boxes, so I could easily visualize who had completed each training and who had not. I posted this spreadsheet on my unit's share drive so each employee could update it accordingly, and weekly, I would verify the information with the training office's records."

"My clinical unit often participates in quality improvement projects that are part of the hospital's larger quality initiatives; however, since our manager is very passionate about quality and improvement science, our unit often runs our own QI projects to improve our process and patient outcomes. Because I have a background in informatics and have strong analytical skills, I am often tasked with data collection and analysis when we run our own QI projects. When I am tasked with such, I build advanced data queries in tableau so the information will display on our dashboard, and I also extract raw data so I can conduct additional analytics in Excel and Access."

"A few months ago, my clinical unit received a new piece of equipment that no one on the nursing staff knew how to use. Because this equipment would eventually save everyone time and become beneficial to our patients, it was important for everyone to learn how to use it, so my manager sent me to training to become a superuser. Once I returned from the training, it was my responsibility to develop a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) on how to operate the equipment, so that everyone on the staff would have a guide. Since I had never developed such a document in the past, I had to work closely with our quality nursing department to ensure I was using appropriate language while writing it. In the end, I used Microsoft Word to develop a new SOP that has helped everyone as they have learned to use the equipment."

"My clinic recently began receiving medication samples. In order to have these samples it is required that a strict inventory and audit be completed every month. My manager assigned this task to me. There are various paper logs that I must complete and submit via fax. When I took on this responsibility, I began by making a binder that lays out the medication sample policy and the auditing process as well as copies of the forms that must be submitted. I also used my calendar in Outlook to make a recurring event to ensure that the audit is completed at the same time every month. This process has helped to keep everything organized and ensure it is done in a timely manner."

18. How do you make seamless transitions on shift changes?

In almost any nursing setting, handing off a unit at shift change time in a smooth fashion is extremely important. The interviewer is looking to see how you handle the hand offs to and from your colleagues during the shift changes. Here, it is important for you to showcase your communication and listening skills and how you take information and put it to work. Walking step by step through your previous employers' handoffs can be beneficial as well because it will reassure the interviewer that you are familiar with step by step processes in these situations.

"During my clinical rotation on a Med/Surg unit, I had the chance to sit in the shift change huddles that occurred each day at the end of my shift. Witnessing how important the communication was between the nurses coming on and off shift was very vital in my learning how to be a great nurse. They took the time to talk about any patient issues and problem solved on any issues that required problem-solving. These are great learning experiences I will be able to bring to this job."

"At my current position, we have a process for transitioning at shift change. To start, the nurses coming off shift and those coming on have a huddle that is led by the unit supervisor at each shift change. Here, any significant issues with patients are discussed. Next, if any work remains to be done with a patient, we communicate to each other one on one to ensure that the needs of our patients are met."

"Throughout my career, I have taken it upon myself to be an effective communicator during shift changes. In the nursing field, issues arise on each and every shift and to ensure that our patients are taken care of the best as possible, communication is key."

"In my current role, I work twelve-hour shifts, from 7 AM to 7 PM. Many times, when the nurse for the evening shift arrives, I am still assisting a patient, and she immediately begins her nightly routine, so we do not get to talk face-to-face. So, to ensure everything is communicated appropriately during shift-change, I worked with our clinical applications department to develop a clinical handoff note that is built in the medical record. This is a communication tool that staff can use to communicate during shift changes or when they are going to be away for time off. I use this tool to document the pertinent information about each of my patients so that it is in one place for the next nurse to see when she arrives on shift. It has been extremely helpful in ensuring that nothing slips through the cracks and it allows the next nurse to get up-to-speed without having to read through every patients' notes upon first arriving on shift."

"I begin my seamless transition at the start of my shift by making sure I document clearly and thoroughly throughout my full shift. When it comes time for handoff to the oncoming nurse, I always complete our handoff report at the patient's bedside. I think it is extremely important to involve the patient in the handoff to make sure communication is thorough and the most up-to-date. When I provide handoff, I communicate concisely what occurred during my shift and always ask the oncoming nurse if they have any questions that I can answer. When I'm the nurse coming on I always listen intently to the other nurse without interrupting. At the end, if I am uncertain about something, I will then ask the nurse prior to them leaving for the day."

19. Are you specialized in a particular area of nursing, i.e. neo-natal, pediatric, geriatric, or women's health?

On this particular question, the interviewer is looking to hear from you where your passions fall in the nursing field. They can tell where your experience comes from in your resume and now it is time to showcase your passion for the job that you are interviewing for. If you are interviewing for a specialty area within nursing that you have worked in the past, talk about your interests in that area and why the job is important to you. If you are interviewing for a new specialty area of care, look to point out similarities of your past duties and experiences and how they will translate to this potential new job. New graduates to the nursing field should talk about their clinical experiences and why they see this job as the best fit for their career.

"As a new graduate not being specialized at this time, I want to gain as much nursing knowledge as I can in my first job out of school. During my clinical rotations, my opportunity working on a Med/Surg unit was great as I worked with patients from a very diverse background with a variety of illnesses and injuries. This rotation is what brings me here today for your open Med/Surg nursing position. I'm really looking forward to broadening my nursing skills on a unit like this and working with patients from all walks of life."

"Since I just recently graduated from my nursing program and obtained my nursing license, I don't consider myself specialized in a particular area of nursing yet. However, during my clinicals, I excelled the most in my emergency department and critical care rotations. I attribute my success in these rotations to the years I spent working as a technician in the emergency department at the local hospital. So, while I cannot honestly say I specialize in a particular area of nursing as of yet, I am most comfortable working with emergency and critical care patients."

"Having worked in Family Practice as a nurse for my entire career, I've had the joy of working with mothers and their newborn children for their care when they were sick. I've provided care for newborns that have had a wide array of sicknesses and have always loved that aspect of that of my job. With my career goal always being working on an obstetrics unit, my experience working with newborns will translate well."

"When I came out of nursing school, my dream was to work in a home health setting. After putting in my time to gain experience, I landed the job that I am currently working in a home health setting. Over the years, I have gained a great amount of experience working in that setting where I have received excellent patient satisfaction scores and have become very effective and efficient working away from an office on the road. Your opportunity highly interests me as it would enable me to utilize my skills in a much larger scope while still providing me the opportunity to continue learning and growing in my career."

"Yes, I am. When I first became a nurse I had a passion for cardiac nursing. As I worked in this area of nursing I was exposed to trauma nursing as well. I fell in love with this immediately and the need to think critically and respond quickly. I now have my trauma nurse certification and have worked as a trauma nurse for several years."

20. How much orientation time do you feel is reasonable?

There is not a one size fits all answer to this question because it depends on the new hire's experience. A novel or graduate nurse would require a much lengthier orientation than perhaps someone who is transferring from in-house or has worked a specialty unit recently. There should be a standard orientation for all nurses for hospital-wide information and procedures and a unit-specific one. The interviewee should clarify if there is a hospital-wide orientation that all hires attend and a nursing/unit specific one. It shows intelligence and interest by asking them to explain what their current orientation policy is and then asking pointed and relevant questions about the policy. Be honest about what you need. Do not overpromise you can hit the ground running. Do what is right for you, the organization and the patient. Be clear about what you need and be clear about what they offer as you do not want to find yourself on day two with a difficult patient on a short-staffed unit with minimal support.

"I think this really depends on the unit. As a new grad, I had talked with my instructor about typical orientation and training, and she shared it can be anywhere from 2-6 months. I'm flexible and would be fine with that amount. I know the training time could vary depending on which unit of the facility I was hired for, but I feel 2-6 months is adequate time to be trained on the company's policies, equipment, and patient care routines and treatment. During my orientation, I would keep in close communication with my manager, letting them know where I felt like I was progressing and if there were any areas, I felt like I needed additional training and support."

"I would be happy to answer that question but first, could you tell me what your current orientation is in terms of hospital-wide policies and nursing-specific orientation? I am confident that I would not need any more hospital orientation time, but I would like to know what orientation on the nursing unit looks like? Will I have several days of shadowing? When that is completed, will we then continue to have a mentor on the unit for some time? I feel that I would be comfortable with at least one week or shadowing and mentoring on all shifts. I have previous experience but I would like to be able to get comfortable with the shift flow, equipment, and other tasks. Is there an orientation checklist that I need to complete such as admissions and discharges and how much time is allotted for that?"

"I know each organization handles orientation a little differently, so I can adapt to whatever the standard is. Because I have been a nurse for several years and have worked in this type of setting before, I would need minimal orientation and training. During my orientation, I would keep in close communication with my manager, so they know where I may need more orientation or where I excel and need limited orientation. I would also communicate when I felt confident to be on my own."

"Since I am a seasoned nurse and have previous experience in this area of nursing I am comfortable with a shorter orientation time. When I first began in this area of nursing, I had a longer orientation that was approximately 4 months. I learned a lot during that time that I have carried with me throughout my career. Now I feel I would only need about 1 month because of my significant background in this area. I understand though that each hospital has their own rules and guidelines for orientation and so I am happy to have a longer orientation if that is required."

21. How do you prioritize when multiple patients and procedures demand your attention at once?

Working in any patient unit or clinic comes with times where the patient load can be overwhelming. During these times, nurses are often the glue that holds everything together in the department to ensure that things run smoothly. The interviewer is asking this question to determine how the candidate manages such as situation and how they will be able to manage these types of situations at your organization. To successfully answer this question, the candidate should talk about a particular situation when they had to prioritize multiple patients at once, how they handled the situation, and what the outcome was.

"During my clinical rotation in an Urgent Care clinic, we had a very busy day where many patients were coming in due to a flu virus that was being spread around. In working with my preceptor, I learned from him how to communicate to patients what their wait times would be and how to best triage patients based on their symptoms. His calmness in handling the situation was inspiring. Personally, during my final year of coursework in college, I was taking 18 credits each semester. During these semesters, I had to learn to prioritize my classwork by due dates and order of importance. By utilizing checklists and working through each thing one at a time, I learned invaluable skills that I can bring to my nursing career."

"As a nurse in the emergency department, there are times when the action is crazy with patients coming in. During these times, I always remember that the needs of the patient come first so my triage skills come into use to prioritize which patients are the highest priority and which ones can wait. During these particular times, communication is extremely important for patients. If they are going to have a time period to wait, I communicate that to them and check in with them when I am able to. As well during these busy times, it is equally important for our team of nurses and physicians to stay in communication. From there, I stay calm and handle patients with quality care one at a time."

"One day on my shift as a nurse in the surgery center, we were booked full of cases throughout the day. As the day progressed, we had a couple of other trauma cases that were a high priority come in due to an auto accident. When this happened, we had to work as a team to communicate to current patients and family members in waiting that we had to push their times back in the day due to an emergent situation. An on-call surgeon came in later in the day to help cover the regularly scheduled cases and I had to communicate with the three surgeons on duty as to where I was needed and when I needed to be there. In the end, being able to prioritize the patients and my duties was crucial in helping the day in the surgery center run smoothly."

"Working in the pediatric outpatient environment, I often am faced with competing priorities and situations where I have multiple patients who need my attention at once. Managing my patient load and these priorities are something I have struggled with since I began working as a nurse two years ago. At first, I would get extremely overwhelmed and because I was unsure of how to handle the situation, I would end up getting extremely behind in clinic. However, I have worked with my manager and my doctor to come up with new strategies to help me save time and improve efficiencies, which have helped me improve my practice. I also have been practicing strategies for being mindful and not getting overwhelmed, which has helped me focus on each task at hand, rather than getting overwhelmed by the whole."

"I always begin by prioritizing patient safety first. I then base my care on a combination of the time care needs to be completed and the level of acuity for each patient and task. I once had a patient needing to go to surgery at the same time I had a patient returning from a procedure and a third patient needing a blood transfusion. I knew the blood transfusion would require me to stay with the patient for an extended period of time when beginning it. I knew the patient was stable and was not an emergent transfusion, so I decided I would complete this after sending and receiving my two surgical patients. I had already prepped my patient going to surgery, so I did the final checkoff with this patient and called to report to the receiving nurse. I was then able to receive my patient coming back from their procedure and received a report without being distracted by needing to send another patient to a procedure. This also allowed me time to settle the patient in from their procedure and do a full assessment and ensure they were still receiving good pain control."

22. What are your greatest weaknesses?

Within every differing healthcare institution and organization are nursing roles that span a wide variety of patient care and administrative duties. Knowing that their department is certainly unique, nurse managers know that any candidate they consider for hire will come with some sort of shortcomings. What is most important to the nursing leader is that their top candidate knows their weaknesses and has a plan of attack for how they will work on them from day one on the job. Rather than giving a canned answer like 'I care too much' or 'I'm too critical of my own work', put some thought into the nursing position that you are interviewing for and where your experience or skills may fall a little short. Then discuss with your interviewer that you are cognizant of the fact that you lack a specific nursing skill or experience for their job and are willing to put in the time to train and get up to speed quickly if you emerge as their top candidate.

"I would imagine that a perceived new weakness of mine as a new nursing graduate would be my lack of direct experience in the emergency and urgent care setting and I acknowledge that I do lack this direct experience. But I'm confident that my work experiences in fast paced environments prior to and during nursing school have prepared me well for what I'll be stepping into here. I have the ability to multi-task with ease and stay calm in the face of pressure. As you'll see from the reference letters from my preceptors, these characteristics help make me a great fit for this role."

"During nursing school, a weakness was pointed out to me by one of my preceptors that I was unaware of. She said I have a soft voice and need to speak up more and sound more assertive to be taken seriously as a nurse. I realized that my soft voice was due to a discomfort with public speaking, so I decided to address the issue. I recently joined Toastmasters International, which is an organization that helps individuals improve their public speaking, communication, and leadership skills. Since all these skills are essential to have as a nurse, this group will be the best for me to improve all of these skills, versus other groups that only focus on public speaking. I found a club near me that allows online and in-person attendance, and I start next week. The director told me that I could expect to improve my skills dramatically with as little as 20 hours of attendance, so I hope to see an improvement in these skills quickly."

Written by Krista Wenz on January 31st, 2023

"As you can see from my experience, I have spent a majority of my nursing career in an inpatient setting. While I'm confident that my time in med/surg hospital units has prepared me for this role, I know there will be nuances to working in an outpatient clinical setting that I will need to learn and become accustomed to. I do not foresee this as any issue if I'm fortunate enough to be offered the job. I would prioritize learning the patient flow for scheduled appointments and documentation procedures for new patient consults and follow up visits in short order."

"I enjoy helping others, but an area of development I've been working on is that I can tend to be a fixer, offering to do something for someone who is struggling rather than taking the extra time to teach them to do it for themselves. As an experienced nurse, it's common for new grads to come to me for help. When they do, I make an effort to encourage them to self-help where possible and provide them with the training and resource to learn and do it for themselves. Sometimes, this requires a little more time and patience, but it's important that they build the skills they need to be successful, and I'm happy to be a part of that journey."

23. Do you have plans to pursue certification in your chosen field?

Registered nurses with an equivalent of 2 full-time years and a minimum of 2000 practicing hours their specialty with 30 hours of CEU's in that specialty can apply and test for certification in their specialty. The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Certification Program showcases expertise and experience in a chosen specialty area.

"I absolutely want to seek certification as an ICU nurse when I get enough clinical hours in my field and two years under my belt. What kind of supervision and systems are in place to help me reach my goal here at JFK Memorial Hospital? I have started accruing my 30 hours of CEU credits in my specialty through the free CEU's offered by my ANA subscription."

"As a newly licensed RN, the only additional certification I have at this point is CPR. I do plan to obtain my ACLS certification in the next year and would be interested in sub-specialty certifications once I get established within a unit and team. Does your organization offer any certification programs?"

"A majority of my experience as an RN has been working with pediatrics. I currently possess an active ACLS and PALS certification. I would also be interested in obtaining the Pediatric Advanced Emergency Assessment, Recognition and Stabilization (PEARS) certificate in the near future. Are there any other certifications you prefer the candidate to have for this role?"

"As a seasoned nurse, I have already had the opportunity to obtain additional certifications. I currently have my ACLS and TCRN certifications. I have held both of these certifications for the past 7 years and just recently renewed them within the last 2 months."

24. What motivates you to provide top-of-the-line nursing care?

Most people who go into the nursing profession are naturally attracted to helping people who are most in need of help. They thrive on helping patients through very tough times by providing both medical care and emotional support. No matter how many years of experience a nurse has, they must stay motivated in order to provide top-of-the-line nursing care. Nursing, while often a very rewarding career, can be exhausting and emotionally draining, so it is important for nurses to be able to stay motivated in their current work environments. The interviewer is asking this question to determine what motivates the candidate and to determine if their environment would be a good fit for the candidate. To successfully answer this question, the candidate should provide details as to what motivates them to become a better nurse. A more successful answer would include a specific example of a situation that motivated a candidate to continue or better their nursing practice.

"When I began my pursuit of a nursing career in college, I knew that I was born to help people when they are at their most vulnerable. In any environment, whether it be outpatient, inpatient, or skilled nursing, making a positive difference in the day of each of my patients is what drives me to become a better nurse, and it makes all the hard and emotional days worth it. Because I know I am making a difference in the lives of others, it is easy for me to get up and come to work each day."

"During high school, I knew that nursing was my true calling in life when my grandmother was ill in the hospital and I watched the great care she received while there. During my clinical rotations through nursing school, I had the awesome opportunity to work in several specialty areas and in each one, I found myself in a great place internally just being able to help patients. The opportunity on the Med/Surg unit at your organization has me very excited to be able to help patients and family members when they are at their most vulnerable, and the fact that I will be able to help patients and their families is what will drive me to become a better nurse and provide the best care possible."

"As I've progressed through my career as a nurse, I've had the opportunity to work on a Med/Surg unit, Home Health and in a Family Practice clinic. While each job was very unique in the patients that I worked with on a day to day basis, seeing the joy in their eyes and hearing the thanks in their voices for me being their nurse has given me all of the motivation I have needed and has pushed me to be a better nurse over the years. I have worked my entire career to be able to finish it working in the women's health clinic at your organization, and to help the needs of the patients there will be my primary motivating factor moving forward."

"Going into nursing, I initially thought that the simple fact that I was helping others would be motivation enough; however, at the time, I did not recognize how stressful and emotionally draining nursing can be. So, throughout my career, I have found additional motivation by leading quality improvement projects to improve patient outcomes in my clinical unit. By leading the clinical team of nurses and physicians in developing interventions, collecting data, tracking metrics, and ultimately determining if we have improved patient care and outcomes, I have found much motivation to improve my nursing skills and to become a better nurse and leader. I hope there are opportunities to participate in such projects at your organization while I fulfill my clinical duties as well."

"I knew from a young age that I wanted to be a nurse. I find everything medical to be fascinating. I enjoy helping others and being able to teach them along the way things they are able to do in their daily lives to improve or maintain their health. Something that motivates me every day is knowing that our patients choose us to be their care providers. Nowadays there are many provider options available, but they have chosen to come to our facility. Knowing they made that choice I want to do all I can to help them return to a state of health, happiness, and independence."

25. Can you tell us about what attracted you to a nursing position with our facility?

This is a question that deserves a prepared answer. You might have stiff competition for this position or not, but it's still worth being prepared to advocate why your resume should rise to the top of the pile. It's no longer enough to say I graduated top of the class from a prestigious university. While that helps, employers are looking for soft skills as well. They are seeking the most well-rounded and competent candidate who will add value to their organization in both tangible and intangible ways. Nurses sometimes don't stay long in fast-paced environments, but the interviewer will be more interested in the candidate that offers the both the promise of longevity and competence.

"I researched Mount Sinai and the mission statement of the organization really resonated with me. The nursing career ladder is impressive and the opportunities to participate in break-out committees really appealed to me. Not to mention, Mount Sinai is one of the premier liver transplant centers in the world!"

"Since graduating, I've been very intentional about applying only to companies with good reputations and positive employee reviews. I made a list of companies with which I aligned my core values, then researched them on Comparably to learn more about how employees rate the culture and CEO. I was pleased to see Cleveland Clinic had a 4-star rating on culture and a 76% approval rating of the CEO. There were many comments about how well the company treats employees, the opportunities for professional development, and compensation. Those are all important factors to me and drew me to apply!"

"X healthcare system is so well known in this area, and I'm impressed by the company consistently being rated as the #1 healthcare system in the region. I want to join an organization that is focused on patient care and also has the most modern technology and equipment available. I personally align with all of the core values of X healthcare system of quality & safety, empathy, inclusion, integrity, teamwork, and innovation, and I feel it would be a great cultural fit for me."

"The values and mission of 'X healthcare system' really stood out to me. I could tell by reviewing this information about the company that the patient is always at the center of the care and that a team atmosphere is vital to this organization. Those are two of the most important qualities to me as a nurse. Longterm, I want to be part of an organization that is a team and that goes above and beyond for their patients. From everything I have read and learned about 'X healthcare system' that is exactly what this organization stands for."

Stephanie's Feedback

26. Tell me a bit about yourself.

Having recruited in the nursing and healthcare industries for many years, I know that nursing leaders are looking to ideally hire well-rounded individuals that come to their team with great clinical skills, great people skills, and are excellent humans outside of the workplace. While a lot of things may be tough to gauge for the nursing leader while interviewing you for a short period of time, they open the door for you to give your best sales pitch on who you are as both a professional nurse and person. Your answer here should ideally lay out chronologically with a bit about your upbringing (personal values), what made you pursue a career in nursing (motivation), and the path you took to get you to this interview today (education and work history). Also, be open about your family and personal life to give your interviewer some insight into the fact that you will be a nurse on their team that hold strong family and personal values, which will reflect positively on the patients you will be caring for.

"As you can see from my resume and application materials, I'm about to graduate with my bachelor's degree in nursing and I'm very proud of my journey to get where I'm at today. Having hit the work force out of high school for five years in customer service jobs, I wanted to make a change for me and my family so I applied to college to obtain this degree at the advice of a couple of great friends that are RN's. I continued to work full-time and obtain my degree. As I've gone through my classwork and clinical rotations, I've continued to love and gravitate towards care for the elderly and your opportunity is really my dream job. If I'm fortunate enough to join your team, you'd be getting a down-to-earth and hard working nurse that is able to connect with patients and your entire team in a collaborative manner."

"I have been interested in healthcare since I was young. My mother worked as an Activities Director at a local nursing home, so I often got to go to work with her to spend time with the residents and help with activities and recreation. Through my experiences there with her, I realized that I enjoyed working with the elderly, and when I was in high school, I became a nursing assistant and worked at that same nursing home part-time. After graduation, I continued my nursing program and am excited to start my career. On a personal note, I am the oldest child of five girls! I enjoy spending time with my family, and we often spend time outdoors hiking or kayaking together. I love animals and have two Boston terriers!"

"Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to talk more about who I am as a professional and a person. My nurturing personality was fostered from a very young age, where I was brought up in a small community where families all knew each other. The sense of brotherhood among neighbors was a great feeling. I grew up in a family as the older of four siblings, so caring for my younger brothers and sisters when they were sick was common with a father and mother both working full-time. I knew that I wanted to pursue a nursing degree during high school and attended University to obtain my bachelor's degree right away. I worked hard to obtain my degree in four years and hit the workforce for the last six years in an exciting critical care unit. In the meantime, since graduating, I've married my soulmate, and we have two amazing sons, ages 4 and 2. Outside of work, we spend most of our free time outdoors on walks, hiking, boating, and grilling as much as possible. My family life helps me keep any work-related stress at work, and it helps me come to work for each shift refreshed and ready to go."

"A bit about me- I am an avid triathlete and have traveled to 10 countries in the last eight years to compete in various races. I am competitive and enjoy keeping fit to be a good role model for my family and patients. In between my training, I completed my nursing degree and graduated from UC Santa Barbara six years ago. After spending two years gaining experience in the ICU, I returned to college and received my Master's qualification in nursing so I could advance to a managerial position. Currently, I am focused on receiving my Doctorate Degree in Healthcare Administration, and I look forward to working in an administrative role with your organization."

27. What did you like the best about your last position as a nurse?

This questions offers you an opportunity to be creatively enthusiastic and showcase some of your values. While you may have liked the free parking, tuition reimbursement, and the every other weekend off, these should not be the top of your list. You want to show who you are as a person combined with your love of nursing.

"I did a portion of my clinicals at a nursing home, and I really liked working with the residents. I learned so much about life from listening to their stories. I loved when we had theme night in the common room, and different residents would talk about their culture and their lives. I met some incredible people and heard some incredible stories. I once worked with a woman who came through Ellis Island as a 6-year-old girl! Imagine seeing the world through her eyes. It was such a privilege. She would tell me stories while I brushed her hair and helped her prepare for bed."

"I absolutely love working with children and making a difference in the lives of my patients and their families. I take pride in the care I provide to children, and I make sure I go above and beyond every day to meet not only their physical needs but also their emotional needs by listening to them and being supportive of the family. In my last role, I also got to do a love of patient advocacy, and I spent a lot of time connecting underprivileged families in the community to resources they needed to improve their lives."

"In my last role, I was a travel nurse and was part of a "rapid response" team that deployed to facilities that were dangerously short-staffed. I am an extrovert and someone who enjoys change, so I really loved traveling across the country and meeting new people. I worked with patients of all ages and appreciated the experience because of the diverse group of patients I got to work with over the two-year span. It was also very rewarding to step into facilities that desperately needed support and to provide that help and teamwork to allow for better patient care and outcomes."

"At my last position, I really enjoyed the ability to teach. I had the opportunity to provide patient education as well as be a preceptor for new hires. I really enjoyed this additional role and responsibility and hope to be able to continue doing that in my next role."

28. Can you describe a career nursing role model and why?

This is your chance to give props to someone who mentored you along the way either directly or indirectly. It could have been the nurses on the front lines of 911 when you were a child or current nurses on the COVID front. Or a teacher, or your grandmother who served in France in WW1. What was it about them that inspired you in your nursing journey and how did it impact your nursing practice? Think about the answers and be prepared to showcase your mentor or hero.

"When I was a nursing student and was in my first round of OB, I was assigned a little newborn named Baby Bupp. I didn't know anything about babies, and he looked so tiny, fragile and red-faced. Every time I went to pick him up, he screamed and I might have screamed a little too! I remember my nursing instructor, Miss Emma Flynner, coming over to ask me how I was doing. She had such a gentle way about her and I didn't feel nervous. I told her that I didn't know what to do with little baby Bupp or any baby for that matter! She turned to me and said these words which I never forgot and I remember them with all my patients when I'm struggling. She said, 'Brenda, whenever you don't know what to do with a baby, just love the baby. That's as good a start as any."

"My nursing instructor was an incredible mentor and leader. I admired her for her ability to engage the class and teach hands-on, providing constructive and positive coaching and guidance. She was extremely knowledgeable and shared so many of her nursing experiences with us as real-life examples. I looked up to her as a professional but also as a person. She was kind and caring, always genuinely interested us as students first, then our success as nurses."

"My current manager and I have worked together for about two-years and I really look up to her as a people leader and clinician. She is probably the most professional and ethical person I've ever worked with. She never gossips, speaks poorly of others, or treats patients rudely. She leads by example and is someone who never asks others to do something she isn't willing to do. She's patient, mentors new nurses, and never gets annoyed when you ask her a question. She's very fair and treats all employees equally. She really has set an amazing example of what a good leader looks like, and I aspire to be more like her."

"I was blessed with a phenomenal mentor when I transitioned to a highly specialized outpatient department. There was a lot to learn in the department, and the majority of it was essentially new to me. My mentor was incredible and from the very beginning developed a strong working relationship with me. She built a wonderful rapport with me and helped me to feel comfortable in the environment. She welcomed me by letting me ask as many questions as I could come up with and at times would question me throughout my training to spur on more conversation and critical thinking. I remember feeling very confident and informed by the end of my orientation and hoping that someday I would be able to be as good of a mentor to someone else as she was to me."

29. What professional organizations do you belong to and which ones would you like to join in the future?

You may or may not get this question in an interview, but not belonging to any is not the answer that employers are asking for if they do ask it. If you don't belong to any nursing organizations, maybe the first question to ask yourself is why not. If you are desiring a job as a critical care nurse, then join the organization before the interview. It's worth it, and it may tip the balance in your favor. Belonging to organizations brings access to other members and cutting edge information. There are lots of nursing organizations to join depending on your interests and career trajectory.

"I belong to the ANA and my state nurses association. I really like staying current with new information and networking with other nurses. I think that membership is invaluable and one of my goals is to attend the state conference!"

"I'm passionate about caring for the elderly, especially those impacted by Alzheimer's and dementia. I'm active in the Alzheimer's Association and do a lot with that organization throughout the year. I am also a part of the American Association of Nurse Life Care Planners. I enjoy their educational sessions and typically join their annual virtual conference to earn CEUs and grow my professional network."

"My passion has always been nursing in the emergency department, so naturally, I am a member of the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA). It is an organization that aims to improve collaboration, compassion, and inclusiveness. Besides providing members with opportunities for continuing nursing education, ENA works as an advocacy group for policy on emergency nursing and health care."

"I believe staying up to date in nursing is an essential part of the career. For this reason, I am part of the American Nurses Association. I really enjoy all I am able to learn from being a member of this association. In the future, I would like to become a member of the Cardiovascular Nurses Association."

30. Do you carry professional liability insurance? Why or why not?

Nurses run the risk of litigation every time they go to work. After all, they are working with patient's lives. Some nurses think that they will be covered by the organization's liability policy, but it's good practice to carry your own insurance. There really isn't a good answer as to why a professional nurse would not carry liability insurance. This is an opportunity to illustrate your understanding of the necessity and your commitment to safe nursing practice.

"As a new grad nurse, this is definitely something I'm considering. With as much contact I will have with patients, I will likely consider protecting myself by purchasing a liability policy. I've done some research and though most healthcare facilities seem to provide coverage for their staff, there are benefits to purchasing individual coverage. I will be doing more research into whether a claims-made or an occurrence policy makes the most sense for me."

"I absolutely carry my own liability insurance. I did some research on the benefits and there are many reasons to carry my own insurance. In some instances, we are considered independent contractors, the employer liability insurance will act on the benefit of the employer which is understandable, and I want to protect the livelihood that I love so much!"

"I do not carry a personal policy, as the hospitals I have worked for in the past have had policies that cover their nursing staff. If I were in a private practice or with a smaller facility, I would consider purchasing a policy for protection."

"This is not something that I have carried in the past. It is, however, something I have begun conducting more research on and am planning to get in the near future to ensure that I am providing the safest nursing care I possibly can."

31. Which nursing publications do you subscribe to and which one is your favorite?

Nurses subscribe to nursing journals to keep updated with the latest nursing news and trends. There are online and print journal for just about all fields and specialties for a nominal yearly fee. Often CEU credits are offered free each month. It is very important that any nurse applying to a specialty position report subscribing to the journal of that specialty as it demonstrates interest and investment in improvement. It's not enough to say that you read them all. Describe the benefits of the journal and how they upgrade your nursing practice.

"I have been devouring the AJN since I started nursing school and I'll subscribe to that forever. It's just such a good general overall review of all things nursing and trends in nursing. I really like the free CEU course and the app. I also subscribe to Scrubs Magazine which is all things nursing."

"As a nurse, it's vital to stay informed about the most current medical news and what's going on in the industry. I currently subscribe to the American Journal of Nursing and the Journal of Nursing Care Quality. My favorite is the American Journal of Nursing because of all the healthcare news, research topics, self-study CE articles, and expert opinions."

"I love to learn, and I find myself excited when it's time to receive the next nursing publication! I currently subscribe to Clinical Simulation in Nursing and Lippincott Nursing. I really love Clinical Simulation in Nursing for its articles from research, practice, teaching, and management perspectives."

"I currently subscribe to the Journal of Pediatric Nursing. I love how it is always packed full of wonderful, informative content that makes me more informed and betters me as a nurse. I always look forward to receiving the newest edition in the mail!"

32. Do you have nursing management or leadership goals?

Even if you do not have any clearly defined management or leadership goals or are trapped in the thought pattern that management equals charge nurse, have a well-thought out answer to this question prepared. All nurses should have clear leadership goals, because at any given moment you may be in charge of a code, a shift, a unit, or a patient's changing condition. Even if you do not aspire to run the hospital, you must know how to lead yourself and run your shift. Interviewers are seeking candidates who can take charge when necessary, and to do this well the individual must know how to lead themselves and others.

"Right now I do not have any clear management goals as I have recently graduated from nursing school. I am very interested in learning about management and leadership and would be interested in any committees that I could participate in and learn. I have lots of ideas, and would love to be in a brainstorming group and I am very interested in the management dynamics of the organization. I feel that I need to focus on being a new nurse right now but I am definitely open to joining leadership groups to learn and meet new people."

"I have been a nurse for several years and have held some supervisory duties from time to time. While I don't mind being a people manager, I really prefer teaching and mentoring. I have found that I enjoy mentoring students in clinical rotations and also new grad nurses. I always feel rewarded by being a SME that the team can come to when they need technical support on our platforms and equipment and also in areas of processes and procedures."

"I have worked as a floor RN, and in recent months I have stepped into a supervisor role from time to time when there are supervisor call-outs. I would like to move into a more full-time supervisory role with goals of eventually becoming a unit manager. I enjoy leading others, improving processes that impact patient care, providing staff education, and doing clinical admin tasks. I don't want to get away from patient care completely, so a supervisory role would provide a good balance of patient care and people leadership as I continue to pursue my goals."

"In the past, I have worked as a nursing supervisor. I greatly enjoyed this role because it gave me the opportunity to oversee many nurses and help to gather a big picture of my unit and areas for possible growth and work process improvements. In the future, I hope to be able to use the skills I learned from that position here as well."

33. What are your professional nursing goals?

Of course your immediate goal is to get this job that you are applying for, but interviewers also want an idea of where you would like to go from here? These types of questions are gold mines of information for the interviewer, and unfortunately it's often not clear what they are mining for. However, answer the question authentically and with some forethought. The interviewer is not going to believe the candidate that says that their goal is to retire from this job unless they are an older candidate established in the community. Interviewers want motivated candidates but they also do not want to be a farm club for other hospitals where new nurses get a years worth of training somewhere to improve their skills so they can seek employment elsewhere. It should be a nice balance of ambition and stability, and your answer should reflect this. The following answer is transparent in the intent to use the tuition reimbursement program and it's associated 3 year commitment. This answer also showcases the desire to continue to move up the career ladder and the willingness to perhaps continue that journey at this organization if the opportunities are available.

"I definitely want to take advantage of the tuition reimbursement program here at Mount Bennet Hospital so that I can really add value to the nursing team. I eventually want to pursue my MSN and would really like to talk about advancement opportunities here for me when I'm able to achieve that goal."

"As a new grad, my focus right now is to build my skills, experience, and confidence. My goal for the next year is to learn and absorb as much training as I can. I hope to find a mentor that can also work with me as I settle in and begin my career, to help guide me and provide insight and advice. My short-term professional goals also include obtaining my CPR certification and enrolling in any CEU or workshops your organization may offer new grads."

"In the last few years, I have really found my calling within cardiac and intensive care work. This is an area I see myself working for years to come, so I would like to focus on my specialty area and obtain additional certifications. I already have my ACLS, so next would likely be my CCRN. I would also like to research relevant professional organizations and join those that make the most sense for my area of interest. I love to learn and grow my professional network, so this is definitely an area of interest for me."

"My long-term goal is to grow within my organization. I love working with patients in the surgical setting. There can be a lot of worries and anxieties for these patients as they prepare for surgery. I greatly enjoy being able to provide these patients with education about their procedure and being able to be their support. In the future, I would like to return to school for a master's degree in nursing education so that I am better able to provide education, resources, and support for these patients."

34. What are your goals in reference to furthering your education?

Nursing is an ever evolving profession and education is key to keeping up with the changes. Whether it is obtaining a professional certification, taking CEU courses, or obtaining your doctorate in nursing, you should have educational goals. Nursing isn't stagnant and neither should you be with your career. Ask intelligent questions regarding educational opportunities at the organization, or tuition reimbursement. If you have no plans to pursue further education, at least set the stage for that possibility by asking information seeking questions. If you are uncertain, you can state that you want to work as a nurse for a while to clarify further educational goals.

"I just graduated from nursing school and am eager to learn how to work as a nurse in real life. I am definitely interested in continued education, but I would like to work for a while to figure out which direction suits me best. I have so many interests right now it's hard to pick which one direction. I'm so excited to start working and learning! What kinds of education opportunities are offered through your organization?"

"I currently have my BSN and have considered a couple of different paths to further my education. I've looked into the MSN program, but I don't think that it is the best fit at this time. I would rather focus on obtaining specialty certifications like the Certified Pediatric Nurse and Pediatric Advanced Emergency Assessment, Recognition and Stabilization (PEARS)."

"At this time, I have my BSN, and I plan to enroll in the MSN program in the next 6-12 months. I would like to eventually pursue a nurse leadership role focused on care coordination, management of outcomes, care transitions, risk assessment, implementing best practices, and quality improvement within an organization or unit. I do believe pursuing an advanced degree will benefit me in that journey."

"Currently, I have my BSN, and I am furthering my education by regularly completing CE courses. In the future, I would like to return to school to obtain my MSN and pursue a career within this organization in nursing management."

35. Do you have any questions about the specific requirements or responsibilities of the job?

This will be the question that ends each and every interview and it is very important to come prepared with questions. More often than not, some of your questions will be answered throughout the dialogue of the interview. This is to be expected. While the questions you ask can vary to many degrees, having well thought out questions shows that you have interest in the position and in some of the minute details of the job. It is okay to have questions written down or typed out and to take notes during the interview.

"You've done a great job of answering some of my questions that I've had prepared throughout the interview. Thank you for that. The long-term fit is ideally what I'm looking for in my next job so I'm wondering what it is about this organization that keeps you working here and what do you love the most about working here?"

"As a new graduate, the time frame for me to be up and running on my own is important for me to have some sort of expectation on. What does the orientation and training program look like in your department and what is an expected time frame for a new nurse to be working on their own in the unit?"

"Through my career as a nurse, some organizations have been great about promoting teamwork within the workplace and other places haven't. Can you tell me how this organization promotes teamwork within the workplace and how is teamwork generally promoted within the department?"

"If I have the opportunity to join your team and start working on your inpatient clinical unit, this will be my first experience working outside of outpatient care. Given this, what do you think my biggest challenges will be as I transition to this new type of clinical environment?"

"With a history in float pool nursing, I have encountered a variety of units, processes, and procedures as well as nursing support. Can you please tell me more about what a typical daily patient workload would look like for a nurse on your unit and what, if any, support staff there is such as CNAs or RTs?"

36. What is your work availability? Are you able to work nights? Weekends?

Heading into the interview, you should have a pretty good availability of the work expectations of the position through the job posting that you read or the advertisement you saw. In truthfulness to yourself and potential future employer, you should be as honest as possible in what your availability is in regards to evening, night, weekend and holiday shifts.

"As a new nurse entering the workforce, I am ready to work any shifts on any days that I can. I want to let you know that I do have my son every other weekend and would like the chance to not be on the schedule on those particular weekends or be given the opportunity to trade shifts if I were scheduled on those weekends."

"I am open to working any shift on any day as long as the schedule for particular shifts is out at least two weeks ahead of time. With my spouse having a full-time job, I need to be able to plan ahead for childcare should the need arise."

"After working years of swing shifts on a Med/Surg unit, I am at a point in may career where I would like to work solely day and evening shifts. Upon reading the job posting, I understood that this was primarily a day shift position with every other weekend coverage and occasional evening shifts to help pick up for vacation days."

"While I would prefer to work daytime hours, I am willing to pick up evening and weekend shifts as needed to cover for my colleagues. I am a team player, and I am always willing to help out when needed. However, because of family obligations, I will need at least a 24-hour notice when picking up additional shifts, especially evening shifts."

"As a nurse, I know and understand the need and requirement for weekend and holiday rotations. Being part of a nursing team is important, and I am happy to take my rotation for both weekends and holidays. I tend to be more of a nighttime person and so I would prefer to work the night shift. I am open to helping out on a day or evening shift as well if needed from time to time."

37. Why are you leaving your current position?

This question is a time for you to be up front and honest with the person that is interviewing you, but to a point. Under no circumstance should you talk negatively about your current employer as that is a major red flag for interviewers. If you are truly leaving your former position because the organization has done bad things, make sure to find reasons that the organization you are interviewing with is better for your long term well being and career. Don't make money or benefits the sole focus of this interview question either as that will be a red flag that you may jump ship later on for more money. Focus on how the new position would better you as a nurse and a person.

"As a recent graduate, this would be my first RN position. Through the various healthcare settings, I worked in during clinicals, I found that hospitals or clinics are my preference. I have done a lot of research on employers in this area, and I was impressed with X's awards and recognition both locally and nationally. I'm excited to learn more about this opportunity!"

"While I've enjoyed my time working in my current role, your position for a nurse in your women's health clinic will help me expand my horizons as a nurse and put me where I have always dreamed of being a nurse. I came into the profession to help work with women with specific health issues and this would be my dream job in doing so."

"I have been working in my current position for two years, and while I appreciate all the opportunities I have had to learn and become a better nurse in the position as an outpatient nurse in an adult medicine clinic, I feel like it is time to move on. My current position was my first job out of nursing school, and while it has helped me strengthen my clinical and interpersonal skills, I feel like I am ready for a position in the inpatient environment where I will be more challenged. I want a position where I can grow clinically and not one where I feel my clinical skills are waning, and I feel that this position at your organization can offer me that."

"After spending six years as an entry level nurse on a Med/Surg unit, I have realized that I have gained as much experience as I can there and am looking to expand my horizons and get into Hospice nursing. My job search has been very meticulous and thorough in looking for an employer that can meet my needs both personally and professionally and your organization can provide that."

"I love my current job caring for pediatric patients who are hospitalized for various conditions, but I am ready to take a step in a different direction and work with a different population of patients, such as the orthopedic surgery patients that I would work with in the position at your organization. While I love children and the pediatric patients I work with, it can be emotionally draining, and after being in this position for over five years, I feel like it is time to move on to something else and not only allow myself a reprieve from the emotional aspect but also expand my skillset."

"Currently, I am working with the adult population. Although I have enjoyed my time in this setting, I greatly miss working with the pediatric population. I have learned a lot while working with adults that I believe I will still be able to use when interacting with pediatric patient's parents and caregivers."

38. How do you stay current on the latest health research?

The healthcare field is continually changing with new technology and research methods. Due to this, most healthcare organizations require nurses to attend continuing education courses. On top of required education, many nurses choose to stay up to speed in their field by attending training, reading publications or participating in workshops. To successfully answer this question, candidates should talk about one of the most recent training sessions they attended and expand on their particular interests in learning more in the nursing field and how they educate themselves.

"As a new nurse, I have thrived in my learning environment through my nursing program in college. The faculty that I was educated by and the preceptors that I worked with on my clinical rotations were instrumental in helping me get up to speed on the current field of nursing. I know that the nursing field is a continually changing work environment and I look forward to attending training and seminars to learn as much as I can in becoming a successful nurse with your organization."

"As part of my continuing education requirements, I recently attended a Child Maltreatment training. Working in a Family Practice clinic, this training was extremely useful as it educated me on how to spot potential child abuse on patients that I see. As well, I learned new changes in law about mandatory reporting if child abuse was suspected. On top of regular continuing education credits, my passion lies in the treatment of children that are diagnosed with cancer. I am a subscriber of the 'Journal of Pediatric Nursing' and enjoy reading and learning about new research in the field."

"As a nurse that has worked most of her career in the Emergency Department, I have had to adapt to changes in procedures and technology throughout my career. As part of my continuing education requirements, I recently took a course on the geriatric patient in the emergency room. Even having been a career Emergency Nurse, I learned new research and methods to help treat elderly patients when they come in the Emergency Room. These continuing education courses I have attended throughout my career have helped me become a better nurse."

"As a nurse with many years of experience, am well aware of how quickly medicine and nursing practices advance, so I understand the importance of keeping up with the latest health research. I subscribe to several nursing journals through my membership in the American Nurses Association, and I use the information in these journals to stay abreast on newly published research. Reading these journals as well as attending CME courses have helped me stay ahead and on the cutting-edge of nursing practice throughout my career."

"The healthcare field is continuously changing and evolving, and I feel it is vital to stay up to date in order to do well and to provide safe care to our patients. To help stay up to date, I am a member of the American Nurses Association. I also subscribe to nursing journals and regularly attend continuing education courses. My goal is always to attend at least one continuing education course a quarter. I have found that by doing this, I am able to stay current on my nursing skills and education."

39. Tell me about your education.

Your path to becoming a nurse has included a great deal of education and certification. Your resume will obviously show the school(s) that you attended, what level your degree was and what dates you attended. Now is your chance to expand upon what is on your resume by talking about your experiences through nursing school, your clinical rotations or your master's program that led you to this point in your career and how specific pieces of your education led you to this job you are interviewing for.

"As a new nursing graduate, you can see that I attended Southeast Technical College for my associate's degree in nursing. After passing my state licensure exam, I am very eager to begin my nursing career with the great education that I received from SETC. During my semester of clinical rotations, I gained great knowledge of the nursing profession and obtain many skills while working in urgent care, dialysis, emergency and critical care settings. Down the road, I want to pursue both my bachelor's and master's degrees to pursue a leadership position later on in my career."

"As a newly licensed nurse, I recently graduated from a post-baccalaureate nursing program that is specifically for career changers who have bachelors degrees in non-nursing fields. My bachelor's degree, which I earned in 2004, is in business, and after working as a project manager in the corporate IT world since graduating, I decided to go back to school for nursing. The post-baccalaureate program was great for me because it helped me become an RN without me having to take basic undergraduate courses that I had already taken while pursuing my business degree. However, I was required to take all the practical science and nursing courses."

"As you can see, I obtained my bachelor's degree in nursing back in 1991. Since then, I have attended many continuing education courses that have helped me grow significantly as a nurse. Last year, knowing that I wanted to eventually become a nurse in a substance abuse treatment facility, I attended a conference on the opioid epidemic that is sweeping the country right now. In the conference, I learned so much about spotting the signs of addiction, how it is effectively treated and how families are impacted negatively."

"As a nurse who has worked most of her career with an associate's degree in nursing from back in 1988, I recently graduated from my bachelor's degree program that I worked hard for on top of holding my full-time job. Going back to school as a non-traditional student in nursing really refreshed my mind as an experienced nurse to learn about new treatments and techniques. In looking to make the move from a career med/surg nurse to an emergency nurse, my final year elective class on treating trauma patients will benefit me well on my new nursing career path."

"I obtained my bachelor's degree 15 years ago. I was eager to begin my nursing career and learn as much as I possibly could. Through my years of working bedside, I found that I really had a passion for teaching patients about their health conditions and helping them prepare for returning home. It was this passion that led me back to school to complete my master's degree in nursing with an emphasis on education. Now my goal is to focus on patient education and helping patients to understand their conditions fully and feel confident in providing self-care."

Situational

40. Have you ever been disciplined or asked to resign from a nursing position?

Although it may seem to be best to avoid answering this question directly, it's always best to provide an explanation why a previous position went awry. Nursing takes pride in being voted the 'most ethical profession' so it's not a great idea to start a career with a new employer being evasive. This is not a time to overexplain or underexplain the reason. A simple explanation will do. It's not the time to cast dispersions or blame onto others as in 'everybody who works there runs away screaming.' Own your version of the truth is the most direct and matter of fact way without denigrating or blaming others. You may not get the job for being transparent, but getting the job under false pretenses isn't right either.

"I've just recently graduated and passed my NCLEX, so I have not experienced a time in my nursing career where I have been disciplined or asked to resign. Prior to nursing school, I worked a couple of jobs in retail and food services, and I never had any performance issues or concerns from my leaders."

"Yes, I have. I resigned from Homeward Bound Rehabilitation facility after a meeting in with my nursing leadership. I expressed concern over the short staffing on our unit on several occasions and also advocated for additional training if we were asked to take on extremely medically compromised patients or be pulled to another unit. It was my belief that my nurse manager did not address my concerns that patient care was jeopardized. I told her that it was really important to me that the unit was staffed completely and that I did not feel that I could practice safely if it wasn't. She told me that there's a nursing shortage and to deal with it. I reported her comments and refusal to address persistent shift shortages and low staff morale to leadership which created an awkward meeting. My nurse manager felt that I went over her head and that it was unprofessional. I countered that I expressed my concern on at least 4 occasions and felt unsafe and unheard. My departure was mutually agreed on. I liked my job there a lot, but I still think that it was an unsafe patient environment. I did have the opportunity to identify new ways to handle issues such as putting them in writing, asking the manager to listen when she was not overwhelmed herself, and possibly providing solutions along with my concerns."

"Unfortunately, I have received a write-up in the past for being late. It was about ten years ago, and at the time, I was fresh out of college, and my vehicle was unreliable. I was having a lot of car trouble, and it would break down frequently, which caused me to be late. I would notify my supervisor immediately when I was going to be late, but they had a strict attendance policy. Thankfully, I was able to save up for a new vehicle, and that solved my issues of being tardy. I've never received any disciplinary action since then!"

"Unfortunately yes I have had to resign from a nursing position. I had experienced significant workplace bullying from physicians within a group. When I took these concerns to my direct manager, I was told they would be monitored. It continued to happen, and so I addressed it again with my manager, but again nothing changed. I then reached out to my department's HR representative. She had a one-on-one meeting with me but said that my manager should handle it. After much thought, I felt it was best to resign as I did not feel it was a safe, conducive working environment."

41. Tell me about a time when you have recognized that a patient is in a difficult or dangerous situation. How did you respond and what was the outcome?

Since nurses interface with patients and ask them questions that often expose their vulnerabilities, they often recognize when patients are in difficult or dangerous situations without directly being told by the patient. Such situations can include but are not limited to domestic violence, sex trafficking, child abuse, Munchausen by Proxy and even social circumstances such as homelessness. When a nurse recognizes these situations, they have a moral, ethical, and sometimes legal obligation to take action. The interviewer is asking this question to determine what types of situations the candidate has recognized in their past career and how they have responded. To successfully answer this question, the candidate should identify a specific situation when they identified and assisted a patient who was in a difficult situation and describe the outcome.

"In my nursing education program, I have learned about the many difficult situations patients could be facing, how to identify them, and how to respond, but I personally have never encountered such a situation in my work or real life before. However, in one of my classes, we have participated in case simulations where we work in pairs to practice such scenarios. While my partner acts out a scenario, I listen and attempt to identify the circumstance and determine which course of action to take. These simulations have helped prepare me for how I will react when I encounter a patient who is facing a difficult situation in their real life."

"In my current job in the inpatient OB/GYN unit, nursing staff members are required to screen patients for domestic violence and sex trafficking upon transferring them to the unit. While I ask the questions on the screening tool, I recognize that the patients are unlikely to tell me the truth at the time, especially if their abusers are with them. I typically watch how the patients respond to the questions and if I become suspicious, I take the women to the restroom, turn on the shower so no one can hear, and ask them what is going on. When I did this a few months ago, the patient confided that she was being abused by her husband, so I immediately reported it. Before the patient left the hospital, she had a restraining order issued against her husband, and she felt safe leaving with her baby."

"A few months ago, at my job in the outpatient pediatric clinic, a patient, who was approximately 15-years-old came in asking for an STD test. The young lady did not have a parent or guardian with her, did not have insurance, and she was not an established patient of ours, but she did have an older man with her who was directing her every move. The patient initially approached our adult medicine clinic for the STD test, but since she was underage, reception sent her to the pediatric unit. I knew something was not right about the situation, but I could not directly come out and ask, so when I was taking the young lady to the restroom so she could provide her urine sample, which was the only time I was alone with her, I handed her a tiny piece of paper with the sex trafficking hotline phone number on it and said to her, 'If you need this, put it in your shoe where he is unlikely to look, if you don't, leave it on the counter so I know you are safe." When I went into the restroom afterward, there was no paper on the counter, so I assumed she took the number, and I made a report to child protective services."

"A few weeks ago, while I was triaging a patient in the ED, I asked the patient to verify her address, which is something we often do. However, the patient gave me a different address that was previously documented in the system and on her paperwork. When I asked the patient if she had recently moved, she denied doing so and I noticed tears welling up in her eyes. At this point, I recognized that the patient was likely homeless. However, rather than bringing it up, I simply offered her a list of community resources that contained contact information and locations for shelters, community resource centers, and other resources. Once the patient had this list, she began crying, thanked me, and told me she would be contacting the shelters, as she did not know so many resources existed that could help her."

"I recently had an adolescent patient come to the clinic with their parent for their routine follow-up for type 2 diabetes, I saw that the patient's weight had increased significantly since the last visit. When we discussed how the lifestyle habit changes had been going since our last visit the patient's mom noted that they were trying to eat healthier but that it is hard with the price of groceries and not always having the finances to buy more food. I could see the difficult situation the mom was in and so I immediately provided her with resources for a local food bank. In addition, I notified our social worker who was able to meet with the mom to determine if there were any other needs the family had and what additional resources we had that we could give them. The mom was not aware of the food bank and was very grateful for the additional resources."

42. Tell me about a time that you had to deal with an unexpected emergency on the job. How did you handle that situation?

On this question, the interviewer will be looking to learn how you deal with the unexpected things that arise when on a shift. For your answer, make sure to talk about how you are able to prioritize things in order of importance/need and you are able to pick up the pieces where you left off prior to the emergent situation.

"During my clinical rotation in an urgent care setting, a patient that I was seeing with my preceptor collapsed with an apparent cardiac arrest. At that point, instinct kicked in with my basic lifesaver training and I began to administer CPR while my preceptor went to grab the defibrillator. Upon return, the shocked the patient back to stable condition and he was admitted to the hospital that evening. Staying calm and relying on my training was key in that situation to help save a life that day."

"In my current position, I am on the hospital's trauma team. If a trauma emergency is called, I am pulled from my regular duties on my Med/Surg unit to attend to the emergency trauma. This happened a few weeks ago during a medication pass and I didn't have help to back me up. Upon hearing the call over the PA system, I let my leader know that I needed to be present when the trauma arrived at the hospital. I made a quick note to myself on where I left off with the patients on my unit. Upon returning to the unit an hour and a half later, I was able to pick up the medication pass where I had left off because I had taken a quick minute to jot some notes down to myself."

"During my time working as a nurse in a residential treatment facility, we worked with many patients who were detoxing and rehabbing from extreme alcohol and drug dependency issues. Late one night, a patient in the detox unit was threatening to harm either himself or staff and the unit was put on lock-down. As the nurse in charge of that unit, I used my de-escalation training to calm the patient down to a relaxed state through simple conversation. Had I not had that training, I wouldn't have known the proper things to say and attitude to have with him to calm him down. After the incident, it was back to business as usual on my unit."

"Because I have spent most of my career working as a nurse in an outpatient family practice clinic, many people think that I have never dealt with emergencies; however, this is not the case. Many times, patients who arrive at our clinic are very sick and are in need of emergency care. Just last week, I was on my way into the clinic, and I stopped at the public restroom in the building lobby before reporting to work. While I was at the sink washing my hands, one of our patients, called out from one of the stalls, told me she needed emergency assistance. I immediately used my cell phone to call the clinic and asked them to call a code blue, and I crawled under the stall, got the woman into the floor, and began administering care to her before our emergency team could reach her. The woman's vital signs were dangerously low, and she ended up leaving by ambulance, so my quick thinking likely saved her life."

"Working in intermediate care I expect to have emergent situations arise at times. I was recently in the middle of a nursing assessment on one patient when my nursing assistant came to me saying that she had just taken vital signs on another patient of mine and their oxygen level was reading low, and the patient was difficult to wake up. I immediately informed the patient I was working with that I needed to step out and would return as quickly as I could. I did a quick scan of the room to ensure I was leaving the patient in a safe position with the call light within reach. I then hurried to the other patient's room. I did a quick assessment of the patient and began working to raise their oxygen saturation. I quickly realized the immediate resources I had would not be enough, and I called a rapid response. The team responded quickly, and we worked together to care for the patient. The patient ended up requiring Bipap and was transferred to ICU. Once I transferred the patient, I immediately returned to the patient's room I was initially in and picked up where I had left on with this patient's assessments."

43. Talk about a time that you had to deal with a significant change in your work procedures or in your workplace. How did you handle that change?

The healthcare industry is always in a constant state of change. Organizations merge, laws change and new technology and process are always emerging to better care for a patient. To succeed as a nurse, you need to be able to demonstrate that you can navigate change with ease in the workplace and this is your chance to give a specific change you have dealt with in the workplace with a positive outcome.

"As an inexperienced nurse starting my clinical rotations, every rotation was a significant change. With each rotation, I had to familiarize myself with a new facility, a new staff, a new EMR and new work processes. I feel like these changes from rotation to rotation helped round me out as a new nurse entering the workforce and helped me gain a lot of great knowledge on how to be the best nurse that I can be."

"In my last job, my organization went through a buyout to become the current organization that it is. Upon the buyout, just about everything about my job changed. We were working on a new EMR, our pay structure changed, our benefits changed, our leadership structure changed and some of our work processes did too. Knowing about the buyout ahead of time, I was able to prepare myself under the notion that I only can control what I can control. In this instance of a total buyout, my attitude was under my control. As I saw other coworkers complain, cry and even look for new jobs, I took this as an opportunity to embrace change and become a better organization. Learning a new EMR and learning new work processes did end up making me a better nurse in the end and for that, I am grateful for that opportunity."

"During my 10 years working as an emergency nurse, my department saw several leadership changes. With each leadership change came a change in philosophy on how the work schedule would be made and worked. In those 10 years, I've worked standard eight, 10 and 12-hour shifts. I've worked straight day shifts, straight evening shifts, straight night shifts and swing shifts from week to week. Each change in work schedule had an effect on my life at home due to childcare and being available for my children's school and recreational events. With planning and communication, I was able to embrace each change in schedule and I learned over time that being flexible to these changes was extremely vital to both my personal and professional well-being."

"I have been working as an outpatient clinical nurse for a couple of years now, and six months ago, my company's leadership team began rolling out LEAN initiatives in each department, which significantly changed the way we operate in almost all areas of our practice. At first, when the LEAN project teams were helping us change our procedures, it was very difficult, and I resisted a bit. However, once I started seeing how much the LEAN methodologies were helping us save time and improve our efficiencies, I became more excited and I have even volunteered to lead a few of the implementations. This experience helped me realize that when procedures change, I don't need to resist, and instead, I should help with the rollout to make it easier."

"Over my years of nursing, I have learned that change is part of nursing and part of life. I feel that I am able to handle change well and that I actually welcome it because I believe it's necessary in order to grow. One big change that I was recently part of was the change from one EHR to another. It was a long in-depth process for our organization to change this. I had to meet with several extended team members who helped to format the EHR for our specific department and our needs. Once the EHR was rolled out, it was incredibly different than the previous one, and there was a huge learning curve. It was definitely challenging at times, but I maintained a positive attitude about it and worked diligently to learn the new system so that I could continue to provide the best care possible to my patients and in a timely manner."

44. Tell me about the most stressful situation you've had to deal with in the workplace.

Nurses can find themselves in very stressful working conditions from time to time due to a variety of reasons. Here, the interviewer is looking to see how you personally manage those stressful situations. Think of a specific time you had to manage a stressful situation, how you handled it, what tools or resources you used and what the outcome was of the situation.

"Working my way through nursing school, I worked a near full-time job and was attending classes. To try and finish a semester early, I packed 19 credits in my final two semesters and this was a stressful time for me. While not having a lot of time for family and friends, I made sure to take care of myself by eating healthy when tempted not to and still get a good amount of sleep each night. By taking care of myself, my daily stress was lessened and much more manageable when it could've been easy to live off of fast food and caffeine with many sleepless nights."

"As an emergency nurse, I was working a night shift during the winter where a bus accident brought in 10 critically injured patients on top of the standard winter visits to an ER. When we received the call that the ambulances would be showing up, I went into immediate triage mode with our current patients. This mode continued when the accident victims arrived as well and I prioritized those with the most traumatic injuries first and worked down the line. I great piece of advice I got early in my career was that I am only one person who can only focus on one thing at a time. In these situations, this sage advice keeps me focused on the patient in front of me and not letting my mind wander to the other patients."

"In my time working as a home health nurse, I spent a lot of time on the road. Winters were particularly tough with high numbers of illnesses coupled with bad driving weather. One Sunday, we had a large dumping of snow and I had a full patient load the next day. As I hit the road on Monday morning, I received several emergent calls for visits that day as I was realizing the driving conditions would be bad. Knowing I would have a large patient load that day and driving conditions were poor, I contacted my supervisor to let them know of the situation. He approved me to work the hours that I needed to that day safely and responsibly. In that situation, I took my time on the roads and made a plan for patient visits that would be efficient. By communicating and making a plan, the daywas very manageable."

"By far the most stressful situation I have ever dealt with took place while I was working as a technician in the emergency department at County Hospital. You may or may not remember seeing this on the news, but there was a day when we had a Code Silver, or a warning for an active shooter because there was a family member who was extremely upset over a bad outcome and had come in threatening to shoot everyone. Because the ED was extremely busy that day, we had patients in beds in all empty spaces we could find, so beds were essentially lining the hallways. Once the Code Silver was called, we had to immediately get these patients moved to a secure location. Doing this while not knowing if a shooter was right around the corner was terrifying, and the hardest part was remaining calm for the patients."

"My most stressful situation was while working on a step-down unit. Unfortunately, we were short-staffed that day, and so I had 2 additional patients compared to what a typical workload would be like. I knew from my morning report that the day would be very busy due to patients' high acuity levels and multiple patients needing blood transfusions, so I quickly began my morning assessments. I immediately noted new abnormalities on a patient's assessment that were concerning for stroke. This patient became my immediate priority. I spoke with my charge nurse at once and called a code stroke. I had learned strong reporting skills over the years and was able to give a brief but thorough report to my charge nurse on my other patients and she assumed the primary nurse of those patients while I cared for the patient who was actively displaying new signs of a stroke. Once I was able to begin medication for the patient and transfer her to ICU, I was then able to resume full care of my other patients. It was a stressful situation, but my years of nursing experience had prepared me for it, and my team and I were able to work well together to provide all the necessary care needed as quickly and safely as possible."

Marcie's Feedback

45. Tell me about a time you had to communicate bad news to a patient. How did you effectively communicate that news and what was the outcome?

As a nurse, the need to communicate effectively to a patient is vital and this is no more evident than when delivering bad news. The interviewer will be looking to see how you handled yourself in a particular instance by showing empathy and composure where most individuals wouldn't be able to. Think of a time when you had to do this and talk about an instance that had a great outcome.

"During my time in clinical rotations on a Med/Surg unit, I had been working with a patient throughout the day that was planning to be released back home by 4:00 pm that afternoon. As my day shift was ending, the physician notified us that due to the fact the patient's blood pressure hadn't dropped to an acceptable level, he would have to stay another night for observation. When I was in the room with my preceptor, she gave the news to the patient calmly and explained the reason why it was necessary. While certainly excited to be sent home, he fully understood the reasoning why and took the news well due to her simple delivery of the message."

"As a pediatric nurse early in my career, my physician received lab results from a young patient found to have a brain tumor. When the patient and family were called in for their consult, the physician and I were both in the room when the news was delivered. In that situation, it is hard not to break down with the family in tears but I knew that they were looking at me to be the person with strength and have answers to their questions. The physician and I were able to walk them through their next steps and options moving forward with their child's diagnosis and they truly appreciated that."

"As an urgent care nurse, I saw patients with varying degrees of sicknesses and illnesses. One weekend, a young boy came in with a foot injury from playing in a hockey tournament earlier that day. After the doctor examined him, he was sent to the lab for X-rays. In talking with the boy and his father, they were in town for a hockey tournament and his team had just reached the championship game which was to be played the next day. The boy was so excited and hopeful that he would have just a bruised foot and be able to play. Once the tests came back, it was revealed that he had fractured the outer metatarsal on his foot. I delivered the news to the boy that he had fractured his foot and that he would need to leave our clinic in a walking boot and not play the next day. He was devastated. I explained to him that playing further could damage his foot further down the road and by taking the time to explain why he had to take the course of action he did, but the boy and his father were grateful."

"A few weeks ago, a patient came into our family practice clinic for a suspected eye infection, and unfortunately, upon examining her eye, the physician I work with found that it was not an infection but rather, it was inflammation of the eye, which could have been caused by an autoimmune disease. The patient was very upset by this, but the doctor told her not to worry until initial blood panels came back and we knew if the patient needed to see a rheumatologist for further testing. However, when the test results came back, it showed that the patient likely had Rheumatoid Arthritis, and she needed further testing by a rheumatologist to confirm. I had to call the patient to break this news to her, and she became very upset when I did so. Since the patient was scared and upset, I stayed on the phone with her, comforted her, and answered any questions that I could, and before the end of the phone call, she was calm and collected and told me she felt much better."

"I once had a patient in the clinic to have their implantable cardio-defibrillator checked. When completing the testing, I could tell that something was wrong when interpreting the data. I notified the physician immediately who ordered a stat chest x-ray to check the placement of the lead within the heart. I then sat with the patient and explained clearly the results I found when testing her cardiac device and that there was a concern with one of the leads. I informed her to ensure the placement of the lead and determine if any other more invasive intervention needed to be done we would need to have her complete a chest x-ray. I then walked with her to the x-ray and then brought her back to the office to review with the provider. Unfortunately, the lead had moved and required surgery to reposition it. The patient later told me she was very grateful for me sitting with her initially upon interpreting the data and explaining it in a manner she could understand. She appreciated knowing clearly what was going on and why a chest x-ray was needed as well as what the potential outcomes from the x-ray could be. She said she felt she had a better understanding going into the additional imaging which provided her with comfort because she already knew what could potentially be the outcome and long-term plan."

46. Tell me about a time when you cared for a patient whose values or beliefs were different from your own. How did you handle the situation?

The interviewer is asking this question to assess the candidate's ability to set aside their biases and provide care for patients whose values and beliefs are different from their own. By being employed in the healthcare field, nurses will encounter patients from all walks of life and from all racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds as well as genders, religions, and other belief systems. In order to provide the best care to all their patients, nurses should always be aware of any conscious or unconscious biases they may have and set them aside while providing care. To successfully answer this question, the candidate should give a specific example of a time when they recognized a patient had values and beliefs different from their own and how they dealt with it.

"I am very active in my church, and I consider myself a very devout Christian. At the hospital that I work at, I often care for patients who have much different religious belief than my own, as I work in a very culturally diverse area. While some people in my church family have asked me if it is 'weird' for me to care for these people, for me, it isn't weird at all. I enjoy taking care of all people, and feel like it is my calling, no matter who they are or what religion they practice. I strive to give the best care possible to all my patients, despite how different their beliefs, religious or otherwise, may be from mine."

"Spending most of my career working in a rural medical office, in a town that is very homogenous, I have not encountered many patients who are much different from myself. However, a patient came in not too long ago with his partner and because the alternative lifestyle that the couple lead is not very common in our community, and several of the nurses refused to assist with the patient. But, since I am not uncomfortable with this type of lifestyle, I stepped up and helped the patient and provided him with the same quality of care that I provide all my patients."

"I have been a nurse for many years, and I am aware that I have to constantly stay aware of my biases, both conscious and unconscious, in order to ensure I am providing the best care and customer service to my patients. The most applicable example that comes to mind is when I was working in an outpatient OB/GYN clinic, and a transgender woman came in to see the doctor for hormone treatment. The name and information on the schedule did not indicate that the patient was transgender, so I was a bit caught off guard when I went to the waiting room to call the patient back, as she very much still looked like the opposite gender. However, I immediately checked my biases and ensured that I was treating this woman with the care and respect that I give all my patients."

"This may be an atypical answer, but I once was in a very complex situation where I had to put my values and commitments as a nurse ahead of my personal feelings. A few years ago, while working in the ICU at the local hospital, a patient was admitted who had committed a horrific crime and had been critically injured while trying to escape the police. The crime was all over the news, and I was well aware of what the patient was accused of; but, when I walked into his room and assessed his needs, I did not see an accused criminal, I saw a human in need of care, love, and compassion, and I did everything I could to provide the best care I could. It was my job to provide care to the patient and not to judge the patient for the crimes he was being accused of."

"I am a very involved Christian in my church. Throughout my nursing career, I have had the opportunity to work with a variety of patients from very different backgrounds. Recently I had an Islamic patient during Ramadan. Although the patient and I had very different beliefs, I would never push my ideas and beliefs onto my patients. I did a little research on my own about Ramadan and then asked the patient a few questions as well. I explained to my patient that I would like to support them during this time as much as possible and that they were welcome to tell me if there was anything I could do that would help them be able to follow their typical Ramadan practices while they were hospitalized."

Alexandra's Feedback

47. Tell me about the greatest challenge you have faced in your nursing career? How did you overcome it?

Nursing is a very challenging career, and there are many instances where nurses are faced with changing situations and/or working environments. The interviewer is asking this question to determine what types of challenging situations the candidate has faced in their careers and what actions they have taken to overcome the challenges. The types of challenges that can be used in the candidate's answers include but are not limited to: task management, complex patients, technical or systems issues, coworker conflicts, and/or conflicts with patients and family members. The candidate can successfully answer this question by providing an example of a time in their career where they faced a challenging situation and providing a detailed explanation of the steps they took to overcome the situation.

"When I was new in my nursing career, it took me a significant amount of time to complete patient assessments. It seemed like no matter what, it would take forever for me to fill out the patient information on the assessments. Being a perfectionist, I would spend too much time on the details and would end up getting behind on all my other daily tasks because of the amount of time I was spending on the assessments. In order to overcome this, I had to take a step back, and while I still recognized that these details were important, I moved more quickly through the entire routine of collecting the information, so I could balance my daily tasks and better care for may patients."

"My greatest challenge as a nurse has been learning to work with with the various Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems that are used at the facilities in which I have been employed. I have never had a problem with my clinical skills, but adapting to the different EHR systems, such as EPIC and Cerner, has been a significant challenge for me. However, I have been able to overcome these challenges by attending supplemental training sessions offered by my employers and taking detailed notes during each training session. By taking these detailed notes, I was able to have something to go back to and reference when I was unsure of what to do."

"The greatest challenge I have faced in my nursing career thus far is when I transitioned from working in an outpatient family medicine clinic to a position as an inpatient floor nurse at the local hospital. This transition was extremely challenging, as caring for patients who are hospitalized required me to utilize much more of my nursing expertise than my previous job as an outpatient nurse. While this transition was very difficult at first, and there were many days that I wanted to quit, I persevered by staying calm, patient, and confident and studying up on my nursing skills so I could provide the best care I could to my patients."

"As a nurse who has spent the last 10 years working on a critical care unit, I haven't been able to keep up to speed on caring for patients in a family practice setting. Knowing that I'd be looking to make this transition down the road, I've picked up extra shifts at my current employer in the Family Medicine clinic and have worked the outpatient side of things when I could to get back up to speed. At this point in my career, I'm ready to make my way back to the outpatient setting for the remainder of my career and re-hone my skills there to be the best nurse that I can be."

"I have faced many challenges throughout my nursing career, as this is not an easy job and should not be taken lightly; but I think the biggest challenge I have faced is when I was transferred from the adult medicine unit to the pediatrics unit at the clinic I was working at a few years ago. While I welcomed this transfer, I was not prepared for how difficult the transition would be. With the transition, my responsibilities had significantly increased, and I was suddenly accountable for administering and understanding the pediatric vaccines. Because the pediatric vaccine schedule is so complex and time-sensitive, it was very overwhelming for me at first. I handled this situation by attending supplemental training courses and workshops to quickly familiarize myself with the different vaccines and the pediatric vaccine schedule, so I could quickly assimilate into my new role."

"So far, the greatest challenge I have had in my nursing career came when caring for patients with pacemakers and implantable cardio-defibrillators. The challenge for me was in learning all the details about the cardiac devices and learning how to independently test the patients' devices during their office visits to ensure everything was functioning appropriately. In addition to completing the testing, I had to be able to interpret all of the data from the device. When I first began in this area of nursing, it was extremely challenging for me because it was completely new to me. My preceptor, thankfully, had decades of knowledge in this area of nursing and was very thorough and patient with me while I learned and asked questions. She also held weekly morning meetings with the NPs before the clinic opened, where they discussed in great detail the device's functionalities and how to interpret the data. With the approval of my supervisor, I came in early on those days to help give myself additional learning opportunities. In the end, it was very beneficial and helped me to learn cardiac devices much quicker. Within a year my skillset had grown so much that I was able to become a preceptor for the department."

48. Describe a recent issue you had with a doctor or co-worker's decision. How did you handle it?

In the fast-paced nursing world, you won't always agree with the decisions that are made by your co-workers or physicians that you work with on a daily basis. When a disagreement happens, you have to make a decision whether it is something to bite your tongue about or if you need to step up and intervene due to a patient safety issue. Showing your interviewer that you trusted your final decision and the outcome of the situation was acceptable is important for this particular question.

"During my clinical rotations, I was training in a PACU and there was a particular patient that I noticed wasn't coming out of anesthesia very well. After the standard waiting time for their surgery, the patient was still very drowsy and incoherent but the operating physician gave them the clearance to be released to their family members and leave the hospital. I was against the decision, as the patient still couldn't walk very well or talk very well but I wasn't in a position to question the physician's decision. The unit was busy that day and in stressing my concern with my preceptor, she followed up with me weeks later when she had seen the patient was in great shape to come in for a follow-up procedure."

"I actually recently dealt with this type of situation during one of my clinical shifts in the emergency department. We had a patient who presented with extreme muscle spasms and joint pain. The patient's joint pain was so bad that she could not move her joints, particularly her jaw. After the physician I was working with examined her, she diagnosed her with pain from an arthritis flare; however, I did not agree with the diagnosis because of the patient's symptoms. Using a professional approach, I urged the doctor to do exploratory testing, giving her clinical rationale of what I thought was wrong with the patient, and once we received the test results back we learned that the patient had a life-threatening infection that needed immediate medical attention."

"During my time working at a skilled nursing facility, we were short staffed one evening during medication passing. Our standard operating procedure was to pass medications to patients in teams of two to ensure that proper medications were being given to each resident. My co-worker told me to do two of the wings alone to save time and I immediately told her that I was uncomfortable going against policy for the safety of the patients. Another co-worker and I teamed up to complete the pass in the entire facility in a timely fashion with no incidents."

"In my current position working on an OB unit, a young, single mother came into our unit in full blown labor. She came alone and in talking to her, I learned she didn't have any family or friends near to be with her in time for her first child's birth. As the labor progressed, the physician was noting obvious signs of stress in the baby but was still holding off on performing a c-section. At this point, I began to think that the patient should be put into surgery to get the baby out before any complications. But, the physician's experience held true a while later when a healthy, happy daughter was born to the first time mother. While I didn't agree with the decision to hold off on c-section at the time, trusting the physician's judgment was the best thing that I did and seeing the gratification on the mother was well worth it."

"I recently had a patient who had a PICC line placed at the beginning of my shift. Later in the day, I began noticing that the patient seemed more lethargic but still arousable. I notified the physician and was told this was only due to the pain medications the patient was receiving and that I shouldn't worry about it. As time passed, I did not feel this was the reason. However, the physician declined coming to reassess the patient when I paged. I discussed with my charge nurse and decided the safest thing for the patient was to call a rapid response. Ultimately, the patient was found to be septic, and immediate intervention was required. Thankfully, we were able to get the patient the treatment he needed right away and prevented it from becoming any worse. After this, the physician came to me and apologized for not taking my pages as seriously as he should have and thanked me for my commitment to my patients."

49. Tell me about a time in which you had to handle an irate physician, co-worker, or patient. How did you handle it and what were the results?

As a nurse, you deal with patients, family members, and co-workers during very stressful times. These stressful times can lead to emotional outbursts like rage or sadness. In dealing with someone who was angry, it is important to demonstrate your listening skills, problem-solving skills and your ability to remain calm and collected to not escalate the situation.

"During my time in nursing school, there were several group projects that we had to work on. In one particular group, we had a team member that was continuously missing our agreed upon meetings and wasn't responding to our requests to help with the project. The lady who took the lead for our group became very frustrated when the group was meeting at this particular person. I let the lead know that I would reach out to the person missing the meetings as I had a previous relationship with her in a class before. This put the group leader at ease and after speaking about the concern directly to the person in-person, she attended all of our regular meetings the rest of the way and pitched in to help along the way as well. By calmly addressing this face to face, the person not pitching in was able to hear the concern in my voice and stepped up to help."

"As a nurse in the pain clinic, we had a patient in one day that was demanding more narcotics for her pain. She had walked into the clinic without an appointment to demand another prescription. As the only nurse in a small clinic that day, I sat the patient down to talk to them. I used a calm voice and listened to what they were asking for. After listening, I explained that I would need to check their records for their last prescription and speak with the attending physician in the clinic that day. After seeing that their last prescription was written many months ago and the patient had missed their last appointment, I was able to talk to the physician to get another prescription written. Once prescribed, I explained to the patient how it was important for them to keep their regularly scheduled appointments and she walked away happy."

"During my time as a nurse in the critical care unit, we had a patient who was brought in with a punctured lung from an accident. After being put on a ventilator, the physician was going to monitor the injury for a 24-hour period to see if surgery would be required. When the family arrived, the patient's mother was extremely irate that her son wasn't rushed into surgery immediately. She was demanding that her son be rushed to surgery to anyone that would listen. I took it upon myself to sit down with her and the other families that were there to explain the injury that was sustained and to explain that the monitoring period for the injury was standard and that he was in stable condition at the time. By explaining why the doctor was taking the steps he was for her son, the mother had a better understanding of the situation and was able to finally process what was happening in a calm and relaxed way."

"Over the years that I have spent working as a nurse, I have dealt with many upset patients, family members, and physicians; however, the example that comes to mind most is when an attending physician became extremely angry with one of the floor nurses one day while I was working as charge nurse at the hospital. The charge nurse had made a minor mistake in documentation, and rather than handling it professionally when the physician brought it to her attention, she snapped back at him, which caused him to become extremely angry and start raising his voice. When I intervened, the physician directed his anger at me and was raising his voice at me in the hallway, where staff, patients, and family members could hear. Rather than becoming angry, I stayed calm and used various tactics to de-escalate the situation, and soon, the physician and I were able to have a reasonable conversation with one another. I knew that the physician was overreacting, but I also knew that it would not help the situation if I did not handle it professionally, so I chose to take the high road."

"Having worked as a nurse for several years, I have had my fair share of encounters with upset individuals. One time in particular there was a physician who was upset with his clinic schedule for the day and the way in which the patients had been scheduled. He became quite angry and started yelling at the front desk staff. As the lead nurse for that clinic, I immediately jumped into action to assist the front desk staff and de-escalate the situation. I remained calm while speaking with the physician and informed him right away of my role and that I would be happy to assist him and address his concerns. By me speaking calmly with him, he then became calmer as well, and I was able to determine that ultimately his concern was poor communication. I was then able to address the communication concern with the appropriate team members."

50. Tell me about a time when you committed a medical error in your nursing career. How did you handle it?

No matter the career or profession, mistakes happen in the workplace. In the medical field and the practice of nursing, mistakes are often medical errors which affect the patient. The repercussions from medical errors can range anywhere from minor to very severe and life-threatening. When a medical error is committed by a health professional, it is important that they immediately report the error and do not attempt to cover it up. To successfully answer this question, the candidate should explain a situation in their career when they committed a medical error and how they took action to resolve and report the situation. A stronger answer to the question would include details of what the candidate learned from the error, and how learning from the situation will prevent them from making the mistake again.

"Since I am a new nurse, I am very watchful in my practice, but I did make a very serious medical error when I first started working on my own on the peds floor at the hospital. In pediatrics, weight is usually documented in kilograms, since recommended medication doses are documented in kilograms. Upon intake, I entered the patient's weight in the system, and when it automatically converted to kilograms, I thought it was a mistake, so I adjusted it up so it would reflect the patient's weight in pounds. This was a big mistake on my part because it made it so the patient would be getting much more medication than they were supposed to. At first, I didn't realize what I had done, but later while I was entering history and physical on another patient, I realized my mistake, and as soon as I was finished with this patient, I immediately went and informed my supervisor of my mistake. Luckily, the patient had not received medication yet, but an error was still documented and I went through a training program to ensure I understood how to properly document weight."

"The most serious medical error that has happened under my watch took place during my first few months as a floor nurse in a geriatric unit at the hospital. At the time, I was working nights, and on this particular night, I was exhausted and I admit that I was not being very friendly to my patients. Before I left one patient's room, I had forgotten to ensure her water cup was within reach of her bed. Later, when the patient woke up and was thirsty, instead of calling for me to assist her, she attempted to get up on her own to retrieve it, and she fell. Unfortunately, the patient sustained an injury upon falling, and since I did not hear her fall or hear her cry for help, she laid on the floor and suffered for an undetermined amount of time. This was a terrible experience for the patient and I felt terrible. After getting assistance for the patient, who had to undergo surgery for the injury she sustained, I was very honest with the incident nurse when she was asking me questions for the incident report, and I took full responsibility for what happened."

"I have been a nurse for a long time, and I have made a number of medical errors. I would say the most serious medical error I have ever committed took place a couple of years ago when I was ordering medication for a patient undergoing a procedure. I knew what medication I was looking for, but because I was in a rush, I only looked for the first three letters of the medication. Unfortunately, the medication that I ordered and that was ultimately dispensed and administered to the patient was not the correct drug; and to make the situation worse, the patient had an unknown allergy to the medication and had a bad reaction. The patient ended up being okay, but they did not deserve to go through that trauma because of my negligence. I did not try to deny the fact that I took a shortcut while ordering the medication, and was honest about what happened. Now, I am extremely diligent about ensuring I am entering the correct medication into the system anytime I am doing so."

"A few years ago, while I was working as an outpatient pediatric nurse, there was an order in the system for me to administer a series of vaccines to a 12-month old patient. I went into the vaccine room, drew up the shots, then took them into the patient room and administered them to the patient. However, when I went to document the immunizations in the patient record, I realized one of the vaccines I gave was meant for adolescents. I felt terrible, but instead of attempting to hide my mistake, I immediately reported the incident to my supervisor, and she initiated a medication error report. Ever since I made this mistake, I always double check to make sure I am administering the correct medication to the patient."

"Early in my nursing career, I misread the order for a patient's blood pressure medication. The patient was prescribed a half tablet instead of a full tablet because the patient was very sensitive to the medication. I gave the patient a full tablet. I felt terrible when I realized I had not split the pill before administering it. I immediately told my charge nurse of my error and completed the appropriate documentation. I then monitored the patient closely with more frequent vital sign checks throughout my shift to ensure the patient did not become hypotensive. I learned to always make sure I double-check my medication orders before administering anything. I was also able to use this as a learning experience and workflow process improvement for my unit. I worked closely with pharmacy, and we were able to start having pills split in the pharmacy prior to being delivered to the units. This has helped to cut down on medication errors like the one I made."

Questions to Ask During Nursing Interview

Before your interview, do as much research as possible on the organization, facility, employee and patient reviews, mission, values, etc. Make note of anything that stands out to you and questions you may have as there will likely be a point at the end of the one-on-one or panel interview where the interviewer(s) give you an opportunity to ask questions. Interviewers genuinely want to help clarify anything you may have questions about. Actively listen during the interview and ask any follow-up questions you might have based on what the interviewer has said.

Here is a list of 5 impactful questions you could consider asking:

1. How many patients are on the unit, and what is the patient-to-nurse ratio?

2. from reviewing your profile on the company website (or linkedin), it looks like you've been with the organization x years. what keeps you with x organization or what is your favorite part about working at the organization, 3. can you tell me more about your management style (if you're interviewing directly with your potential hiring manager), 4. how would you describe the senior leadership team, 5. is there anything we've discussed that you'd like me to provide more information on or elaborate on, about the author.

I began my healthcare career when I was a sophomore in high school and became an STNA (state-tested nursing assistant) at a local long-term care facility. I then went on to work as a nursing assistant at a local hospital and home healthcare agency. During that time, I pursued my Bachelor's in Business Administration: Human Resource Management and transitioned to working for one of the largest long-term care and post-acute rehab companies in the country. I supported the talent acquisition function, and in the span of 8 years, I screened and interviewed over 1,500 nurse aides, LPNs, and RNs. I hold a very special place in my heart for nurses, as it's often a thankless and tiresome job. Not everyone is cut out to be a nurse, and I have great respect and admiration for those that choose this career path. As a content writer and interview coach for MockQuestions, my goal is to help you prepare and succeed in your upcoming interview. This article offers interview tips and advice along with 50 practice interview questions and answer examples to help you better understand what to expect and prepare for interview day! Wishing you the best of luck!

Learn more about Jaymie Payne

Registered Nurse RN

Registered Nurse, Free Care Plans, Free NCLEX Review, Nurse Salary, and much more. Join the nursing revolution.

Nursing Interview Questions and Answers

Sitting for a nursing job interview can be a nerve-racking experience. Not only will you have to face a barrage of uncomfortable questions, but you will also have to deal with the anxiety of knowing that your response to those questions could make or break your chances of getting the job.

Common Nursing Job Interview Questions (with answers)

While nursing interview questions can vary depending on the employer or manager’s needs, the questions below are common, and you stand a good chance of being asked some of them during the interview.

What’s the hardest decision you’ve had to make recently (in nursing school or on the job)?

When employers ask this question, they are trying to see how you will react when put on the spot. They are also trying to gauge what you perceive to be a difficult situation.

Therefore, try to think of a situation from a previous job that you found difficult, but then talk about how your decision was right. If you have never worked at a job before, think back to a time in clinicals when you and/or a preceptor faced a difficult decision.

• For example, perhaps there was a time when a patient wasn’t doing well, and your nursing intuition told you that something wasn’t right. You had mixed feelings about calling the doctor to report it, but you went with your gut, and it turned out you were right.

What are your future career goals, and how will this position allow you to achieve them?

If you haven’t noticed, nursing is a very goal-driven profession. When we create care plans, we’re thinking about patient goals. We have goals for our units, too. Therefore, it’s only natural that some employers are going to ask you about your career goals.

Here’s the big thing: Avoid acting like the job for which you are applying is just a temporary thing and that you hope to move on to something bigger and better soon. It costs a lot of time and money for a company to hire and train a new nurse, so they don’t want to hear that you’re not going to be committed to the job.

Instead, focus on the career goals that will align with that particular organization. For example, say that you’d like to obtain additional certification in that specific area of nursing and possibly advance to a leadership position within that organization in the future.

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• Tips for finding your first nursing job and getting hired fast
• Tips to transition from nursing student to new nurse (talking to doctors, common struggles, etc.)
• Advancing in your career
• And more (see table of contents below)

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How do you define great patient care?

It’s important for you to know that great patient care is major focus for most healthcare organizations, especially since The Affordable Care Act instituted a system that financially rewards hospitals based on patient satisfaction surveys. Therefore, it’s important to emphasize that as a nurse, you’re going to be ALL ABOUT THE PATIENT !

You might want to say, “I believe great patient care means that you are patient-centered, which means that you address their concerns and respond as quickly as you can to their needs. It means that you take time to educate them so that when they leave, they felt as if you took good care of them and would recommend your facility to others.”

You might want to add personal anecdotes of how you’ve gone above and beyond for a patient in the past.

Describe a mistake you made on the job (or in clinicals), and how you handled it.

No one likes to re-live his or her nursing mistakes , but you really need to go into the interview with an example of an honest mistake that you’ve made in the past. However, avoid mistakes that make you look incompetent or that would cause potential legal issues.

For example, mention a time you made a simple charting error that you were able to correct. Alternatively, perhaps there was a time when you collected a lab specimen, and the specimen became contaminated.

Be sure to include the details of the steps you had to take to correct the mistake, and how you learned how to avoid it in the future.

Describe a time when a coworker or manager made you upset.

If you are asked a question like this, keep two things in mind:

• You don’t want to come across as a petty drama queen (or king), a gossip, or a troublemaker.
• Don’t talk trash about your former coworkers or boss.

Instead, try to keep it as professional as possible, and think of something that affected patient care or the nursing team, such as a time when a coworker obstructed workflow for the team, or arrived late, or didn’t give proper report.

Be ready to address how you handled the situation, too.

Describe the most valuable constructive criticism a former manager or charge nurse has given you.

This question might be phrased like this, “What’s your biggest fault as a nurse?”

Think of something that you can improve on, but again, avoid saying something that makes you appear incompetent.

Try to include a personal anecdote or story, but stick with a theme that…

• You’re a perfectionist
• You push yourself too hard
• You sometimes get emotional when a patient suffers

Finish your answer by saying that it is something that you have been improving as a nurse.

What attracted you to our organization?

If you are asked why you want to work for that particular organization, you’ll want to give a good, researched answer. So make sure that you do your homework and research the organization a bit.

Each organization will have its own focus or motto. Look into the company’s history, and incorporate that into your answer.

For example, if a company really advertises patient care, you could say something like this: “One thing I love about this organization is that you are really focused on patient care, and I love that; it’s one of my strengths.”

Here are some other things you can mention, if relevant:

• The company has a great reputation in the community, and you’ve heard great things from both patients and other nurses
• Perhaps the company has won any recent awards or received positive publicity
• Perhaps the facility has Magnet status
• Perhaps the facility has a great training/teaching system in place
• Perhaps the company has many opportunities for advancement

What’s the most important quality a nurse can have?

When asked this question, think about what it is that really drives you as a nurse, whether it’s a hard work ethic, attention to detail, a love for helping people, etc. You might even want to think back to your grueling semesters in nursing school, and try to think about what it was that motivated you to get through so that you could work as a nurse.

For me, it’s helping people. So, I would probably answer this question by saying that, of course I think it is important to have competence in your nursing clinical skills, but the most important skill that a nurse can have is to genuinely want to help people, to want to see patients get well.

How would you handle a rude physician or supervisor?

Here’s how I would answer this question: “I would try to remember that you never know what is going on in a person’s life that could be causing them to be rude. They could be going through a personal issue or having a bad day.

So, I’d try to maintain a professional attitude and overlook it. As the Bible says, “A soft word turneth away wrath.” However, if someone has a consistent problem with being rude, then I’d confront them in a professional way, and if that didn’t work, I’d talk to a supervisor or manager.”

Why are you a good candidate for this job?

This is always a tough question, and you’ll want to speak from the heart, but here are some things you might to incorporate into your answer:

• Your credentials if you have any
• Your passion or interest in that specific specialty or industry of nursing
• Your love for people
• Team player
• Strive for hard work and professional attitude
• Love learning new things and growing
• Experience and knowledge
• It can help me grow

In addition, a good tip is to study up on the relevant information for the specialty for which you’re applying, just in case you are asked a question about it. This includes information such as:

• Proper skills procedures
• Relevant lab values
• Nursing interventions

Final Tips on Nursing Job Interviews

Nursing interview questions can be nerve-racking, but you can shine during the interview by going into it with a prepared mindset. I highly recommend doing a mock interview with someone to practice common interview questions.

Allow the person to throw you off by asking some random questions and follow-up questions, too. This will help ease your anxiety and condition your mind so that you can respond in a confident, professional manner.

Also, it’s good to have a nursing resume prepared to hand the manager as you begin the interview, and learn some other nursing job tips .

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Interview Questions

Comprehensive Interview Guide: 60+ Professions Explored in Detail

22 Common Nursing Interview Questions and Answers

By Biron Clark

Published: December 5, 2023

If you’re going on a nursing job interview, there are some frequently asked questions that you need to be ready for. Employers ask these questions often and early, and the wrong answers can cost you the job.

So we’ll go through the most common nursing interview questions you can expect to hear, how to give the best possible answers, and mistakes to avoid if you want to get the job.

Let’s get started…

Frequently Asked Nursing Interview Questions

1. why did you choose a career in nursing.

Employers want to hire someone motivated and passionate to be in Nursing, not someone who is doing it only for the paycheck.

So be prepared to explain why you choose a career in Nursing, why you enjoy it, what motivates you , etc.

They may also ask, “What do you enjoy about this career?”

Try to share specific, tangible reasons when answering why you chose this career or why you enjoy it. It can be a personal reason, like a family member that you cared for at a younger age, and how that experience made you passionate about caregiving.

Or it can something else! That’s just one example answer. Whatever you choose, make sure it’s true. You’ll sound a lot more genuine/convincing if you’re telling true stories in your interview answers , so I do not recommend lying!

2. What interested you in this job?

Next, the interviewer is going to want to know why you want their particular position or why you chose to apply.

Employers want to hire somebody who is targeting specific things in their job search and knows what they want. This makes them less worried that you’ll dislike the job, quit soon after joining, etc.

To prepare for questions like this, make sure you’ve studied the job description. Then, talk about one or two things you saw that excite you. Explain how the work you’ll be doing in this position fits with your goals and interests.

For example, you could say:

“I’ve always enjoyed working in oncology. It’s what I’m most passionate about and most interested in. I saw your job description mentions that this role is focused entirely on oncology. In my past role, I split my time 50/50 between oncology and cardiovascular, and while I enjoy both, I’d be very excited to have that one single focus in this role, and I think it would allow me to continue learning and growing in my career as a Nurse.”

The answer above is detailed and directly answers their question. Better yet – it explains why you’re qualified and why you’ll succeed in this position. Employers ALWAYS want to know that you’re ready to step into their job and succeed. So by mentioning relevant experience, you’re convincing them that you will do well in their role.

Another example answer:

“After five years in Nursing, I’m looking for an opportunity to become a Nursing Supervisor, Manager, or Shift Leader. When I saw your job mentioned the chance to lead a small team in clinical areas that I already have experience with, like oncology, I thought it sounded like a great fit and I knew I should apply.”

3. Tell me about yourself

This isn’t just one of the most common nursing interview questions, it’s one of the most common questions in any interview. And it’s important to have an impressive answer because it’s asked VERY early usually, and sets the tone for the whole interview.

I recommend keeping your answer professional and just walking them through the highlights of your recent career.

For example, when they ask this question, you could say:

“I graduated three years ago with my degree in Nursing , and have been working at XYZ hospital since then. I’ve been promoted once and enjoy my work, but I’m now looking to gain exposure to new clinical areas to broaden my experience. Our hospital doesn’t have any openings outside of my current floor, so I’m beginning to look elsewhere to try to find a career-advancing position that will allow me to continue growing as a Nurse.”

More info and examples of answering “tell me about yourself.”

4. Tell me about your educational background

This is another one of the most common interview questions for nurses. Employers will typically want to know where and when you got your Nursing degree .

So be familiar with this before your job interview, and give a brief, concise answer. There’s no need to talk for long, but tell them your degree, where it’s from, and consider highlighting one or two key projects you completed during your academic work.

Here’s a sample answer:

“I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Nursing two years ago from the University of New Hampshire. I did my clinicals at XYZ hospital and focused mainly on respiratory and cardiovascular care. Is there anything else you wanted to know?”

5. What type of work environment do you prefer?

There are many different types of Nursing jobs, from large hospitals doing surgeries and emergency care to small clinics specializing in skin care, cosmetic procedures, and more.

And in the interview, the employer is going to want to know that you will enjoy their particular environment.

They never want to hire someone who’s going to hate the job or lose motivation and leave soon after joining… because it costs a lot of time/money to hire and train someone.

So that’s why they ask what work environments you prefer.

When answering, try to show them that you’d succeed in an environment like theirs, but be honest, too. It’s okay to say you do well in a variety of workplaces. It’s best to give an example as well.

Keep your answer positive, too. Don’t say, “I hate large, fast-paced environments.”

Instead, say:

“I do well in a range of work environments, but I think the environments I’ve enjoyed most in my career are smaller organizations where I can focus on giving great care to each patient that comes in, without feeling rushed.”

The example answer above would be great for a small, high-end organization like a skin clinic. Their clients are paying a lot and expect great care.

If you’re applying to be an ER nurse in a high-volume trauma center, your answer should focus much more on being able to handle a fast environment, and enjoying being busy and helping many patients.

6. What clinical areas have you worked in?

Next, the hiring manager or interviewer will want to know which clinical areas you’ve worked in, and possibly how much time you’ve spent in each.

While you don’t need to have every piece of experience that their job description mentions, it does help to name the similarities between your background and the work you’d be doing in this next role.

So be confident, and just highlight the most relevant experience that you do have.

They clearly liked your resume and your background if they invited you to the interview, so don’t worry – just give a clear, concise answer explaining the areas you’ve worked previously.

And be clear about whether an area was academic research, patient care, etc.

7. What do you find most rewarding about being a Nurse?

This next nursing interview question isn’t about your technical expertise – it’s all about finding out more about your personality to make sure you’re a good cultural fit for the team.

Prepare an answer to this question ahead of time. Be ready to mention one or two specific things that you find rewarding. Think about what makes you smile at the end of the day, or what gets you excited to tell friends and family about after a shift.

It can be something about your patients. It can be handling tough situations and seeing a great outcome. Or it can be getting through challenges as part of a team. I recommend choosing something that focuses on your interaction with patients, though.

8. Do you prefer to work alone or as part of a team?

This is one of the trickier interviewing questions for nurses because it requires you to know what type of work you’ll be doing in this role.

Most likely, you’ll be working on a team, so it’s important to show you can work well with others.

If you’re unsure what type of work situation this job involves, you can give an answer that shows them you’re versatile.

Example interview answer:

“I enjoy working as part of a team. However, I’m also able to handle things independently. Sometimes you’re the only Nurse available to help a patient in the moment, and you need to deliver great patient care on your own. So I enjoy working as part of a team, but I feel capable of accomplishing tasks on my own, too. I suppose I prefer a mix of both.”

That example answer is a way to “cover your bases” if you’re unsure of their work environment.

Also, you can wrap up your answer by asking them a question. This is a great tactic to turn the interview into a more relaxed, back-and-forth conversation.

For example, at the end of your answer, you could say:

“…How would you describe the work environment here for the typical Nurse? Is it very team-oriented?”

9. How do you deal with stress at work?

Most Nursing jobs involve some stress (okay, a LOT of stress), so employers want to know you’re prepared to handle this type of situation.

Ideally, you want to show them that you’re “battle-tested” and have been through stressful situations and have a method for getting through it.

This can involve reminding yourself why you do this work and why you’re passionate about helping patients. Or it can be more of a tactic, like taking five minutes to do breathing exercises and gather your composure during your break.

Try to share something that’s true/honest in your answer. You’ll sound a lot more convincing this way.

10. What do you feel is the most difficult part of working as a Nurse?

This is one of the trickier nursing interview questions, because you want to share something genuine/true, but without sounding like it’s a major weakness. You don’t want to make it sound like you’ll struggle in their role!

So I recommend naming something that’s challenging about nursing, but then explaining how you’ve learned to handle it.

Example answer:

“When I took my first Nursing job, it was a challenge to learn to communicate with so many different personality types, both on my team, and with the wide range of patients I interacted with each day. However, I quickly learned how to communicate well with all sorts of people, and this has become one of my strengths now. I’ve become a better listener, I’ve become more patient and better at communicating. I enjoy making sure patients feel understood and comfortable. I also enjoy the teamwork aspect of my role with my fellow Nurses.”

Related interview question to be ready for: “What is your greatest weakness?”

11. Why are you looking to leave your current job?

If you’re currently employed, then you should expect an interview question about why you are looking to leave your current job.

Don’t ever badmouth your current employer, though. Instead, talk about what you’re hoping to gain by making a move.

This could be experience in new clinical areas, experience in a different type of work environment (e.g. large hospital vs. small clinic), or something else that your current job cannot offer you.

Or, you can simply say, “I’ve been in my current role for X years, and I’ve learned a lot, but I feel it’s time for a change to keep learning and developing as a Nurse.”

That example answer above is best if you’ve been in your current company for a few years, though. And if you do answer like that, it’s best to also explain what you’re looking for next and why their job caught your interest.

So you could end by saying:

“I was interested in applying for this job because I saw the job posting mentions an opportunity to work with ____.”

Also, if you’re not currently employed, they may ask why you left your most recent job. This article has 20 good reasons for leaving a job.

12. What are your greatest strengths as a Nurse?

When they ask interview questions about your strengths in Nursing, don’t be timid or say, “I’m not sure.”

This is your chance to brag about yourself and be confident/bold. So be ready to name a few things you excel at, and how those would help you succeed in this position.

Think about what sets you apart from other Nursing candidates they’re interviewing. What helps you deliver excellent care to patients? What will you do that will help them grow their business, strengthen their reputation, etc.?

This is a question to think about and practice before your interview, because you do not want to hesitate or say, “I don’t know,” here.

This is also true if they ask, “Why should I hire you?” as well. Be confident and be ready to explain why you deserve the position!

13. Why are you the best person for this position?

This is similar to the question above and involves the same answer strategy.

Try to think of something unique that you bring to the position, or a strength that other candidates might not have. What are you best at? What can you do better than other Nurses who they are interviewing? Now is your chance to brag and show that off!

And always explain how your strengths will help you in this particular job. Don’t just talk about your skills in general – make it about them. How will your skills allow you to be successful in their position?

The more you can show that you’re ready to step into their job and succeed right away, the better. That’s what they’re looking for in the interview.

That’s why it’s so important to study the job description and research the company before your interview , so you can make your answers about their needs.

For more info on this, we have a job interview preparation checklist here.

14. How did you hear about this job?

This is one of the least tricky nursing interview questions you’ll hear, and the worst thing you can do is overthink it! Just give an honest answer about how you first came across their position.

This can be a friend or colleague, an online job posting, their company website, an advertisement you saw, etc.

Then, to cap off your answer, name one thing that caught your interest in the position. Explain why you decided to apply.

This extra step will show them that you’re excited about their position and that you did some research and thinking before you applied. A lot of candidates will apply to many jobs without really looking or thinking much about them, and employers prefer to hire someone who’s being more careful/thoughtful in their job search. So this will impress them!

15. Tell me about a time you failed. How did you handle it?

Nobody’s perfect, and everyone fails. When they ask about a time you failed , talk about a specific situation where you failed to accomplish your goal, and most importantly – how you corrected it, learned from it, and used the experience to make sure it doesn’t happen again!

Never sound like you laid the blame on others or refused to take responsibility. It’s much better to sound humble and show you can admit a mistake.

However, you don’t want to name a catastrophic mistake that led to disaster. Try to name a real mistake, but nothing too critical. If you sound mistake-prone or careless in general, they’re not going to hire you.

16. Tell me about a time you had to communicate with a difficult patient. How did you handle it?

You’re unlikely to get through a nursing interview without hearing a question or two about handling difficult patients.

Every Nurse has dealt with them! And the interviewer wants to make sure you’re able to stay calm and handle the situation appropriately.

So share a story about how you handled a difficult patient by listening, communicating clearly, trying to understand their perspective, and addressing their concerns.

However, don’t be afraid to show that you were firm in explaining your organization’s policies and why they must be followed. Sometimes a patient wants something that’s not possible, and part of a Nurse’s job is to explain this.

A similar question you might hear: “How do you handle conflict?”

17. How would you deal with a patient who is not satisfied with the care they received?

This is another behavioral interview question that you can expect to hear as a Nurse. (Like the question above).

In this case, they’re not asking for a past example, but you can give one if you want.

To answer, start by explaining your overall approach. I recommend talking about how you’d stay calm and quiet.

Discuss how you focus on listening and asking questions to understand their point of view, and then respond.

Also, explain that you do everything possible to make sure the patient feels like they were given excellent care.

If you do want to share an example, you can say, “For example, in my last job, I…” and tell a real story of how you dealt with this situation. That’s a great way to end your response to this question.

18. Do you have ___ certification?

Along with asking about your educational background (mentioned earlier), the interviewer may also ask an interview question about a particular nursing certification.

So review your certifications before the interview, and review the job description to see if any certifications are mentioned there, too.

Be ready to answer clearly and directly when asked. This is NOT one of the interview questions for nurses where they’re looking for a long-winded answer. Try to keep it brief.

19. Where do you see yourself in five years?

Employers often ask questions about your long-term goals, for a few reasons. First, they want to see if you sound motivated/energetic in general… about your work, your career, and your life.

They’d rather hire someone who sounds positive and enthusiastic about their career.

(Tip: This article explains how to show enthusiasm in an interview ).

The second reason they ask is: They want to make sure their job fits your general goals and career direction. The last thing they want to do is hire and train someone who’s going to quit after six months because the job isn’t satisfying them.

So you need to demonstrate two things:

A) You’ve thought about where you want to be in a few years

B) Their job fits your goals and helps you get where you want to be

If you do that, they’ll be a lot more comfortable offering you the job. For more help and example answers to this question, read this article .

20. Nursing can be stressful. How do you handle stress in your life?

Earlier, we looked at the question, “How do you handle stress at work?” but they may also ask a more general question about how you handle it in your life overall.

Because Nursing exposes you to stressful situations often, it’s a topic that many employers want to talk about in the interview.

Try to show that you stay level-headed and maintain your composure and that you do relaxing, healthy activities outside of work to maintain a balance.

“Over the past couple of years, I’ve been practicing breathing exercises and meditation. Both have been very effective in reducing stress while on the job, and after a shift. I also like to exercise regularly by going to the gym and doing yoga. Finally, I spend time in nature when I’m not working. I’ve found that’s a great stress reducer.”

That’s how to effectively answer interview questions about how you cope with this stressful career, or how you take care of yourself personally.

Another variation of this question that you might hear is: “How do you practice self care?”

These are all frequently-asked nurse interview questions, because it’s a career that often comes with stress.

21. How do you make decisions?

Before offering you a Nursing job, employers want to know they can trust you to make calm, calculated decisions that are best for the patient and the organization.

They don’t want to hire someone who’s going to be reacting in the heat of the moment, making knee-jerk decisions without thinking things through, and committing errors along the way.

So try to show you have a logical, methodical approach and that you stay calm under pressure. Describe how you look at the pros and cons of each choice, the possible risks and likely outcomes, etc. You can also discuss how you speak with a supervisor if you’re unsure how to proceed.

And if they ask for an example, walk them through a recent situation where you had to make a decision under pressure and where you made the right choice and got a great outcome!

For answer examples and more tips on this question, read our full article on explaining how you make decisions.

22. Do you have any questions for me?

After going through the interview questions and answers above, you’ll likely have a chance to ask questions of your own.

You can ask questions throughout your Nursing interview, but if you haven’t, you should ask some at the end. Asking questions shows that you’re interested in their job and that you care about your job search and career.

Employers don’t want to hire a Nurse who will take the first job they can get. They want to hire someone who’s looking for the right fit and targeting certain things. (A type of work environment, an opportunity to learn something specific, etc.)

And you show them this by asking questions!

For ideas of what to ask, here are 26 creative questions to ask employers.

Conclusion (And What To Do Next):

If you study the nursing interview questions above, you’ll be better-prepared and make a better impression.

Make sure to practice your answers before the big moment, too, though.

Reading once through these common nurse interview questions is great, but you’re going to perform even better if you practice giving answers before your interview. You can do this by recording yourself on your phone or doing a mock interview with a friend.

You don’t need to memorize everything word-for-word, but you should know what general ideas you want to talk about for each question and topic! The point of doing a practice session is to make sure you’re able to communicate these ideas clearly.

I like to practice by recording myself talking on my smartphone (every modern phone has a sound recorder app). Then, I play back the recording to make sure I sound natural and am hitting the key points I wanted to mention.

If you prefer to do this with a real person, pull aside a friend or family member and ask them for help.

The more you get familiar with these interview questions for nursing jobs, the better you’ll perform and the more job offers you’ll get!

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Very good guide indeed.

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30 Registered Nurse Interview Questions and Answers

Common Registered Nurse interview questions, how to answer them, and example answers from a certified career coach.

Congratulations! You’ve made it to the interview stage for a registered nurse position. Whether you’re an experienced healthcare professional or a recent nursing graduate, this is your opportunity to showcase your skills and passion for helping others. But as we all know, interviews can be nerve-wracking experiences, even for those who have been through them countless times.

In this article, we will delve into some of the most common questions asked during registered nurse interviews, along with advice on how to answer them effectively. From technical inquiries about patient care to personal reflections on empathy and communication, our goal is to equip you with the knowledge and confidence you need to ace that interview and land the nursing job of your dreams.

1. What inspired you to become a registered nurse?

This question taps into your personal motivations and passion for the profession. As a registered nurse, you’ll face long hours, high-stress situations, and emotional challenges. Interviewers want to understand what drives you to persevere in this demanding field, and how your dedication and commitment to nursing will translate into providing exceptional care for your patients.

Example: “My inspiration to become a registered nurse came from witnessing the compassionate care my grandmother received during her battle with cancer. The nurses who attended to her not only provided exceptional medical care but also offered emotional support and comfort to our family during that difficult time. Their dedication, empathy, and professionalism left a lasting impression on me.

This experience made me realize the significant impact nurses have on patients’ lives and their families. I wanted to be part of a profession where I could make a difference in people’s well-being while utilizing my skills in healthcare. Pursuing a career as a registered nurse allowed me to combine my passion for helping others with my interest in medicine, ultimately leading me to a fulfilling and rewarding career path.”

2. Can you describe your experience with patient assessments and care planning?

Your ability to assess patients and create appropriate care plans is a critical aspect of nursing. Hiring managers want to ensure that you have the skills and experience necessary to conduct comprehensive patient assessments, recognize potential health issues, and develop tailored care plans to address individual needs. This question also allows you to showcase your ability to prioritize patient care and collaborate with other healthcare professionals to provide the best possible outcomes.

Example: “Throughout my nursing career, I have gained extensive experience in conducting patient assessments and developing individualized care plans. In my previous role at a busy medical-surgical unit, I was responsible for assessing patients’ conditions upon admission, monitoring their progress, and updating care plans accordingly.

During the assessment process, I would gather information through physical examinations, reviewing medical histories, and interviewing patients and their families to understand their concerns and needs. This comprehensive approach allowed me to identify potential risks, prioritize interventions, and set realistic goals for each patient’s recovery.

Once the assessment was complete, I collaborated with an interdisciplinary team of healthcare professionals, including physicians, therapists, and social workers, to develop a tailored care plan. We regularly reviewed and adjusted these plans based on patients’ responses to treatments and any changes in their conditions. This ongoing evaluation ensured that our patients received the most effective care possible, ultimately leading to better outcomes and improved patient satisfaction.”

3. How do you handle high-stress situations, such as emergencies or multiple patients needing attention at once?

As a nurse, you’ll often find yourself in high-pressure situations where quick thinking, prioritization, and effective communication are essential. Interviewers want to know that you can remain calm, focused, and compassionate while juggling multiple tasks and responsibilities. Your ability to handle these high-stress situations not only affects patient care but also contributes to the overall effectiveness and morale of your healthcare team.

Example: “Handling high-stress situations is an essential part of being a registered nurse, and I’ve developed strategies to manage these scenarios effectively. First, I prioritize tasks based on the urgency of each patient’s needs, using my clinical judgment and adhering to hospital protocols. This allows me to address the most critical cases first while ensuring that all patients receive appropriate care.

During emergencies or when multiple patients require attention simultaneously, teamwork and communication become even more important. I collaborate closely with other healthcare professionals, such as doctors, fellow nurses, and support staff, to delegate tasks and share information efficiently. This coordinated approach helps us provide timely and effective care for all patients in high-pressure situations.”

4. Describe your experience administering medications and monitoring for side effects.

When working as a registered nurse, one of your core responsibilities is to safely administer medications and monitor patients for potential side effects. This question allows interviewers to assess your knowledge, attention to detail, and ability to react quickly in case of adverse reactions. It also demonstrates your understanding of the importance of patient safety and quality care.

Example: “Throughout my nursing career, I have gained extensive experience in administering various types of medications, including oral, intravenous, and subcutaneous routes. I always follow the “five rights” of medication administration: right patient, right drug, right dose, right route, and right time. This ensures that patients receive their medications safely and effectively.

Monitoring for side effects is a critical aspect of medication administration. After giving any medication, I closely observe the patient for any signs of adverse reactions or complications. I also educate patients about potential side effects and encourage them to report any unusual symptoms immediately. In cases where side effects are observed, I promptly document the findings and communicate with the healthcare team to adjust treatment plans accordingly. This vigilant approach helps ensure patient safety and well-being while receiving medications.”

5. Have you ever had to deal with a difficult patient or family member? If so, how did you handle the situation?

In the nursing profession, you’ll encounter a variety of patients and family members, each with their own unique set of challenges. Interviewers want to know how you approach and navigate these difficult situations while maintaining a high level of patient care, empathy, and professionalism. Your ability to manage stress, communicate effectively, and maintain a positive attitude under pressure will be key factors that contribute to your success in this role.

Example: “Yes, I have encountered difficult patients and family members during my nursing career. One particular situation involved a patient who was in severe pain after surgery and became agitated with the staff. The patient’s family member was also upset and demanding immediate attention.

To handle this situation, I first acknowledged their concerns and empathized with their feelings of frustration. I calmly explained the steps we were taking to manage the patient’s pain and reassured them that their well-being was our top priority. Additionally, I collaborated with the healthcare team to expedite pain management interventions and kept both the patient and their family informed about the progress.

This approach helped diffuse the tension and demonstrated that we were actively working to address their concerns. Ultimately, the patient’s pain was managed effectively, and the family expressed gratitude for our efforts. This experience reinforced the importance of empathy, communication, and teamwork when dealing with challenging situations in a healthcare setting.”

6. What steps do you take to ensure proper infection control and prevention in your daily practice?

Patient safety is a top priority in healthcare, and infection control is a critical aspect of ensuring a secure environment for patients and staff alike. Interviewers ask this question to gauge your understanding of and commitment to maintaining proper hygiene and infection control protocols. They want to ensure you are proactive and knowledgeable about best practices to minimize the risk of infections and the spread of disease within healthcare settings.

Example: “As a registered nurse, I prioritize infection control and prevention in my daily practice to protect both patients and healthcare staff. One of the key steps I take is adhering to proper hand hygiene protocols by washing my hands thoroughly with soap and water or using alcohol-based hand sanitizers before and after each patient interaction. This simple yet effective measure significantly reduces the risk of transmitting infections.

Another essential step involves following standard precautions such as wearing appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) like gloves, masks, gowns, and eye protection when necessary. This helps minimize exposure to infectious agents during procedures that may generate splashes or sprays of blood or body fluids. Additionally, I ensure that all medical instruments are properly cleaned, disinfected, or sterilized according to established guidelines, and I maintain a clean and organized work environment to further reduce the risk of cross-contamination.”

7. Can you discuss your experience working with electronic health records (EHR) systems?

Healthcare facilities are increasingly reliant on digital solutions to manage patient information, streamline communication, and improve overall efficiency. As a registered nurse, you’ll play a critical role in using and maintaining EHR systems. Interviewers want to know if you have experience with these systems, are comfortable navigating them, and can adapt to new technology as it emerges in the healthcare field.

Example: “Throughout my nursing career, I have gained extensive experience working with various electronic health record (EHR) systems. In my previous role at a large hospital, we used Epic as our primary EHR system. I became proficient in navigating the platform to access patient information, document care provided, and update treatment plans accordingly.

At my current workplace, we use Cerner for managing patient records. Although it was initially challenging to adapt to a new system, I quickly learned its features and functionalities through training sessions and hands-on practice. Now, I can efficiently manage patient data, coordinate with other healthcare professionals, and ensure accurate documentation of all relevant information within the EHR system. This expertise has allowed me to provide timely and effective patient care while maintaining compliance with regulatory requirements.”

8. How do you stay up-to-date on the latest nursing practices and research?

Staying current with the latest nursing practices and research is essential to providing high-quality patient care. Interviewers want to know that you’re a dedicated professional who actively seeks opportunities for continuing education and professional growth. Your answer should demonstrate your commitment to staying informed, adapting to new developments, and incorporating new knowledge into your nursing practice.

Example: “To stay up-to-date on the latest nursing practices and research, I make it a priority to engage in continuous learning and professional development. One way I do this is by regularly reading reputable nursing journals such as the American Journal of Nursing and the Journal of Advanced Nursing. These publications provide valuable insights into new research findings, best practices, and emerging trends in the field.

Another approach I take is attending conferences and workshops whenever possible. This not only allows me to learn from experts in various specialties but also provides opportunities for networking with other professionals who may share their experiences and knowledge. Additionally, I maintain an active membership in professional nursing organizations, which often offer resources like webinars, online courses, and newsletters that help keep me informed about advancements in the industry. Through these efforts, I ensure that my nursing practice remains current and evidence-based, ultimately benefiting both my patients and the healthcare team.”

9. Describe a time when you had to advocate for a patient’s needs or wishes.

Advocacy is a critical component of nursing, as it ensures that patients receive appropriate care and have their concerns addressed. By asking this question, interviewers want to assess your ability to recognize when a patient’s needs or wishes are not being met and your willingness to take action on their behalf. This demonstrates your commitment to patient-centered care and your ability to navigate difficult situations while maintaining professionalism and compassion.

Example: “I recall a situation where I was caring for an elderly patient who had been diagnosed with terminal cancer. The patient expressed her desire to pursue palliative care and focus on comfort measures rather than aggressive treatment. However, her family members were insistent on continuing with chemotherapy despite the patient’s wishes.

I recognized that it was essential to advocate for my patient’s needs and preferences. I arranged a meeting with the patient, her family, and the attending physician to discuss the situation openly. During the conversation, I emphasized the importance of respecting the patient’s autonomy and understanding her perspective on quality of life. Additionally, I provided information about the benefits of palliative care in managing symptoms and improving overall well-being.

After our discussion, the family agreed to support the patient’s decision to transition to palliative care. This experience reinforced the significance of advocating for patients’ rights and ensuring their voices are heard when making critical healthcare decisions.”

10. What strategies do you use to manage your time effectively during a busy shift?

Effective time management is essential for nurses, as they often juggle multiple tasks and responsibilities in a fast-paced environment. Interviewers want to know that you have developed strategies to prioritize your workload, ensure all patients receive the care they need, and adapt to unexpected situations without compromising the quality of your work. Demonstrating your ability to manage time efficiently is key to showcasing your ability to thrive in a demanding healthcare setting.

Example: “To manage my time effectively during a busy shift, I prioritize tasks based on their urgency and importance. At the beginning of each shift, I review patient information and create a mental plan for the day, taking into account scheduled procedures, medication administration times, and any anticipated challenges.

Throughout the shift, I maintain open communication with my colleagues to ensure we are all aware of each other’s workload and can provide assistance when needed. Additionally, I utilize downtime efficiently by completing documentation or preparing for upcoming tasks. This proactive approach helps me stay organized and focused, ensuring that I can provide high-quality care to my patients even during the busiest shifts.”

11. How do you maintain clear communication with other healthcare professionals, such as physicians, therapists, and social workers?

Effective communication is vital in the healthcare field—patients’ lives often depend on it. As a registered nurse, you’ll work closely with various healthcare professionals to ensure patients receive the best possible care. Your ability to communicate clearly and collaborate efficiently is essential to create a seamless care experience, avoid medical errors, and contribute to a positive work environment. This question helps interviewers assess your communication and teamwork skills in a high-pressure setting.

Example: “Clear communication with other healthcare professionals is essential for providing the best possible patient care. To maintain effective communication, I make sure to actively participate in interdisciplinary team meetings and provide concise, relevant updates on my patients’ conditions and progress. This allows me to share vital information with physicians, therapists, and social workers while also receiving their input and recommendations.

Another key aspect of maintaining clear communication is thorough documentation. I ensure that all patient records are updated accurately and promptly, including any changes in treatment plans or new observations. This way, when other healthcare professionals access a patient’s file, they have the most up-to-date information available. Additionally, if there are urgent matters requiring immediate attention, I don’t hesitate to reach out directly to the concerned professional via phone or secure messaging systems to discuss the issue and collaborate on an appropriate course of action.”

12. Can you provide an example of a challenging ethical dilemma you faced as a nurse and how you resolved it?

Navigating ethical dilemmas is an integral part of being a nurse. Patient care can involve complex situations that require a delicate balance between respecting patients’ autonomy, preserving their dignity, and providing the best care possible. Interviewers ask this question to gauge your ability to handle these challenging situations, demonstrate your critical thinking skills, and showcase your commitment to upholding ethical nursing practices.

Example: “During my time as a registered nurse, I encountered an ethical dilemma involving a terminally ill patient who was in severe pain and requested assistance with hastening their death. This situation presented a conflict between the principles of beneficence (relieving suffering) and non-maleficence (not causing harm).

To resolve this dilemma, I first ensured that the patient’s request was heard and acknowledged. Then, I consulted with the interdisciplinary team, including the attending physician, social worker, and chaplain, to discuss the patient’s condition, prognosis, and available options for managing their pain and symptoms more effectively. We also explored whether the patient had any unaddressed emotional or spiritual concerns contributing to their distress.

After our discussion, we implemented a comprehensive palliative care plan tailored to the patient’s needs, which included optimizing pain management, providing emotional support, and addressing any spiritual concerns. As a result, the patient experienced significant relief from their suffering and felt more at ease during their final days. While it was a challenging situation, working collaboratively with the healthcare team allowed us to provide compassionate care while upholding our professional ethics.”

13. What is your approach to educating patients and their families about their conditions and treatment plans?

Your ability to educate and communicate with patients and their families is a vital part of being a registered nurse. This question is asked to assess your skills in providing clear, concise, and empathetic guidance to those in your care. It also allows the interviewer to understand your methods for ensuring that patients and their loved ones have accurate information and feel supported throughout their health journey.

Example: “My approach to educating patients and their families involves breaking down complex medical information into simpler, more understandable terms. I believe that effective communication is key in ensuring that patients and their families fully comprehend the condition and treatment plan. To achieve this, I first assess the patient’s and family’s current knowledge about the condition and identify any misconceptions or gaps in understanding.

Once I have a clear picture of their baseline knowledge, I tailor my explanations to address those specific areas while using relatable analogies and avoiding excessive medical jargon. Additionally, I encourage questions and active participation from both the patient and their family members, as it fosters a better understanding and helps me gauge whether they’ve grasped the information provided. Lastly, I provide them with written materials or reputable online resources for further reference, reinforcing the information shared during our conversation and empowering them to take an active role in managing their health.”

14. Describe your experience working with diverse patient populations, including different age groups, cultural backgrounds, and medical conditions.

Diversity in patient care is an essential aspect of nursing, and it’s important for interviewers to know that you can provide compassionate, culturally sensitive care to individuals from all walks of life. Your experience working with various patient groups showcases your adaptability and understanding of the unique needs of each patient, ultimately demonstrating your ability to build trust and foster a positive patient-nurse relationship.

Example: “Throughout my nursing career, I have had the opportunity to work with a wide range of patient populations across various settings. In my previous role at a community hospital, I provided care for patients from diverse cultural backgrounds and age groups, ranging from infants to elderly individuals. This experience taught me the importance of adapting my communication style and approach to meet each patient’s unique needs while remaining sensitive to their cultural beliefs and practices.

During my time in a specialized cardiac unit, I encountered patients with varying medical conditions, including heart failure, arrhythmias, and post-surgical recovery. This exposure allowed me to develop a comprehensive understanding of different disease processes and treatment plans. It also reinforced the significance of interdisciplinary collaboration, as I frequently worked alongside physicians, physical therapists, and other healthcare professionals to ensure optimal patient outcomes. Ultimately, these experiences have equipped me with the skills and knowledge necessary to provide high-quality, individualized care to diverse patient populations.”

15. How do you handle end-of-life care and support for patients and their families?

Navigating the delicate and emotional journey of end-of-life care is a critical aspect of nursing. Inquiring about your experiences and approach in this area allows interviewers to gauge your empathy, compassion, and ability to provide comfort to patients and their families during one of the most challenging times they may face. Your response demonstrates your understanding of the importance of providing dignified care and emotional support in these situations.

Example: “End-of-life care is a delicate and emotionally charged aspect of nursing, and I approach it with empathy, compassion, and professionalism. My primary focus is to ensure the patient’s comfort by managing their pain and addressing any physical or emotional distress they may be experiencing. This involves closely monitoring their condition, administering medications as prescribed, and collaborating with other healthcare professionals to provide comprehensive care.

Supporting the family during this difficult time is equally important. I make myself available for open communication, providing updates on the patient’s status and answering any questions they may have. Additionally, I offer emotional support and reassurance, acknowledging their feelings and validating their concerns. If necessary, I also connect them with resources such as grief counseling or hospice services to help them navigate through this challenging period. Ultimately, my goal is to create an environment where both the patient and their loved ones feel supported, respected, and cared for during the end-of-life process.”

16. What techniques do you use to manage pain for your patients?

As a nurse, one of your primary responsibilities is to ensure patient comfort, which often includes managing pain. Interviewers want to know that you have the necessary skills and knowledge to assess a patient’s pain levels, select the appropriate pain management techniques, and communicate effectively with the patient and healthcare team. Your response should demonstrate your understanding of various pain management methods, your ability to adapt to individual patient needs, and your commitment to providing compassionate care.

Example: “As a registered nurse, I understand that effective pain management is essential for patient comfort and recovery. My approach to managing pain involves both pharmacological and non-pharmacological techniques tailored to each patient’s unique needs.

For pharmacological interventions, I closely follow the physician’s orders and administer medications such as analgesics or anti-inflammatory drugs as prescribed. I also monitor patients’ vital signs and assess their pain levels regularly to ensure the medication is working effectively and adjust dosages if needed, always in consultation with the prescribing physician.

Non-pharmacological techniques are equally important in pain management. These may include relaxation exercises, deep breathing techniques, distraction methods, or applying heat/cold therapy. I educate my patients on these techniques and encourage them to use them alongside their medications to achieve optimal pain relief. Ultimately, my goal is to provide comprehensive and individualized care to help my patients manage their pain effectively and improve their overall well-being.”

17. Can you discuss your experience with wound care and dressing changes?

Wound care and dressing changes are essential skills for a registered nurse, as they play a significant role in patient recovery and infection prevention. When asking this question, interviewers want to gauge your level of expertise, your understanding of the various dressing techniques, and your ability to adapt to different situations. This can provide them with insight into your overall nursing abilities and your capacity to handle the responsibilities that come with the position.

Example: “During my time as a registered nurse, I have gained extensive experience in wound care and dressing changes across various settings, including acute care units and long-term care facilities. I have managed wounds resulting from surgical procedures, pressure ulcers, diabetic foot ulcers, and burns.

My approach to wound care involves assessing the wound thoroughly, considering factors such as size, depth, exudate, and signs of infection. Based on this assessment, I select appropriate dressings and treatment methods, ensuring they align with established protocols and physician orders. Additionally, I prioritize patient education, explaining the importance of proper wound care and providing guidance on how to maintain cleanliness and prevent complications. This comprehensive approach has consistently led to positive outcomes for my patients, promoting faster healing and reducing the risk of infections or other complications.”

18. Describe your familiarity with IV therapy, including insertion, maintenance, and medication administration.

When it comes to patient care, a nurse’s knowledge and expertise in various medical procedures are vital. IV therapy is a common responsibility for registered nurses, and interviewers want to gauge your experience and comfort level when it comes to inserting, maintaining, and administering medications via IV. Your ability to confidently and accurately perform these tasks directly impacts patient safety and the quality of care you provide.

Example: “As a registered nurse, I have extensive experience with IV therapy. During my nursing education and clinical rotations, I received hands-on training in IV insertion, maintenance, and medication administration. This included learning proper techniques for locating suitable veins, inserting the catheter, securing it in place, and ensuring patient comfort throughout the process.

Regarding maintenance, I am well-versed in monitoring IV sites for signs of infection or infiltration, assessing the patency of the line, and maintaining the cleanliness of the site by regularly changing dressings. Additionally, I have administered various medications through IV lines, including antibiotics, analgesics, and electrolytes. I always follow the six rights of medication administration to ensure patient safety and double-check compatibility when administering multiple medications simultaneously. My familiarity with IV therapy has allowed me to provide safe and effective care to patients requiring intravenous treatments.”

19. How have you contributed to quality improvement initiatives in your previous nursing roles?

As a nurse, you play a critical role in ensuring patient safety and delivering high-quality care. Interviewers ask this question to gain insight into your commitment to continuous improvement, your ability to identify areas of concern, and your experience in implementing solutions. Sharing your experiences with quality improvement initiatives demonstrates your dedication to providing the best possible care and your ability to work collaboratively with others to achieve positive outcomes.

Example: “During my time as a registered nurse at XYZ Hospital, I was an active member of the Quality Improvement Committee. One of our initiatives focused on reducing hospital-acquired infections, specifically catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs). I collaborated with other committee members to analyze data and identify areas where we could improve our practices.

We discovered that one key issue was inconsistent adherence to proper insertion and maintenance protocols for indwelling urinary catheters. To address this, I helped develop and implement a comprehensive training program for nursing staff, which included hands-on demonstrations, educational materials, and competency assessments. Additionally, I worked closely with my colleagues to establish a system for regular monitoring and feedback to ensure ongoing compliance with best practices.

As a result of these efforts, our unit saw a significant reduction in CAUTI rates over the following year. This not only improved patient outcomes but also contributed to cost savings for the hospital. My experience working on this initiative has reinforced the importance of continuous quality improvement in nursing practice and has equipped me with valuable skills to contribute to similar projects in the future.”

20. What are some ways you promote self-care and prevent burnout in your nursing practice?

Nursing can be an incredibly demanding and high-stress profession, with long hours, emotional challenges, and the constant pressure of providing the best possible care to patients. Interviewers want to know that you are proactive in managing your stress levels, and that you have strategies in place to maintain your own well-being. This not only helps ensure your mental and physical health but also contributes to a more positive work environment and better patient care overall.

Example: “One way I promote self-care in my nursing practice is by maintaining a healthy work-life balance. After long shifts, I make sure to engage in activities that help me relax and recharge, such as spending time with family and friends, exercising, or pursuing hobbies. This allows me to return to work refreshed and better equipped to provide quality care for my patients.

Another strategy I use to prevent burnout is seeking support from colleagues and supervisors when needed. Nursing can be emotionally demanding, so having open communication and sharing experiences with peers helps alleviate stress and fosters a supportive work environment. Additionally, I participate in professional development opportunities to continuously improve my skills and stay updated on best practices, which contributes to increased job satisfaction and reduces the risk of burnout.”

21. Can you explain the importance of evidence-based practice in nursing?

Evidence-based practice is a cornerstone of modern nursing, as it ensures that nurses make decisions grounded in the best available scientific evidence. By asking this question, interviewers want to gauge your understanding of this concept, your ability to integrate research findings into your practice, and your commitment to providing high-quality, patient-centered care that is both safe and effective.

Example: “Evidence-based practice (EBP) is essential in nursing because it ensures that the care we provide to our patients is based on the best available research and knowledge. This approach helps us make informed decisions about patient care, leading to improved outcomes, increased patient satisfaction, and reduced healthcare costs.

Implementing EBP involves staying up-to-date with current research, critically appraising the evidence, and integrating it with clinical expertise and patient preferences. As a registered nurse, I consistently review relevant literature and attend professional development courses to enhance my understanding of new findings and techniques. This commitment to EBP allows me to deliver high-quality care tailored to each patient’s unique needs while adhering to established guidelines and standards within the nursing profession.”

22. Describe your experience working in interdisciplinary teams and how you collaborate with other healthcare professionals.

Collaboration is a key skill for any healthcare professional, particularly for nurses who are required to work closely with physicians, specialists, and other members of the healthcare team. By asking this question, the interviewer aims to assess your ability to communicate effectively, share knowledge, and work harmoniously with others. Your answer will provide insight into your teamwork skills, adaptability, and how well you handle potential conflicts or challenges in a dynamic healthcare environment.

Example: “Throughout my nursing career, I have had the opportunity to work in interdisciplinary teams that include physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, pharmacists, social workers, and other allied health professionals. This collaborative approach is essential for providing comprehensive patient care and ensuring positive outcomes.

To effectively collaborate with team members, I prioritize open communication and active listening. During daily rounds or team meetings, I share relevant patient updates and concerns while also seeking input from others regarding their areas of expertise. Additionally, I make sure to stay informed about each professional’s role and responsibilities within the team, which helps me understand when to seek their guidance or involve them in a specific aspect of patient care. This mutual respect and understanding among team members foster a supportive environment where we can all contribute our knowledge and skills to achieve the best possible outcomes for our patients.”

23. How do you handle situations where a patient refuses treatment or medication?

Empathy and adaptability are key traits for a registered nurse, and handling situations where a patient refuses treatment or medication is an integral part of the job. Interviewers want to know if you can respect a patient’s autonomy while also striving to provide the best possible care. Your approach to navigating these delicate situations can reveal your ability to balance patient rights and medical recommendations, as well as showcase your communication and problem-solving skills.

Example: “When a patient refuses treatment or medication, my first step is to ensure that they fully understand the implications of their decision. I take the time to explain the purpose and benefits of the recommended treatment, as well as any potential risks associated with not following through with it. It’s important to communicate this information in a clear and empathetic manner, respecting the patient’s autonomy while providing them with the necessary knowledge to make an informed choice.

If the patient still chooses to refuse treatment after understanding the consequences, I would document their decision and inform the attending physician or nurse practitioner. In some cases, involving the patient’s family members or discussing alternative treatment options may help address the patient’s concerns and lead to a resolution. Ultimately, my goal is to advocate for the best interests of the patient while respecting their right to make decisions about their own healthcare.”

24. What steps do you take to ensure patient confidentiality and privacy in your practice?

Protecting patient confidentiality and privacy is a critical component of nursing practice. Interviewers ask this question to assess your understanding of the importance of these ethical principles and your commitment to maintaining them. They want to know that you are aware of the necessary steps—such as securing patient records and discussing sensitive information discreetly—to protect patients’ rights and ensure a trusting relationship between healthcare providers and their patients.

Example: “Maintaining patient confidentiality and privacy is a top priority in my nursing practice. First, I strictly adhere to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) guidelines when handling any patient information. This includes discussing sensitive information only in private settings and avoiding conversations about patients in public areas or with unauthorized individuals.

Furthermore, I ensure that all electronic health records are accessed through secure systems and logged out when not in use. When working with physical documents, I make sure they are stored securely and disposed of properly using designated shredding bins. Additionally, I am vigilant about verifying the identity of anyone requesting patient information, whether it’s another healthcare professional or a family member, to prevent unauthorized access. Through these measures, I consistently uphold patient confidentiality and privacy while providing high-quality care.”

25. Can you discuss any experience you have working with patients who require specialized care, such as those with chronic illnesses or disabilities?

As a registered nurse, you’ll often work with diverse patient populations that may require specialized care and attention. This question helps interviewers assess your ability to adapt your nursing skills and approach to various patient needs. Demonstrating empathy, understanding, and competence in working with patients with chronic illnesses or disabilities shows you are well-rounded and can handle the complexities that come with the nursing profession.

Example: “During my time as a registered nurse, I have had the opportunity to work with patients who require specialized care in various settings. One of my most memorable experiences was working on a medical-surgical floor where we frequently cared for patients with chronic illnesses such as diabetes, COPD, and heart failure. My role involved closely monitoring their vital signs, administering medications, providing education on disease management, and collaborating with interdisciplinary teams to develop individualized care plans.

Another significant experience was when I worked at a rehabilitation center that focused on patients with disabilities, including those recovering from strokes or spinal cord injuries. In this setting, I assisted with activities of daily living, provided wound care, and participated in physical therapy sessions alongside therapists to help patients regain mobility and independence. These experiences have taught me the importance of empathy, patience, and effective communication when working with patients who require specialized care, ensuring they receive the best possible support throughout their healthcare journey.”

26. Describe your approach to providing emotional support for patients and their families during difficult times.

Being a registered nurse is not just about providing quality medical care; it also involves offering compassionate emotional support to patients and their families during times of crisis. Interviewers ask this question to assess your ability to empathize, communicate effectively, and navigate the delicate and often emotional situations that arise in the healthcare field. Your answer will reveal your emotional intelligence and your capacity to maintain professionalism while showing genuine care and understanding.

Example: “My approach to providing emotional support for patients and their families during difficult times is centered around empathy, active listening, and clear communication. I begin by acknowledging the emotions they are experiencing and validating their feelings. This helps create a safe space where they feel comfortable sharing their concerns and fears.

I practice active listening by giving them my full attention, maintaining eye contact, and using verbal and non-verbal cues to show that I am engaged in the conversation. I also ask open-ended questions to encourage them to express themselves more fully. When appropriate, I provide information about available resources such as support groups or counseling services that may be helpful to them.

Throughout this process, I maintain clear and compassionate communication with both the patient and their family members. I ensure that they understand the medical situation, treatment options, and any potential outcomes. My goal is to empower them with knowledge while offering emotional support, so they can make informed decisions and navigate through challenging situations with resilience and hope.”

27. Have you ever had to manage a conflict between team members? If so, how did you resolve it?

Navigating interpersonal relationships and conflict resolution is an essential skill for registered nurses, as they often work in fast-paced, high-stress environments where teamwork is paramount. Interviewers want to know if you have the emotional intelligence and diplomatic abilities to handle conflicts between colleagues while maintaining a professional and supportive work environment, ensuring the best possible patient care.

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28. What is your experience with administering vaccinations and educating patients about their importance?

Healthcare employers are interested in your ability to confidently and accurately administer vaccinations while also being an advocate for public health. As a nurse, it’s vital to educate patients about the importance of vaccinations and address their concerns or misconceptions. This question helps interviewers assess your clinical skills, communication abilities, and dedication to promoting preventative care and overall well-being.

29. Can you provide an example of a time when you had to adapt quickly to a change in a patient’s condition or plan of care?

Nursing involves constantly dealing with unexpected situations and changes in patients’ conditions. As a nurse, the interviewer wants to know that you have the ability to act quickly and make appropriate decisions when faced with these challenges. This question helps them gauge your critical thinking skills, adaptability, and ability to prioritize patient care under pressure. Sharing a specific example demonstrates your experience and confidence in handling such situations.

30. Why do you believe you would be a good fit for our healthcare facility and the specific nursing unit you are applying for?

Healthcare facilities are often looking for nurses who not only have the required skills and qualifications but also align with their values, culture, and the unique needs of their specific units. Your answer to this question will help the interviewer gauge your understanding of the facility’s mission, your ability to adapt to the particular demands of the unit, and your genuine interest in contributing to the success of the team and the well-being of the patients.

Example: “I believe I would be a good fit for your healthcare facility and the specific nursing unit because of my extensive experience in acute care settings, particularly within the medical-surgical department. Over the past five years, I have honed my skills in patient assessment, medication administration, and interdisciplinary collaboration to provide high-quality care to patients with diverse health conditions.

Furthermore, I understand that your facility places a strong emphasis on evidence-based practice and continuous professional development. As someone who is committed to staying current with best practices and expanding my knowledge base, I am confident that my dedication to lifelong learning aligns well with your organization’s values. This commitment will enable me to contribute effectively to the team and ensure that our patients receive the highest standard of care possible.”

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Nurse Interview Tips: How to Prepare & Common Questions

5 min read • May, 19 2023

Whether you're a veteran nurse seeking a job change or advancement, or a new graduate pursuing your first nursing job, interviews can be intimidating — but they don't have to be. The key to standing out and making an excellent first impression is understanding how to prepare for a nursing interview.

Use Your Nursing Skills to Nail the Interview

When preparing for your dream nursing job, put your best foot forward by applying the critical skills health care administrators seek. Quality nursing skills include attention to detail, communication skills, critical thinking, and a willingness to learn. Show prospective employers you possess these traits and have what it takes to get the job done.

Nursing Interview Tips to Get You Ready

• Research the organization's mission and history . To better understand their culture and values, review their social media presence, patient ratings, comments from patients and employees, and how they respond and interact. Speak to colleagues who have worked at the organization or visit online nursing forums for information.
• Read the job description . Compare it to your nursing qualifications and achievements. Nursing interviews often use situational questions, so this evaluation helps you prepare to show you have a sound grasp of the role and necessary skills.
• Prepare potential questions . Employers prefer candidates who are engaged in the conversation. Ask about the nurse-to-patient ratio, onboarding, performance evaluations, nurse retention , flexibility with schedules, why the organization is an excellent place to work, and the potential for advancement.
• Be aware of your body language, and the body language of your interviewer.
• Virtual interviews have grown in popularity, so make sure your camera is on and turn off or silence your phone.
• Phone interviews are often conducted to narrow down potential candidates, so ask about the next steps before hanging up.
• Practice nursing interview questions . Be sure to take notes as you think of possible scenarios or responses. There are also countless resources available to assist you with mock interviews.
• Develop a professional resume and a well-written cover letter . Print an extra copy (or two) with references from prior nurse managers or nursing instructors to leave behind. Find tips from ANA on how to craft your nursing resume ahead of your interview.
• Clean up your social media . Check your online content and photos for unprofessional material. It's wise to make all accounts private except for your LinkedIn account, which should include a professional photo and current work information.
• Be on time . Virtual interviews may have technical delays, and you could hit traffic on the way to an in-person interview. Plan to arrive at least ten minutes before your interview to show you're prompt and reliable.
• Send a follow-up email . These emails can be brief, but they're crucial to solidifying an excellent first impression. Use this opportunity to thank them for their time and provide a short statement on why you're the best candidate for the position. Pro tip: Wait twenty-four hours after your interview to send a follow-up note.

How to Answer Nursing Interview Questions

Solid communication is the cornerstone of admirable nursing skills, so draw upon your interactive abilities to shine during your interview.

• Apply your communication skills to respond to nursing interview questions. Incorporate vital nursing characteristics into your responses. These may include reflecting on your ability to prioritize patient care, being an effective part of a team, and adapting to stressful situations.
• Use hypothetical true to life nursing situations in your responses to avoid sounding robotic or insincere.
• Remember to utilize your active listening skills and observe nonverbal cues such as the interviewer's body language and your own.
• Incorporate storytelling tactics to answer questions. Use a STAR format (Situation, Task, Action, Result) by addressing a specific situation, the task involved, your actions, and the outcome. Always include what you learned from the experience.

Prepare for Common Nursing Interview Questions

Most health care organizations lean on behavior-based interview questions for nurses to determine how candidates might respond in certain situations or with various personality types.

Typical Interview Questions for Nurses

• What are your nursing strengths and weaknesses?
• Tell us about a time you had a conflict with a colleague. How did you handle it? Pro tip: Discuss how you worked with difficult patients and colleagues or coped in a stressful health care environment.
• Share a time you disagreed with a decision made by a provider. How did you respond, and what was the result?
• Explain a situation where a patient or family member was unhappy with your care. How was the situation handled?
• Describe a circumstance where you were asked to disclose personal, private information by a patient's loved one. How did you respond? Pro tip: Summarize how you maintained patient confidentiality and HIPPA laws while supporting the family member.
• How do you manage stress in the workplace?
• Explain a specific incident where you failed.
• Tell us about an occasion when you were involved in a miscommunication with a coworker. How was the situation handled? Pro tip: Provide an example of how you took ownership and uncovered the source of the issue.
• Describe when you felt a patient declined, and a provider wouldn't listen to your concerns.
• Why do you want to work for us? Pro tip: Discuss how the organization's culture, mission, and goals fit yours.

Determine if the Position Is the Right Fit

Remember that the interview isn't just for the organization to decide if they want to hire you. You should also evaluate them to determine if they're the correct fit for your career and long-term goals. Whether you're just starting out or looking to make a change, don't let the interview process intimidate you. When you're properly prepared and confident, it will show in your interaction with prospective employers.

In the market for a new job? Visit the ANA Career Center to find open nursing positions from thousands of employers.

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22 Nursing Interview Questions, Answers and Tips To Prepare

• March 22, 2024
• In Interviewing

Are you ready to take the next step in your nursing career? Whether you’re a new graduate or a seasoned professional, preparing for a nursing interview can be a daunting task. In this article, we’ll guide you through some of the most common nursing interview questions and provide expert tips on how to answer them effectively.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics , employment of registered nurses is projected to grow 6 percent from 2022 to 2032, which is faster than the average for all occupations.

Table of contents

General tips for nursing interviews

Common nursing interview questions and answers.

• Nursing interview questions for new grads

Behavioral nursing interview questions

Ethical nursing interview questions, personal nursing interview questions, critical thinking nursing interview questions.

When preparing for a nursing interview, there are several key tips to keep in mind. Here are some important considerations:

•   Research the organization : Before your interview, take the time to research the organization you are applying to. Familiarize yourself with their mission, values, and any recent news or developments. This will demonstrate your interest in the organization and help you tailor your answers to align with their goals.
• Dress professionally : It’s important to make a good first impression by dressing professionally for your nursing interview. Choose appropriate attire that reflects the level of professionalism expected in the healthcare industry.
• Review your resume and be prepared to discuss it : Be prepared to discuss your resume in detail during the interview. Review your past experiences, skills, and accomplishments , and be ready to provide specific examples that highlight your qualifications for the nursing position.
• Prepare your own questions to ask the interviewer : At the end of the interview, the interviewer will likely ask if you have any questions. It’s important to come prepared with thoughtful questions that demonstrate your interest in the role and organization. This is also an opportunity for you to gather more information about the position and the work environment.

Related:  20+ Essential Nursing Skills for Your Resume [2024]

During a nursing interview, you can expect to be asked a variety of questions to assess your qualifications, experience, and fit for the role. Below are some common nursing interview questions:

What are your nursing qualifications and experience?

The interviewer wants to understand your background and experience in nursing. Be prepared to discuss your education, certifications, previous work experience, and any specialized training or skills you have acquired.

How do you handle difficult or challenging patients?

Describe your approach to handling such situations, emphasizing the importance of compassion, patience, and effective communication. Provide examples of how you have successfully managed difficult patient interactions in the past.

How do you prioritize patient care?

Explain your approach to prioritization, emphasizing the importance of assessing patient needs, collaborating with the healthcare team, and managing time effectively.

How do you handle medical emergencies?

Describe your experience and training in emergency situations, highlighting your ability to remain calm under pressure, follow protocols, and provide prompt and appropriate care.

How do you ensure patient safety?

Discuss your commitment to patient safety, including your adherence to protocols, attention to detail, and proactive approach to identifying and mitigating potential risks. Provide examples of how you have contributed to ensuring patient safety in your previous roles.

Nursing Interview questions for new grads

When preparing for a new grad nursing interview, anticipate questions about your passion for nursing, ability to learn quickly, and skills in communication and problem-solving. Here are common interview questions for new grads in nursing.

Tell me about yourself and why you chose nursing as your career.

What skills and training did you acquire in nursing school, how do you handle complex issues that involve good communication and problem-solving skills.

Behavioral nursing interview questions are designed to assess your skills, experiences, and behaviors in specific situations. Here are some common behavioral nursing interview questions and suggested answers:

Describe a time when you worked as part of a healthcare team to achieve a common goal.

Tell me about a situation where you had to handle conflict with a colleague or supervisor., describe a time when you had to adapt to a change in patient care or treatment plan., how do you communicate complex medical information to patients and their families, tell me about a time when you advocated for a patient’s needs or rights..

Related:  41+ Behavioral Interview Questions and Answers

Describe a situation where you had to make a difficult ethical decision in patient care.

In a challenging ethical situation, it’s crucial to prioritize the well-being and rights of the patient. You can discuss a specific scenario where you had to navigate conflicting ethical considerations, ensuring patient autonomy, beneficence, and non-maleficence.Emphasize the importance of upholding ethical principles and maintaining open communication with the patient and their family to ensure informed decision-making and respectful care 

How do you maintain patient confidentiality?

Maintaining patient confidentiality is a fundamental aspect of healthcare practice. You can highlight the significance of safeguarding patients’ healthcare data and the ethical duty not to disclose patient information without authorization.Emphasize the need to ensure the security, privacy, and protection of patients’ healthcare data, especially in the age of fast-evolving information technology. Discuss the importance of obtaining patient consent before disclosing medical information to other healthcare providers actively involved in patient care 

How do you handle situations involving patient consent?

When addressing patient consent, emphasize the importance of informed consent to medical treatment as fundamental in both ethics and law. Patients have the right to receive information and ask questions about recommended treatments to make well-considered decisions about their care. Discuss the significance of engaging patients in decisions involving their own care to the greatest extent possible, including when the patient has previously designated a surrogate to make decisions on their behalf. Highlight the ethical and legal aspects of obtaining consent and the exceptions to the requirement for informed consent in specific medical situations

Why did you choose nursing as a profession?

When addressing why you chose nursing as a profession, you can emphasize your passion for helping others and making a positive impact on people’s lives. You might also discuss any personal experiences or influential moments that inspired you to pursue a career in nursing. Highlight the rewarding nature of the job and the potential for stable work opportunities, demonstrating your genuine motivation for entering the field.

What are your long-term career goals in nursing?

In response to this question, you can discuss your long-term aspirations within the nursing profession. Consider mentioning specific professional development goals, such as acquiring skills in advancing technology, obtaining professional certifications, or taking on a management/leadership position. Emphasize the importance of continuous learning and self-development to stay current and relevant in the evolving field of nursing.

How do you handle stress and maintain work-life balance?

When addressing stress management and work-life balance, you can share strategies that demonstrate your ability to cope with the demands of the nursing profession. Discuss techniques such as practicing breathing exercises, meditation, regular exercise, and spending time in nature as effective stress-reducing activities. Additionally, emphasize the importance of self-care, maintaining personal time for friends and family, and effective time management to achieve a healthy work-life balance.

Critical thinking questions assess problem-solving skills and clinical expertise, aiming to gauge how you handle high-pressure scenarios. Provide real-life examples and express willingness to find answers if unsure.

Related:  12 Hardest Interview Questions and Best Answers

These questions are designed to assess a nurse’s ability to think critically, make sound decisions, and effectively handle complex and high-pressure situations in a healthcare setting. When preparing for your interview, it’s essential to reflect on your experiences and be ready to provide specific examples that demonstrate your critical thinking skills and ability to navigate challenging clinical scenarios.

Remember , when answering nursing interview questions, use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your responses. Provide specific examples and focus on the actions you took, the skills you utilized, and the positive outcomes achieved.

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16 Nursing Interview Questions You Might Get Asked (and How to Answer Them)

You just got called into an interview for a nursing job—congrats! You’re probably thrilled, but also feeling a bit panicked, wondering “What are they going to ask me?” or “How will I handle a question I don’t know how to answer ?” Not to worry— we’ve got inside information on common nursing interview questions so you’ll be prepped for anything that comes your way.

First, you’re going to get a lot of general interview questions such as “Tell me about yourself” , “Why is there a gap in your employment history?” , or “Why do you want this job?” . Be sure you know how to answer those basics with ease. Second, while you want to present yourself in the best light possible, you don’t want to lie about your past experience.

“Every hospital, every healthcare company wants nurses that are ethical and have integrity,” says Greg Musto, Chief Executive Officer at The Roman Healthcare Group , who’s spent over eight years recruiting candidates for roles in healthcare. So if they see an inconsistency in your employment history or on your resume, “it draws red flags immediately.”

“I always tell our candidates, be 100% honest,” Musto says. “Don’t hide a job that didn’t go well, because it’s going to come back up and it’s going to look like you’re being dishonest.”

Overall, hiring managers are looking for several things in candidates, says Raymond Dacillo, Director of Operations at C-Care Health Services : “Professionalism, attention to detail, critical thinking, time management, and communication. Our questions usually revolve around these attributes.”

10 common nursing interview questions—and how to answer them

Here are some common interview questions for nurses you may be asked during your job-seeking journey, as well as some advice for how you can answer them (and pass the test with flying colors!).

The more interviews you get, the better your chances of getting hired—apply now to these amazing nurse jobs on The Muse »

1. Why did you pursue nursing?

Healthcare hiring managers care about passion—for nursing, for quality patient care and safety, and for making a positive impact on people’s lives.

“Passion is probably one of the most important things,” says Musto. “There are so many times where it comes down to two candidates, both equally qualified, and they will always take the candidate with more passion about why they’re doing what they’re doing.”

If a nurse isn’t in love with their field, Musto points out, they won’t work well with others, and they also won’t work well with patients.

How to answer it

Explain what drew you to nursing from a mission standpoint. What do you love most about it? What gets you excited about the field? What is it about taking care of patients that resonates with you? Don’t be afraid to tie it back to a personal anecdote, such as a childhood experience or a relative who was a nurse.

(These three women’s stories about why they choose a career path in medicine might inspire your own pitch.)

2. How do you handle workplace stress?

Nursing can be a physically and emotionally taxing career, so it’s important for interviewers to see that you know how to balance work and life. And that you’ll be able to take care of yourself—no matter how grueling the work gets—so that you can come back the next day ready to continue to perform.

“Every day you’re opening the obituaries and seeing a patient that you treated for 10 years, or you’re seeing that mom who had three small kids who died of breast cancer,” says Emily Hershey, BSN, RN, Executive Search Consultant of Clinical Nursing at The Roman Healthcare Group. So when she’s interviewing candidates, she wants to know how they deal with and overcome “compassion fatigue.”

Underneath this question, she says, she really wants to know: “How do you handle your emotions changing in a matter of 30 seconds, and be able to go from room to room? And then be able to go home to be with your spouse and children?” Overall, good nurses have strong emotional intelligence—about their patients, sure, but also about themselves.

There’s no right or wrong answer to this: Just explain how you’ve learned to cope with the stresses and exhaustion of the job. Do you exercise? Bake? Unplug with a good movie and some quality family time?

Bonus: Adding a couple specific examples of times you’ve had to overcome an especially emotional situation or day can make your answer even stronger.

3. How would you handle a crisis?

As Musto says, dealing with crises in other industries may be an exception to the rule, but in healthcare, “it’s the norm.”

This is especially the case for emergency nurses, who have to work speedily to get patients in and out of the ER and be able to change course at the drop of a hat, while also maintaining steady compassion and quality of care.

Questions like this one, as well as many of the other questions on this list, are asked because interviewers don’t just want to hear that you can handle stress—but that you’ve handled it before and came out the other side unscathed.

“You need to be prepared to give examples of your work,” Musto says. Think of a time when a crisis developed in a past job. How did you react? “I panicked and left” or “I hate stress so I just avoid it” or “I let my staff take care of it” won’t cut it. You want to come across as someone who can handle anything calmly, strategically, and proactively.

Hint: Try using the STAR method —Situation, Task, Action, Result—to outline your answer. It’s the best way to structure a response to just about any behavioral question you’re asked, such as “Tell me about a time when...” or “Give me an example of….”

4. How would you deal with someone who’s not satisfied with their patient care?

This often has to do with patient satisfaction scores. Hospitals and healthcare centers can lose millions of dollars on a poor rating, so they want to hire nurses who will guarantee their patients continue to be pleased with their overall experience.

Of course, it’s not just about money—compassion plays a key role in this question, too.

Finally, Dacillo says, “We ask these questions to find out how their problem-solving skills are and how they can address confrontation.”

You want to show that you can maintain stellar patient care (and a level head) in even the most difficult of situations. Building off a past experience can help answer this question, or you can choose a hypothetical situation and explain step-by-step what you would do to solve the issue.

“Usually what I like to hear is they’re actively listening to what the patient or family member is saying, and can explain to them that they understand their frustration and they’re going to review their case and speak with other colleagues,” Dacillo says.

5. How do you handle working with other nurses, doctors, and staff?

Nursing can be a highly collaborative field, and hiring managers want to see that you can get along well with the rest of the team no matter what’s thrown your way.

Very important: Don’t just say “I’m a huge team player.” Show how you’ve been one by giving concrete examples of ways you’ve positively worked with and contributed to a team.

Also, make it clear you actually like working with doctors and other nurses. Talking badly about old colleagues or emphasizing how you’re always right and everyone else is wrong probably won’t go over well with the interviewer.

6. How would you handle a disease outbreak?

This isn’t just a behavioral question to test how you’d deal with this scenario—it’s also a skills-based question. Yes, your resume may show you’re qualified in certain areas. But your interview is just as important a place to flex your expertise—especially if it’s not clear on your application you can do the work.

“Outbreaks are huge these days, because antibiotics resistance is huge,” Musto says. “More and more things are coming into our country that antibiotics can’t cure or have a hard time curing.” A qualified nurse is expected to be trained to notice the signs when something unusual is happening in a patient and to know how to proceed with care.

Walk them through a hypothetical situation (or a real one if you have experience dealing with an outbreak before) and what steps and precautions you’d take, leaning on your training to explain what is and isn’t procedure, why you’re taking each step, and how you’d work with others to solve the problem.

7. If you saw someone administering improper medicine, what would you do?

What they really want to know is if you’d do something. Because it all comes down to a patient’s safety. Someone who’s willing to confront or report another colleague—no matter what their level—to protect a patient has the integrity that makes for a great nurse.

“What they’re looking for is collaborative skills, so not just coming down on somebody but really winning them over with the right personality in order to change behavior,” Musto says.

Being a standout nurse isn’t just about doing the right thing on a small scale, but about being able to influence and create positive change on a larger scale. Plus, knowing how to successfully give feedback to others shows you know how to work with and lead a team.

Draw from past personal experience—whether dealing with this direct issue or a similar one where you had to confront a coworker. Using the STAR method, outline what the situation was, what your role was in it, what action you took (and why), and the result of that action.

The goal? To show that A. you’d take action and B. you’d do it in a way that would encourage the person to listen to you, change their behavior, and be more thoughtful going forward.

8. Do you have [skill/certification]/Do you have experience doing [procedure]?

Again, not everything is completely clear on an application, so many interviewers like to check your hard skills , whether that’s your experience working with certain healthcare record software, inserting IVs, or performing CPR. They also want to ensure you have the proper licensing needed to jump in and get started right away (versus needing to take extra courses or get extra training).

Hopefully this should be pretty straightforward to answer, yes-or-no style. But don’t just stop at saying “yes”—prove you actually know how to do it (and do it well) by giving examples of when you put this skill into practice on the job.

“Whatever’s on paper is easy to write down, but to explain it and provide examples is a different story,” Dacillo says. And if the answer is no, don’t lie. Instead, admit to what you don’t know and focus on what skills you do bring to the table.

Hint: Use the job description to prepare for the kinds of skills and certifications they might ask about. (Here's how to read a job description the right way .)

9. How have you dealt with conflict?

In the nursing career, conflicts can arise at any time. Whether it involves a dissatisfied family member, a difficult patient, or disagreements with colleagues or doctors, stressful situations are quite common. That's why interviewers may want to hear about a time you dealt with conflict to assess your problem-solving skills.

Now isn't the time to dwell on your weaknesses . Rather, showcase your capability to handle conflict calmly and logically. Think about a specific situation where you effectively resolved a conflict, and use an anecdote to strengthen your response—again, employing the STAR method would come in handy.

10. How would your peers describe you?

No matter where you work as a nurse, it's crucial to get along with the healthcare team. Hiring managers may ask what your peers think of you to see if you're a team player or pleasant to work with.

Of course, you should paint yourself in a good light. Think of strong work-related adjectives, such as leader, team player, dynamic, and thoughtful. (Here are 125+ words to describe yourself in a job interview, resume, and more .)

Keep your answer concise but include an example to back it up—after all, your former colleagues and bosses aren't there to confirm what you're saying. For example, “My coworkers often say I am a proactive person, because during [situation], I quickly [action] to [conclusion/result].”

11. Are you a good leader?

Leadership skills are key in virtually every role in every industry—including in a nursing career. In patient care, there are times when you must act quickly and take charge. So hiring managers need to know if you're up to the task.

Like most behavioral questions, this one requires you to share an anecdote to illustrate your leadership skills. It doesn't have to be strictly from a professional context—you could mention a college or community project you led—but a work-related situation would be ideal.

12. Tell me about yourself

This is one of the most common job interview questions. Typically asked at the very beginning of the interview, it gives you the perfect opportunity to introduce yourself to the interviewer. Even though it's a simple question, your answer can show a lot: if you have effective communication skills, if you're self aware, and how prepared you are for the interview.

Needless to say, you shouldn't share random facts about yourself. Instead, provide a brief summary of who you are as a professional, highlighting your experience, skills, and accomplishments.

For instance, you could say, “I'm a registered nurse with [years of experience] working in hospitals with [type of patients]. I graduated from [college] in [year]. My first nursing job was at [hospital/facility], and my last role was at [hospital/facility], where I developed [skills] and achieved [accomplishments].”

13. What are your strengths and weaknesses?

That's another broad and common question an interviewer might bring up in a nursing job interview. Like the one above, this question also tests your self-awareness and ability to communicate.

Answering these questions can be tricky because you might mention a weakness that's important for the job, or a strength that's not necessarily relevant—which isn't ideal. So, prepare an honest answer that doesn't jeopardize your chances of getting hired.

Good strengths for a nurse include handling stress well, being an effective communicator, being a problem solver, or being proactive. When it comes to weaknesses, think about a skill or ability that isn't crucial for a nurse's job performance, like public speaking or struggling with self-criticism, for example.

14. Why did you apply to us?

We all know that the biggest motivation to apply for a job is usually money—we all have bills to pay, after all. However, the interviewer wants to know what else, besides the salary and benefits package, caught your eye.

This is the moment to show that you've researched the company. Mention relevant aspects of their culture, values, or mission that attracted you to them. Whenever you can, link these aspects of their business with your professional aspirations.

15. Do you have future career plans/What are your professional goals?

Hiring managers often like to assess a candidate's ambitions and expectations to see if they align with the company's long-term mission and goals. These questions can sometimes replace the traditional “ Where do you see yourself in five years ?” depending on your career level or stage of life, for example.

Your answer doesn't need to be super detailed unless the interviewer asks for more information. Briefly mention a career goal and tie it to the company or job posting. For instance, you could mention your intention to specialize in different types of nursing or a specific nursing field that the hospital or facility is known for.

16. What motivates you?

As a nurse, you bear partial responsibility for patients' health and lives. Your daily routine involves dealing with difficult cases, caring for severely ill people of all ages and backgrounds, and, at times, experiencing loss. Given this, you might get asked about what motivates you to come to work every day.

Focus on why you choose to be a nurse or what professional and emotional rewards you get from your job. Do you enjoy helping people? Do you feel fulfilled when you improve someone's life? Are you motivated by contributing to a patient's recovery?

Questions to ask in a nursing interview

Be sure to bring some questions of your own —and not just “How much does this job pay?” You should be interviewing them to see if it’s a good fit, too! Here are some examples of questions to ask in a nursing interview:

1. How do you like working here?

2. What medical record systems would I be using?

3. Do you provide training? What type?

4. How long is the training period?

5. What are some challenges nurses currently face here?

6. How would you describe the management style of this unit?

7. What are the staffing ratios here?

8. Who would I report to?

9. What is your overtime policy?

10. How is the nurses' success measured in performance reviews?

11. Do you have protocols for dealing with difficult patients?

12. What's the next step in the interview process?

Other notes about nursing interview questions and answers

Hershey notes that while being prepared and having well thought-out, confident answers are crucial to passing your nursing interview, it’s also important not to forget the basics, such as showing up on time, dressing appropriately (no, you don’t have to wear scrubs), and sending a thank you note afterward.

“Appearance is huge for us. In fact, our interview actually starts in the waiting room,” Dacillo says. First impressions mean everything, so you’ll want to nail yours.

If you need more tips, read our guide to everything to know about nursing interviews . And lean on your network for support. If you know of people who’ve encountered nursing interviews before, they can provide you with some questions they’ve faced or help you prepare appropriate answers or stories.

And remember: No matter how you choose to phrase your answers, Musto emphasizes that being a nurse is “not just a numbers game” in terms of treating patients and getting them out the door. Even if your job is to sit in an office and not interact with anyone, compassion still matters:

“A nurse is truly an integral part of the healing process, so having nurses [who] understand that and how to relate to patients and the people around them and be compassionate is crucial.” If you weave that thread into everything you talk about, you’re likely to hit the right note.

Amanda Cardoso contributed to the latest version of this article.

20+ Nursing Interview Questions and Answers

Is your calendar filling up with nursing interviews? It’s exciting that employers are interested in speaking with you, but you might be nervous about the actual interview itself. We’ve already given you an in-depth guide to prepare for the interview – from what to wear to how you should follow up with the hiring manager. But in this blog, we’re doing a deep dive into what is likely causing you the most anxiety – nursing interview questions and answers.

We consulted with our nursing leader, Jen Eden, for insight on what questions a hiring manager might ask and what they want to know out of an interview with you. When you’re done studying our list, you’ll be able to confidently walk into your interview, knowing you have an answer to any question that comes your way.

Prepare for These Nursing Interview Questions and Answers

1. tell me about yourself..

Answer: Give a brief summary of your nursing background, emphasizing your relevant experience, skills, and passion for the profession. You can also tell the hiring manager what inspired you to pursue a career in the nursing profession.

2. Why do you want to work here?

Answer: Read about the facility beforehand so that you can speak to specifics, sharing your genuine interest in the facility, its reputation, values, and programs that align with your professional goals.

3. What is your approach to managing challenging situations?

Answer: Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) and provide a specific example of a time you were in a stressful situation at work but were able to stay composed, prioritize tasks, and communicate effectively to complete the day’s assignments.

4. Tell me about a time when you found a better way to perform a task. What role did you play in the change? How did you approach this change with your manager?

Answer: To a hiring manager, finding a better way to perform a task shows that you can recognize the need for process improvement.  Explain your proactive approach to process improvement, your role in implementing the change, and your effective communication with superiors to drive positive change.

5. In the last year, what have you done for professional development? Do you belong to any professional organizations? 

Answer: Many managers expect nurses to be members of at least one professional organization as it shows dedication to ongoing learning and professional growth. Share which professional organizations you belong to, which might include the American Nurses Association (ANA), the National League for Nursing (NLN), or something more specific to your specialty.

6. Can you provide an example of how you’ve handled a challenging patient or family encounter?

Answer: This is where you should flex your soft skills, which are vital for any bedside nurse. Again using the STAR method, share your experience with navigating a difficult situation with empathy, communication, and a focus on patient-centered care.

7. How do you handle change if your supervisor asks you to pivot from your assignment, schedule, or process?

Answer: Healthcare is always evolving. Explain your adaptability and willingness to embrace change, including taking on additional responsibilities or pulling to another unit.

8. What’s your approach to teamwork?

Answer: As a nurse, you’ll be working with many other healthcare professionals as part of a patient’s care team. Highlight your ability to collaborate, communicate, and contribute to a collaborative team environment with a focus on providing high-quality patient care.

9. Describe how you manage a busy workload.

Answer: Nursing is a hands-on profession that gets busy quickly. Describe your time management skills, organizational skills, and ability to efficiently handle a demanding workload.

10. What’s your approach to helping patients and families understand medical conditions and how to use medications?

Answer: Patients and families want to understand as much as they can about their condition and medications to take the best care of themselves at home. Emphasize your communication skills and ability to provide patients and families with a clear understanding of their healthcare plan.

11. Can you share an example of a situation where you exceeded expectations in providing care to a patient?

Answer: The STAR method comes in handy here as well! Give the nursing manager an example that illustrates your dedication to providing exceptional care and going the extra mile for patients. If you were recognized with a facility or unit award for your exceptional care, be sure to mention it!

12. Tell me about a time you had a conflict with a colleague who wasn’t doing their part. How did you handle it?

Answer: Showcase your teamwork and problem-solving skills, including your role in addressing team issues calmly and with the desire to find a resolution.

13. If I were to ask your current manager to describe your work history in three words, what would they say? What if I asked them for three areas of improvement?

Answer: We all have areas where we do an exceptional job in our work or areas where we can make progress. Demonstrate your self-awareness by identifying your strengths and areas where you have room to grow.

14. Describe a time when you used one or more safety tools that changed the way you cared for a patient or changed their outcome.

Answer: Showcase your commitment to patient safety and your proactive use of tools to enhance patient care.

15. Tell me a time you made a mistake. How did you discover the mistake and what were the consequences when you shared it?

Answer: Everyone makes mistakes, but it’s important, especially in nursing, to take responsibility for your mistakes and dedicate yourself to fixing them. Show your integrity and ability to admit mistakes, learn from them, and take appropriate actions to rectify the situation.

16. Why do you believe that fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work environment is important? Tell me about a time when you went out of your way to learn about a coworker or a patient’s culture that differs from your own.

Answer:  As a nurse, you’ll come into contact with coworkers and patients from all backgrounds, and it’s important to show respect for them. Explain why representation within the workplace matters and your ability to embrace and respect cultural differences.

17. What do you do when you don’t know an answer to a patient’s question or how to address a situation?

Answer: For this question, highlight your problem-solving and communication skills, including your ability to ask questions and seek guidance or resources when facing an unfamiliar situation.

18. Share an experience when you had to take on leadership responsibilities.

Answer: Using the STAR method, talk about a time you had to step in and take charge of a situation while ensuring patient care continued to run smoothly. Mention how you effectively delegated tasks, prioritized patient needs, and maintained open communication among the team and what the experience taught you.

19. Why are you leaving your current nursing job?

Answer: While you’ll want to give a valid reason for the change, never talk poorly about a former employer. Instead, opt for answers about how you’re seeking new challenges, professional growth, or better alignment with a workplace’s values.

20. Why should we hire you?

Answer: This is your opportunity to highlight your unique strengths, skills, and how you will positively contribute to the nursing team and facility.

Common New Grad Nurse Interview Questions

As a new grad nurse, it’s natural to feel anxious in anticipation of your upcoming interview. However, as a recent graduate, you possess a fresh perspective and a strong foundation in current nursing practices that will help you through the interview. While your experience may be somewhat limited in comparison to more seasoned nurses, your educational background, commitment to learning, and dedication to providing high-quality patient care can be significant assets in your interview. This stage in your nursing career is an opportunity to show your passion for the profession, your eagerness to grow, and your willingness to contribute to the healthcare team. In preparation for your interview, here are a few questions that the hiring manager might ask to learn more about you as a new nurse.

1. Why did you decide to become a nurse?

Answer: Dive into your passion for nursing, your motivation, and the personal experiences that led you to pursue the profession.

2. What do you see as your strengths as a new nurse?

Answer: Highlight your potential, eagerness to learn, and any relevant skills or qualities that make you a strong candidate for an entry-level nursing role.

3. How have your clinical rotations or prior experiences equipped you for the responsibilities of this role?

Answer: Show your ability to connect your educational experiences to the requirements of the job, demonstrating your readiness to apply your knowledge in a real-world setting.

4. In your opinion, which qualities do you believe are crucial for a nurse to have?

Answer: Show your understanding of the essential qualities, such as compassion, communication, and critical thinking, that make a great nurse.

5. Where do you see yourself in five years? 

Answer: Our nurse leader says hiring managers expect new grads to focus on mastering their basic skills before moving on to an advanced degree, so an expected answer to this question might be as simple as: “I see myself working here and continuing to learn.”

All Set for Your Nursing Interview

Now that you’ve read through our list, you’re prepared to answer any type of question – from questions about teamwork to patient care to communication and everything in between. 

Still want more interview prep? Join our talent community to connect with a Nucleus recruiter who can walk you through mock interviews and connect you with other meaningful job opportunities.

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100+ Smart Questions to Ask in a Nursing Interview in 2024

Are you a nurse or nursing student looking for the perfect job? If so, you know the process of finding the perfect place can feel a little daunting. One of the most stressful things for many nurses is their anticipation of a job interview. The main reason for anxiety-related is not always what the interviewer asks you, but the end of the interview when the interviewer says, “Do you have any questions for me?” If you are one of the nurses asking, "What are some smart questions to ask in a nursing interview?” or “Which questions should I avoid?”, keep reading. In this article, I will share some thoughts about approaching a nursing interview, discuss the importance of engaging the interviewer with questions and share 100+ smart questions to ask in a nursing interview.

Can You Ask Questions in a Nursing Job Interview?

When should you ask questions in a nursing job interview, how many questions can you ask during your nursing job interview, 5 reasons why it is recommended to ask questions in a nursing job interview, 1. when you ask questions during a nursing interview, it shows the interviewer you have a genuine interest in the job., 2. asking questions during a nursing interview helps promote positive dialogue between you and the interviewer., 3. if you ask the right questions, it could give you a competitive edge over other applicants., 4. you can find out more about the type of person a potential supervisor is., 5. asking questions will help you evaluate the company's culture., what are some smart questions to ask in a nursing interview.

What are Some Smart Job-Specific Questions to Ask in a Nursing Interview?

10 Stupid Questions Never to Ask in a Nursing Job Interview

1. are employee drug tests scheduled or random, 2. what is the protocol for requesting a new assignment if i don’t get along with the nurses on my unit, 3. what type of system does the company use to monitor computer and email use, 4. how soon can i expect to get a raise, 5. when will i be eligible to use vacation or sick leave, 6. what is the company's policy on terminating an employee for example, how many warnings do they usually get before being terminated, 7. how flexible is the work schedule for this position, 8. so, how did you end up getting a job as an interviewer, 9. i heard the person who left this position was forced out due to negligence, 10. about how long will this interview take, bonus 5 things to keep in mind when asking questions in a nursing job interview, my final thoughts, frequently asked questions answered by our expert, 1. can i ask too many questions in a nursing interview, 2. can i ask personal questions to the interviewer in my nursing interview, 3. can i ask political questions to my nurse interviewer, 4. how do i ask questions about salary and benefits in my nursing interview, 5. can i ask questions about work-life balance in my nursing interview, 6. is it okay to ask questions after the nursing interview, 7. what are the 3 most unique questions nurses can ask during their job interviews.

• What future opportunities within your company do you see for the person hired for this position? • Approximately what percentage of your staff nurses have worked here for more than five years? • Which people and groups within the interdisciplinary team will I collaborate with most?

8. What Are The 3 Most Common Questions Nurses Ask During Their Job Interviews?

• How many staff in your organization hold this position? • What shifts do you have available for a nurse in this position? • How soon do you hope to fill this position?

9. Is It Okay Not To Ask Any Questions In My Nursing Interview?

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The Most Common Nursing Interview Questions and How to Answer Them

If you have gone through the many steps to become a nurse or any of its derivatives, the time has come for a job interview. This means you may be wondering what type of nursing interview questions you can expect.

Let’s look at a few nursing basics, something called the STAR method, and some of the most common nursing interview questions to get you prepared for your job interview.

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What does it take to become a nurse.

Becoming a registered nurse isn’t an easy task. There are some great programs , like RN-to-BSN degrees. Depending on what program and career paths you’ve chosen, it can take several years to become a nurse.

For example, becoming a nurse-midwife can take anywhere from seven to eight years. However, becoming a nurse takes a lot more than just schoolwork. 

Nursing jobs are extremely demanding, often requiring long hours of hard work and difficult situations. That’s where the STAR method can save the day if you’re nervous about answering nursing interview questions.

The STAR Method

The STAR method , or situation, task, action, result, is an excellent method to structure your nursing interview answers. These methods work incredibly well for behavioral interview questions , which try to ascertain your character and behavior.

The STAR method is a great template to help prepare you for answering nursing interview questions as it adds a more rigid structure to answers. This is particularly helpful if you’re worried about answering nursing interview questions.

With the STAR method, it’s easier than ever to ace questions for nurses. Let’s take a closer look at how you can answer nursing interview questions by providing your interviewer with a situation, task, action, and result to highlight your acumen.

The situation refers to the background of the story. Where were you? Were you in a hospital setting? 

The task refers to the actual goal or objective that you had to fulfill. This could be anything from helping out a coworker to a time you handled a crisis. 

How did you react in that difficult situation? This is your time to shine. This is where you outline how you completed the task, what skills you used, and what skills you learned in the process.

Result 

This is the final part of the STAR method, in which you describe what happened after you took action on the task. Did you end up learning something new about yourself? Describe what you thought you did well, or perhaps could have done better. 

Remember to do some specific research on potential employers to prepare your STAR-method answers.

Common Nursing Interview Questions

Acing your nursing interview questions will show hiring managers that you’re a good fit. Since nursing is an occupation where you deal with unique situations, you will most likely hear some behavioral interview questions. Remember, these are the perfect questions for the STAR method. 

Sure, you will probably hear questions like what is your greatest weakness. But the hiring manager will most likely put more emphasis on how well you work on a team, what you do to handle a crisis, and how you deal with difficult situations. 

Let’s explore some of the most common nursing interview questions below.

Why Did You Decide to Be a Nurse?

When asked why you became a nurse, you want to outline the rewarding aspects of the occupation. For example, caring for patients and their families is extremely rewarding. 

This is a pretty standard nursing interview question and you should expect it pretty early on. It’s a useful framework for getting to know you. Knowing why you joined the nursing field can reveal if you’re a good fit. 

How Do You Handle the Stress of Being a Nurse?

When asked how you handle stress as a nurse, this signifies how you would handle a crisis or make difficult decisions. This is an essential question for nurses. Nursing is an inherently stressful job with a lot of responsibility. That’s why the way you answer this question is crucial. 

Be honest and turn a negative into a positive. For example, you could explain that you engage in meticulous organization to make things easier for you and your team to handle stress on the job. 

Are You a Team Player?

When asked whether or not you work well with a team, no matter what, the answer to this question is yes. Nursing is all about working as part of a team. Whether it’s working alongside fellow nurses or doctors, this is a diverse field where teams allow for adequate patient care and success.

Why Are You the Best Candidate?

This is where you can really lay it on and impress the hiring manager. For example, describe your process of entering the nursing profession, how rewarding it is, and how it changed your life. Try to double down on how nursing isn’t just a paycheck to you, but rather a lifelong passion. 

Final Thoughts on Nursing Interview Questions

Whether you’re using the STAR method or your own wits, make sure you study some of the most common nursing interview questions to feel more confident when you go into an interview with a hiring manager. 

About us: Career Karma is a platform designed to help job seekers find, research, and connect with job training programs to advance their careers. Learn about the CK publication .

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