"I love a fast-paced work environment and am excited to start my career as a registered nurse with the Mount Sinai Hospital. My schooling has certainly prepared me to maintain composure in any situation and use the skills I have learned and my ability to communicate to help me through any situation. I'm confident that I wouldn't let any situation here get me down for too long. With that said, I'm also appreciative of a couple of preceptors I worked under during my clinical rotations who instilled the importance of taking care of myself outside of work and not bringing work-related stress home with me. Heading into life as a full-time nurse, I'll maintain a fun yet relaxed lifestyle with my fiance and our dogs as we look to establish ourselves in our careers."

"Sitting here today and reflecting on my career up to this point, I can honestly say that I've learned so much about myself regarding handling the daily pressures that come with being a competent and successful RN. Early in my career, it was easy to leave a shift with tears in my eyes and then go home to sleep for over 10 hours. Through the help of some great colleagues and just years of experience, I've learned some great tactics to help myself manage stress. I prioritize taking care of myself by maintaining a great diet, exercising, and getting plenty of rest outside of work. While inside the walls of the clinic, I've learned to take small moments to recharge and collect myself. Learning how to establish boundaries on the job has also been very important for me."

This is an opportunity to have a great open conversation with your interviewer about your ability to handle the day-to-day pressures of being an RN. First, it is okay to acknowledge that you sometimes feel stressed in your work. Talk about how you create a work-life balance and the activities outside of work that help clear your mind and relax your body. Then, think of a specific time you had to manage a stressful situation on the job and describe how you handled it. Talking about what tools or resources you used and explaining the outcome will prove to your interviewer that you will come to Mount Sinai Hospital with the right tools to handle the job.