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Entry-Level Nursing Mock Interview

Question 30 of 40 for our Entry-Level Nursing Mock Interview

Entry-Level Nursing was updated by on December 21st, 2022. Learn more here.

Question 30 of 40

What was your favorite clinical rotation during nursing school?

"My favorite clinical rotation was in family medicine. I liked family medicine so much that I went back towards the end of my clinicals for an extra week in the clinic. I enjoyed family medicine the most because I got to work with patients of all ages, not just one age group. I also liked that patients visit their family medicine practitioners often, which means the nursing staff could get to know the patients and form relationships with them. I hope that I will be able to work in family medicine since I enjoyed it so much during my clinical rotations."

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How to Answer: What was your favorite clinical rotation during nursing school?

Advice and answer examples written specifically for an Entry-Level Nursing job interview.

  • 30. What was your favorite clinical rotation during nursing school?

      How to Answer

      Nursing education programs include clinical rotations, better known as clinicals, which are supervised clinical sessions where students gain real-world nursing experience in rotating specialty areas. Clinicals allow students to apply the concepts they have learned in the classroom and get an idea of what specialty areas of nursing they may want to pursue after graduation. The interviewer asks this question to identify which specialty areas of nursing you may prefer. To effectively answer this question, discuss which clinical rotation was your favorite and explain why.

      Written by Kelly Burlison on July 16th, 2019

      1st Answer Example

      "My favorite clinical rotation was in family medicine. I liked family medicine so much that I went back towards the end of my clinicals for an extra week in the clinic. I enjoyed family medicine the most because I got to work with patients of all ages, not just one age group. I also liked that patients visit their family medicine practitioners often, which means the nursing staff could get to know the patients and form relationships with them. I hope that I will be able to work in family medicine since I enjoyed it so much during my clinical rotations."

      Written by Kelly Burlison on July 16th, 2019

      2nd Answer Example

      "Going into my clinicals, I thought I would enjoy oncology nursing best since oncology nurses initially inspired me to go into nursing. However, now that my clinicals are over, I can honestly say that labor and delivery was my favorite rotation. It isn't that I didn't enjoy oncology, but the excitement, challenges, and unfortunately, even the heartbreak of labor and delivery made it feel like much more of a team environment and one I could see myself working in."

      Written by Kelly Burlison on July 16th, 2019

      3rd Answer Example

      "My favorite clinical rotation was the cardiac step-down unit, where patients recover after heart surgery. Because heart disease can have so many causes--diabetes, congenital heart disease, lifestyle factors, kidney dysfunction, and other causes, I learned about multiple conditions and treatments. I appreciated the ability to care for and learn from a diverse patient population. I liked this unit so much that I was fortunate to be hired as a student nurse extern on that unit."

      Written by Kate Buckley on December 21st, 2022

      Anonymous Interview Answers with Professional Feedback

      Anonymous Answer

      "My favorite clinical rotation was definitely my OB rotation. During this rotation, I was on an LDRP unit which also had a level 2 NICU. It was during this rotation that I really solidified that I was more interested in the neonate than the mother. I found I enjoy critically thinking and working in a fast-paced setting with high acuity patients."

      Marcie's Feedback

      Good answer! It reiterates that your real interest lies in the NICU and neonatal. You might want to adjust your comment regarding mothers so it doesn't emphasize so much that you're not really interested in the mothers' care (which might come across as a bit negative and uncaring). See below for another way you could say this.
      "My favorite clinical rotation during nursing school was definitely my OB rotation. During this rotation, I was on an LDRP unit that also had a level 2 NICU. It was during this time that I discovered and really solidified my interest in neonatal. I just love caring for and helping newborn babies thrive; this is truly my passion. I also found that I enjoy critically thinking and working in a fast-paced setting with high acuity patients."
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    About the Author

    Jaymie Payne

    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 40 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