What do you feel is your strongest clinical skill and why?
Entry-level nurses typically have minimal experience working clinically and using their newly licensed skills. These nurses' experience is usually limited to the time they spend in their clinical rotations. While clinical rotation experience is limited, nurses can practice their clinical skills during this time and finish these rotations with a few strong clinical skills. The interviewer asks this question to determine how comfortable the candidate is with their clinical skills and how advanced their strongest clinical skill is. To successfully answer this question, you should be honest about your skills, even if they are not very advanced. When explaining why the particular skill is your strongest, you should describe your experience in conducting the skill and how you have been successful.
"Even though I am a new nurse, my strongest clinical skill is starting an IV. In nursing school, I was able to master this skill with ease before any of my peers. In my clinical rotations, I never had an issue starting IVs, and during one of my rotations, my preceptor asked me to help her start an IV on a patient that she was struggling with. My preceptor was a seasoned nurse with over two decades of experience, and while she couldn't find the patient's vein and start the IV, I could easily. While I have a lot of room to improve my other clinical skills, I feel like starting IVs is one I have already mastered."
"I can perform many clinical skills at this point in my training, but I feel most comfortable taking and monitoring my patients' vital signs, such as taking their blood pressure, pulse oximetry, and even assessing their pain levels. At first, it was difficult to trust my ability in taking vital signs, but through my clinical training, I became much more confident. While this is not the most advanced skill, I feel that it gives me a good foundation to build upon as I get more experience in nursing."
"So far, my strongest clinical skill is starting a Foley catheter, even when it is initially challenging to find the patient's urethra or insert the catheter. I've had lots of practice in clinicals and as a student nurse extern."
Community answers are written by other candidates practicing this set. Reading how others frame the same question is one of the fastest ways to sharpen your own.
Anonymous Answer
It would be setting up an IV because I had a lot of practice under the supervision of my preceptor during a hematology placement. I learned to focus on carefully and accurately preparing medication according to the medical order, label the IV bag, and prime the IV line to remove air or bubbles. It is important with IV antibiotics because I do not want to waste any of the medication through priming.
Chad's Feedback
Good answer! You have clearly identified setting up an intravenous drip feed as your strongest clinical skill, and describing your experience in conducting the skill.
Unlock all 40 Entry-Level Nursing questions
Prepare for questions nurse managers use to assess new graduate readiness.
Get Started