Entry-Level Nursing Mock Interview
Practice 40 Entry-Level Nursing interview questions covering clinical scenarios, patient care priorities, and ethical challenges.
Question 3 of 40
What was your favorite clinical rotation during nursing school?
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Kelly Burlison is an experienced healthcare and quality measurement professional with experience interviewing in the healthcare field focusing on IT.
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.
Kelly Burlison is an experienced healthcare and quality measurement professional with experience interviewing in the healthcare field focusing on IT.
"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."
Kelly Burlison is an experienced healthcare and quality measurement professional with experience interviewing in the healthcare field focusing on IT.
"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."
"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."
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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.
Anonymous Answer
I completed my consolidation for my degree at a general surgery unit, and I can't deny I love it most. Wound care is always my favorite. With general surgery, I've got to care for patients' wounds and educate them on how to care for them. My wonderful preceptor has taught me a lot in a short few months, and I could function as an independent nurse by the end of the placement.
Chad's Feedback
You clearly identify general surgery as your favorite clinical rotation, and provide solid reasoning to support your choice. Good job!
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