"Coming into this interview, I fully understand that the NICU setting is a whole new world, and providing care for newborns in intensive care can be highly stressful. Throughout my career, I've proven my ability to work successfully in high-stress environments like the emergency setting. For me, this ability really starts outside of work with a healthy diet, an exercise routine, and getting plenty of sleep on a daily basis. This enables me to be fully rested and physically ready to perform for 12 hours. When additional stress hits while on shift, I have a mental toughness that allows me to work through things at the moment and then shift gears when needed."

Your interviewer is fully aware that the increased stress levels of working as a NICU nurse can cause exhaustion, fatigue, increased levels of absenteeism, and low staff morale as they've likely seen this throughout their time as a NICU leader. As you answer this question, you'll first want to acknowledge that you are aware that you will be stepping into a highly stressful environment. As you do this, you can then talk about the ways that you will join this team that will help prevent you from becoming stressed and burnt out. In the end, stress to your interviewer that you won't let the common stressors in the NICU cause you to perform poorly on the job as a NICU nurse.

"Many say that the NICU is the hardest unit in the hospital with the sickest and most vulnerable patients; children. It's no surprise that this emotional burden can cause nurses to feel burnout over time. As a new nurse, I will prepare for each day as best I can by getting enough rest the night before, and by eating meals to keep my energy levels stable. Outside of that, it's important to acknowledge when you're feeling overwhelmed by the stresses that the job naturally brings and to seek out support when needed. That could be talking to a peer, a mentor, your manager or even a friend, family member or counselor outside of work. In my free time, I plan to keep up with my outdoor interests to help me clear my mind and decompress in my offtime."