How do you plan to continually grow as a nurse practitioner?
Professional Answers Preview
"I am so happy to have completed my last certification for my nurse practitioner license. I recently enrolled in a weekend course through the American Heart Association that will allow me to teach CPR classes at the local middle school."
You have an elevated degree; however, that doesn't mean that you stop learning once you have reached the top. Discuss your plans to take professional courses, obtain new certifications or focus on personal growth. You may also want to mention a class or volunteer position to highlight your commitment to professional growth.
More Answer Examples
Entry Level Example
"I never stop learning and believe that, especially in the healthcare industry, one must stay up to date on new trends and discoveries. I plan to continually grow as a nurse practitioner by taking monthly courses on a variety of related topics. If there are any courses you recommend, I would be happy to hear your recommendations."
Experienced Example
"I grow as an NP by reading medical journals every day. I am also interested in taking additional coursework related to pediatric oncology. Education is important to me, and I will never stop learning."
Professional working relationships are essential as a health care provider who regularly works on a multidisciplinary team. You can be specific about your process or stay general by sharing some of your best practices around "building trust." If possible, share an example of how you gain trust within the patient care team or how you relate to others.
More Answer Examples
Entry Level Example
"I feel that the best way to earn the trust of the physicians is to be helpful, always do what I promise, and be honest with them at all times. Strong relationships have to be built on these principles."
Experienced Example
"Trust is something you earn over time with people. I will lead by example and be transparent in my communications. Trust happens when people deliver on doing what they say they will do. I take the approach of under promising and over delivering to accelerate the trust process. With strong trust, teams can accomplish great things together."
How do you feel when a physician criticizes your work?
Professional Answers Preview
"It is never easy to be criticized or to receive unfavorable feedback. However, I believe that I can learn from each experience and constructively move forward. For example, a physician recently mentioned to me that my notes in the database were not as detailed as she would prefer. I had to take a minute and breathe because I spent extra time on those notes and felt frustrated by the feedback. However, I knew this physician could be tough to please so I asked her to show me exactly how she preferred the notes in the system so that next time, as a team, we could be more efficient."
Be authentic when answering this question but do avoid sounding cynical or begrudged. If you choose to give an example, be sure it allows you to demonstrate your ability to handle criticism with style. Do not use specific names, as the healthcare industry is tight-knit!
More Answer Examples
Entry Level Example
"I am newer to my career as an NP and, with that information, sometimes comes additional critiques from physicians. I take every critique as a learning opportunity. I am thankful for any feedback that helps me to become a better healthcare practitioner."
Experienced Example
"It depends on how the criticism is delivered. If it's given in the sense of constructive feedback, I am thankful for the learning opportunity. If the feedback comes to me as rude or unforgiving, that can be tough to swallow. I am always prepared to defend my work because I know it's good, but I would never be unprofessional to save face."
What accomplishment do you believe was the most difficult for you to achieve?
Professional Answers Preview
"In my career, so far, I feel that the most difficult accomplishment for me to achieve were the two back-to-back promotions in my current facility. Because promotions are granted based on results, and education, I had to put in a lot of overtime hours, and hustle, to get there."
Being able to face a challenge or difficult situation, and still gain some accomplishment, in the end, is very satisfying. Talk to the interviewer about a time when you were able to come out on top despite being faced with an obstacle.
More Answer Examples
Entry Level Example
"My biggest accomplishment, so far, was to complete my Master's Degree while still working full time. It was a lot of hard work, dedication, and time management on my party but I am so proud that I did it."
Experienced Example
"My most challenging accomplishment was the department takeover that I was tasked with last year. I needed to boost employee morale, lower turnover and increase productivity. It was not an easy takeover to gain the full trust of the department."
Are you comfortable making tough decisions in regards to a patients care?
User-Submitted Answers
1.
I would say within 1 year of working on the intensive care unit.
2.
Having worked in a critical care area, I care for many patients who were at end of life, or had very low quality of life. What helped me to gain confidence in speaking with families and patients about difficult situations was time and experience. I try to envision each patient as my own family member, and therefore I am honest with them and their families.
3.
When I became a case manager in 2005. My varied nursing experience has proven to me that not health care situations are going to turn out the way the patient or family would like for them to. The hard talks become easier when a relationship is established with the patient and their family.
4.
I have practised as a senior nurse now for several years therefore several years ago approximately 14 years ago she I got my first promotion and as such was responsible for making tough decisions as the most senior nurse in charge of a team and patient care. Several years following as an autonomous practitioner this has happened daily.
5.
The most influential job I had was working in the CCU post open heart recovery team. I was given patients who were just out of surgery and it was my job to "bring them back". The trust from the doctors and great mentors gave me the.
How do you plan to continually grow as a nurse practitioner?
User-Submitted Answers
1.
I feel it will be more structured and formal to advance my practice.
Question 3 of 25
How do you gain a physician's trust and respect?
User-Submitted Answers
1.
Showing confidence and competency.
2.
Establishing open and honest communication lines have always been how I trust others, and I tend to practice that in order to establish trust with colleagues. If I feel uncomfortable or need a second opinion, I make sure to be honest and communicate. I believe that helps to establish both trust and respect.
3.
Gaining trust takes time. Physicians have to learn that you mean what you way and say what you mean. Physicians also have to watch your practice and realize that you maintain high standards and to the right thing even when no one is looking.
4.
Good communications skills are essential here as you give them as much respect as you expect in return. I have also found this comes when they get to know you and your competence.
5.
It is important to always know your own weaknesses. Physicians I have worked with have given me direct feedback about this. They say they trust me because I am not afraid to bounce off ideas with them when I have a difficult case. Mutual respect is what is required in a team approached healthcare system like we have now.
How do you feel when a physician criticizes your work?
User-Submitted Answers
1.
I feel that taking criticism is a necessity in any line of work. There are some physicians that abrasively criticize and there are those who use their dialogue as a teaching moment. I, of course, am more receptive to the latter, as anyone would be. In the end, any critique can be taken and can direct growth. I hope to be part of a group of professionals who respect one another, teach one another, and hold each other accountable when necessary.
2.
Awful, but constructive criticism will make you a better provider and NP
3.
As a nurse, there have been times that my plan of care and the physician's plan of care differed, and in those moments I had to put ego aside and remember that the main focus is the best outcome for the patient.
4.
I try to not take criticism personally but rather look on it as an opportunity to re-evaluate the way I work. There are multiple ways to do any one particular task and I could learn a way I had not previously considered.
5.
I feel I have to pursue it as someone who feels I always practice to a high standard by pursuing it I can establish and take it on board if it is constructive criticism however I am also confident enough to know when criticism is not constructive and discuss this with the person involved.
6.
Interested. It is important to have feedback and to look at things in different ways. There is never just one right answer in medicine.
What accomplishment do you believe was the most difficult for you to achieve?
Question 6 of 25
Do you have any restrictions on your RN or NP license?
Question 7 of 25
How do you stay current on new medical findings, publications, and innovations?
Question 8 of 25
When you suffer a setback, how does that emotionally affect you and your work?
Question 9 of 25
Why did you choose to advance your studies beyond your RN degree?
User-Submitted Answers
1.
To be an expert in advanced clinical pactice.
Question 10 of 25
Tell me a little bit about yourself.
Question 11 of 25
How would you describe your work ethic?
Question 12 of 25
How do you handle conflict in the workplace?
Question 13 of 25
Rate your communication skills from 1-10 with proper examples backing your given rating.
Question 14 of 25
What motivates you as a Nurse Practitioner?
User-Submitted Answers
1.
To be an expert practioner is a natural profession to my career.
Question 15 of 25
What are your salary requirements?
Question 16 of 25
Tell me about a crisis situation you faced at work. How were you a part of the solution?
User-Submitted Answers
1.
I perform better under pressure as I find it helps me think and find solutions quickly.
Question 17 of 25
What do you like most about being a nurse?
User-Submitted Answers
1.
The ability to both provide expert clinical care but provide the basic caring elements too.
Question 18 of 25
If you could change anything about your job, what would it be?
User-Submitted Answers
1.
I find it frustrating how specialities aren't always utilised as quickly as they should be.
Question 19 of 25
How did your experience as an RN, whether in clinicals or on the job, affect how you do your job as an NP?
User-Submitted Answers
1.
As an autonomous practioner who has studied at masters level both gave me the qualities to be an advanced practioner.
Question 20 of 25
What qualities should a leader have?
User-Submitted Answers
1.
A good communicator, delegator, using intuition, and sense of humor.
2.
I believe that a great leader has a mixture of compromise, authority and compassion. Being able to see the bigger picture for the greater of the group is an important skill that I possess.
3.
A great leader has qualities that include decisiveness, justness, and visions for the common good. I believe that I possess all three. I am able to make a decision - it might not be right one - but I am not opposed to evaluating that decision and modifying it when necessary. I believe in justness - not fairness - I don't think fairness is always obtainable because some one will invaribly feel that they didn't get a fair shake. When working in an organization, itis necessary to have a vision of the goal of the organization and plan steps to meet that goal.
4.
An excellent communicator. Able to identify peoples individual strengths and weakness and support them. Able to delegate and take responsibility for doing so. Remains calm in crisis and able to find the best solutions in a crisis. Approachable and able to deal with conflict rationally.
Question 21 of 25
What type of nursing tasks do you find least desirable, or most challenging?
User-Submitted Answers
1.
Dealing with violent and aggressive patients when it's not related to their condition.
Question 22 of 25
What do you know about our facility?
User-Submitted Answers
1.
I have researched it thoroughly and know about your core beliefs.
Question 23 of 25
Why should we hire you over any other nurse practitioner?
User-Submitted Answers
1.
I already have a demonstrated academic competence and have completed some of the course requirements already. I am a good leader and continue to demonstrate this. I show a good relationship with the doctors already including consultants. I have a demonstrated career as an autonomous expert practitioner in several fields. I am a non medical prescribed.
Question 24 of 25
Tell us about your community involvement.
User-Submitted Answers
1.
Yes I have several interests outside work.
Question 25 of 25
How would you rate your performance in this interview so far?
About Nurse Practitioner
October 25th, 2017
Nurse Practitioners (also called NP's) are advanced, state-licensed, registered nurses who are capable of treating particular medical conditions without physician supervision. As a Nurse Practitioner, you may have the ability to prescribe and adjust medications. You may have worked as registered nurses for a few years before making the decision to expand your credentials.
A few skills needed to be a successful Nurse Practitioner is confidence in your abilitiy as a nurse, stellar communication between patients and physicians, the desire to lead a team, the ability to work under pressure and compassion to work with a broad range of patients. Common skills such as being highly professional, compassionate, punctual, responsible and knowledgeable in your craft will help you excel in a nurse practitioner position.
To prepare for your interview you will want to do your research on the company you are applying to. You will face a series of challenging questions, ranging from skill-based scenario questions on how you perform during your career as an RN as well as questions about your knowledge in your specialized field of medicine. Highlight your ability to multi-task and juggle high-priority tasks. Have examples of your results, your thought process, and your ability to work with the larger patient care team. Keep a positive attitude throughout the interview and be passionate about the possibility of working for the interviewing company.