Nursing Mock Interview

Practice 50 Nursing interview questions covering clinical scenarios, patient care priorities, and ethical decision-making.

Question 47 of 50

How much orientation time do you feel is reasonable?

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Community Answers

Ryan Brown

Ryan Brown created and launched MockQuestions in 2008.

There is not a one size fits all answer to this question because it depends on the new hire's experience. A novel or graduate nurse would require a much lengthier orientation than perhaps someone who is transferring from in-house or has worked a specialty unit recently.
There should be a standard orientation for all nurses for hospital-wide information and procedures and a unit-specific one. The interviewee should clarify if there is a hospital-wide orientation that all hires attend and a nursing/unit specific one. It shows intelligence and interest by asking them to explain what their current orientation policy is and then asking pointed and relevant questions about the policy. Be honest about what you need. Do not overpromise you can hit the ground running. Do what is right for you, the organization and the patient. Be clear about what you need and be clear about what they offer as you do not want to find yourself on day two with a difficult patient on a short-staffed unit with minimal support.

Ryan Brown

Ryan Brown created and launched MockQuestions in 2008.

"I would be happy to answer that question but first, could you tell me what your current orientation is in terms of hospital-wide policies and nursing-specific orientation? I am confident that I would not need any more hospital orientation time, but I would like to know what orientation on the nursing unit looks like? Will I have several days of shadowing? When that is completed, will we then continue to have a mentor on the unit for some time? I feel that I would be comfortable with at least one week or shadowing and mentoring on all shifts. I have previous experience but I would like to be able to get comfortable with the shift flow, equipment, and other tasks. Is there an orientation checklist that I need to complete such as admissions and discharges and how much time is allotted for that?"

Jaymie Payne

Jaymie Payne is passionate about talent acquistion and has nine years of experience in corporate and healthcare recruitment.

"I think this really depends on the unit. As a new grad, I had talked with my instructor about typical orientation and training, and she shared it can be anywhere from 2-6 months. I'm flexible and would be fine with that amount. I know the training time could vary depending on which unit of the facility I was hired for, but I feel 2-6 months is adequate time to be trained on the company's policies, equipment, and patient care routines and treatment. During my orientation, I would keep in close communication with my manager, letting them know where I felt like I was progressing and if there were any areas, I felt like I needed additional training and support."

Jaymie Payne

Jaymie Payne is passionate about talent acquistion and has nine years of experience in corporate and healthcare recruitment.

"I know each organization handles orientation a little differently, so I can adapt to whatever the standard is. Because I have been a nurse for several years and have worked in this type of setting before, I would need minimal orientation and training. During my orientation, I would keep in close communication with my manager, so they know where I may need more orientation or where I excel and need limited orientation. I would also communicate when I felt confident to be on my own."

Tabitha Cumpian

Tabitha Cumpian is an RN Lead with experience in multiple clinic specialties and has functioned as a program manager.

"Since I am a seasoned nurse and have previous experience in this area of nursing I am comfortable with a shorter orientation time. When I first began in this area of nursing, I had a longer orientation that was approximately 4 months. I learned a lot during that time that I have carried with me throughout my career. Now I feel I would only need about 1 month because of my significant background in this area. I understand though that each hospital has their own rules and guidelines for orientation and so I am happy to have a longer orientation if that is required."

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Anonymous Answer

12 to 16 weeks

Cindy's Feedback

Good, what do you want to accomplish during this time? Why is this adequate time to ensure complete familiarity with the role?

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50Nursing Interview Questions & Answers

Discovery

1.What motivates you to provide top-of-the-line nursing care?

Discovery

2.How do you stay current on the latest health research?

Situational

3.Tell me about a time when you committed a medical error in your nursing career. How did you handle it?

Behavioral

4.How have you responded when your supervisor asked you to work an additional shift to fill vacancies?

Competency

5.How do you prioritize when multiple patients and procedures demand your attention at once?

Behavioral

6.Describe your typical relationship with physicians you work with.

Education

7.Tell me about your education.

Situational

8.Tell me about a time in which you had to handle an irate physician, co-worker, or patient. How did you handle it and what were the results?

Competency

9.Are you specialized in a particular area of nursing, i.e. neo-natal, pediatric, geriatric, or women's health?

Situational

10.Describe a recent issue you had with a doctor or co-worker's decision. How did you handle it?

Competency

11.How do you make seamless transitions on shift changes?

Competency

12.Tell me about a time when you had to assist with an administrative project or task. What did the project/task entail and which software programs did you while completing the tasks?

Competency

13.How do you approach providing patient discharge instructions or patient education?

Competency

14.What precautions do you take with a patient in poor health?

Situational

15.Tell me about the greatest challenge you have faced in your nursing career? How did you overcome it?

Situational

16.Tell me about a time when you cared for a patient whose values or beliefs were different from your own. How did you handle the situation?

Competency

17.Tell me about your experience and abilities in collecting lab samples, such as blood, tissue, and and other specimens. Elaborate on the entire end-to-end process of collection.

Behavioral

18.What was your least favorite patient? What was the situation.

Competency

19.Tell me about your IV skills. Are you able to start an IV?

Discovery

20.Why are you leaving your current position?

Competency

21.How many patients is a full workload for you?

Situational

22.Tell me about a time you had to communicate bad news to a patient. How did you effectively communicate that news and what was the outcome?

Situational

23.Tell me about the most stressful situation you've had to deal with in the workplace.

Discovery

24.What is your work availability? Are you able to work nights? Weekends?

Competency

25.Talk about a time you had to communicate a complicated medical issue to a patient or their family. How did you go about relaying the message?

Competency

26.Tell me about an experience when you had to use ACLS, BLS, or PALS protocols in your nursing practice.

Situational

27.Talk about a time that you had to deal with a significant change in your work procedures or in your workplace. How did you handle that change?

Behavioral

28.We are interviewing several candidates for this position. Why should we hire you?

Discovery

29.Do you have any questions about the specific requirements or responsibilities of the job?

Situational

30.Tell me about a time that you had to deal with an unexpected emergency on the job. How did you handle that situation?

Competency

31.Are you able to handle the physical requirement of the job?

Situational

32.Tell me about a time when you have recognized that a patient is in a difficult or dangerous situation. How did you respond and what was the outcome?

Competency

33.Tell me about your experience supervising or mentoring other nurses.

Competency

34.How do you approach the documentation of patient records? Do you have specific strategies that you use?

Situational

35.Have you ever been disciplined or asked to resign from a nursing position?

Discovery

36.Can you tell us about what attracted you to a nursing position with our facility?

Discovery

37.What did you like the best about your last position as a nurse?

Discovery

38.Can you describe a career nursing role model and why?

Discovery

39.What professional organizations do you belong to and which ones would you like to join in the future?

Discovery

40.Do you carry professional liability insurance? Why or why not?

Discovery

41.Which nursing publications do you subscribe to and which one is your favorite?

Competency

42.How much supervision do you want or need in your role as a new nurse in a new position?

Discovery

43.What are your professional nursing goals?

Discovery

44.What are your goals in reference to furthering your education?

Discovery

45.Do you have plans to pursue certification in your chosen field?

Discovery

46.Do you have nursing management or leadership goals?

Competency

47.How much orientation time do you feel is reasonable?

Behavioral

48.How will you promote a culture of teamwork and collaboration?

Discovery

49.Tell me a bit about yourself.

Discovery

Nursing Mock Interview

How much orientation time do you feel is reasonable?

50Nursing Interview Questions & Answers

1.What motivates you to provide top-of-the-line nursing care?

2.How do you stay current on the latest health research?

3.Tell me about a time when you committed a medical error in your nursing career. How did you handle it?

4.How have you responded when your supervisor asked you to work an additional shift to fill vacancies?

5.How do you prioritize when multiple patients and procedures demand your attention at once?

6.Describe your typical relationship with physicians you work with.

7.Tell me about your education.

8.Tell me about a time in which you had to handle an irate physician, co-worker, or patient. How did you handle it and what were the results?

9.Are you specialized in a particular area of nursing, i.e. neo-natal, pediatric, geriatric, or women's health?

10.Describe a recent issue you had with a doctor or co-worker's decision. How did you handle it?

11.How do you make seamless transitions on shift changes?

12.Tell me about a time when you had to assist with an administrative project or task. What did the project/task entail and which software programs did you while completing the tasks?

13.How do you approach providing patient discharge instructions or patient education?

14.What precautions do you take with a patient in poor health?

15.Tell me about the greatest challenge you have faced in your nursing career? How did you overcome it?

16.Tell me about a time when you cared for a patient whose values or beliefs were different from your own. How did you handle the situation?

17.Tell me about your experience and abilities in collecting lab samples, such as blood, tissue, and and other specimens. Elaborate on the entire end-to-end process of collection.

18.What was your least favorite patient? What was the situation.

19.Tell me about your IV skills. Are you able to start an IV?

20.Why are you leaving your current position?

21.How many patients is a full workload for you?

22.Tell me about a time you had to communicate bad news to a patient. How did you effectively communicate that news and what was the outcome?

23.Tell me about the most stressful situation you've had to deal with in the workplace.

24.What is your work availability? Are you able to work nights? Weekends?

25.Talk about a time you had to communicate a complicated medical issue to a patient or their family. How did you go about relaying the message?

26.Tell me about an experience when you had to use ACLS, BLS, or PALS protocols in your nursing practice.

27.Talk about a time that you had to deal with a significant change in your work procedures or in your workplace. How did you handle that change?

28.We are interviewing several candidates for this position. Why should we hire you?

29.Do you have any questions about the specific requirements or responsibilities of the job?

30.Tell me about a time that you had to deal with an unexpected emergency on the job. How did you handle that situation?

31.Are you able to handle the physical requirement of the job?

32.Tell me about a time when you have recognized that a patient is in a difficult or dangerous situation. How did you respond and what was the outcome?

33.Tell me about your experience supervising or mentoring other nurses.

34.How do you approach the documentation of patient records? Do you have specific strategies that you use?

35.Have you ever been disciplined or asked to resign from a nursing position?

36.Can you tell us about what attracted you to a nursing position with our facility?

37.What did you like the best about your last position as a nurse?

38.Can you describe a career nursing role model and why?

39.What professional organizations do you belong to and which ones would you like to join in the future?

40.Do you carry professional liability insurance? Why or why not?

41.Which nursing publications do you subscribe to and which one is your favorite?

42.How much supervision do you want or need in your role as a new nurse in a new position?

43.What are your professional nursing goals?

44.What are your goals in reference to furthering your education?

45.Do you have plans to pursue certification in your chosen field?

46.Do you have nursing management or leadership goals?

47.How much orientation time do you feel is reasonable?

48.How will you promote a culture of teamwork and collaboration?

49.Tell me a bit about yourself.

50.What are your greatest weaknesses?