50 Nursing Interview Questions & Answers
Below is a list of our Nursing interview questions. Click on any interview question to view our answer advice and answer examples. You may view 15 answer examples before our paywall loads. Afterwards, you'll be asked to upgrade to view the rest of our answers.
Table of Contents
Nursing interviews can vary in structure, so it's important to be prepared for all types!
The interview process may look different depending on the setting you're applying to work in. For example, if it's an independent physician's practice, there may only be one, in-person, or virtual interview. If it's for a role within a larger organization, it could vary from one to several one-on-one interviews via phone, in-person, or virtual platforms, or you could have a round of panel interviews, with multiple interviewers present at one time. Asking questions upfront about the interview process and gathering as much information about the structure as possible will help you know what to expect and better prepare.
Nurse interviews are typically made up of a variety and mix of questions, including discovery or get-to-know-you questions, technical or knowledge-based questions, behavioral questions (these usually start with "tell me about a time when...), compatibility questions, and situational questions, so it's important to practice and be prepared for all types.
For questions that ask you to "tell the interviewer about a time when..." it can be hard to think of examples on the spot, so don't be afraid to pause and take a moment to gather your thoughts. Have a couple of examples rehearsed and prepared using the STAR method, which is a technique that gives an answer by telling a story by explaining the Situation, Task, Action, and Result. This approach helps you stay on track and give a concise and direct answer.
Interviewers often ask questions about why you want to work for their organization and may ask what you know about their mission and values. It's important to do your research beforehand on this information as well as read employee reviews; that way, you can demonstrate that you're being intentional when applying for jobs. Being prepared in this way will help you stand out amongst other applicants.
As you answer questions, think about qualities, characteristics, and skills that the interviewer will find valuable in the next nurse they hire to their team, and weave those into your answers. Let your personality and passion for nursing shine in your responses, be genuine, avoid speaking negatively about past or current coworkers or employers, give a direct and concise answer, try to avoid rambling (which is easy to do when you're nervous!), and just be yourself! The interview process can be stressful, but by asking questions about the interview process early on in the recruitment process, preparing, and practicing, you will give yourself every opportunity to make a positive and lasting first impression on the interviewer!
Behavioral
1. How have you responded when your supervisor asked you to work an additional shift to fill vacancies?
How to Answer
Any nurse knows that one of the downsides to the career is the need for coverage on most units 24 hours per day, 365 days per year. There may be times when you are asked to alter your schedule or pick up additional shifts to fill for vacancies in the work schedule. Due to being shorthanded, you may also be asked to stay for longer hours on your current shift. Working as a cohesive team is important among fellow nurses in a department and they need to be willing to help each other out when needed. As well, it is important for you to be open and honest about your availability and for you to ensure that the job you are interviewing for fits your schedule.
Written by Elisabeth Walter
1st Entry Level Example
"As a new nurse entering the workforce, I will be more than willing to pick up extra shifts and work extra hours when needed. I am very eager to work with and learn from as many experienced nurses as I can and this would enable me to do that. Through college, I worked in the student center book store and I picked up any extra shifts that my school schedule allowed me to. There, covering the schedule was a team effort and we had to be in constant communication due to us all being full-time students."
Written by Ryan Brunner
2nd Entry Level Example
"Since I am just now finishing my nursing program and am a newly licensed nurse, I have not yet encountered this situation; however, I am very eager to learn and am willing to cover extra shifts when needed. Before my career change into nursing, I worked in the business/IT industry, and I often had to pull long days with many hours, so I am used to going above and beyond the standard work week in order to get the job done. As a nurse, my priority will be caring for our patients, and I will pitch in and help however I can in order to ensure they are cared for."
Written by Kelly Burlison on March 17th, 2019
1st Experienced Example
"I know that working as an obstetrics nurse on 12-hour shifts that teamwork and helping cover for each other is important. In my current position, we have policies on notification for paid time off, shift swapping and calling in sick. I have been open to help cover extra shifts when needed and staying over for some extra time on shifts as long as I have some notice because I need to make childcare arrangements for our little one."
Written by Elisabeth Walter
2nd Experienced Example
"Through my career as a nurse, all units that I worked on functioned as a cohesive team and this was very important when it came to covering shifts. Just recently, I was working day shifts on my unit when we were notified that two of the evening shift nurses came down with the flu. Being down a couple of nurses due to turnover, my supervisor made calls to those on night shift to see if two people could split the shifts and work 12 hours. I volunteered to stay over four extra hours without hesitation and when two night shift nurses stepped up as well, we had the unit covered for the evening."
Written by Ryan Brunner
3rd Experienced Example
"As a seasoned nurse, I have experienced this on several occasions in the past. I do have children so I first have needed to ensure I have child care but then I have always been happy to pick up and work additional shifts. I feel that as a healthcare team, we must be willing to work together to cover shift needs so that our patients are always cared for in the best possible way."
Written by Tabitha Cumpian on January 31st, 2023
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Behavioral
2. We are interviewing several candidates for this position. Why should we hire you?
How to Answer
Often one of the final questions during the interview, this is your final chance to sell yourself to the interviewer on why you are the best candidate for the job. This is a good question for you to have a prepared, but not rehearsed answer where you can talk about the skills you bring to the table and how they will benefit the organization and the patients. As well, you can discuss your personal traits that you feel put you above the competition for the position.
Written by Elisabeth Walter
1st Entry Level Example
"Pursuing a nursing career has been a passion of mine since I was a young girl. As I made my way through nursing school, my dream of becoming a nurse developed into a passion for helping those patients that are in need of psychiatric help. I know that your psychiatric inpatient unit requires a nurse that is both compassionate and able to handle a large patient load on any given day. You'll find that my past work experience and references will point out that I am a go-getter who can handle a large workload while providing excellent care to my patients."
Written by Ryan Brunner
2nd Entry Level Example
"Although I am sure you are interviewing more experienced candidates, I feel that I am the best candidate for this position. I left a successful career in IT project management to become a nurse, which proves that I have a passion for nursing and am committed to the profession. Also, in addition to my newly acquired nursing skills, I have a host of IT, data, project management, and informatics skills that I can bring to the table and add to the team. I am not sure, but I doubt you will find another candidate with such a diverse skill set."
Written by Kelly Burlison on March 17th, 2019
1st Experienced Example
"Throughout my career as a nurse, I have demonstrated that patient care is a top priority in any job that I have held. It has always been my dream to work on an obstetrics unit and I know that everything that I have worked for in my career has brought me here, speaking with you. My compassion and drive to succeed in this position make me the top person for this job and you'll find quickly that I will be a top contributing member of your obstetrics nursing team."
Written by Elisabeth Walter
2nd Experienced Example
"As a nurse who has worked over 20 years in the field, I have developed many skills in my time working in family practice, urgent care and general surgery. These skills will translate well into your emergency setting. You'll find that I'm a very patient centered nurse who is driven to be the best that I can be each and every day that I report for duty. Being a successful nurse requires this drive to succeed along with a passion for the craft and without those traits, I wouldn't be the nurse that I am today."
Written by Ryan Brunner
1st Answer Example
"As an experienced nurse, I am very organized and dependable. I have worked in many settings throughout my nursing career and have had the opportunity to work with very experienced nurses. This has been incredibly helpful as I grew over the years because these experienced nurses were such amazing mentors. They helped to show me from the very beginning of my career the value and importance of being part of a team. That is now one of the traits that I pride myself on, being a team player. Caring for some patients can be quite complex, and I truly believe we must be willing to work together as a team and help one another provide the best care."
Written by Tabitha Cumpian on January 31st, 2023
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Behavioral
3. Describe your typical relationship with physicians you work with.
How to Answer
As a nurse, you have a working relationship with several physicians. This question will enable you to showcase your relationship with the physicians that you have worked with and what your communication style is. As a nurse, building trust with physicians is important as well so some examples of how you've built that trust can be beneficial.
Written by Elisabeth Walter
1st Entry Level Example
"During my clinical rotations, I had the chance to work with and relate to many different physicians. By getting to work with and learn from so many different physicians, I obtained a much greater understanding for what they are looking for in a great nurse and how I can better work with them to treat our patients. At first, I was intimidated by the fact I'd be working directly with a doctor, but after communicating and working with them, I look forward to building more of these relationships with my first employer as a nurse."
Written by Ryan Brunner
1st Experienced Example
"During my career, I've taken great pride in being able to communicate and relate to the physicians that I have worked with. Together, we ultimately work as a team to provide the best care that we can for each patient and our working relationship is key in accomplishing this goal."
Written by Elisabeth Walter
2nd Experienced Example
"In my time as a dialysis nurse, I have worked with many Nephrologists in direct patient care. As the first contact with the patient, it was my duty to communicate any changes in patient conditions to the Nephrologist and I never hesitated to so. Over my career, I took great pride to get to know how each physician prefers my communication and working style to be with them and I was able to tailor my approach for specific physicians that had particular preferences."
Written by Ryan Brunner
3rd Experienced Example
"I pride myself in the fact that I am able to develop and maintain very professional relationships with the physicians I work with. As I nurse, I am part of the care team, but I look to the physicians I work with for orders and for guidance. While there are times that I must bring various things to their attention and ask questions in a professional manner, I do not blatantly challenge the decisions physicians have made like I have seen some of my nursing colleagues do in the past. Also, when it comes to dealing with difficult physician personalities, I never take any difficult encounters personally. I recognize that physicians are typically under a significant amount of pressure and stress and if their emotions run high because of this, I do not need to add stress to their lives by complicating the situation."
Written by Kelly Burlison on March 17th, 2019
4th Experienced Example
"Throughout my career, I have had the opportunity to work with many physicians with varying personalities. I have always communicated in a clear, friendly, and professional manner. I believe we are both part of the same healthcare team and ultimately we are here to help the patients return to a state of health. I always want to ensure I am doing my part to make that happen and for me, it begins with having clear communication with the physician."
Written by Tabitha Cumpian on January 31st, 2023
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Behavioral
4. How will you promote a culture of teamwork and collaboration?
How to Answer
Many healthcare companies promote teamwork and collaboration as core values. As a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse on the team, you will work alongside other nurses, nursing assistants, physicians, and other clinical care providers. Describe ways that you promote teamwork and collaboration in the workplace and how you will contribute to supporting these core values.
Written by Jaymie Payne on December 18th, 2022
1st Entry Level Example
"During clinicals, I promoted a sense of teamwork by being willing to help others, whether it was helping them lift or ambulate a patient or helping them understand a process when documenting a patient's status. It's important for those you work with to know that you can be trusted and relied upon if they need help. Communication is another way I will promote collaboration. Sharing patient updates, messages from physicians or other clinicians, family requests, etc., is essential when working with a multidisciplinary team to promote the best patient care and outcomes."
Written by Jaymie Payne on December 18th, 2022
1st Experienced Example
"I'm used to working short-staffed, so if there is a time my patient volume is down or I'm caught up with my tasks, the first thing I do is approach my coworkers to see if they need assistance or support. Perhaps a nurse is behind on a med pass, or there are ten call lights on in the hall. I'm happy to jump in and support others so that we're working together to make sure all patients are cared for, no matter who they are assigned to on the shift. I promote teamwork and collaboration by setting the example for other staff members."
Written by Jaymie Payne on December 18th, 2022
2nd Experienced Example
"In my last position, I was part of a diverse interdisciplinary clinical team, so I am accustomed to working with nurses, nursing assistants, physicians, and specialists. My communication skills promote teamwork and collaboration through active listening, setting clear expectations, relaying accurate and up-to-date information on patients, and a tone of positivity. I always support my colleagues when they need help catching up on documentation or if they need help passing medications to patients. I encourage others to help one another and lend a hand and I keep a positive attitude as I find that's often contagious!"
Written by Jaymie Payne on December 18th, 2022
1st Answer Example
"I promote teamwork and collaboration by example. Whenever I have my tasks caught up, I always check in with my fellow coworkers and teammates to see if anyone needs help with any care for their patients. This includes asking both the nurses and nursing assistants. I also always work to stay in tune with my surroundings. For instance, if I still have tasks to be completed but it seems that someone else is busier or has multiple urgent needs I then prioritize what I may be able to help team members with while also ensuring my own tasks are completed on time."
Written by Tabitha Cumpian on January 31st, 2023
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Behavioral
5. What was your least favorite patient? What was the situation.
How to Answer
Any experienced nurse has had to deal with a patient that was unruly, untruthful or just downright mean. For this question, be sure to provide a specific time where you had to handle a patient like this, how you handled the situation and what the final outcome was. The interviewer is looking for you to stay calm, cool and collected despite wanting to fight back.
Written by Elisabeth Walter
1st Entry Level Example
"While not experiencing this type of patient directly during my clinical experiences during nursing school, I did encounter a few angry customers during my time working as a waiter through college. One particular customer became upset that I had brought him a different soda than he ordered. Where most customers would have simply asked nicely, he loudly proclaimed to the entire establishment that I was a poor waiter that couldn't get an order right. Knowing that his anger obviously stemmed from much more than a wrong soda, I simply apologized and returned with the correct order for him. My boss said I handled the situation properly and made sure that I put his meal on the house's tab for the day."
Written by Ryan Brunner
1st Experienced Example
"I had an elderly patient who was struggling to maintain their independence, but suffering from dementia while recovering from a broken hip. They were resistant at times when they needed to take medicine, so I learned how to talk to them and involve their family member in order to encourage them to do the things they needed for care."
Written by Elisabeth Walter
2nd Experienced Example
"During my time as a family practice nurse, I had seen several patients that were abusing prescription pain pills. One patient, in particular, became very upset with me when the physician would not prescribe more pain medication to the patient after I checked her medical record and realized that a pain specialist had just done so the week prior with a full month's prescription. Fearing that the patient may become violent, I brought another male nurse into the room and I calmly explained to her why more medication couldn't be prescribed. The conversation led to a discussion on abuse of pain medications and the dangers of the abuse. The patient left our clinic that day with educational brochures in hand about pain medicine abuse."
Written by Ryan Brunner
3rd Experienced Example
"To date, most of my experience has been working in outpatient family practice clinics, and the most frustrating patients for me are the ones who have no clinical experience or scientific education but question every recommendation the clinicians make because of 'research' they have conducted on the internet. I understand that everyone's opinions are valid and all patients are allowed to ask questions, but the patients who think they know more than the doctors I work with because of a blog they have read on the internet are very frustrating to me. Last flu season, when the virus was at epidemic levels, I had a patient who not only refused the vaccine but was telling me the vaccine caused the flu. I know this is clinically and scientifically impossible, but rather than becoming combative with her, I calmly presented her with the facts and allowed her to make her own decision, which ultimately was to deny herself the vaccine, but I did what I could."
Written by Kelly Burlison on March 17th, 2019
4th Experienced Example
"I once was caring for a young adult patient who was admitted due to a sickle cell crisis. When the patient asked for another dose of pain medication, I had to inform him that at that time I could not give him any because it was too early according to the current orders. I tried then to ask questions about the pain to gather more information and determine if perhaps I needed to contact the physician for new orders. The patient became very angry at me for not giving him pain medication when he asked and proceeded to yell at me. It was very frustrating, but I remained calm and didn't take his actions or words personally. I explained to him why I was asking the questions about his pain and would be happy to call the physician with an update and see if there were any other pain treatment options available. It took awhile, but I was finally able to gather information from the patient and contact the physician to discuss new potential orders."
Written by Tabitha Cumpian on January 31st, 2023
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Competency
6. How do you approach the documentation of patient records? Do you have specific strategies that you use?
How to Answer
Documentation of clinical encounters in patient records is extremely important and much of this responsibility rests on the shoulders of the nursing staff. If clinical encounters, medications, procedures, vital signs, and other information is not documented properly, unintended consequences could occur, some being dire. The interviewer is asking this question to determine how seriously the candidate takes documentation and to determine if they use any methods to improve efficiencies for documentation. To effectively answer this question, the candidate should talk about how they approach documentation, from beginning to end and give examples of any strategies they use to improve efficiency.
Written by Kelly Burlison on March 17th, 2019
1st Entry Level Example
"I am new to nursing, as I just finished nursing school, but I understand how important clinical documentation is. During my clinical rotations, when I had the opportunity to document my clinical encounters, I made sure to document everything, and before signing the note, I would double-check to ensure everything was correct. Since I am new to this and have not had a chance to develop my own efficiencies, I cannot speak to that, but I can say that my background in IT project management will allow me to think outside the box, and I can see myself coming up with ideas for standardization that others may not ever think of."
Written by Kelly Burlison on March 17th, 2019
1st Experienced Example
"Documentation can be hard, especially on the days when I am extremely busy and I feel like I hardly have time to give basic care to my patients. While I know that I have to fill out the clinic notes completely, I also do not always have time to complete the full note at the patient bedside. What I will do is fill out the basic information and save the note so I can go back and edit it later. Then, when I have time later in the day, I will go back and complete the note using the shorthand notes that I left myself in the medical record."
Written by Kelly Burlison on March 17th, 2019
2nd Experienced Example
"Working in a pediatric outpatient clinic, what I spent the most of my time on is documenting vaccines that were administered. This is not just the case for me, but all my pediatric nursing colleagues at work, we were spending a significant amount of time documenting vaccines. There were instances of other nurses taking shortcuts to save time, but these shortcuts did not include all the required information. Since this was such a big issue, I was always trying to find ways to help us streamline the vaccine documentation process, and one day, as I stood in the vaccine room, I came up with an idea of scanning the barcodes on the vaccines and them going straight into the medical record. While this idea took a long time to execute and a lot of work, I was able to work with our EHR and IT staff at our company to make this happen and it has freed up a significant amount of time for all pediatric nurses."
Written by Kelly Burlison on March 17th, 2019
3rd Experienced Example
"Several years ago, when I first started working in outpatient adult medicine, I found that I was spending a significant amount of time writing clinic notes, and many days, I was writing the same things repeatedly. I know how important clinical documentation is, for everything from clinical decision-making to quality reporting, so I knew I needed to write thorough records. So, to help myself save time, I wrote out templates that included the basic information for different types of visits, such as sick visit, well visit, diabetes follow up, and senior visit, and saved them on WordPad so I could copy the information into the EHR. Now, when one of these patients comes in for an appointment, I am able to copy in the template and fill in the blanks. This process saves me a significant amount of time and my documentation is of good quality."
Written by Kelly Burlison on March 17th, 2019
4th Experienced Example
"When I begin documenting I always think about how I can chart everything that happened in the most comprehensive yet concise way. I prefer to use flowsheets when the EHR has them available. Then, unless specified by the organization, I always chart by exception. I feel this makes documenting more efficient. I document as much as I can by exception and with the flowsheets. If I need to document something that does not easily or smoothly fit into a flowsheet, then I will add a nursing note. I have found that this process has streamlined my documentation."
Written by Tabitha Cumpian on January 31st, 2023
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Competency
7. Tell me about your experience supervising or mentoring other nurses.
How to Answer
In the profession of nursing, there is much opportunity for nurses to mentor their peers or advance into leadership positions where they will supervise their colleagues. The interviewer is asking this question to assess the candidate's experience in mentorship and/or supervision to determine how these skills could potentially be utilized at your organization. To successfully answer this question, the candidate should provide an example of a time in which they supervised their colleagues or mentored another nursing professional. If the candidate does not experience supervising or mentoring other nurses, a supervision or mentorship experience in another setting would suffice.
Written by Kelly Burlison on March 17th, 2019
1st Entry Level Example
"I just recently finished nursing school, so I have not yet had the opportunity to formally supervise or mentor other nurses in a professional position. However, since I was a career changer and went back to nursing school after I had an established career, many of my peers in school were younger than me, and they looked up to me for advice. Because I believe in helping others, I helped these academic colleagues and mentored them while we were in school and while we were doing our clinical rotations. While this mentorship experience is not directly connected to a job, I feel like I will be able to use this experience at your organization."
Written by Kelly Burlison on March 17th, 2019
1st Experienced Example
"Throughout my nursing career, I have held a couple of supervisory positions, in which I supervised entire teams of nurses, and was responsible for hiring and firing, scheduling, and ensuring everyone was able to grow and achieve their goals. While I am willing to take on these types of positions, I do not prefer them; however, I do enjoy mentoring young nurses who are recent graduates of nursing school. Many experienced nurses are threatened by new nurses, but I enjoy taking them under my wing and helping them grow, and I hope there are opportunities to mentor new nurses at your organization if I have the opportunity to join your team."
Written by Kelly Burlison on March 17th, 2019
2nd Experienced Example
"While I am not seeking a supervisory position at this point in my career, I have over fifteen years of experience supervising nursing teams. Because of my experience with creating schedules, coaching employees, addressing performance issues, and handling other supervisory responsibilities, I am able and willing to fill in for the current supervisor when needed. I am always willing to use my supervisory skills to help out when needed, but because of personal obligations, right now, I am not interested in taking on a full-time supervisory role."
Written by Kelly Burlison on March 17th, 2019
3rd Experienced Example
"I have not yet held a supervisory position in nursing as of yet, but I have mentored many of my colleagues when they first join the team. Mentoring has been one of the greatest joys of my career, and it has been an absolute pleasure seeing my mentees find their own success in their careers. One of my mentees, Marie, just applied for a new job within the company and obtained a supervisory position, and I couldn't be happier for her! Because I have been so successful at mentoring others, I think I would be a great supervisor, and I hope that there are opportunities to move into a supervisory role one day at your organization."
Written by Kelly Burlison on March 17th, 2019
4th Experienced Example
"Throughout my career so far, I have not held a supervisory position. However, I have mentored fellow coworkers. I was the primary preceptor for a very specialized outpatient department. After walking new hires through a rigorous orientation program, there was still consistent learning that occurred every day. Although team members were officially considered independent, I remained their mentor as they continued learning a little more each day. At the beginning of each orientation, I always worked to develop a good rapport with my coworker so that they felt comfortable working with me and would be willing to ask questions so they could learn."
Written by Tabitha Cumpian on January 31st, 2023
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Competency
8. Are you able to handle the physical requirement of the job?
How to Answer
The nursing profession can be physically demanding. Standing and walking for long stretches, assisting in lifting patients and staying awake for odd hours and long periods of time are some of the physical demands of the job. For the position that you are interviewing for, make sure to research what the physical demands are for the job and point out how you are able to handle those tasks. It can also be beneficial to discuss your self-care methods because being a nurse often requires being in great
Written by Elisabeth Walter
1st Entry Level Example
"I know that as I enter a nursing career, I will be asked to do some pretty extreme physical activity. Lifting patients and standing for long hours at a time comes easy to me as I've participate in sports all the way through high school and continued this through college. Being in great shape and eating healthy is a lifestyle choice that I have made and it will definitely help me in my nursing career moving forward."
Written by Ryan Brunner
2nd Entry Level Example
"One of the reasons I chose to change my career from a desk-job to nursing is so I would be more physically active and would not have to sit all day. My previous career in business was a marathon in sitting, so I am looking forward to the active and strenuous environment that my new career in nursing will offer. While I know that the physical activity that I have endured during my clinical training in nursing school is nothing compared to the physical work I will endure as a full-time nurse, I have enjoyed the physical nature of the job. In order to prepare myself for full-time nursing, I have been getting myself into shape, been using a standing desk, and ensuring that I get at least 45-minutes of cardiovascular activity on a daily basis."
Written by Kelly Burlison on March 17th, 2019
1st Experienced Example
"Through my nursing career, I have spent many long hours on my feet and working shifts at non-traditional times. To be able to do this with ease, I have worked hard to be in the best physical shape that I can be by jogging on a regular basis, eating healthy and getting ample amounts of sleep each and every night."
Written by Elisabeth Walter
2nd Experienced Example
"In my nursing career, I have always handled the physical requirements of the job with ease. Before lift systems were standard in inpatient rooms, we physically lifted patients into and out of their beds when needed. The long hours and standing for long periods of time come easily to me as well. I realized early in my career that I needed to care for myself and my physical well-being outside of work and I continue to do this to this day."
Written by Ryan Brunner
3rd Experienced Example
"I am accustomed to the physical demands and requirements that nursing has. Over my years as a nurse, I have learned the importance and value of self-care for my overall health. I maintain a regular exercise routine so that my body is physically ready to work and so that my mind has the chance to rest and recover from what can be at times stressful days."
Written by Tabitha Cumpian on January 31st, 2023
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9. Tell me about an experience when you had to use ACLS, BLS, or PALS protocols in your nursing practice.
How to Answer
The interviewer is asking this question to assess the candidate's knowledge and skill level of Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS), Basic Life Support (BLS) and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) protocols. Every nurse, at a minimum, should be trained in ACLS and BLS, and depending on their work environment, they should also be trained in PALS. This training includes a set of clinical interventions for the urgent treatment of cardiac arrest, stroke, and other life-threatening emergencies, as well as knowledge and skills to execute those interventions. The candidate's ability to effectively respond to a crisis using appropriate life support interventions directly correlates to patient outcomes. To effectively answer this question, the candidate should articulate their knowledge of life support protocols and describe how they have used them in the past.
Written by Elisabeth Walter
1st Entry Level Example
"Part of my nursing training was to become certified in both ACLS and BLS, and I am interested in becoming certified in PALS as well; however, I have not yet encountered a patient situation where I have had to utilize these life-saving skills. While I have never had experience utilizing these skills, with the training that I received, I am very confident that I will be able to properly execute the protocols. I take my responsibility as a nurse very seriously, and when it is time for me to provide life support measures, I will be ready to do so with confidence and skill."
Written by Ryan Brunner
2nd Entry Level Example
"I am a relatively new nurse, as I have only had my license for two years. However, I am certified in BLS, ACLS, and PALS. Fortunately, I haven't had too many experiences in the outpatient clinic where I have had to administer life support to patients, but there was one situation where I had to utilize my PALS skills. A young couple with a newborn with pertussis, or whooping cough, had brought their baby to the clinic instead of the ER, and the baby stopped breathing and turned blue while in the waiting room. Once I was alerted of this, I had the front desk call a code and I immediately responded to the family and began resuscitation efforts on the newborn. By the time the paramedics arrived to take the baby to the hospital, he was breathing on his own again, so our efforts in the clinic likely prevented him from dying in our waiting room."
Written by Kelly Burlison on March 17th, 2019
1st Experienced Example
"I am very familiar with all the life support protocols that you mentioned and have used all of them in my nursing career, but most recently, while working in pediatrics, I have used PALS most often. I actually had to initiate PALS protocols while working on my unit earlier this week, when a young patient unexpectedly coded. While we waited for our hospitalist physician to arrive on our unit to help us with the response, I led the nursing team in giving the patient CPR and determining which meds were needed to stabilize them until the physician arrived. If I had not taken action and properly followed PALS protocols, the patient would have died, but because of the appropriate action I did take, they are expected to be discharged later this week."
Written by Elisabeth Walter
2nd Experienced Example
"I have been ACLS and BLS certified for many years and have had to use my skills in these life support methods many times when patients were in distress. While I have never worked directly with pediatric patients and have never been required to be PALS certified, I am confident that I would be able to effectively execute such protocols when necessary, if I receive proper training. Because I have been a practicing nurse for so many years, I have been required to use my advanced life support skills many times, including recently when a patient I was triaging in the emergency department went into full cardiac arrest. After I pressed the emergency button, which alerted my colleagues of an emergency, I immediately got the patient onto the floor and started CPR until my attending physician could get there. Even after my attending got there to take the lead, I continued to assist, and we were able to revive the patient and get them stabilized."
Written by Ryan Brunner
3rd Experienced Example
"Working on higher acuity level units in my career has required that I become very familiar and comfortable using my BLS and ACLS skills. I once witnessed a frail patient aspirate during their breakfast. Although I was not the primary nurse for this patient, I was the closest at the time the patient aspirated and was able to jump into action quickly to help them. The patient's airway was compromised, and he began desaturating quickly. I promptly called for help and requested a rapid response be initiated. While another nurse initiated the rapid response call, I began supporting the person's airway. Unfortunately, the person declined rapidly, and I had to initiate CPR. Once the full team arrived, we rotated who was giving compressions to prevent fatigue, and because of our quick response time and working together seamlessly we were able to revive the patient and promptly transfer him to ICU."
Written by Tabitha Cumpian on January 31st, 2023
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10. 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?
How to Answer
Years of nursing school and clinical experience give nurses a lot of medical knowledge. But to most patients and family members on a clinical visit or hospital stay, medical terminology is like a foreign language. Because of this, nurses need to have conversations with patients in a manner that the patient and/or family will understand and be able to make informed decisions if needed.
Written by Elisabeth Walter
1st Entry Level Example
"During my clinical rotations as a pediatric nurse, we had a young girl come in with severe pain in her ear and head. After my initial check on her, I noticed she had some severe congestion in her ear and nasal cavities likely causing the pain. Prior to the doctor coming in and noticing she was very nervous, I used the metaphor that her ears and nose were like a cave and bad monsters had gotten into the cave. I explained to her that the doctor needed to look at the monsters to be able to give her the right medicine to get rid of the monsters in the cave and clear the way again. With that said, she was in a giggling mood and sat nicely for the doctor to fully check her out."
Written by Ryan Brunner
1st Experienced Example
"As an emergency nurse, we had a young patient come in one day that had been a passenger in a bad car accident. Due to the injuries that he sustained, he was left with a leg that was badly broken and bleeding badly as well. Upon initial triage, the doctor thought there would be a chance the young patient would lose his leg to amputation to save his life if the surgery didn't go as planned. The boy's father was in the accident as well and was being treated and the mother showed up to the ER shortly after they arrived at our facility and she was obviously in a panicked state. Knowing that we would be rushing her son to surgery, I calmly sat with her in the waiting room to explain the injuries to his leg and that the bleeding was very bad. Rather than using medical terms, I simplified the conversation to her level of knowledge so that she understood the importance of the surgery and what could happen if the surgeon wasn't able to stop the bleeding. By having an understanding of the situation, the mother was able to calm down and think clearly."
Written by Elisabeth Walter
2nd Experienced Example
"In my time as a rehabilitation nurse, I worked with patients that spanned a wide array of physical ailments. When it came to working with patients with joint issues, my team obviously knew the medical terminology for the femur, tibia, ulna, radius and so forth. When talking about specific bones, joints and muscles with patients, I always made sure to point out where each was on their body and talked about how each part functions. Using this method, patients were better able to understand how their body worked and why their rehab processes were important to their overall health."
Written by Ryan Brunner
3rd Experienced Example
"Working in the emergency department, I encounter patients with a variety of conditions, some very simple, and some very complicated and sometimes life-threatening. Not too long ago, we had a young patient come in with a minor blunt facial injury, but soon after she arrived bacteria from the wound perforated the sinus cavity, which was punctured, and spread into the patient's brain. The patient went from arriving needing stitches and an X-ray to being in a life-threatening situation that required a transfer to intensive care. This was a lot for the child's family members to take in, so after the physician gave them a broad overview of what happened, I sat with the family and went over their child's condition again, in less technical terms, and took time to answer their questions. This helped the family understand what was happening, as they were very confused and shocked by the situation."
Written by Kelly Burlison on March 17th, 2019
4th Experienced Example
"I once had a patient who had multiple pulmonary embolisms and had to be started on an IV drip. The physician came in and explained to the patient the imaging results using medical terms. I could tell when the physician left that the patient and spouse were overwhelmed with the information and were not completely sure what all the words meant. I then took the time to sit with them and explain to them essentially what the doctor just had but without the use of medical terms. Instead, I provided all the information and education to them in laymen's terms. This helped them both to understand what the imaging showed and what the next steps would be in the treatment process. They were very grateful for the additional time spent and education given to them."
Written by Tabitha Cumpian on January 31st, 2023
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11. How much supervision do you want or need in your role as a new nurse in a new position?
How to Answer
This is a tricky one so think it through and be prepared to give an answer that illustrates that you are 'coachable' without being too dependent or needy, but also that you are confident and competent without being arrogant or a management nightmare. The employer wants the best of both worlds so be prepared to describe your competency, initiative, and willingness to both ask for and receive supervision and direction.
Written by Ryan Brown on June 5th, 2019
1st Entry Level Example
"I think it depends on the length of orientation I receive for the position. I am confident that I bring a level of competency to the position with my past experience, but every unit is different. I can be a self-starter with minimal supervision with regular cardiac catheter patients but would like access to supervision with more complicated patients. And I always appreciate supervision and critique from nursing leadership to learn and be better."
Written by Ryan Brown on June 5th, 2019
2nd Entry Level Example
"During my initial onboarding and orientation period, I would expect to have oversight and a supervisor as I learn the processes and day-to-day of the unit. If there is limited oversight, I can work well in that scenario too, I would just be vocal and communicate with my manager when I felt I needed an extra level of support or supervision with a patient or treatment. As I settle in, I would expect the supervision would become less and less as I instilled trust in my manager with my competency but would still expect and appreciate regular feedback and support as needed."
Written by Jaymie Payne on December 18th, 2022
1st Experienced Example
"Because of my experience and background in this setting, I am able to work autonomously. I understand I would need some training and onboarding to learn the organization's ways, but after that, I will be a reliable and self-starting employee. I appreciate having a manager who provides feedback, is engaged, and offers support to the team. I work well with others, but I'm also disciplined and can manage myself well, but I also ask questions when I need advice, and I go to my manager when I need support or have concerns about a situation."
Written by Jaymie Payne on December 18th, 2022
2nd Experienced Example
"I am flexible with the amount of supervision I receive initially. Since I am a seasoned nurse, I am able to work independently fairly quickly. I would like to have some supervision initially to learn the department's workflow, but then after that, I am comfortable being independent. I love learning so if I get to a point where I am unsure of something I will always ask to make sure that I understand the process for the department correctly so I can learn and that I am always keeping my patients safe."
Written by Tabitha Cumpian on January 31st, 2023
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Competency
12. How many patients is a full workload for you?
How to Answer
This is a question where you can open up and be honest with your past experiences and what you feel comfortable working with. Each facility/unit/department has different patients with different acuity levels, so the exact number of patients can vary from department to department. This is a good time to emphasize how you keep yourself organized in your work and let the interviewer know that you can take on any workload that comes your way.
Written by Elisabeth Walter
1st Entry Level Example
"Going into my first job, I have put a lot of thought into this question without having direct experience. Through my clinical rotations during nursing school, I never had a unit with patients to myself as I was always working with a preceptor. In a Family Practice clinic, seeing around three patients per hour, or between 20-25 per day, seemed very manageable in the way I watched her manage the day. For myself, handling a large patient load for a day will come down to my organizational skills and ability to prioritize needs in a timely manner."
Written by Ryan Brunner
1st Experienced Example
"During my career as a nurse, I have found out that the number of patients that I'm comfortable handling is relative to the unit that I'm working on. In a highly acute ICU, I've worked with as a high as 8 patients on a shift and felt this was overwhelming. On a Med/Surg unit, 8 patients on a unit that I'm responsible for is low. No matter the unit that I work on, I have a great method in place for prioritizing the needs of my patients and make sure that all of my patient's needs are met in a timely manner."
Written by Elisabeth Walter
2nd Experienced Example
"As an emergency nurse for many years, I was able to successfully manage the shifts where we were bombarded with patients. On these days, we often saw over 60 patients on a 10 hour shift and I was comfortable on those days due to my ability to stay organized and prioritize what needed to be done first. "
Written by Ryan Brunner
3rd Experienced Example
"This is a really good question, and it really depends on the situation and the acuity of the patients that I am caring for. However, for the position that I am applying for at your organization, where I would be caring for hospitalized geriatric patients, I would say my capacity would be ten patients, give or take, depending on patient acuity. I feel that one of my strongest skill sets is assessing the patients I am caring for and measuring my capacity, and when I do this if I feel that I am becoming overloaded, I will communicate this to the charge nurse so they can help redistribute or offer help of a CNA. I would not ask for help unless it was absolutely needed, and I only do so when I feel like I cannot properly care for patients who are in my care."
Written by Kelly Burlison on March 17th, 2019
4th Experienced Example
"I've had the opportunity to work in multiple settings throughout my nursing career, and I have learned that the workload I am able to take on greatly depends on the type of unit I am working on and the patient's level of acuity. On a Med/Surg unit, I have taken up to 7 patients. This kept me extremely busy throughout my shift, but I have a system in place to stay organized, and I was still able to meet all of the patient's needs. On a step-down unit I have had up to 4 patients. These patients' acuity level has been much higher and so having fewer patients was more appropriate in order to meet their needs and ensure I was able to provide safe, comprehensive care. Ultimately, I am very organized and efficient with my care so I can handle any workload given to me. I always work closely with my team and nursing assistant to ensure all patient needs are met."
Written by Tabitha Cumpian on January 31st, 2023
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As an emergency nurse for many years, I was able to successfully manage the shifts where we were bombarded with patients."
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Competency
13. Tell me about your IV skills. Are you able to start an IV?
How to Answer
One of the skills many nurses will be expected to have is starting intravenous lines (IVs). IVs can be used for many purposes including administering fluids, blood transfusions, and medications. Proper delivery of IV therapy is extremely important because if the therapy is delivered incorrectly, the patient's life could be put in danger. In order for IV therapy to be properly administered, the IV must be inserted into the vein properly, which requires a specific skill-set and the ability to follow protocols. To successfully answer this question, the candidate should elaborate on their ability and experience in starting and managing IVs. A more successful answer would include an example of when the candidate successfully handled a difficult circumstance while starting and/or managing and IV.
Written by Elisabeth Walter
1st Entry Level Example
"While I was in nursing school, I was trained on administering IVs and in my clinical rotations, I had the opportunity to get hands-on experience, especially during my rotations in the emergency department and urgent care. While in these rotations, I started more than fifteen IVs, and I became very comfortable in doing so. However, since I finished nursing school and started working in the outpatient adult medicine clinic, I have not had the opportunity to practice this skill and I have not started any VIs in over two years. But, I feel very comfortable with my IV skills, and I think I will be able to quickly get back into good practice in only a few weeks."
Written by Ryan Brunner
1st Experienced Example
"The nursing position I held before my current job in pediatrics was at an infusion center, so I spent most of my days starting and managing patient IVs as they received their infusion medications. Because I worked in the infusion center for so long and started so many IVs, starting them is almost second nature to me. Many times, I find that patients are anxious about getting VIs, even in an infusion center environment, when they come in every so many weeks to get their medication; and since anxiety and stress can cause vasoconstriction, I do everything I can to explain the procedure and help the patient feel comfortable. I also take additional measures to make starting IVs easier on myself and the patient, such as placing a warm compress on the site to dilate the veins and, if possible, offering the patient water to help them hydrate. All these interventions help make the IV process easier for me but it also helps patients relax and become more comfortable."
Written by Elisabeth Walter
2nd Experienced Example
"I am very comfortable starting and managing IVs, and, in fact, I start IVs on a daily basis at my job and I have for many years. Since I have spent the past decade working as an inpatient floor nurse, it has been my responsibility to ensure to properly manage my patients' IVs and move or reinsert them if needed. In my unit, I have a reputation for being able to start IVs even in the most difficult veins or the most difficult locations, and I am often called to help my colleagues start difficult IVs when they are running into trouble."
Written by Ryan Brunner
3rd Experienced Example
"Back in 2013, I spent nine months working in an urgent care department, and in this position, I did start IVs on the patients who were receiving intravenous fluids or medications. While I have not worked in a position where I had to start IVs since then, I was able to work through many difficult situations while working in that position. I remember one patient who was extremely dehydrated and needed IV fluids to rehydrate, and while I was searching for a vein in her arm, I could not find one because her veins were so deep and small, which was worse because of her condition. Rather than poking her multiple times or taking the risk of blowing a vein, I found a vein in her hand that I could use and was able to successfully start an IV in her hand."
Written by Kelly Burlison on March 17th, 2019
4th Experienced Example
"Starting IVs is one of my strongest skills as a nurse. I've had a lot of experience with IV starts throughout my career and with the types of settings I have worked in. Typically, I am able to start an IV by simply using my visual skills and my sense of touch. If necessary, I have used portable vein finders in the past. I am now the nurse that is called by my fellow teammates if an IV is needed on a patient that has a history of difficult IV starts."
Written by Tabitha Cumpian on January 31st, 2023
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14. 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.
How to Answer
In many clinical situations, nurses are responsible for collecting lab samples to send away for testing, such as blood, tissue, and other types of specimesns. The interviewer is asking this question to assess the candidate's ability and experience in collecting various types of lab samples and their knowledge of documenting samples. In order to effectively answer this question, the candidate should talk about their experience in collecting lab samples and documenting such collections. A stronger answer to this question would include an example of when the candidate streamlined a process for collection or documentation.
Written by Elisabeth Walter
1st Entry Level Example
"I do not have much experience with phlebotomy, so my current experience with collecting lab samples is limited to collecting tissue samples and other types of samples such as fecal and urine samples. However, each time I take a sample that is going to the lab for additional testing, I ensure that it is appropriately documented in our laboratory log, to ensure we can audit and ensure that the patient got their results. I hope to take additional training soon so I can become more comfortable with blood draws and I can begin collecting blood samples on site as well, so the patient does not have to make an extra stop at the lab to have these tests completed."
Written by Ryan Brunner
1st Experienced Example
"Since I work at a family medicine practice, I have experience collecting many types of lab samples, including blood, urine, fecal, skin, and other types of samples. Any time I collect a sample from a patient, I always confirm their name and date of birth to ensure I am matching the sample back to the appropriate patient, then after the sample is collected, I document it in our laboratory log, so there is a record of it going out to the lab. It is just important that the lab sample is documented appropriately, so we can track and monitor the sample, and ensure the patient gets the results."
Written by Elisabeth Walter
2nd Experienced Example
"I am an experienced nurse, so I have experience collecting all types of lab samples at the patient's bedside, and I have even been involved in improving such practices over the years. Even after everything went electronic at my hospital a few years ago, when we would collect specimens at the patient's bedside, we would have to manually enter the information into the EHR, and there would often be documentation errors from the accidental transposition of numbers. When multiple documentation errors occurred on my unit one month, I spearheaded a project where the nurses could scan the patient's ID band and the lab specimen bar code and everything would go into the system automatically. This automated system was piloted on my unit and eventually rolled out to the entire hospital, saving everyone time and reducing documentation and medical errors."
Written by Ryan Brunner
3rd Experienced Example
"I have experience collecting many types of specimens at the point-of-care of the patient, which is very helpful, as it prevents the patients from having to make an additional stop at the lab. At this point in my career, I have the most experience in collecting blood and specimens of anyone on my unit, and if there is ever a complicated blood draw or tissue sample to collect, I am called in to take care of it. I also am the point person to conduct monthly documentation audits and training for new staff because of my advanced experience."
Written by Kelly Burlison on March 17th, 2019
4th Experienced Example
"Collecting lab specimens is a strong nursing skill of mine that I have had a lot of experience with throughout my career. Most commonly I collect blood, urine, and stool specimens. I always begin by reviewing my order in the EHR and then gathering all the supplies I need for each specific collection. I then perform hand hygiene and don the appropriate PPE before collecting. Immediately after collecting I label and bag all of my specimens while I am still in the room with the patient and I document my collection in the EHR. Then when I leave the room, I simply need to send the lab specimen to the lab. I have developed a very efficient way of collecting specimens that also prevents any errors, and I am often asked to show any new nurses or nursing students my process for collection."
Written by Tabitha Cumpian on January 31st, 2023
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15. What precautions do you take with a patient in poor health?
How to Answer
This question gives you the opportunity to point out how you customize your approach to each patient on an individual basis. Nurses see patients with levels of sickness and poor health that span a wide degree of severity. It is important to talk about how you communicate with your patients and using specific examples from your past can be beneficial here as well.
Written by Elisabeth Walter
1st Entry Level Example
"Any time I see a new patient, I take my time to get to know them both personally and what their health history looks like. Oftentimes, this can lead me to understand just how poor their health conditions are, and I am able to customize my care to them. Emotionally, I'm sensitive to the situation they are going through, and physically, depending on their illness or disease, I do my best to protect them in their fragile state by washing my hands, wearing proper PPE, etc."
Written by Elisabeth Walter
2nd Entry Level Example
"During my schooling as a nurse, we were required to take a communications class. Here, I learned excellent question and answer techniques to get to know a patients health history better. As I enter the workforce as a new nurse, I know that I will be able to put these skills to use with each and every new patient that I encounter to help me give them the best care possible."
Written by Ryan Brunner
1st Experienced Example
"Getting to know each patient and their history through what I call a fact-finding process is very important in how I care for each patient individually. Recently, we had a gentleman come into our Emergency Room with what appeared to be chest pain. With him visiting family in our area, we didn't have immediate access to his medical records. While in the room, I was asking him about his health history and we learned that he was a severe diabetic. Knowing this, we were able to customize his care and avoid procedures that could potentially be harmful to him."
Written by Ryan Brunner
2nd Experienced Example
"Working in an adult medicine outpatient clinic, I help patients who are perfectly healthy and patients who have multiple comorbidities. While I strive to give great care to all my patients, I am extra cautious around our patients who have multiple conditions and spend extra time with them to be sure their questions are answered, they understand their medications, and that they understand their medical conditions. It is important to me that these patients are aware of their conditions and how they can self-manage them because helping keep these patients as healthy as possible is a priority."
Written by Kelly Burlison on March 17th, 2019
3rd Experienced Example
"I always ensure I am wearing the appropriate PPE when providing care to my patients. I am particularly cautious when a person is in poor health and make sure I assess if more than simply the standard precautions are necessary. I feel communication is key for these patients and I sit with them to talk about their health concerns and to see if I am able to determine any potential underlying factors. I recently had a patient who came in malnourished and with significant body odor. It was through sitting with the patient and having a conversation that I was able to learn that he did not have the resources available to eat regularly and he was physically limited on being able to bathe himself well. After learning this, I was able to relay the information to the doctor and help develop a plan of care that included therapy services to gain strength, case management, as well as social work to make sure all his other health needs were being met and he had a safe transition back home when it was time for discharge."
Written by Tabitha Cumpian on January 31st, 2023
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16. How do you approach providing patient discharge instructions or patient education?
How to Answer
The interviewer is asking this question to assess the candidate's ability and skill level in providing patient education. Providing patient education and/or discharge instructions cannot be a one-size-fits-all approach, as patients have varying capacities for comprehending information and discharge instructions. If nurses do not adjust their delivery of patient education and/or discharge instructions so that patients and their family members understand what to do, the consequences could be dire. To effectively answer this question, the candidate should specifically explain how they deliver education and/or discharge instructions to patients. A stronger answer to this question would include a specific example of how the candidate adjusted the delivery of educational information or discharge instructions to ensure the patient understood what was being communicated.
Written by Elisabeth Walter
1st Entry Level Example
"After each patient is seen at the clinic I work at, discharge instructions are printed automatically from the EHR when the clinician finishes up the visit. After the instructions are printed, I take them to the patient room and allow the patient to look over them for a couple of minutes. A few minutes later, I return to the patient room and ask if they have any questions about the discharge instructions, and if they do, I address the questions with them before they leave."
Written by Ryan Brunner
1st Experienced Example
"Being a patient flow nurse, giving patients their discharge instructions is a big part of my job. Each time I am assisting with a patient discharge at the hospital, I review the written discharge instructions with both the patient and any family members or other advocates they have present. In these situations, I know, that most of the time, the patients are unable to understand and comprehend their aftercare instructions since they have been receiving inpatient care, so I ensure whoever is there with them fully understands the instructions. I do this because I know how important aftercare instructions are, especially when patients are taking medications and managing their ongoing conditions, and I want to be sure someone understands how they should be cared for."
Written by Elisabeth Walter
2nd Experienced Example
"Throughout my nursing career, I have seen many consequences, both minor and severe, of inadequate patient education. Because of this, always try to go above and beyond when providing patient education or discharge instructions. Such an example is when I was recently reviewing discharge and medication instructions with a young patient and her mother. The patient had been diagnosed with asthma during the visit and had been prescribed an inhaler for the first time. Rather than simply telling the patient and mother how many doses of the inhaler to take, I sat with them an ensured they understood what an inhaler was and how to use it. While I was providing the education, I found that neither the patient nor her mother understood how to use an inhaler, so this additional education was essential."
Written by Ryan Brunner
3rd Experienced Example
"Providing patient education is one of my favorite parts of nursing, albeit it can be somewhat challenging. Not too long ago, I was dealing with a challenging situation when I was attempting to educate a patient on how to take the medications that we were prescribing to him. As I was attempting to explain the medication regimen to the patient, I quickly realized that he was illiterate and would not be able to read the medication bottles or the discharge instructions that we were providing to him. So rather than simply verbally explaining his dosage instructions to him, I drew him a visual diagram of his new medication regimen and went over it with him multiple times. I was very sensitive to the fact that the man could not read and was careful not to make him feel inadequate, and before he left, he thanked and hugged me for helping him."
Written by Kelly Burlison on March 17th, 2019
4th Experienced Example
"Being a patient and family educator is one of my favorite roles as a nurse. As soon as I know I have a patient planning for discharge, I go and speak with them to determine their needs regarding discharge education. I then can also determine if they will be receiving the education alone or if they have family members they would like involved in the education. I then work to tailor my education to their needs and their preferred way of learning. I recently had a patient being discharged after a total knee replacement. The patient preferred to learn by reading and having pictures. She also wanted her husband to learn all of the discharge education and instructions too and she said he preferred hands on learning. I waited until the husband arrived and then went into her room with all of the discharge instructions and paperwork and thoroughly went through each piece and allowing time for them to ask questions before moving from one piece to the next. I also demonstrated to them both how to provide incision care. By the end of the education, they both verbalized understanding of the instructions and said they felt confident in going home at that time."
Written by Tabitha Cumpian on January 31st, 2023
Competency
17. 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?
How to Answer
While the focus of most of a nursing career is on patient care, administrative duties are often a part of the job, especially if a nurse chooses to transition into management positions. There are many nurses who are great in working with patients on a daily basis but struggle with the administrative duties that their employer requires and this can lead to on-the-job performance issues. The interviewer is asking this question to assess the candidate's ability to successfully complete administrative duties and tasks and to determine which software programs they may be proficient in. To successfully answer this question, the candidate should describe, in detail, an administrative task or project that they have worked on in the past, including details on how they used software programs to organize their work. A stronger answer to this question would include an example of when the candidate led or spearheaded an administrative project.
Written by Elisabeth Walter
1st Entry Level Example
"When I first started working in my current position in pediatric primary care, we would send young patients to the lab for their blood lead tests; however, management found that the parents were not following up and taking the patients to the lab for the tests. Since this test is important, we started doing the tests in the clinic. Along with conducting the actual tests, I was responsible for tracking how many tests were conducted at our clinical location each week and reporting the count back to our department administrator. Each day, as I closed the clinic, I would count the number of testing slips that were ready to be shipped to the lab and document them on a manual tracker; then at the end of the week, I would email the daily counts to my administrator in a table format so she could get an overall visual of our daily progress."
Written by Ryan Brunner
1st Experienced Example
"Two years ago, when the company I was working for was undergoing their EHR upgrade, my manager put me in charge of ensuring that all clinicians, nurses, and staff on my unit were trained on the upgraded product. Since there were three separate required training classes, each offered at multiple times and dates, it was difficult to keep up with who had attended which session. To make it easy for me to track who had attended the training sessions, I created a tracking spreadsheet on Excel with validations and dropdown boxes, so I could easily visualize who had completed each training and who had not. I posted this spreadsheet on my unit's share drive so each employee could update it accordingly, and weekly, I would verify the information with the training office's records."
Written by Elisabeth Walter
2nd Experienced Example
"My clinical unit often participates in quality improvement projects that are part of the hospital's larger quality initiatives; however, since our manager is very passionate about quality and improvement science, our unit often runs our own QI projects to improve our process and patient outcomes. Because I have a background in informatics and have strong analytical skills, I am often tasked with data collection and analysis when we run our own QI projects. When I am tasked with such, I build advanced data queries in tableau so the information will display on our dashboard, and I also extract raw data so I can conduct additional analytics in Excel and Access."
Written by Ryan Brunner
3rd Experienced Example
"A few months ago, my clinical unit received a new piece of equipment that no one on the nursing staff knew how to use. Because this equipment would eventually save everyone time and become beneficial to our patients, it was important for everyone to learn how to use it, so my manager sent me to training to become a superuser. Once I returned from the training, it was my responsibility to develop a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) on how to operate the equipment, so that everyone on the staff would have a guide. Since I had never developed such a document in the past, I had to work closely with our quality nursing department to ensure I was using appropriate language while writing it. In the end, I used Microsoft Word to develop a new SOP that has helped everyone as they have learned to use the equipment."
Written by Kelly Burlison on March 17th, 2019
1st Answer Example
"My clinic recently began receiving medication samples. In order to have these samples it is required that a strict inventory and audit be completed every month. My manager assigned this task to me. There are various paper logs that I must complete and submit via fax. When I took on this responsibility, I began by making a binder that lays out the medication sample policy and the auditing process as well as copies of the forms that must be submitted. I also used my calendar in Outlook to make a recurring event to ensure that the audit is completed at the same time every month. This process has helped to keep everything organized and ensure it is done in a timely manner."
Written by Tabitha Cumpian on January 31st, 2023
Competency
18. How do you make seamless transitions on shift changes?
How to Answer
In almost any nursing setting, handing off a unit at shift change time in a smooth fashion is extremely important. The interviewer is looking to see how you handle the hand offs to and from your colleagues during the shift changes. Here, it is important for you to showcase your communication and listening skills and how you take information and put it to work. Walking step by step through your previous employers' handoffs can be beneficial as well because it will reassure the interviewer that you are familiar with step by step processes in these situations.
Written by Elisabeth Walter
1st Entry Level Example
"During my clinical rotation on a Med/Surg unit, I had the chance to sit in the shift change huddles that occurred each day at the end of my shift. Witnessing how important the communication was between the nurses coming on and off shift was very vital in my learning how to be a great nurse. They took the time to talk about any patient issues and problem solved on any issues that required problem-solving. These are great learning experiences I will be able to bring to this job."
Written by Ryan Brunner
1st Experienced Example
"At my current position, we have a process for transitioning at shift change. To start, the nurses coming off shift and those coming on have a huddle that is led by the unit supervisor at each shift change. Here, any significant issues with patients are discussed. Next, if any work remains to be done with a patient, we communicate to each other one on one to ensure that the needs of our patients are met."
Written by Elisabeth Walter
2nd Experienced Example
"Throughout my career, I have taken it upon myself to be an effective communicator during shift changes. In the nursing field, issues arise on each and every shift and to ensure that our patients are taken care of the best as possible, communication is key."
Written by Ryan Brunner
3rd Experienced Example
"In my current role, I work twelve-hour shifts, from 7 AM to 7 PM. Many times, when the nurse for the evening shift arrives, I am still assisting a patient, and she immediately begins her nightly routine, so we do not get to talk face-to-face. So, to ensure everything is communicated appropriately during shift-change, I worked with our clinical applications department to develop a clinical handoff note that is built in the medical record. This is a communication tool that staff can use to communicate during shift changes or when they are going to be away for time off. I use this tool to document the pertinent information about each of my patients so that it is in one place for the next nurse to see when she arrives on shift. It has been extremely helpful in ensuring that nothing slips through the cracks and it allows the next nurse to get up-to-speed without having to read through every patients' notes upon first arriving on shift."
Written by Kelly Burlison on March 17th, 2019
4th Experienced Example
"I begin my seamless transition at the start of my shift by making sure I document clearly and thoroughly throughout my full shift. When it comes time for handoff to the oncoming nurse, I always complete our handoff report at the patient's bedside. I think it is extremely important to involve the patient in the handoff to make sure communication is thorough and the most up-to-date. When I provide handoff, I communicate concisely what occurred during my shift and always ask the oncoming nurse if they have any questions that I can answer. When I'm the nurse coming on I always listen intently to the other nurse without interrupting. At the end, if I am uncertain about something, I will then ask the nurse prior to them leaving for the day."
Written by Tabitha Cumpian on January 31st, 2023
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Competency
19. Are you specialized in a particular area of nursing, i.e. neo-natal, pediatric, geriatric, or women's health?
How to Answer
On this particular question, the interviewer is looking to hear from you where your passions fall in the nursing field. They can tell where your experience comes from in your resume and now it is time to showcase your passion for the job that you are interviewing for.
If you are interviewing for a specialty area within nursing that you have worked in the past, talk about your interests in that area and why the job is important to you. If you are interviewing for a new specialty area of care, look to point out similarities of your past duties and experiences and how they will translate to this potential new job. New graduates to the nursing field should talk about their clinical experiences and why they see this job as the best fit for their career.
Written by Elisabeth Walter
1st Entry Level Example
"As a new graduate not being specialized at this time, I want to gain as much nursing knowledge as I can in my first job out of school. During my clinical rotations, my opportunity working on a Med/Surg unit was great as I worked with patients from a very diverse background with a variety of illnesses and injuries. This rotation is what brings me here today for your open Med/Surg nursing position. I'm really looking forward to broadening my nursing skills on a unit like this and working with patients from all walks of life."
Written by Ryan Brunner
2nd Entry Level Example
"Since I just recently graduated from my nursing program and obtained my nursing license, I don't consider myself specialized in a particular area of nursing yet. However, during my clinicals, I excelled the most in my emergency department and critical care rotations. I attribute my success in these rotations to the years I spent working as a technician in the emergency department at the local hospital. So, while I cannot honestly say I specialize in a particular area of nursing as of yet, I am most comfortable working with emergency and critical care patients."
Written by Kelly Burlison on March 17th, 2019
1st Experienced Example
"Having worked in Family Practice as a nurse for my entire career, I've had the joy of working with mothers and their newborn children for their care when they were sick. I've provided care for newborns that have had a wide array of sicknesses and have always loved that aspect of that of my job. With my career goal always being working on an obstetrics unit, my experience working with newborns will translate well."
Written by Elisabeth Walter
2nd Experienced Example
"When I came out of nursing school, my dream was to work in a home health setting. After putting in my time to gain experience, I landed the job that I am currently working in a home health setting. Over the years, I have gained a great amount of experience working in that setting where I have received excellent patient satisfaction scores and have become very effective and efficient working away from an office on the road. Your opportunity highly interests me as it would enable me to utilize my skills in a much larger scope while still providing me the opportunity to continue learning and growing in my career."
Written by Ryan Brunner
3rd Experienced Example
"Yes, I am. When I first became a nurse I had a passion for cardiac nursing. As I worked in this area of nursing I was exposed to trauma nursing as well. I fell in love with this immediately and the need to think critically and respond quickly. I now have my trauma nurse certification and have worked as a trauma nurse for several years."
Written by Tabitha Cumpian on January 31st, 2023
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20. How much orientation time do you feel is reasonable?
How to Answer
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.
Written by Ryan Brown on June 5th, 2019
1st Entry Level Example
"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."
Written by Jaymie Payne on December 18th, 2022
1st Experienced Example
"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?"
Written by Ryan Brown on June 5th, 2019
2nd Experienced Example
"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."
Written by Jaymie Payne on December 18th, 2022
3rd Experienced Example
"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."
Written by Tabitha Cumpian on January 31st, 2023
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21. How do you prioritize when multiple patients and procedures demand your attention at once?
How to Answer
Working in any patient unit or clinic comes with times where the patient load can be overwhelming. During these times, nurses are often the glue that holds everything together in the department to ensure that things run smoothly. The interviewer is asking this question to determine how the candidate manages such as situation and how they will be able to manage these types of situations at your organization. To successfully answer this question, the candidate should talk about a particular situation when they had to prioritize multiple patients at once, how they handled the situation, and what the outcome was.
Written by Elisabeth Walter
1st Entry Level Example
"During my clinical rotation in an Urgent Care clinic, we had a very busy day where many patients were coming in due to a flu virus that was being spread around. In working with my preceptor, I learned from him how to communicate to patients what their wait times would be and how to best triage patients based on their symptoms. His calmness in handling the situation was inspiring. Personally, during my final year of coursework in college, I was taking 18 credits each semester. During these semesters, I had to learn to prioritize my classwork by due dates and order of importance. By utilizing checklists and working through each thing one at a time, I learned invaluable skills that I can bring to my nursing career."
Written by Ryan Brunner
1st Experienced Example
"As a nurse in the emergency department, there are times when the action is crazy with patients coming in. During these times, I always remember that the needs of the patient come first so my triage skills come into use to prioritize which patients are the highest priority and which ones can wait. During these particular times, communication is extremely important for patients. If they are going to have a time period to wait, I communicate that to them and check in with them when I am able to. As well during these busy times, it is equally important for our team of nurses and physicians to stay in communication. From there, I stay calm and handle patients with quality care one at a time."
Written by Elisabeth Walter
2nd Experienced Example
"One day on my shift as a nurse in the surgery center, we were booked full of cases throughout the day. As the day progressed, we had a couple of other trauma cases that were a high priority come in due to an auto accident. When this happened, we had to work as a team to communicate to current patients and family members in waiting that we had to push their times back in the day due to an emergent situation. An on-call surgeon came in later in the day to help cover the regularly scheduled cases and I had to communicate with the three surgeons on duty as to where I was needed and when I needed to be there. In the end, being able to prioritize the patients and my duties was crucial in helping the day in the surgery center run smoothly."
Written by Ryan Brunner
3rd Experienced Example
"Working in the pediatric outpatient environment, I often am faced with competing priorities and situations where I have multiple patients who need my attention at once. Managing my patient load and these priorities are something I have struggled with since I began working as a nurse two years ago. At first, I would get extremely overwhelmed and because I was unsure of how to handle the situation, I would end up getting extremely behind in clinic. However, I have worked with my manager and my doctor to come up with new strategies to help me save time and improve efficiencies, which have helped me improve my practice. I also have been practicing strategies for being mindful and not getting overwhelmed, which has helped me focus on each task at hand, rather than getting overwhelmed by the whole."
Written by Kelly Burlison on March 17th, 2019
4th Experienced Example
"I always begin by prioritizing patient safety first. I then base my care on a combination of the time care needs to be completed and the level of acuity for each patient and task. I once had a patient needing to go to surgery at the same time I had a patient returning from a procedure and a third patient needing a blood transfusion. I knew the blood transfusion would require me to stay with the patient for an extended period of time when beginning it. I knew the patient was stable and was not an emergent transfusion, so I decided I would complete this after sending and receiving my two surgical patients. I had already prepped my patient going to surgery, so I did the final checkoff with this patient and called to report to the receiving nurse. I was then able to receive my patient coming back from their procedure and received a report without being distracted by needing to send another patient to a procedure. This also allowed me time to settle the patient in from their procedure and do a full assessment and ensure they were still receiving good pain control."
Written by Tabitha Cumpian on January 31st, 2023
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22. What are your greatest weaknesses?
How to Answer
Within every differing healthcare institution and organization are nursing roles that span a wide variety of patient care and administrative duties. Knowing that their department is certainly unique, nurse managers know that any candidate they consider for hire will come with some sort of shortcomings. What is most important to the nursing leader is that their top candidate knows their weaknesses and has a plan of attack for how they will work on them from day one on the job.
Rather than giving a canned answer like 'I care too much' or 'I'm too critical of my own work', put some thought into the nursing position that you are interviewing for and where your experience or skills may fall a little short. Then discuss with your interviewer that you are cognizant of the fact that you lack a specific nursing skill or experience for their job and are willing to put in the time to train and get up to speed quickly if you emerge as their top candidate.
Written by Ryan Brunner
1st Entry Level Example
"I would imagine that a perceived new weakness of mine as a new nursing graduate would be my lack of direct experience in the emergency and urgent care setting and I acknowledge that I do lack this direct experience. But I'm confident that my work experiences in fast paced environments prior to and during nursing school have prepared me well for what I'll be stepping into here. I have the ability to multi-task with ease and stay calm in the face of pressure. As you'll see from the reference letters from my preceptors, these characteristics help make me a great fit for this role."
Written by Ryan Brunner
2nd Entry Level Example
"During nursing school, a weakness was pointed out to me by one of my preceptors that I was unaware of. She said I have a soft voice and need to speak up more and sound more assertive to be taken seriously as a nurse. I realized that my soft voice was due to a discomfort with public speaking, so I decided to address the issue. I recently joined Toastmasters International, which is an organization that helps individuals improve their public speaking, communication, and leadership skills. Since all these skills are essential to have as a nurse, this group will be the best for me to improve all of these skills, versus other groups that only focus on public speaking. I found a club near me that allows online and in-person attendance, and I start next week. The director told me that I could expect to improve my skills dramatically with as little as 20 hours of attendance, so I hope to see an improvement in these skills quickly."
Written by Krista Wenz on January 31st, 2023
1st Experienced Example
"As you can see from my experience, I have spent a majority of my nursing career in an inpatient setting. While I'm confident that my time in med/surg hospital units has prepared me for this role, I know there will be nuances to working in an outpatient clinical setting that I will need to learn and become accustomed to. I do not foresee this as any issue if I'm fortunate enough to be offered the job. I would prioritize learning the patient flow for scheduled appointments and documentation procedures for new patient consults and follow up visits in short order."
Written by Ryan Brunner
2nd Experienced Example
"I enjoy helping others, but an area of development I've been working on is that I can tend to be a fixer, offering to do something for someone who is struggling rather than taking the extra time to teach them to do it for themselves. As an experienced nurse, it's common for new grads to come to me for help. When they do, I make an effort to encourage them to self-help where possible and provide them with the training and resource to learn and do it for themselves. Sometimes, this requires a little more time and patience, but it's important that they build the skills they need to be successful, and I'm happy to be a part of that journey."
Written by Jaymie Payne on December 18th, 2022
Discovery
23. Do you have plans to pursue certification in your chosen field?
How to Answer
Registered nurses with an equivalent of 2 full-time years and a minimum of 2000 practicing hours their specialty with 30 hours of CEU's in that specialty can apply and test for certification in their specialty. The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Certification Program showcases expertise and experience in a chosen specialty area.
Written by Ryan Brown on June 5th, 2019
1st Entry Level Example
"I absolutely want to seek certification as an ICU nurse when I get enough clinical hours in my field and two years under my belt. What kind of supervision and systems are in place to help me reach my goal here at JFK Memorial Hospital? I have started accruing my 30 hours of CEU credits in my specialty through the free CEU's offered by my ANA subscription."
Written by Ryan Brown on June 5th, 2019
2nd Entry Level Example
"As a newly licensed RN, the only additional certification I have at this point is CPR. I do plan to obtain my ACLS certification in the next year and would be interested in sub-specialty certifications once I get established within a unit and team. Does your organization offer any certification programs?"
Written by Jaymie Payne on December 18th, 2022
1st Experienced Example
"A majority of my experience as an RN has been working with pediatrics. I currently possess an active ACLS and PALS certification. I would also be interested in obtaining the Pediatric Advanced Emergency Assessment, Recognition and Stabilization (PEARS) certificate in the near future. Are there any other certifications you prefer the candidate to have for this role?"
Written by Jaymie Payne on December 18th, 2022
2nd Experienced Example
"As a seasoned nurse, I have already had the opportunity to obtain additional certifications. I currently have my ACLS and TCRN certifications. I have held both of these certifications for the past 7 years and just recently renewed them within the last 2 months."
Written by Tabitha Cumpian on January 31st, 2023
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24. What motivates you to provide top-of-the-line nursing care?
How to Answer
Most people who go into the nursing profession are naturally attracted to helping people who are most in need of help. They thrive on helping patients through very tough times by providing both medical care and emotional support. No matter how many years of experience a nurse has, they must stay motivated in order to provide top-of-the-line nursing care. Nursing, while often a very rewarding career, can be exhausting and emotionally draining, so it is important for nurses to be able to stay motivated in their current work environments. The interviewer is asking this question to determine what motivates the candidate and to determine if their environment would be a good fit for the candidate. To successfully answer this question, the candidate should provide details as to what motivates them to become a better nurse. A more successful answer would include a specific example of a situation that motivated a candidate to continue or better their nursing practice.
Written by Elisabeth Walter
1st Entry Level Example
"When I began my pursuit of a nursing career in college, I knew that I was born to help people when they are at their most vulnerable. In any environment, whether it be outpatient, inpatient, or skilled nursing, making a positive difference in the day of each of my patients is what drives me to become a better nurse, and it makes all the hard and emotional days worth it. Because I know I am making a difference in the lives of others, it is easy for me to get up and come to work each day."
Written by Elisabeth Walter
2nd Entry Level Example
"During high school, I knew that nursing was my true calling in life when my grandmother was ill in the hospital and I watched the great care she received while there. During my clinical rotations through nursing school, I had the awesome opportunity to work in several specialty areas and in each one, I found myself in a great place internally just being able to help patients. The opportunity on the Med/Surg unit at your organization has me very excited to be able to help patients and family members when they are at their most vulnerable, and the fact that I will be able to help patients and their families is what will drive me to become a better nurse and provide the best care possible."
Written by Ryan Brunner
1st Experienced Example
"As I've progressed through my career as a nurse, I've had the opportunity to work on a Med/Surg unit, Home Health and in a Family Practice clinic. While each job was very unique in the patients that I worked with on a day to day basis, seeing the joy in their eyes and hearing the thanks in their voices for me being their nurse has given me all of the motivation I have needed and has pushed me to be a better nurse over the years. I have worked my entire career to be able to finish it working in the women's health clinic at your organization, and to help the needs of the patients there will be my primary motivating factor moving forward."
Written by Ryan Brunner
2nd Experienced Example
"Going into nursing, I initially thought that the simple fact that I was helping others would be motivation enough; however, at the time, I did not recognize how stressful and emotionally draining nursing can be. So, throughout my career, I have found additional motivation by leading quality improvement projects to improve patient outcomes in my clinical unit. By leading the clinical team of nurses and physicians in developing interventions, collecting data, tracking metrics, and ultimately determining if we have improved patient care and outcomes, I have found much motivation to improve my nursing skills and to become a better nurse and leader. I hope there are opportunities to participate in such projects at your organization while I fulfill my clinical duties as well."
Written by Kelly Burlison on March 17th, 2019
3rd Experienced Example
"I knew from a young age that I wanted to be a nurse. I find everything medical to be fascinating. I enjoy helping others and being able to teach them along the way things they are able to do in their daily lives to improve or maintain their health. Something that motivates me every day is knowing that our patients choose us to be their care providers. Nowadays there are many provider options available, but they have chosen to come to our facility. Knowing they made that choice I want to do all I can to help them return to a state of health, happiness, and independence."
Written by Tabitha Cumpian on January 31st, 2023
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25. Can you tell us about what attracted you to a nursing position with our facility?
How to Answer
This is a question that deserves a prepared answer. You might have stiff competition for this position or not, but it's still worth being prepared to advocate why your resume should rise to the top of the pile. It's no longer enough to say I graduated top of the class from a prestigious university. While that helps, employers are looking for soft skills as well. They are seeking the most well-rounded and competent candidate who will add value to their organization in both tangible and intangible ways. Nurses sometimes don't stay long in fast-paced environments, but the interviewer will be more interested in the candidate that offers the both the promise of longevity and competence.
Written by Ryan Brown on June 5th, 2019
1st Entry Level Example
"I researched Mount Sinai and the mission statement of the organization really resonated with me. The nursing career ladder is impressive and the opportunities to participate in break-out committees really appealed to me. Not to mention, Mount Sinai is one of the premier liver transplant centers in the world!"
Written by Ryan Brown on June 5th, 2019
2nd Entry Level Example
"Since graduating, I've been very intentional about applying only to companies with good reputations and positive employee reviews. I made a list of companies with which I aligned my core values, then researched them on Comparably to learn more about how employees rate the culture and CEO. I was pleased to see Cleveland Clinic had a 4-star rating on culture and a 76% approval rating of the CEO. There were many comments about how well the company treats employees, the opportunities for professional development, and compensation. Those are all important factors to me and drew me to apply!"
Written by Jaymie Payne on December 18th, 2022
1st Experienced Example
"X healthcare system is so well known in this area, and I'm impressed by the company consistently being rated as the #1 healthcare system in the region. I want to join an organization that is focused on patient care and also has the most modern technology and equipment available. I personally align with all of the core values of X healthcare system of quality & safety, empathy, inclusion, integrity, teamwork, and innovation, and I feel it would be a great cultural fit for me."
Written by Jaymie Payne on December 18th, 2022
2nd Experienced Example
"The values and mission of 'X healthcare system' really stood out to me. I could tell by reviewing this information about the company that the patient is always at the center of the care and that a team atmosphere is vital to this organization. Those are two of the most important qualities to me as a nurse. Longterm, I want to be part of an organization that is a team and that goes above and beyond for their patients. From everything I have read and learned about 'X healthcare system' that is exactly what this organization stands for."
Written by Tabitha Cumpian on January 31st, 2023
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26. Tell me a bit about yourself.
How to Answer
Having recruited in the nursing and healthcare industries for many years, I know that nursing leaders are looking to ideally hire well-rounded individuals that come to their team with great clinical skills, great people skills, and are excellent humans outside of the workplace. While a lot of things may be tough to gauge for the nursing leader while interviewing you for a short period of time, they open the door for you to give your best sales pitch on who you are as both a professional nurse and person.
Your answer here should ideally lay out chronologically with a bit about your upbringing (personal values), what made you pursue a career in nursing (motivation), and the path you took to get you to this interview today (education and work history). Also, be open about your family and personal life to give your interviewer some insight into the fact that you will be a nurse on their team that hold strong family and personal values, which will reflect positively on the patients you will be caring for.
Written by Ryan Brunner
1st Entry Level Example
"As you can see from my resume and application materials, I'm about to graduate with my bachelor's degree in nursing and I'm very proud of my journey to get where I'm at today. Having hit the work force out of high school for five years in customer service jobs, I wanted to make a change for me and my family so I applied to college to obtain this degree at the advice of a couple of great friends that are RN's. I continued to work full-time and obtain my degree. As I've gone through my classwork and clinical rotations, I've continued to love and gravitate towards care for the elderly and your opportunity is really my dream job. If I'm fortunate enough to join your team, you'd be getting a down-to-earth and hard working nurse that is able to connect with patients and your entire team in a collaborative manner."
Written by Ryan Brunner
2nd Entry Level Example
"I have been interested in healthcare since I was young. My mother worked as an Activities Director at a local nursing home, so I often got to go to work with her to spend time with the residents and help with activities and recreation. Through my experiences there with her, I realized that I enjoyed working with the elderly, and when I was in high school, I became a nursing assistant and worked at that same nursing home part-time. After graduation, I continued my nursing program and am excited to start my career. On a personal note, I am the oldest child of five girls! I enjoy spending time with my family, and we often spend time outdoors hiking or kayaking together. I love animals and have two Boston terriers!"
Written by Jaymie Payne on December 18th, 2022
1st Experienced Example
"Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to talk more about who I am as a professional and a person. My nurturing personality was fostered from a very young age, where I was brought up in a small community where families all knew each other. The sense of brotherhood among neighbors was a great feeling. I grew up in a family as the older of four siblings, so caring for my younger brothers and sisters when they were sick was common with a father and mother both working full-time. I knew that I wanted to pursue a nursing degree during high school and attended University to obtain my bachelor's degree right away. I worked hard to obtain my degree in four years and hit the workforce for the last six years in an exciting critical care unit. In the meantime, since graduating, I've married my soulmate, and we have two amazing sons, ages 4 and 2. Outside of work, we spend most of our free time outdoors on walks, hiking, boating, and grilling as much as possible. My family life helps me keep any work-related stress at work, and it helps me come to work for each shift refreshed and ready to go."
Written by Ryan Brunner
2nd Experienced Example
"A bit about me- I am an avid triathlete and have traveled to 10 countries in the last eight years to compete in various races. I am competitive and enjoy keeping fit to be a good role model for my family and patients. In between my training, I completed my nursing degree and graduated from UC Santa Barbara six years ago. After spending two years gaining experience in the ICU, I returned to college and received my Master's qualification in nursing so I could advance to a managerial position. Currently, I am focused on receiving my Doctorate Degree in Healthcare Administration, and I look forward to working in an administrative role with your organization."
Written by Krista Wenz on January 31st, 2023
Discovery
27. What did you like the best about your last position as a nurse?
How to Answer
This questions offers you an opportunity to be creatively enthusiastic and showcase some of your values. While you may have liked the free parking, tuition reimbursement, and the every other weekend off, these should not be the top of your list. You want to show who you are as a person combined with your love of nursing.
Written by Ryan Brown on June 5th, 2019
1st Entry Level Example
"I did a portion of my clinicals at a nursing home, and I really liked working with the residents. I learned so much about life from listening to their stories. I loved when we had theme night in the common room, and different residents would talk about their culture and their lives. I met some incredible people and heard some incredible stories. I once worked with a woman who came through Ellis Island as a 6-year-old girl! Imagine seeing the world through her eyes. It was such a privilege. She would tell me stories while I brushed her hair and helped her prepare for bed."
Written by Ryan Brown on June 5th, 2019
1st Experienced Example
"I absolutely love working with children and making a difference in the lives of my patients and their families. I take pride in the care I provide to children, and I make sure I go above and beyond every day to meet not only their physical needs but also their emotional needs by listening to them and being supportive of the family. In my last role, I also got to do a love of patient advocacy, and I spent a lot of time connecting underprivileged families in the community to resources they needed to improve their lives."
Written by Jaymie Payne on December 18th, 2022
2nd Experienced Example
"In my last role, I was a travel nurse and was part of a "rapid response" team that deployed to facilities that were dangerously short-staffed. I am an extrovert and someone who enjoys change, so I really loved traveling across the country and meeting new people. I worked with patients of all ages and appreciated the experience because of the diverse group of patients I got to work with over the two-year span. It was also very rewarding to step into facilities that desperately needed support and to provide that help and teamwork to allow for better patient care and outcomes."
Written by Jaymie Payne on December 18th, 2022
3rd Experienced Example
"At my last position, I really enjoyed the ability to teach. I had the opportunity to provide patient education as well as be a preceptor for new hires. I really enjoyed this additional role and responsibility and hope to be able to continue doing that in my next role."
Written by Tabitha Cumpian on January 31st, 2023
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28. Can you describe a career nursing role model and why?
How to Answer
This is your chance to give props to someone who mentored you along the way either directly or indirectly. It could have been the nurses on the front lines of 911 when you were a child or current nurses on the COVID front. Or a teacher, or your grandmother who served in France in WW1. What was it about them that inspired you in your nursing journey and how did it impact your nursing practice? Think about the answers and be prepared to showcase your mentor or hero.
Written by Ryan Brown on June 5th, 2019
1st Entry Level Example
"When I was a nursing student and was in my first round of OB, I was assigned a little newborn named Baby Bupp. I didn't know anything about babies, and he looked so tiny, fragile and red-faced. Every time I went to pick him up, he screamed and I might have screamed a little too! I remember my nursing instructor, Miss Emma Flynner, coming over to ask me how I was doing. She had such a gentle way about her and I didn't feel nervous. I told her that I didn't know what to do with little baby Bupp or any baby for that matter! She turned to me and said these words which I never forgot and I remember them with all my patients when I'm struggling. She said, 'Brenda, whenever you don't know what to do with a baby, just love the baby. That's as good a start as any."
Written by Ryan Brown on June 5th, 2019
2nd Entry Level Example
"My nursing instructor was an incredible mentor and leader. I admired her for her ability to engage the class and teach hands-on, providing constructive and positive coaching and guidance. She was extremely knowledgeable and shared so many of her nursing experiences with us as real-life examples. I looked up to her as a professional but also as a person. She was kind and caring, always genuinely interested us as students first, then our success as nurses."
Written by Jaymie Payne on December 18th, 2022
1st Experienced Example
"My current manager and I have worked together for about two-years and I really look up to her as a people leader and clinician. She is probably the most professional and ethical person I've ever worked with. She never gossips, speaks poorly of others, or treats patients rudely. She leads by example and is someone who never asks others to do something she isn't willing to do. She's patient, mentors new nurses, and never gets annoyed when you ask her a question. She's very fair and treats all employees equally. She really has set an amazing example of what a good leader looks like, and I aspire to be more like her."
Written by Jaymie Payne on December 18th, 2022
2nd Experienced Example
"I was blessed with a phenomenal mentor when I transitioned to a highly specialized outpatient department. There was a lot to learn in the department, and the majority of it was essentially new to me. My mentor was incredible and from the very beginning developed a strong working relationship with me. She built a wonderful rapport with me and helped me to feel comfortable in the environment. She welcomed me by letting me ask as many questions as I could come up with and at times would question me throughout my training to spur on more conversation and critical thinking. I remember feeling very confident and informed by the end of my orientation and hoping that someday I would be able to be as good of a mentor to someone else as she was to me."
Written by Tabitha Cumpian on January 31st, 2023
Discovery
29. What professional organizations do you belong to and which ones would you like to join in the future?
How to Answer
You may or may not get this question in an interview, but not belonging to any is not the answer that employers are asking for if they do ask it. If you don't belong to any nursing organizations, maybe the first question to ask yourself is why not. If you are desiring a job as a critical care nurse, then join the organization before the interview. It's worth it, and it may tip the balance in your favor. Belonging to organizations brings access to other members and cutting edge information. There are lots of nursing organizations to join depending on your interests and career trajectory.
Written by Ryan Brown on June 5th, 2019
1st Entry Level Example
"I belong to the ANA and my state nurses association. I really like staying current with new information and networking with other nurses. I think that membership is invaluable and one of my goals is to attend the state conference!"
Written by Ryan Brown on June 5th, 2019
1st Experienced Example
"I'm passionate about caring for the elderly, especially those impacted by Alzheimer's and dementia. I'm active in the Alzheimer's Association and do a lot with that organization throughout the year. I am also a part of the American Association of Nurse Life Care Planners. I enjoy their educational sessions and typically join their annual virtual conference to earn CEUs and grow my professional network."
Written by Jaymie Payne on December 18th, 2022
2nd Experienced Example
"My passion has always been nursing in the emergency department, so naturally, I am a member of the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA). It is an organization that aims to improve collaboration, compassion, and inclusiveness. Besides providing members with opportunities for continuing nursing education, ENA works as an advocacy group for policy on emergency nursing and health care."
Written by Jaymie Payne on December 18th, 2022
3rd Experienced Example
"I believe staying up to date in nursing is an essential part of the career. For this reason, I am part of the American Nurses Association. I really enjoy all I am able to learn from being a member of this association. In the future, I would like to become a member of the Cardiovascular Nurses Association."
Written by Tabitha Cumpian on January 31st, 2023
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30. Do you carry professional liability insurance? Why or why not?
How to Answer
Nurses run the risk of litigation every time they go to work. After all, they are working with patient's lives. Some nurses think that they will be covered by the organization's liability policy, but it's good practice to carry your own insurance. There really isn't a good answer as to why a professional nurse would not carry liability insurance. This is an opportunity to illustrate your understanding of the necessity and your commitment to safe nursing practice.
Written by Ryan Brown on June 5th, 2019
1st Entry Level Example
"As a new grad nurse, this is definitely something I'm considering. With as much contact I will have with patients, I will likely consider protecting myself by purchasing a liability policy. I've done some research and though most healthcare facilities seem to provide coverage for their staff, there are benefits to purchasing individual coverage. I will be doing more research into whether a claims-made or an occurrence policy makes the most sense for me."
Written by Jaymie Payne on December 18th, 2022
1st Experienced Example
"I absolutely carry my own liability insurance. I did some research on the benefits and there are many reasons to carry my own insurance. In some instances, we are considered independent contractors, the employer liability insurance will act on the benefit of the employer which is understandable, and I want to protect the livelihood that I love so much!"
Written by Ryan Brown on June 5th, 2019
2nd Experienced Example
"I do not carry a personal policy, as the hospitals I have worked for in the past have had policies that cover their nursing staff. If I were in a private practice or with a smaller facility, I would consider purchasing a policy for protection."
Written by Jaymie Payne on December 18th, 2022
3rd Experienced Example
"This is not something that I have carried in the past. It is, however, something I have begun conducting more research on and am planning to get in the near future to ensure that I am providing the safest nursing care I possibly can."
Written by Tabitha Cumpian on January 31st, 2023
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Discovery
31. Which nursing publications do you subscribe to and which one is your favorite?
How to Answer
Nurses subscribe to nursing journals to keep updated with the latest nursing news and trends. There are online and print journal for just about all fields and specialties for a nominal yearly fee. Often CEU credits are offered free each month. It is very important that any nurse applying to a specialty position report subscribing to the journal of that specialty as it demonstrates interest and investment in improvement. It's not enough to say that you read them all. Describe the benefits of the journal and how they upgrade your nursing practice.
Written by Ryan Brown on June 5th, 2019
1st Entry Level Example
"I have been devouring the AJN since I started nursing school and I'll subscribe to that forever. It's just such a good general overall review of all things nursing and trends in nursing. I really like the free CEU course and the app. I also subscribe to Scrubs Magazine which is all things nursing."
Written by Ryan Brown on June 5th, 2019
1st Experienced Example
"As a nurse, it's vital to stay informed about the most current medical news and what's going on in the industry. I currently subscribe to the American Journal of Nursing and the Journal of Nursing Care Quality. My favorite is the American Journal of Nursing because of all the healthcare news, research topics, self-study CE articles, and expert opinions."
Written by Jaymie Payne on December 18th, 2022
2nd Experienced Example
"I love to learn, and I find myself excited when it's time to receive the next nursing publication! I currently subscribe to Clinical Simulation in Nursing and Lippincott Nursing. I really love Clinical Simulation in Nursing for its articles from research, practice, teaching, and management perspectives."
Written by Jaymie Payne on December 18th, 2022
3rd Experienced Example
"I currently subscribe to the Journal of Pediatric Nursing. I love how it is always packed full of wonderful, informative content that makes me more informed and betters me as a nurse. I always look forward to receiving the newest edition in the mail!"
Written by Tabitha Cumpian on January 31st, 2023
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Discovery
32. Do you have nursing management or leadership goals?
How to Answer
Even if you do not have any clearly defined management or leadership goals or are trapped in the thought pattern that management equals charge nurse, have a well-thought out answer to this question prepared. All nurses should have clear leadership goals, because at any given moment you may be in charge of a code, a shift, a unit, or a patient's changing condition. Even if you do not aspire to run the hospital, you must know how to lead yourself and run your shift. Interviewers are seeking candidates who can take charge when necessary, and to do this well the individual must know how to lead themselves and others.
Written by Ryan Brown on June 5th, 2019
1st Entry Level Example
"Right now I do not have any clear management goals as I have recently graduated from nursing school. I am very interested in learning about management and leadership and would be interested in any committees that I could participate in and learn. I have lots of ideas, and would love to be in a brainstorming group and I am very interested in the management dynamics of the organization. I feel that I need to focus on being a new nurse right now but I am definitely open to joining leadership groups to learn and meet new people."
Written by Ryan Brown on June 5th, 2019
1st Experienced Example
"I have been a nurse for several years and have held some supervisory duties from time to time. While I don't mind being a people manager, I really prefer teaching and mentoring. I have found that I enjoy mentoring students in clinical rotations and also new grad nurses. I always feel rewarded by being a SME that the team can come to when they need technical support on our platforms and equipment and also in areas of processes and procedures."
Written by Jaymie Payne on December 18th, 2022
2nd Experienced Example
"I have worked as a floor RN, and in recent months I have stepped into a supervisor role from time to time when there are supervisor call-outs. I would like to move into a more full-time supervisory role with goals of eventually becoming a unit manager. I enjoy leading others, improving processes that impact patient care, providing staff education, and doing clinical admin tasks. I don't want to get away from patient care completely, so a supervisory role would provide a good balance of patient care and people leadership as I continue to pursue my goals."
Written by Jaymie Payne on December 18th, 2022
3rd Experienced Example
"In the past, I have worked as a nursing supervisor. I greatly enjoyed this role because it gave me the opportunity to oversee many nurses and help to gather a big picture of my unit and areas for possible growth and work process improvements. In the future, I hope to be able to use the skills I learned from that position here as well."
Written by Tabitha Cumpian on January 31st, 2023
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Discovery
33. What are your professional nursing goals?
How to Answer
Of course your immediate goal is to get this job that you are applying for, but interviewers also want an idea of where you would like to go from here? These types of questions are gold mines of information for the interviewer, and unfortunately it's often not clear what they are mining for. However, answer the question authentically and with some forethought. The interviewer is not going to believe the candidate that says that their goal is to retire from this job unless they are an older candidate established in the community. Interviewers want motivated candidates but they also do not want to be a farm club for other hospitals where new nurses get a years worth of training somewhere to improve their skills so they can seek employment elsewhere. It should be a nice balance of ambition and stability, and your answer should reflect this. The following answer is transparent in the intent to use the tuition reimbursement program and it's associated 3 year commitment. This answer also showcases the desire to continue to move up the career ladder and the willingness to perhaps continue that journey at this organization if the opportunities are available.
Written by Ryan Brown on June 5th, 2019
1st Entry Level Example
"I definitely want to take advantage of the tuition reimbursement program here at Mount Bennet Hospital so that I can really add value to the nursing team. I eventually want to pursue my MSN and would really like to talk about advancement opportunities here for me when I'm able to achieve that goal."
Written by Ryan Brown on June 5th, 2019
2nd Entry Level Example
"As a new grad, my focus right now is to build my skills, experience, and confidence. My goal for the next year is to learn and absorb as much training as I can. I hope to find a mentor that can also work with me as I settle in and begin my career, to help guide me and provide insight and advice. My short-term professional goals also include obtaining my CPR certification and enrolling in any CEU or workshops your organization may offer new grads."
Written by Jaymie Payne on December 18th, 2022
1st Experienced Example
"In the last few years, I have really found my calling within cardiac and intensive care work. This is an area I see myself working for years to come, so I would like to focus on my specialty area and obtain additional certifications. I already have my ACLS, so next would likely be my CCRN. I would also like to research relevant professional organizations and join those that make the most sense for my area of interest. I love to learn and grow my professional network, so this is definitely an area of interest for me."
Written by Jaymie Payne on December 18th, 2022
2nd Experienced Example
"My long-term goal is to grow within my organization. I love working with patients in the surgical setting. There can be a lot of worries and anxieties for these patients as they prepare for surgery. I greatly enjoy being able to provide these patients with education about their procedure and being able to be their support. In the future, I would like to return to school for a master's degree in nursing education so that I am better able to provide education, resources, and support for these patients."
Written by Tabitha Cumpian on January 31st, 2023
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34. What are your goals in reference to furthering your education?
How to Answer
Nursing is an ever evolving profession and education is key to keeping up with the changes. Whether it is obtaining a professional certification, taking CEU courses, or obtaining your doctorate in nursing, you should have educational goals. Nursing isn't stagnant and neither should you be with your career. Ask intelligent questions regarding educational opportunities at the organization, or tuition reimbursement. If you have no plans to pursue further education, at least set the stage for that possibility by asking information seeking questions. If you are uncertain, you can state that you want to work as a nurse for a while to clarify further educational goals.
Written by Ryan Brown on June 5th, 2019
1st Entry Level Example
"I just graduated from nursing school and am eager to learn how to work as a nurse in real life. I am definitely interested in continued education, but I would like to work for a while to figure out which direction suits me best. I have so many interests right now it's hard to pick which one direction. I'm so excited to start working and learning! What kinds of education opportunities are offered through your organization?"
Written by Ryan Brown on June 5th, 2019
1st Experienced Example
"I currently have my BSN and have considered a couple of different paths to further my education. I've looked into the MSN program, but I don't think that it is the best fit at this time. I would rather focus on obtaining specialty certifications like the Certified Pediatric Nurse and Pediatric Advanced Emergency Assessment, Recognition and Stabilization (PEARS)."
Written by Jaymie Payne on December 18th, 2022
2nd Experienced Example
"At this time, I have my BSN, and I plan to enroll in the MSN program in the next 6-12 months. I would like to eventually pursue a nurse leadership role focused on care coordination, management of outcomes, care transitions, risk assessment, implementing best practices, and quality improvement within an organization or unit. I do believe pursuing an advanced degree will benefit me in that journey."
Written by Jaymie Payne on December 18th, 2022
3rd Experienced Example
"Currently, I have my BSN, and I am furthering my education by regularly completing CE courses. In the future, I would like to return to school to obtain my MSN and pursue a career within this organization in nursing management."
Written by Tabitha Cumpian on January 31st, 2023
Discovery
35. Do you have any questions about the specific requirements or responsibilities of the job?
How to Answer
This will be the question that ends each and every interview and it is very important to come prepared with questions. More often than not, some of your questions will be answered throughout the dialogue of the interview. This is to be expected. While the questions you ask can vary to many degrees, having well thought out questions shows that you have interest in the position and in some of the minute details of the job. It is okay to have questions written down or typed out and to take notes during the interview.
Written by Elisabeth Walter
1st Entry Level Example
"You've done a great job of answering some of my questions that I've had prepared throughout the interview. Thank you for that. The long-term fit is ideally what I'm looking for in my next job so I'm wondering what it is about this organization that keeps you working here and what do you love the most about working here?"
Written by Elisabeth Walter
2nd Entry Level Example
"As a new graduate, the time frame for me to be up and running on my own is important for me to have some sort of expectation on. What does the orientation and training program look like in your department and what is an expected time frame for a new nurse to be working on their own in the unit?"
Written by Ryan Brunner
1st Experienced Example
"Through my career as a nurse, some organizations have been great about promoting teamwork within the workplace and other places haven't. Can you tell me how this organization promotes teamwork within the workplace and how is teamwork generally promoted within the department?"
Written by Ryan Brunner
2nd Experienced Example
"If I have the opportunity to join your team and start working on your inpatient clinical unit, this will be my first experience working outside of outpatient care. Given this, what do you think my biggest challenges will be as I transition to this new type of clinical environment?"
Written by Kelly Burlison on March 17th, 2019
3rd Experienced Example
"With a history in float pool nursing, I have encountered a variety of units, processes, and procedures as well as nursing support. Can you please tell me more about what a typical daily patient workload would look like for a nurse on your unit and what, if any, support staff there is such as CNAs or RTs?"
Written by Tabitha Cumpian on January 31st, 2023
Discovery
36. What is your work availability? Are you able to work nights? Weekends?
How to Answer
Heading into the interview, you should have a pretty good availability of the work expectations of the position through the job posting that you read or the advertisement you saw. In truthfulness to yourself and potential future employer, you should be as honest as possible in what your availability is in regards to evening, night, weekend and holiday shifts.
Written by Elisabeth Walter
1st Entry Level Example
"As a new nurse entering the workforce, I am ready to work any shifts on any days that I can. I want to let you know that I do have my son every other weekend and would like the chance to not be on the schedule on those particular weekends or be given the opportunity to trade shifts if I were scheduled on those weekends."
Written by Ryan Brunner
1st Experienced Example
"I am open to working any shift on any day as long as the schedule for particular shifts is out at least two weeks ahead of time. With my spouse having a full-time job, I need to be able to plan ahead for childcare should the need arise."
Written by Elisabeth Walter
2nd Experienced Example
"After working years of swing shifts on a Med/Surg unit, I am at a point in may career where I would like to work solely day and evening shifts. Upon reading the job posting, I understood that this was primarily a day shift position with every other weekend coverage and occasional evening shifts to help pick up for vacation days."
Written by Ryan Brunner
3rd Experienced Example
"While I would prefer to work daytime hours, I am willing to pick up evening and weekend shifts as needed to cover for my colleagues. I am a team player, and I am always willing to help out when needed. However, because of family obligations, I will need at least a 24-hour notice when picking up additional shifts, especially evening shifts."
Written by Kelly Burlison on March 17th, 2019
4th Experienced Example
"As a nurse, I know and understand the need and requirement for weekend and holiday rotations. Being part of a nursing team is important, and I am happy to take my rotation for both weekends and holidays. I tend to be more of a nighttime person and so I would prefer to work the night shift. I am open to helping out on a day or evening shift as well if needed from time to time."
Written by Tabitha Cumpian on January 31st, 2023
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Discovery
37. Why are you leaving your current position?
How to Answer
This question is a time for you to be up front and honest with the person that is interviewing you, but to a point. Under no circumstance should you talk negatively about your current employer as that is a major red flag for interviewers. If you are truly leaving your former position because the organization has done bad things, make sure to find reasons that the organization you are interviewing with is better for your long term well being and career. Don't make money or benefits the sole focus of this interview question either as that will be a red flag that you may jump ship later on for more money. Focus on how the new position would better you as a nurse and a person.
Written by Elisabeth Walter
1st Entry Level Example
"As a recent graduate, this would be my first RN position. Through the various healthcare settings, I worked in during clinicals, I found that hospitals or clinics are my preference. I have done a lot of research on employers in this area, and I was impressed with X's awards and recognition both locally and nationally. I'm excited to learn more about this opportunity!"
Written by Jaymie Payne on December 18th, 2022
1st Experienced Example
"While I've enjoyed my time working in my current role, your position for a nurse in your women's health clinic will help me expand my horizons as a nurse and put me where I have always dreamed of being a nurse. I came into the profession to help work with women with specific health issues and this would be my dream job in doing so."
Written by Elisabeth Walter
2nd Experienced Example
"I have been working in my current position for two years, and while I appreciate all the opportunities I have had to learn and become a better nurse in the position as an outpatient nurse in an adult medicine clinic, I feel like it is time to move on. My current position was my first job out of nursing school, and while it has helped me strengthen my clinical and interpersonal skills, I feel like I am ready for a position in the inpatient environment where I will be more challenged. I want a position where I can grow clinically and not one where I feel my clinical skills are waning, and I feel that this position at your organization can offer me that."
Written by Ryan Brunner
3rd Experienced Example
"After spending six years as an entry level nurse on a Med/Surg unit, I have realized that I have gained as much experience as I can there and am looking to expand my horizons and get into Hospice nursing. My job search has been very meticulous and thorough in looking for an employer that can meet my needs both personally and professionally and your organization can provide that."
Written by Ryan Brunner
4th Experienced Example
"I love my current job caring for pediatric patients who are hospitalized for various conditions, but I am ready to take a step in a different direction and work with a different population of patients, such as the orthopedic surgery patients that I would work with in the position at your organization. While I love children and the pediatric patients I work with, it can be emotionally draining, and after being in this position for over five years, I feel like it is time to move on to something else and not only allow myself a reprieve from the emotional aspect but also expand my skillset."
Written by Kelly Burlison on March 17th, 2019
1st Answer Example
"Currently, I am working with the adult population. Although I have enjoyed my time in this setting, I greatly miss working with the pediatric population. I have learned a lot while working with adults that I believe I will still be able to use when interacting with pediatric patient's parents and caregivers."
Written by Tabitha Cumpian on January 31st, 2023
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Discovery
38. How do you stay current on the latest health research?
How to Answer
The healthcare field is continually changing with new technology and research methods. Due to this, most healthcare organizations require nurses to attend continuing education courses. On top of required education, many nurses choose to stay up to speed in their field by attending training, reading publications or participating in workshops. To successfully answer this question, candidates should talk about one of the most recent training sessions they attended and expand on their particular interests in learning more in the nursing field and how they educate themselves.
Written by Elisabeth Walter
1st Entry Level Example
"As a new nurse, I have thrived in my learning environment through my nursing program in college. The faculty that I was educated by and the preceptors that I worked with on my clinical rotations were instrumental in helping me get up to speed on the current field of nursing. I know that the nursing field is a continually changing work environment and I look forward to attending training and seminars to learn as much as I can in becoming a successful nurse with your organization."
Written by Ryan Brunner
1st Experienced Example
"As part of my continuing education requirements, I recently attended a Child Maltreatment training. Working in a Family Practice clinic, this training was extremely useful as it educated me on how to spot potential child abuse on patients that I see. As well, I learned new changes in law about mandatory reporting if child abuse was suspected. On top of regular continuing education credits, my passion lies in the treatment of children that are diagnosed with cancer. I am a subscriber of the 'Journal of Pediatric Nursing' and enjoy reading and learning about new research in the field."
Written by Elisabeth Walter
2nd Experienced Example
"As a nurse that has worked most of her career in the Emergency Department, I have had to adapt to changes in procedures and technology throughout my career. As part of my continuing education requirements, I recently took a course on the geriatric patient in the emergency room. Even having been a career Emergency Nurse, I learned new research and methods to help treat elderly patients when they come in the Emergency Room. These continuing education courses I have attended throughout my career have helped me become a better nurse."
Written by Ryan Brunner
3rd Experienced Example
"As a nurse with many years of experience, am well aware of how quickly medicine and nursing practices advance, so I understand the importance of keeping up with the latest health research. I subscribe to several nursing journals through my membership in the American Nurses Association, and I use the information in these journals to stay abreast on newly published research. Reading these journals as well as attending CME courses have helped me stay ahead and on the cutting-edge of nursing practice throughout my career."
Written by Kelly Burlison on March 17th, 2019
4th Experienced Example
"The healthcare field is continuously changing and evolving, and I feel it is vital to stay up to date in order to do well and to provide safe care to our patients. To help stay up to date, I am a member of the American Nurses Association. I also subscribe to nursing journals and regularly attend continuing education courses. My goal is always to attend at least one continuing education course a quarter. I have found that by doing this, I am able to stay current on my nursing skills and education."
Written by Tabitha Cumpian on January 31st, 2023
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Education
39. Tell me about your education.
How to Answer
Your path to becoming a nurse has included a great deal of education and certification. Your resume will obviously show the school(s) that you attended, what level your degree was and what dates you attended. Now is your chance to expand upon what is on your resume by talking about your experiences through nursing school, your clinical rotations or your master's program that led you to this point in your career and how specific pieces of your education led you to this job you are interviewing for.
Written by Elisabeth Walter
1st Entry Level Example
"As a new nursing graduate, you can see that I attended Southeast Technical College for my associate's degree in nursing. After passing my state licensure exam, I am very eager to begin my nursing career with the great education that I received from SETC. During my semester of clinical rotations, I gained great knowledge of the nursing profession and obtain many skills while working in urgent care, dialysis, emergency and critical care settings. Down the road, I want to pursue both my bachelor's and master's degrees to pursue a leadership position later on in my career."
Written by Ryan Brunner
2nd Entry Level Example
"As a newly licensed nurse, I recently graduated from a post-baccalaureate nursing program that is specifically for career changers who have bachelors degrees in non-nursing fields. My bachelor's degree, which I earned in 2004, is in business, and after working as a project manager in the corporate IT world since graduating, I decided to go back to school for nursing. The post-baccalaureate program was great for me because it helped me become an RN without me having to take basic undergraduate courses that I had already taken while pursuing my business degree. However, I was required to take all the practical science and nursing courses."
Written by Kelly Burlison on March 17th, 2019
1st Experienced Example
"As you can see, I obtained my bachelor's degree in nursing back in 1991. Since then, I have attended many continuing education courses that have helped me grow significantly as a nurse. Last year, knowing that I wanted to eventually become a nurse in a substance abuse treatment facility, I attended a conference on the opioid epidemic that is sweeping the country right now. In the conference, I learned so much about spotting the signs of addiction, how it is effectively treated and how families are impacted negatively."
Written by Elisabeth Walter
2nd Experienced Example
"As a nurse who has worked most of her career with an associate's degree in nursing from back in 1988, I recently graduated from my bachelor's degree program that I worked hard for on top of holding my full-time job. Going back to school as a non-traditional student in nursing really refreshed my mind as an experienced nurse to learn about new treatments and techniques. In looking to make the move from a career med/surg nurse to an emergency nurse, my final year elective class on treating trauma patients will benefit me well on my new nursing career path."
Written by Ryan Brunner
3rd Experienced Example
"I obtained my bachelor's degree 15 years ago. I was eager to begin my nursing career and learn as much as I possibly could. Through my years of working bedside, I found that I really had a passion for teaching patients about their health conditions and helping them prepare for returning home. It was this passion that led me back to school to complete my master's degree in nursing with an emphasis on education. Now my goal is to focus on patient education and helping patients to understand their conditions fully and feel confident in providing self-care."
Written by Tabitha Cumpian on January 31st, 2023
Situational
40. Have you ever been disciplined or asked to resign from a nursing position?
How to Answer
Although it may seem to be best to avoid answering this question directly, it's always best to provide an explanation why a previous position went awry. Nursing takes pride in being voted the 'most ethical profession' so it's not a great idea to start a career with a new employer being evasive. This is not a time to overexplain or underexplain the reason. A simple explanation will do. It's not the time to cast dispersions or blame onto others as in 'everybody who works there runs away screaming.' Own your version of the truth is the most direct and matter of fact way without denigrating or blaming others. You may not get the job for being transparent, but getting the job under false pretenses isn't right either.
Written by Ryan Brown on June 5th, 2019
1st Entry Level Example
"I've just recently graduated and passed my NCLEX, so I have not experienced a time in my nursing career where I have been disciplined or asked to resign. Prior to nursing school, I worked a couple of jobs in retail and food services, and I never had any performance issues or concerns from my leaders."
Written by Jaymie Payne on December 18th, 2022
1st Experienced Example
"Yes, I have. I resigned from Homeward Bound Rehabilitation facility after a meeting in with my nursing leadership. I expressed concern over the short staffing on our unit on several occasions and also advocated for additional training if we were asked to take on extremely medically compromised patients or be pulled to another unit. It was my belief that my nurse manager did not address my concerns that patient care was jeopardized. I told her that it was really important to me that the unit was staffed completely and that I did not feel that I could practice safely if it wasn't. She told me that there's a nursing shortage and to deal with it. I reported her comments and refusal to address persistent shift shortages and low staff morale to leadership which created an awkward meeting. My nurse manager felt that I went over her head and that it was unprofessional. I countered that I expressed my concern on at least 4 occasions and felt unsafe and unheard. My departure was mutually agreed on. I liked my job there a lot, but I still think that it was an unsafe patient environment. I did have the opportunity to identify new ways to handle issues such as putting them in writing, asking the manager to listen when she was not overwhelmed herself, and possibly providing solutions along with my concerns."
Written by Ryan Brown on June 5th, 2019
2nd Experienced Example
"Unfortunately, I have received a write-up in the past for being late. It was about ten years ago, and at the time, I was fresh out of college, and my vehicle was unreliable. I was having a lot of car trouble, and it would break down frequently, which caused me to be late. I would notify my supervisor immediately when I was going to be late, but they had a strict attendance policy. Thankfully, I was able to save up for a new vehicle, and that solved my issues of being tardy. I've never received any disciplinary action since then!"
Written by Jaymie Payne on December 18th, 2022
3rd Experienced Example
"Unfortunately yes I have had to resign from a nursing position. I had experienced significant workplace bullying from physicians within a group. When I took these concerns to my direct manager, I was told they would be monitored. It continued to happen, and so I addressed it again with my manager, but again nothing changed. I then reached out to my department's HR representative. She had a one-on-one meeting with me but said that my manager should handle it. After much thought, I felt it was best to resign as I did not feel it was a safe, conducive working environment."
Written by Tabitha Cumpian on January 31st, 2023
Situational
41. 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?
How to Answer
Since nurses interface with patients and ask them questions that often expose their vulnerabilities, they often recognize when patients are in difficult or dangerous situations without directly being told by the patient. Such situations can include but are not limited to domestic violence, sex trafficking, child abuse, Munchausen by Proxy and even social circumstances such as homelessness. When a nurse recognizes these situations, they have a moral, ethical, and sometimes legal obligation to take action. The interviewer is asking this question to determine what types of situations the candidate has recognized in their past career and how they have responded. To successfully answer this question, the candidate should identify a specific situation when they identified and assisted a patient who was in a difficult situation and describe the outcome.
Written by Kelly Burlison on March 17th, 2019
1st Entry Level Example
"In my nursing education program, I have learned about the many difficult situations patients could be facing, how to identify them, and how to respond, but I personally have never encountered such a situation in my work or real life before. However, in one of my classes, we have participated in case simulations where we work in pairs to practice such scenarios. While my partner acts out a scenario, I listen and attempt to identify the circumstance and determine which course of action to take. These simulations have helped prepare me for how I will react when I encounter a patient who is facing a difficult situation in their real life."
Written by Kelly Burlison on March 17th, 2019
1st Experienced Example
"In my current job in the inpatient OB/GYN unit, nursing staff members are required to screen patients for domestic violence and sex trafficking upon transferring them to the unit. While I ask the questions on the screening tool, I recognize that the patients are unlikely to tell me the truth at the time, especially if their abusers are with them. I typically watch how the patients respond to the questions and if I become suspicious, I take the women to the restroom, turn on the shower so no one can hear, and ask them what is going on. When I did this a few months ago, the patient confided that she was being abused by her husband, so I immediately reported it. Before the patient left the hospital, she had a restraining order issued against her husband, and she felt safe leaving with her baby."
Written by Kelly Burlison on March 17th, 2019
2nd Experienced Example
"A few months ago, at my job in the outpatient pediatric clinic, a patient, who was approximately 15-years-old came in asking for an STD test. The young lady did not have a parent or guardian with her, did not have insurance, and she was not an established patient of ours, but she did have an older man with her who was directing her every move. The patient initially approached our adult medicine clinic for the STD test, but since she was underage, reception sent her to the pediatric unit. I knew something was not right about the situation, but I could not directly come out and ask, so when I was taking the young lady to the restroom so she could provide her urine sample, which was the only time I was alone with her, I handed her a tiny piece of paper with the sex trafficking hotline phone number on it and said to her, 'If you need this, put it in your shoe where he is unlikely to look, if you don't, leave it on the counter so I know you are safe." When I went into the restroom afterward, there was no paper on the counter, so I assumed she took the number, and I made a report to child protective services."
Written by Kelly Burlison on March 17th, 2019
3rd Experienced Example
"A few weeks ago, while I was triaging a patient in the ED, I asked the patient to verify her address, which is something we often do. However, the patient gave me a different address that was previously documented in the system and on her paperwork. When I asked the patient if she had recently moved, she denied doing so and I noticed tears welling up in her eyes. At this point, I recognized that the patient was likely homeless. However, rather than bringing it up, I simply offered her a list of community resources that contained contact information and locations for shelters, community resource centers, and other resources. Once the patient had this list, she began crying, thanked me, and told me she would be contacting the shelters, as she did not know so many resources existed that could help her."
Written by Kelly Burlison on March 17th, 2019
4th Experienced Example
"I recently had an adolescent patient come to the clinic with their parent for their routine follow-up for type 2 diabetes, I saw that the patient's weight had increased significantly since the last visit. When we discussed how the lifestyle habit changes had been going since our last visit the patient's mom noted that they were trying to eat healthier but that it is hard with the price of groceries and not always having the finances to buy more food. I could see the difficult situation the mom was in and so I immediately provided her with resources for a local food bank. In addition, I notified our social worker who was able to meet with the mom to determine if there were any other needs the family had and what additional resources we had that we could give them. The mom was not aware of the food bank and was very grateful for the additional resources."
Written by Tabitha Cumpian on January 31st, 2023
Situational
42. Tell me about a time that you had to deal with an unexpected emergency on the job. How did you handle that situation?
How to Answer
On this question, the interviewer will be looking to learn how you deal with the unexpected things that arise when on a shift. For your answer, make sure to talk about how you are able to prioritize things in order of importance/need and you are able to pick up the pieces where you left off prior to the emergent situation.
Written by Elisabeth Walter
1st Entry Level Example
"During my clinical rotation in an urgent care setting, a patient that I was seeing with my preceptor collapsed with an apparent cardiac arrest. At that point, instinct kicked in with my basic lifesaver training and I began to administer CPR while my preceptor went to grab the defibrillator. Upon return, the shocked the patient back to stable condition and he was admitted to the hospital that evening. Staying calm and relying on my training was key in that situation to help save a life that day."
Written by Ryan Brunner
1st Experienced Example
"In my current position, I am on the hospital's trauma team. If a trauma emergency is called, I am pulled from my regular duties on my Med/Surg unit to attend to the emergency trauma. This happened a few weeks ago during a medication pass and I didn't have help to back me up. Upon hearing the call over the PA system, I let my leader know that I needed to be present when the trauma arrived at the hospital. I made a quick note to myself on where I left off with the patients on my unit. Upon returning to the unit an hour and a half later, I was able to pick up the medication pass where I had left off because I had taken a quick minute to jot some notes down to myself."
Written by Elisabeth Walter
2nd Experienced Example
"During my time working as a nurse in a residential treatment facility, we worked with many patients who were detoxing and rehabbing from extreme alcohol and drug dependency issues. Late one night, a patient in the detox unit was threatening to harm either himself or staff and the unit was put on lock-down. As the nurse in charge of that unit, I used my de-escalation training to calm the patient down to a relaxed state through simple conversation. Had I not had that training, I wouldn't have known the proper things to say and attitude to have with him to calm him down. After the incident, it was back to business as usual on my unit."
Written by Ryan Brunner
3rd Experienced Example
"Because I have spent most of my career working as a nurse in an outpatient family practice clinic, many people think that I have never dealt with emergencies; however, this is not the case. Many times, patients who arrive at our clinic are very sick and are in need of emergency care. Just last week, I was on my way into the clinic, and I stopped at the public restroom in the building lobby before reporting to work. While I was at the sink washing my hands, one of our patients, called out from one of the stalls, told me she needed emergency assistance. I immediately used my cell phone to call the clinic and asked them to call a code blue, and I crawled under the stall, got the woman into the floor, and began administering care to her before our emergency team could reach her. The woman's vital signs were dangerously low, and she ended up leaving by ambulance, so my quick thinking likely saved her life."
Written by Kelly Burlison on March 17th, 2019
4th Experienced Example
"Working in intermediate care I expect to have emergent situations arise at times. I was recently in the middle of a nursing assessment on one patient when my nursing assistant came to me saying that she had just taken vital signs on another patient of mine and their oxygen level was reading low, and the patient was difficult to wake up. I immediately informed the patient I was working with that I needed to step out and would return as quickly as I could. I did a quick scan of the room to ensure I was leaving the patient in a safe position with the call light within reach. I then hurried to the other patient's room. I did a quick assessment of the patient and began working to raise their oxygen saturation. I quickly realized the immediate resources I had would not be enough, and I called a rapid response. The team responded quickly, and we worked together to care for the patient. The patient ended up requiring Bipap and was transferred to ICU. Once I transferred the patient, I immediately returned to the patient's room I was initially in and picked up where I had left on with this patient's assessments."
Written by Tabitha Cumpian on January 31st, 2023
Anonymous Interview Answers with Professional Feedback
Anonymous Answer
Rachelle's Feedback
Situational
43. 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?
How to Answer
The healthcare industry is always in a constant state of change. Organizations merge, laws change and new technology and process are always emerging to better care for a patient. To succeed as a nurse, you need to be able to demonstrate that you can navigate change with ease in the workplace and this is your chance to give a specific change you have dealt with in the workplace with a positive outcome.
Written by Elisabeth Walter
1st Entry Level Example
"As an inexperienced nurse starting my clinical rotations, every rotation was a significant change. With each rotation, I had to familiarize myself with a new facility, a new staff, a new EMR and new work processes. I feel like these changes from rotation to rotation helped round me out as a new nurse entering the workforce and helped me gain a lot of great knowledge on how to be the best nurse that I can be."
Written by Ryan Brunner
1st Experienced Example
"In my last job, my organization went through a buyout to become the current organization that it is. Upon the buyout, just about everything about my job changed. We were working on a new EMR, our pay structure changed, our benefits changed, our leadership structure changed and some of our work processes did too. Knowing about the buyout ahead of time, I was able to prepare myself under the notion that I only can control what I can control. In this instance of a total buyout, my attitude was under my control. As I saw other coworkers complain, cry and even look for new jobs, I took this as an opportunity to embrace change and become a better organization. Learning a new EMR and learning new work processes did end up making me a better nurse in the end and for that, I am grateful for that opportunity."
Written by Elisabeth Walter
2nd Experienced Example
"During my 10 years working as an emergency nurse, my department saw several leadership changes. With each leadership change came a change in philosophy on how the work schedule would be made and worked. In those 10 years, I've worked standard eight, 10 and 12-hour shifts. I've worked straight day shifts, straight evening shifts, straight night shifts and swing shifts from week to week. Each change in work schedule had an effect on my life at home due to childcare and being available for my children's school and recreational events. With planning and communication, I was able to embrace each change in schedule and I learned over time that being flexible to these changes was extremely vital to both my personal and professional well-being."
Written by Ryan Brunner
3rd Experienced Example
"I have been working as an outpatient clinical nurse for a couple of years now, and six months ago, my company's leadership team began rolling out LEAN initiatives in each department, which significantly changed the way we operate in almost all areas of our practice. At first, when the LEAN project teams were helping us change our procedures, it was very difficult, and I resisted a bit. However, once I started seeing how much the LEAN methodologies were helping us save time and improve our efficiencies, I became more excited and I have even volunteered to lead a few of the implementations. This experience helped me realize that when procedures change, I don't need to resist, and instead, I should help with the rollout to make it easier."
Written by Kelly Burlison on March 17th, 2019
4th Experienced Example
"Over my years of nursing, I have learned that change is part of nursing and part of life. I feel that I am able to handle change well and that I actually welcome it because I believe it's necessary in order to grow. One big change that I was recently part of was the change from one EHR to another. It was a long in-depth process for our organization to change this. I had to meet with several extended team members who helped to format the EHR for our specific department and our needs. Once the EHR was rolled out, it was incredibly different than the previous one, and there was a huge learning curve. It was definitely challenging at times, but I maintained a positive attitude about it and worked diligently to learn the new system so that I could continue to provide the best care possible to my patients and in a timely manner."
Written by Tabitha Cumpian on January 31st, 2023
Anonymous Interview Answers with Professional Feedback
Anonymous Answer
Rachelle's Feedback
Situational
44. Tell me about the most stressful situation you've had to deal with in the workplace.
How to Answer
Nurses can find themselves in very stressful working conditions from time to time due to a variety of reasons. Here, the interviewer is looking to see how you personally manage those stressful situations. Think of a specific time you had to manage a stressful situation, how you handled it, what tools or resources you used and what the outcome was of the situation.
Written by Elisabeth Walter
1st Entry Level Example
"Working my way through nursing school, I worked a near full-time job and was attending classes. To try and finish a semester early, I packed 19 credits in my final two semesters and this was a stressful time for me. While not having a lot of time for family and friends, I made sure to take care of myself by eating healthy when tempted not to and still get a good amount of sleep each night. By taking care of myself, my daily stress was lessened and much more manageable when it could've been easy to live off of fast food and caffeine with many sleepless nights."
Written by Ryan Brunner
1st Experienced Example
"As an emergency nurse, I was working a night shift during the winter where a bus accident brought in 10 critically injured patients on top of the standard winter visits to an ER. When we received the call that the ambulances would be showing up, I went into immediate triage mode with our current patients. This mode continued when the accident victims arrived as well and I prioritized those with the most traumatic injuries first and worked down the line. I great piece of advice I got early in my career was that I am only one person who can only focus on one thing at a time. In these situations, this sage advice keeps me focused on the patient in front of me and not letting my mind wander to the other patients."
Written by Elisabeth Walter
2nd Experienced Example
"In my time working as a home health nurse, I spent a lot of time on the road. Winters were particularly tough with high numbers of illnesses coupled with bad driving weather. One Sunday, we had a large dumping of snow and I had a full patient load the next day. As I hit the road on Monday morning, I received several emergent calls for visits that day as I was realizing the driving conditions would be bad. Knowing I would have a large patient load that day and driving conditions were poor, I contacted my supervisor to let them know of the situation. He approved me to work the hours that I needed to that day safely and responsibly. In that situation, I took my time on the roads and made a plan for patient visits that would be efficient. By communicating and making a plan, the daywas very manageable."
Written by Ryan Brunner
3rd Experienced Example
"By far the most stressful situation I have ever dealt with took place while I was working as a technician in the emergency department at County Hospital. You may or may not remember seeing this on the news, but there was a day when we had a Code Silver, or a warning for an active shooter because there was a family member who was extremely upset over a bad outcome and had come in threatening to shoot everyone. Because the ED was extremely busy that day, we had patients in beds in all empty spaces we could find, so beds were essentially lining the hallways. Once the Code Silver was called, we had to immediately get these patients moved to a secure location. Doing this while not knowing if a shooter was right around the corner was terrifying, and the hardest part was remaining calm for the patients."
Written by Kelly Burlison on March 17th, 2019
4th Experienced Example
"My most stressful situation was while working on a step-down unit. Unfortunately, we were short-staffed that day, and so I had 2 additional patients compared to what a typical workload would be like. I knew from my morning report that the day would be very busy due to patients' high acuity levels and multiple patients needing blood transfusions, so I quickly began my morning assessments. I immediately noted new abnormalities on a patient's assessment that were concerning for stroke. This patient became my immediate priority. I spoke with my charge nurse at once and called a code stroke. I had learned strong reporting skills over the years and was able to give a brief but thorough report to my charge nurse on my other patients and she assumed the primary nurse of those patients while I cared for the patient who was actively displaying new signs of a stroke. Once I was able to begin medication for the patient and transfer her to ICU, I was then able to resume full care of my other patients. It was a stressful situation, but my years of nursing experience had prepared me for it, and my team and I were able to work well together to provide all the necessary care needed as quickly and safely as possible."
Written by Tabitha Cumpian on January 31st, 2023
Anonymous Interview Answers with Professional Feedback
Anonymous Answer
Rachelle's Feedback
Anonymous Answer
Rachelle's Feedback
Anonymous Answer
Marcie's Feedback
Situational
45. 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?
How to Answer
As a nurse, the need to communicate effectively to a patient is vital and this is no more evident than when delivering bad news. The interviewer will be looking to see how you handled yourself in a particular instance by showing empathy and composure where most individuals wouldn't be able to. Think of a time when you had to do this and talk about an instance that had a great outcome.
Written by Elisabeth Walter
1st Entry Level Example
"During my time in clinical rotations on a Med/Surg unit, I had been working with a patient throughout the day that was planning to be released back home by 4:00 pm that afternoon. As my day shift was ending, the physician notified us that due to the fact the patient's blood pressure hadn't dropped to an acceptable level, he would have to stay another night for observation. When I was in the room with my preceptor, she gave the news to the patient calmly and explained the reason why it was necessary. While certainly excited to be sent home, he fully understood the reasoning why and took the news well due to her simple delivery of the message."
Written by Ryan Brunner
1st Experienced Example
"As a pediatric nurse early in my career, my physician received lab results from a young patient found to have a brain tumor. When the patient and family were called in for their consult, the physician and I were both in the room when the news was delivered. In that situation, it is hard not to break down with the family in tears but I knew that they were looking at me to be the person with strength and have answers to their questions. The physician and I were able to walk them through their next steps and options moving forward with their child's diagnosis and they truly appreciated that."
Written by Elisabeth Walter
2nd Experienced Example
"As an urgent care nurse, I saw patients with varying degrees of sicknesses and illnesses. One weekend, a young boy came in with a foot injury from playing in a hockey tournament earlier that day. After the doctor examined him, he was sent to the lab for X-rays. In talking with the boy and his father, they were in town for a hockey tournament and his team had just reached the championship game which was to be played the next day. The boy was so excited and hopeful that he would have just a bruised foot and be able to play. Once the tests came back, it was revealed that he had fractured the outer metatarsal on his foot. I delivered the news to the boy that he had fractured his foot and that he would need to leave our clinic in a walking boot and not play the next day. He was devastated. I explained to him that playing further could damage his foot further down the road and by taking the time to explain why he had to take the course of action he did, but the boy and his father were grateful."
Written by Ryan Brunner
3rd Experienced Example
"A few weeks ago, a patient came into our family practice clinic for a suspected eye infection, and unfortunately, upon examining her eye, the physician I work with found that it was not an infection but rather, it was inflammation of the eye, which could have been caused by an autoimmune disease. The patient was very upset by this, but the doctor told her not to worry until initial blood panels came back and we knew if the patient needed to see a rheumatologist for further testing. However, when the test results came back, it showed that the patient likely had Rheumatoid Arthritis, and she needed further testing by a rheumatologist to confirm. I had to call the patient to break this news to her, and she became very upset when I did so. Since the patient was scared and upset, I stayed on the phone with her, comforted her, and answered any questions that I could, and before the end of the phone call, she was calm and collected and told me she felt much better."
Written by Kelly Burlison on March 17th, 2019
4th Experienced Example
"I once had a patient in the clinic to have their implantable cardio-defibrillator checked. When completing the testing, I could tell that something was wrong when interpreting the data. I notified the physician immediately who ordered a stat chest x-ray to check the placement of the lead within the heart. I then sat with the patient and explained clearly the results I found when testing her cardiac device and that there was a concern with one of the leads. I informed her to ensure the placement of the lead and determine if any other more invasive intervention needed to be done we would need to have her complete a chest x-ray. I then walked with her to the x-ray and then brought her back to the office to review with the provider. Unfortunately, the lead had moved and required surgery to reposition it. The patient later told me she was very grateful for me sitting with her initially upon interpreting the data and explaining it in a manner she could understand. She appreciated knowing clearly what was going on and why a chest x-ray was needed as well as what the potential outcomes from the x-ray could be. She said she felt she had a better understanding going into the additional imaging which provided her with comfort because she already knew what could potentially be the outcome and long-term plan."
Written by Tabitha Cumpian on January 31st, 2023
Anonymous Interview Answers with Professional Feedback
Anonymous Answer
Rachelle's Feedback
Situational
46. 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?
How to Answer
The interviewer is asking this question to assess the candidate's ability to set aside their biases and provide care for patients whose values and beliefs are different from their own. By being employed in the healthcare field, nurses will encounter patients from all walks of life and from all racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds as well as genders, religions, and other belief systems. In order to provide the best care to all their patients, nurses should always be aware of any conscious or unconscious biases they may have and set them aside while providing care. To successfully answer this question, the candidate should give a specific example of a time when they recognized a patient had values and beliefs different from their own and how they dealt with it.
Written by Elisabeth Walter
1st Entry Level Example
"I am very active in my church, and I consider myself a very devout Christian. At the hospital that I work at, I often care for patients who have much different religious belief than my own, as I work in a very culturally diverse area. While some people in my church family have asked me if it is 'weird' for me to care for these people, for me, it isn't weird at all. I enjoy taking care of all people, and feel like it is my calling, no matter who they are or what religion they practice. I strive to give the best care possible to all my patients, despite how different their beliefs, religious or otherwise, may be from mine."
Written by Elisabeth Walter
2nd Entry Level Example
"Spending most of my career working in a rural medical office, in a town that is very homogenous, I have not encountered many patients who are much different from myself. However, a patient came in not too long ago with his partner and because the alternative lifestyle that the couple lead is not very common in our community, and several of the nurses refused to assist with the patient. But, since I am not uncomfortable with this type of lifestyle, I stepped up and helped the patient and provided him with the same quality of care that I provide all my patients."
Written by Ryan Brunner
1st Experienced Example
"I have been a nurse for many years, and I am aware that I have to constantly stay aware of my biases, both conscious and unconscious, in order to ensure I am providing the best care and customer service to my patients. The most applicable example that comes to mind is when I was working in an outpatient OB/GYN clinic, and a transgender woman came in to see the doctor for hormone treatment. The name and information on the schedule did not indicate that the patient was transgender, so I was a bit caught off guard when I went to the waiting room to call the patient back, as she very much still looked like the opposite gender. However, I immediately checked my biases and ensured that I was treating this woman with the care and respect that I give all my patients."
Written by Ryan Brunner
2nd Experienced Example
"This may be an atypical answer, but I once was in a very complex situation where I had to put my values and commitments as a nurse ahead of my personal feelings. A few years ago, while working in the ICU at the local hospital, a patient was admitted who had committed a horrific crime and had been critically injured while trying to escape the police. The crime was all over the news, and I was well aware of what the patient was accused of; but, when I walked into his room and assessed his needs, I did not see an accused criminal, I saw a human in need of care, love, and compassion, and I did everything I could to provide the best care I could. It was my job to provide care to the patient and not to judge the patient for the crimes he was being accused of."
Written by Kelly Burlison on March 17th, 2019
3rd Experienced Example
"I am a very involved Christian in my church. Throughout my nursing career, I have had the opportunity to work with a variety of patients from very different backgrounds. Recently I had an Islamic patient during Ramadan. Although the patient and I had very different beliefs, I would never push my ideas and beliefs onto my patients. I did a little research on my own about Ramadan and then asked the patient a few questions as well. I explained to my patient that I would like to support them during this time as much as possible and that they were welcome to tell me if there was anything I could do that would help them be able to follow their typical Ramadan practices while they were hospitalized."
Written by Tabitha Cumpian on January 31st, 2023
Anonymous Interview Answers with Professional Feedback
Anonymous Answer
Rachelle's Feedback
Anonymous Answer
Alexandra's Feedback
Anonymous Answer
Rachelle's Feedback
Situational
47. Tell me about the greatest challenge you have faced in your nursing career? How did you overcome it?
How to Answer
Nursing is a very challenging career, and there are many instances where nurses are faced with changing situations and/or working environments. The interviewer is asking this question to determine what types of challenging situations the candidate has faced in their careers and what actions they have taken to overcome the challenges. The types of challenges that can be used in the candidate's answers include but are not limited to: task management, complex patients, technical or systems issues, coworker conflicts, and/or conflicts with patients and family members. The candidate can successfully answer this question by providing an example of a time in their career where they faced a challenging situation and providing a detailed explanation of the steps they took to overcome the situation.
Written by Elisabeth Walter
1st Entry Level Example
"When I was new in my nursing career, it took me a significant amount of time to complete patient assessments. It seemed like no matter what, it would take forever for me to fill out the patient information on the assessments. Being a perfectionist, I would spend too much time on the details and would end up getting behind on all my other daily tasks because of the amount of time I was spending on the assessments. In order to overcome this, I had to take a step back, and while I still recognized that these details were important, I moved more quickly through the entire routine of collecting the information, so I could balance my daily tasks and better care for may patients."
Written by Elisabeth Walter
2nd Entry Level Example
"My greatest challenge as a nurse has been learning to work with with the various Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems that are used at the facilities in which I have been employed. I have never had a problem with my clinical skills, but adapting to the different EHR systems, such as EPIC and Cerner, has been a significant challenge for me. However, I have been able to overcome these challenges by attending supplemental training sessions offered by my employers and taking detailed notes during each training session. By taking these detailed notes, I was able to have something to go back to and reference when I was unsure of what to do."
Written by Kelly Burlison on March 17th, 2019
1st Experienced Example
"The greatest challenge I have faced in my nursing career thus far is when I transitioned from working in an outpatient family medicine clinic to a position as an inpatient floor nurse at the local hospital. This transition was extremely challenging, as caring for patients who are hospitalized required me to utilize much more of my nursing expertise than my previous job as an outpatient nurse. While this transition was very difficult at first, and there were many days that I wanted to quit, I persevered by staying calm, patient, and confident and studying up on my nursing skills so I could provide the best care I could to my patients."
Written by Ryan Brunner
2nd Experienced Example
"As a nurse who has spent the last 10 years working on a critical care unit, I haven't been able to keep up to speed on caring for patients in a family practice setting. Knowing that I'd be looking to make this transition down the road, I've picked up extra shifts at my current employer in the Family Medicine clinic and have worked the outpatient side of things when I could to get back up to speed. At this point in my career, I'm ready to make my way back to the outpatient setting for the remainder of my career and re-hone my skills there to be the best nurse that I can be."
Written by Ryan Brunner
3rd Experienced Example
"I have faced many challenges throughout my nursing career, as this is not an easy job and should not be taken lightly; but I think the biggest challenge I have faced is when I was transferred from the adult medicine unit to the pediatrics unit at the clinic I was working at a few years ago. While I welcomed this transfer, I was not prepared for how difficult the transition would be. With the transition, my responsibilities had significantly increased, and I was suddenly accountable for administering and understanding the pediatric vaccines. Because the pediatric vaccine schedule is so complex and time-sensitive, it was very overwhelming for me at first. I handled this situation by attending supplemental training courses and workshops to quickly familiarize myself with the different vaccines and the pediatric vaccine schedule, so I could quickly assimilate into my new role."
Written by Kelly Burlison on March 17th, 2019
4th Experienced Example
"So far, the greatest challenge I have had in my nursing career came when caring for patients with pacemakers and implantable cardio-defibrillators. The challenge for me was in learning all the details about the cardiac devices and learning how to independently test the patients' devices during their office visits to ensure everything was functioning appropriately. In addition to completing the testing, I had to be able to interpret all of the data from the device. When I first began in this area of nursing, it was extremely challenging for me because it was completely new to me. My preceptor, thankfully, had decades of knowledge in this area of nursing and was very thorough and patient with me while I learned and asked questions. She also held weekly morning meetings with the NPs before the clinic opened, where they discussed in great detail the device's functionalities and how to interpret the data. With the approval of my supervisor, I came in early on those days to help give myself additional learning opportunities. In the end, it was very beneficial and helped me to learn cardiac devices much quicker. Within a year my skillset had grown so much that I was able to become a preceptor for the department."
Written by Tabitha Cumpian on January 31st, 2023
Anonymous Interview Answers with Professional Feedback
Anonymous Answer
Rachelle's Feedback
Situational
48. Describe a recent issue you had with a doctor or co-worker's decision. How did you handle it?
How to Answer
In the fast-paced nursing world, you won't always agree with the decisions that are made by your co-workers or physicians that you work with on a daily basis. When a disagreement happens, you have to make a decision whether it is something to bite your tongue about or if you need to step up and intervene due to a patient safety issue. Showing your interviewer that you trusted your final decision and the outcome of the situation was acceptable is important for this particular question.
Written by Elisabeth Walter
1st Entry Level Example
"During my clinical rotations, I was training in a PACU and there was a particular patient that I noticed wasn't coming out of anesthesia very well. After the standard waiting time for their surgery, the patient was still very drowsy and incoherent but the operating physician gave them the clearance to be released to their family members and leave the hospital. I was against the decision, as the patient still couldn't walk very well or talk very well but I wasn't in a position to question the physician's decision. The unit was busy that day and in stressing my concern with my preceptor, she followed up with me weeks later when she had seen the patient was in great shape to come in for a follow-up procedure."
Written by Ryan Brunner
2nd Entry Level Example
"I actually recently dealt with this type of situation during one of my clinical shifts in the emergency department. We had a patient who presented with extreme muscle spasms and joint pain. The patient's joint pain was so bad that she could not move her joints, particularly her jaw. After the physician I was working with examined her, she diagnosed her with pain from an arthritis flare; however, I did not agree with the diagnosis because of the patient's symptoms. Using a professional approach, I urged the doctor to do exploratory testing, giving her clinical rationale of what I thought was wrong with the patient, and once we received the test results back we learned that the patient had a life-threatening infection that needed immediate medical attention."
Written by Kelly Burlison on March 17th, 2019
1st Experienced Example
"During my time working at a skilled nursing facility, we were short staffed one evening during medication passing. Our standard operating procedure was to pass medications to patients in teams of two to ensure that proper medications were being given to each resident. My co-worker told me to do two of the wings alone to save time and I immediately told her that I was uncomfortable going against policy for the safety of the patients. Another co-worker and I teamed up to complete the pass in the entire facility in a timely fashion with no incidents."
Written by Elisabeth Walter
2nd Experienced Example
"In my current position working on an OB unit, a young, single mother came into our unit in full blown labor. She came alone and in talking to her, I learned she didn't have any family or friends near to be with her in time for her first child's birth. As the labor progressed, the physician was noting obvious signs of stress in the baby but was still holding off on performing a c-section. At this point, I began to think that the patient should be put into surgery to get the baby out before any complications. But, the physician's experience held true a while later when a healthy, happy daughter was born to the first time mother. While I didn't agree with the decision to hold off on c-section at the time, trusting the physician's judgment was the best thing that I did and seeing the gratification on the mother was well worth it."
Written by Ryan Brunner
3rd Experienced Example
"I recently had a patient who had a PICC line placed at the beginning of my shift. Later in the day, I began noticing that the patient seemed more lethargic but still arousable. I notified the physician and was told this was only due to the pain medications the patient was receiving and that I shouldn't worry about it. As time passed, I did not feel this was the reason. However, the physician declined coming to reassess the patient when I paged. I discussed with my charge nurse and decided the safest thing for the patient was to call a rapid response. Ultimately, the patient was found to be septic, and immediate intervention was required. Thankfully, we were able to get the patient the treatment he needed right away and prevented it from becoming any worse. After this, the physician came to me and apologized for not taking my pages as seriously as he should have and thanked me for my commitment to my patients."
Written by Tabitha Cumpian on January 31st, 2023
Anonymous Interview Answers with Professional Feedback
Anonymous Answer
While I didn't agree with the decision to check brain CT scan "stat," as a priority, at the time, trusting the physician's judgment was the best thing that I did, Seeing the gratification on the patient was well worth it."
Kristine's Feedback
Anonymous Answer
Rachelle's Feedback
Situational
49. 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?
How to Answer
As a nurse, you deal with patients, family members, and co-workers during very stressful times. These stressful times can lead to emotional outbursts like rage or sadness. In dealing with someone who was angry, it is important to demonstrate your listening skills, problem-solving skills and your ability to remain calm and collected to not escalate the situation.
Written by Elisabeth Walter
1st Entry Level Example
"During my time in nursing school, there were several group projects that we had to work on. In one particular group, we had a team member that was continuously missing our agreed upon meetings and wasn't responding to our requests to help with the project. The lady who took the lead for our group became very frustrated when the group was meeting at this particular person. I let the lead know that I would reach out to the person missing the meetings as I had a previous relationship with her in a class before. This put the group leader at ease and after speaking about the concern directly to the person in-person, she attended all of our regular meetings the rest of the way and pitched in to help along the way as well. By calmly addressing this face to face, the person not pitching in was able to hear the concern in my voice and stepped up to help."
Written by Ryan Brunner
1st Experienced Example
"As a nurse in the pain clinic, we had a patient in one day that was demanding more narcotics for her pain. She had walked into the clinic without an appointment to demand another prescription. As the only nurse in a small clinic that day, I sat the patient down to talk to them. I used a calm voice and listened to what they were asking for. After listening, I explained that I would need to check their records for their last prescription and speak with the attending physician in the clinic that day. After seeing that their last prescription was written many months ago and the patient had missed their last appointment, I was able to talk to the physician to get another prescription written. Once prescribed, I explained to the patient how it was important for them to keep their regularly scheduled appointments and she walked away happy."
Written by Elisabeth Walter
2nd Experienced Example
"During my time as a nurse in the critical care unit, we had a patient who was brought in with a punctured lung from an accident. After being put on a ventilator, the physician was going to monitor the injury for a 24-hour period to see if surgery would be required. When the family arrived, the patient's mother was extremely irate that her son wasn't rushed into surgery immediately. She was demanding that her son be rushed to surgery to anyone that would listen. I took it upon myself to sit down with her and the other families that were there to explain the injury that was sustained and to explain that the monitoring period for the injury was standard and that he was in stable condition at the time. By explaining why the doctor was taking the steps he was for her son, the mother had a better understanding of the situation and was able to finally process what was happening in a calm and relaxed way."
Written by Ryan Brunner
3rd Experienced Example
"Over the years that I have spent working as a nurse, I have dealt with many upset patients, family members, and physicians; however, the example that comes to mind most is when an attending physician became extremely angry with one of the floor nurses one day while I was working as charge nurse at the hospital. The charge nurse had made a minor mistake in documentation, and rather than handling it professionally when the physician brought it to her attention, she snapped back at him, which caused him to become extremely angry and start raising his voice. When I intervened, the physician directed his anger at me and was raising his voice at me in the hallway, where staff, patients, and family members could hear. Rather than becoming angry, I stayed calm and used various tactics to de-escalate the situation, and soon, the physician and I were able to have a reasonable conversation with one another. I knew that the physician was overreacting, but I also knew that it would not help the situation if I did not handle it professionally, so I chose to take the high road."
Written by Kelly Burlison on March 17th, 2019
4th Experienced Example
"Having worked as a nurse for several years, I have had my fair share of encounters with upset individuals. One time in particular there was a physician who was upset with his clinic schedule for the day and the way in which the patients had been scheduled. He became quite angry and started yelling at the front desk staff. As the lead nurse for that clinic, I immediately jumped into action to assist the front desk staff and de-escalate the situation. I remained calm while speaking with the physician and informed him right away of my role and that I would be happy to assist him and address his concerns. By me speaking calmly with him, he then became calmer as well, and I was able to determine that ultimately his concern was poor communication. I was then able to address the communication concern with the appropriate team members."
Written by Tabitha Cumpian on January 31st, 2023
Anonymous Interview Answers with Professional Feedback
Anonymous Answer
Kristine's Feedback
Anonymous Answer
Rachelle's Feedback
Anonymous Answer
Amanda's Feedback
Situational
50. Tell me about a time when you committed a medical error in your nursing career. How did you handle it?
How to Answer
No matter the career or profession, mistakes happen in the workplace. In the medical field and the practice of nursing, mistakes are often medical errors which affect the patient. The repercussions from medical errors can range anywhere from minor to very severe and life-threatening. When a medical error is committed by a health professional, it is important that they immediately report the error and do not attempt to cover it up. To successfully answer this question, the candidate should explain a situation in their career when they committed a medical error and how they took action to resolve and report the situation. A stronger answer to the question would include details of what the candidate learned from the error, and how learning from the situation will prevent them from making the mistake again.
Written by Elisabeth Walter
1st Entry Level Example
"Since I am a new nurse, I am very watchful in my practice, but I did make a very serious medical error when I first started working on my own on the peds floor at the hospital. In pediatrics, weight is usually documented in kilograms, since recommended medication doses are documented in kilograms. Upon intake, I entered the patient's weight in the system, and when it automatically converted to kilograms, I thought it was a mistake, so I adjusted it up so it would reflect the patient's weight in pounds. This was a big mistake on my part because it made it so the patient would be getting much more medication than they were supposed to. At first, I didn't realize what I had done, but later while I was entering history and physical on another patient, I realized my mistake, and as soon as I was finished with this patient, I immediately went and informed my supervisor of my mistake. Luckily, the patient had not received medication yet, but an error was still documented and I went through a training program to ensure I understood how to properly document weight."
Written by Elisabeth Walter
2nd Entry Level Example
"The most serious medical error that has happened under my watch took place during my first few months as a floor nurse in a geriatric unit at the hospital. At the time, I was working nights, and on this particular night, I was exhausted and I admit that I was not being very friendly to my patients. Before I left one patient's room, I had forgotten to ensure her water cup was within reach of her bed. Later, when the patient woke up and was thirsty, instead of calling for me to assist her, she attempted to get up on her own to retrieve it, and she fell. Unfortunately, the patient sustained an injury upon falling, and since I did not hear her fall or hear her cry for help, she laid on the floor and suffered for an undetermined amount of time. This was a terrible experience for the patient and I felt terrible. After getting assistance for the patient, who had to undergo surgery for the injury she sustained, I was very honest with the incident nurse when she was asking me questions for the incident report, and I took full responsibility for what happened."
Written by Ryan Brunner
1st Experienced Example
"I have been a nurse for a long time, and I have made a number of medical errors. I would say the most serious medical error I have ever committed took place a couple of years ago when I was ordering medication for a patient undergoing a procedure. I knew what medication I was looking for, but because I was in a rush, I only looked for the first three letters of the medication. Unfortunately, the medication that I ordered and that was ultimately dispensed and administered to the patient was not the correct drug; and to make the situation worse, the patient had an unknown allergy to the medication and had a bad reaction. The patient ended up being okay, but they did not deserve to go through that trauma because of my negligence. I did not try to deny the fact that I took a shortcut while ordering the medication, and was honest about what happened. Now, I am extremely diligent about ensuring I am entering the correct medication into the system anytime I am doing so."
Written by Ryan Brunner
2nd Experienced Example
"A few years ago, while I was working as an outpatient pediatric nurse, there was an order in the system for me to administer a series of vaccines to a 12-month old patient. I went into the vaccine room, drew up the shots, then took them into the patient room and administered them to the patient. However, when I went to document the immunizations in the patient record, I realized one of the vaccines I gave was meant for adolescents. I felt terrible, but instead of attempting to hide my mistake, I immediately reported the incident to my supervisor, and she initiated a medication error report. Ever since I made this mistake, I always double check to make sure I am administering the correct medication to the patient."
Written by Kelly Burlison on March 17th, 2019
3rd Experienced Example
"Early in my nursing career, I misread the order for a patient's blood pressure medication. The patient was prescribed a half tablet instead of a full tablet because the patient was very sensitive to the medication. I gave the patient a full tablet. I felt terrible when I realized I had not split the pill before administering it. I immediately told my charge nurse of my error and completed the appropriate documentation. I then monitored the patient closely with more frequent vital sign checks throughout my shift to ensure the patient did not become hypotensive. I learned to always make sure I double-check my medication orders before administering anything. I was also able to use this as a learning experience and workflow process improvement for my unit. I worked closely with pharmacy, and we were able to start having pills split in the pharmacy prior to being delivered to the units. This has helped to cut down on medication errors like the one I made."
Written by Tabitha Cumpian on January 31st, 2023
Anonymous Interview Answers with Professional Feedback
Anonymous Answer
Rachelle's Feedback
Questions to Ask During Nursing Interview
Before your interview, do as much research as possible on the organization, facility, employee and patient reviews, mission, values, etc. Make note of anything that stands out to you and questions you may have as there will likely be a point at the end of the one-on-one or panel interview where the interviewer(s) give you an opportunity to ask questions. Interviewers genuinely want to help clarify anything you may have questions about. Actively listen during the interview and ask any follow-up questions you might have based on what the interviewer has said.
Here is a list of 5 impactful questions you could consider asking:
1. How many patients are on the unit, and what is the patient-to-nurse ratio?
2. From reviewing your profile on the company website (or LinkedIn), it looks like you've been with the organization X years. What keeps you with X organization? or What is your favorite part about working at the organization?
3. Can you tell me more about your management style (If you're interviewing directly with your potential hiring manager)?
4. How would you describe the senior leadership team?
5. Is there anything we've discussed that you'd like me to provide more information on or elaborate on?
About the Author
I began my healthcare career when I was a sophomore in high school and became an STNA (state-tested nursing assistant) at a local long-term care facility. I then went on to work as a nursing assistant at a local hospital and home healthcare agency. During that time, I pursued my Bachelor's in Business Administration: Human Resource Management and transitioned to working for one of the largest long-term care and post-acute rehab companies in the country. I supported the talent acquisition function, and in the span of 8 years, I screened and interviewed over 1,500 nurse aides, LPNs, and RNs.
I hold a very special place in my heart for nurses, as it's often a thankless and tiresome job. Not everyone is cut out to be a nurse, and I have great respect and admiration for those that choose this career path. As a content writer and interview coach for MockQuestions, my goal is to help you prepare and succeed in your upcoming interview. This article offers interview tips and advice along with 50 practice interview questions and answer examples to help you better understand what to expect and prepare for interview day! Wishing you the best of luck!
Learn more about Jaymie Payne