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Situational Nursing Mock Interview

To help you prepare for your nursing interview, here are 50 situational nursing interview questions and answer examples.

Situational Nursing was updated by on May 30th, 2023. Learn more here.

Question 46 of 50

What tools or techniques do you use to remember difficult information or instructions given verbally only?

"While I prefer to listen to instructions and have written instructions as well, I have a formula for remembering things verbally. I believe this is a good skill to have as a nurse. First, I listen to understand, and I listen attentively. I give the individual my full attention, particularly if it's new information. After I listen to them, I ask questions for clarity, and then I repeat back what they want me to do. Sometimes, I use imagery or acronyms to remember things when I am getting complicated directions."

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How to Answer: What tools or techniques do you use to remember difficult information or instructions given verbally only?

Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Situational Nursing job interview.

  • 46. What tools or techniques do you use to remember difficult information or instructions given verbally only?

      How to Answer

      Situational interview questions are designed to assess candidate competencies in more depth and to avoid rote, standardized answers. The interviewer is looking to observe how you would triage a problem and figure out how to handle it in an optimal way. Situational questions allow the interviewer to showcase unique talents and competencies. Situational interview questions challenge the interviewee to think about situations that they may have never experienced before.

      Written by Dianne Barnard on March 9th, 2021

      1st Answer Example

      "While I prefer to listen to instructions and have written instructions as well, I have a formula for remembering things verbally. I believe this is a good skill to have as a nurse. First, I listen to understand, and I listen attentively. I give the individual my full attention, particularly if it's new information. After I listen to them, I ask questions for clarity, and then I repeat back what they want me to do. Sometimes, I use imagery or acronyms to remember things when I am getting complicated directions."

      Written by Dianne Barnard on March 9th, 2021

      2nd Answer Example

      "When I am given instructions verbally only, I repeat the information back to the source to ensure I have all of the information correct. Once the physician or other person has confirmed that I have all of the information correct, I break the steps down into sections or 'chunks' in my head, and then I repeat them to myself 5-7 times to ensure they stick. If there's an opportunity, I will also write down the instructions later; however, if there's not an opportunity, my chunking and repeating method works for me."

      Written by Kate Buckley on January 10th, 2023

      Anonymous Interview Answers with Professional Feedback

      Anonymous Answer

      "Listen attentively and repeat back what I heard and ask for clarification if unsure what was said or the order to do things in was confusing. Repeat it to myself multiple times, acronyms,"

      Cindy's Feedback

      Good! Add a bit of context at the beginning of your response. I've included an example below.
      "I use a number of techniques that help me remember important information. First, I listen attentively and repeat information back to the speaker to invite corrections in case I misheard. I also use repetition and acronyms. I recently used a technique during a [here, use an example of applying one of the techniques to remember complex information]."

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    About the Author

    Krista Wenz

    I began my career in emergency medical services (EMS) over 30 years ago, working as a Firefighter-Paramedic, EMS Captain, Mental Health Technician, ER Technician, EMT and Paramedic Adjunct Instructor, and EMS Educator. During my career, I had the privilege of serving on over one thousand interview panels to help various organizations choose the right candidate for the job.

    I have created curricula and training materials to prepare candidates for interviews and held mock interview courses for all types of healthcare professionals. My interview experience includes hiring emergency medical technicians, paramedics, firefighters, nurses, medical assistants, home health aides, and physician assistants.

    As a coach and contributor for MockQuestions, I am excited to help you navigate your upcoming nursing interview. While these situational questions assess your critical thinking and communication skills, interviewers also ask these questions to gain insight into your personality to determine if you will be a good fit with the company culture. Remember to be relaxed and be your authentic self. Best of luck in nailing your interview!

    Learn more about Krista Wenz