Being a nurse takes a special kind of person. Oftentimes, you see people in the middle of what can easily be the worst day of their lives. Show
You need patience, resilience, a sense of humor, attention to detail, and a thick skin. But it can also be one of the most rewarding careers, full of excitement and drama and the kind of rush you can only get when you’re helping others. For many, becoming a nurse is truly a calling. However, landing that dream nursing job can be tricky, even among the truly dedicated. That’s why reviewing the top nursing interview questions is essential. Types of Interview Questions For NursesFirst off, let’s discuss the different types of interview questions for nurses. Being a nurse is a unique position, and the questions you’ll be asked in your interview are just as unique. Yes, it’s true; you’re going to inevitably end up being asked some of the same questions you’d come across in any other job interview situation, like “Tell me about yourself” and “What is your greatest strength/weakness?” but you’re also going to get asked some very specific nursing questions, and knowing how to properly answer those is going to help set you apart. Let’s start with what makes nursing so unique in the job world. Unlike most other careers and industries where your interactions with the public would be more along the lines of a “client” or “customer,” your interaction with the public is as a caregiver to a patient. That requires a set of finely honed and carefully crafted interpersonal skills. As a result, a lot of your interview questions will revolve around patient care and satisfaction and how you meet their unique needs in incredibly varied situations and circumstances. Those questions fall under the category of behavioral questions and are asked so that an interviewer can learn quickly and easily how you’d react to different situations based on your past experiences and behavior. Be prepared to answer questions about why you chose nursing and what it is about the career that interests you. You’ll also be asked questions about how you work in a team as well as your ability to self-motivate and work alone. It’s also wise to prep for questions about how you handle a crisis or deal with stress. Feeling a little feverish with all these potential nursing interview questions and answers? Don’t worry! All it takes is a little prep beforehand. Pro Tips For Answering Nurse Interview QuestionsThe first thing you need to do when preparing for an interview is to go over the job description with a fine-toothed comb. Make a list of everything the employer is looking for in their Perfect Candidate. Now, sit down and look back over all your experiences and see exactly how you’ve met all those requirements before. It doesn’t matter if the experiences you have aren’t 100% related to the job description you’re applying to. Basically, what you want to do is give your potential future employer tailored examples of how you’ve handled situations in the past so they can extrapolate how you’d most likely react in future situations…and in some cases, examples outside of work show how you’re adept at thinking on your feet and handling yourself beyond just your job. Just make sure that no matter what, you’re answering their questions with personal examples that highlight your skills and abilities. MIKE'S TIP: Does this style of answering questions sound familiar? It should if you’re a reader of our blog. We’re essentially covering the STAR Method. Start with a description of your example, explain the situation that you found yourself in, and then describe exactly how you responded to that situation using your skills and knowledge. While you’re doing your prep and looking over the job description, it’s a good idea to also do a little research into where you’re applying. Having specifics on their techniques or their way of doing things and relating that to how you do things will not only show them you’re already in tune with their style, but it will also help to reinforce the idea that you’re the Perfect Candidate! In most situations, being a nurse means working on a team and as a result, your interview might consist of members of that potential future team. Be prepared to meet with the hiring manager, other nurses, doctors, technicians and members of the hospital administrative staff and try to know a little about each person before you go in (just don’t make it creepy.) Now that we’ve covered some basic tips, let’s take a look at 20 of the most commonly asked nursing interview questions. In fact we we wanted to let you know that we created an amazing free cheat sheet that will give you word-for-word answers for some of the toughest interview questions you are going to face in your upcoming interview. After all, hiring managers will often ask you more generalized interview questions! Click below to get your free PDF now: Get Our Job Interview Questions & Answers Cheat Sheet!FREE BONUS PDF CHEAT SHEET: Get our "Job Interview Questions & Answers PDF Cheat Sheet" that gives you "word-word sample answers to the most common job interview questions you'll face at your next interview. CLICK HERE TO GET THE JOB INTERVIEW QUESTIONS CHEAT SHEET Top 20 Commonly Asked Nursing Interview Questions1. “Why did you decide on a career as a nurse?”This is one of the classic nurse interview questions. Because this is such a hands-on, specialized field, employers need to know what it is that makes you want to be a part of it. EXAMPLE ANSWER:
2. “What do you find rewarding about this job?”There are lots of rewards that come with a good job; the paycheck, proximity to where you live, the retirement benefits…but remember, when you’re in an interview, it’s not actually about you…it’s about them. EXAMPLE ANSWER:
3. How do you deal with someone who isn’t satisfied with your patient care?Here is a great example of one of the behavioral interview questions for nurses. As we discussed above, give your interviewer an example from your past, so they can get a feel for how you would behave in a similar situation in the future. EXAMPLE ANSWER:
4. “Tell me what you feel your greatest skill as a nurse is.”This is your opportunity to really showcase what it is that makes you unique from all the other applicants! Really reflect on this ahead of time and come up with solid examples that highlight this skill. EXAMPLE ANSWER:
5. “How do you handle the stress of the job?”Let’s be honest; nursing can be incredibly high stress. An employer needs to know how you handle that stress and whether or not you work well under pressure. EXAMPLE ANSWER:
6. “Are you comfortable working with other doctors and nurses?”Nurses work with a wide variety of individuals in the medical field, including doctors, technicians, other nurses, and the friends and families of your patients, just to name a few. While you’re core answer is likely “yes,” you need to go the extra mile for a quality response. EXAMPLE ANSWER:
7. “What do you find is the hardest part about being a nurse?”This is a trick question. No, the hiring manager isn’t actually asking you to tell him how much you hate the early morning shifts because you’re just not a morning person, and you hate getting up before the sun does. Remember, they’re there to find a person to fill a job position. EXAMPLE ANSWER:
8. “Why are you the best nursing candidate for this position?”This question is actually one of the best nurse interview questions you could hope to be asked. Why? Because this is your opportunity to really sell the hiring manager on why you’re the Perfect Candidate. EXAMPLE ANSWER:
9.“Tell me about yourself.”This is one of those important questions to answer properly, regardless of your field. Remember that they’re not asking you for your life story. Instead, they’re asking you this question to find out from you what you think is important and how well that matches up with what they’re looking for. EXAMPLE ANSWER:
10. “Why are you leaving your current position?”This question is a potential land-mine. Do NOT use it as an opportunity to badmouth your current or former position. Future employers don’t need to know you hate where you worked or that your old boss was a tyrant. Rather, focus on the positive aspects and how you’re leveraging those in your new job. EXAMPLE ANSWER:
11. “Why do you want to work here?”Here, you need to be strategic. Don’t discuss salary opportunities. Instead, talk about your career goals and your vision for your future in your industry and how those directly relate to what you will be doing if hired. EXAMPLE ANSWER:
12. “Would you say you’re a team player?”As a member of the medical field, your first answer had better be yes. Of course, what you say after that is what is going to make or break you in your interview. EXAMPLE ANSWER:
13. “Describe a time you had to deal with a difficult patient and how you handled that.”Tough patients are going to be a regular part of your daily routine, and no employer wants to hire a nurse who is going to be unable to handle these types of characters. EXAMPLE ANSWER:
14. “Why should we hire you?”Here’s another question that really gives you a chance to showcase the best of what you’ve got. Take advantage of it1 EXAMPLE ANSWER:
15. If you disagree with a physician’s approach to treating a patient, how do you handle it?In some cases, nurses and physicians don’t see eye to eye. That’s why hiring managers are going to ask how you handle situations of that nature. EXAMPLE ANSWER:
16. How do you explain complex medical terms and procedures to patients who don’t have a healthcare background?Overall, the world of medicine is complicated, particularly for those who haven’t studied or worked in the field. Since ensuring patients understand conditions, test results, treatments, and procedures is essential, hiring managers ask this question to see how you approach the situation. EXAMPLE ANSWER:
17. How do you ensure you remain up to date on advances in nursing?Advances in the healthcare field are a regular occurrence. While medical facilities often provide training opportunities, they typically favor candidates who go the extra mile on their own time to remain current. EXAMPLE ANSWER:
18. When you don’t have an answer to a patient’s question, what do you do?Even the most experienced and educated nurses won’t have every answer. The hiring manager wants to know you’ll use an appropriate approach in situations where you aren’t certain about a topic. EXAMPLE ANSWER:
19. Describe a time when you were in conflict with a fellow nurse. How did you handle the situation?This is another question that showcases how you navigate the workplace, making it a favorite among hiring managers. Generally, you’ll want to outline a typical strategy, using an example along the way. EXAMPLE ANSWER:
20. “Do you have any questions for us?”Yes. Yes, you do. Having something to ask makes you seem engaged and passionate about the opportunity, so you need a few questions to toss out there. You could ask about the length of new hire orientation and what you’d be doing exactly if you were hired. You might ask about the nurse-to-patient ratio or how a typical day is structured. We have written a dedicated article on this: Questions To Ask In A Nursing Interview. Regardless of what you ask, it’s important that you do ask. The point is that by not asking questions, you’ll appear uninterested and unmotivated, and we know that’s not possible! Putting It All TogetherNow that we’ve gone over the types of questions you might be asked, given you a few nursing interview tips, brushed up on some practice questions and some sample answers, and gotten you thinking about your own questions, I think it’s safe to say you’ve got the perfect prescription for nailing that interview. (Groan!) Good luck! —- P.S. Now that you’re an expert on the nursing interview questions you are going to be asked, don’t forget that there are hundreds of non-nursing interview questions that you could be asked in your interview! Thankfully we’ve outlined the most common questions AND given you word-for-word answers in our free PDF below: FREE: Job Interview Questions & Answers PDF Cheat Sheet! Here's what you're getting:
Click Here To Get The Job Interview Questions & Answers Cheat Sheet— Mike Simpson( Co-Founder and CEO ) Co-Founder and CEO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Mike is a job interview and career expert and the head writer at TheInterviewGuys.com. His advice and insights have been shared and featured by publications such as Forbes, Entrepreneur, CNBC and more as well as educational institutions such as the University of Michigan, Penn State, Northeastern and others. Learn more about The Interview Guys on our About Us page. Why do you want to work here best answer?Express your personal passion for the employer's product/service/mission. Employers want to know you're passionate about what they do, whether it takes the shape of a product, a service, a mission, or a brand. You can also connect your passion to the company's core values, which can often be found on their website.
Why should we hire you as a nurse answer?Good nurse needs right attitude, empathy, and also a strong mind, to manage to handle and process all they see in the job. But I believe to have all these things in me, plus my extensive experience. Perhaps it makes from me the best candidate for the job. You should hire me because of my attitude to this work.
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