Interviews are every professional’s nightmare. Nursing interview questions can be very tricky and it is important to be well prepared before the scheduled interview. There are different standard questions to expect, behavioral ones and also, one needs to have some questions prepared for the interviewer.

Practice is the only way you can be sure that you will be able to ace those hard questions. If you have recently graduated, you need to be ready with the qualities that you possess and how they will help you to adapt to the new unit quicker.

You also have to be ready with answers that regard any kind of negative experiences encountered in the past in a workplace and what you were able to learn from them. It is important that you convey for such experiences are able to impact the new position in a positive way.

Contents:

• Questions and answers
• Some nursing behavioral questions that may come up
• Nursing school interview questions
• Some of the questions you can ask during an interview
• Other things to know about preparation

Questions and answers

First, in a nursing interview, one is asked some very basic questions so as to help the interviewer know more about you. You should be ready with answers so as shine during the interview.

1. Tell us about yourself
   This is one of the most common questions that you may be asked. This is an opportunity to show your skills and strengths by expressing yourself. Don’t waste your time on educational history. Just let the interviewer see why you are the ideal candidate. Talk on a more personal tone and show the credits that you may have had earlier and your experience too.
2. Why are you interested in the healthcare sector?
   Each person has their own reason as to why they chose to become a nurse other than just earning. This is a question that allows you to express any desire that you have so as to help out different individuals and just how important the human life really is.
3. Why have you chosen to leave the job you have currently?
   When asked this question, don’t go saying negative things about the job you have. Try to pinpoint the aspects that are positive. Never badmouth your colleagues or employer for any reason at all. Just try to show the possible opportunities that the new job will help you to achieve.
4. Where do you see yourself five years from now?
   With this question, the interviewer is curious to know if you are ambitious, determined, career oriented and have a positive look on nursing as a career. Do not discuss dreams, but share an answer that will be able to show your interest and commitment to the job. You can say you want to have a more profound knowledge in the field by furthering your studies.
5. Why should you be hired?
   The job of the interviewer is to hire the very best person for the available position. This question allows you to have the chance to really impress the interviewer so as to hire you. You should do this by trying to highlight all the skills that you may have. Express your ability to handle critical cases and how well you can handle emergencies.
6. What would you do if you had a patient who usually complains all the time and about everything?
   This question is asked so as to determine if you are a nurse who is capable of handling all sorts of situations or not. When you are answering the question, make sure you share a difficult situation that you have been able to manage in other workplaces. You can say that the major reason for complaint is the disease that one is having and this is what affects them. It is important to show that you would understand the situation and then reassure them after you listen to them that they will get the best services to help them.
7. What is the difficult part of one being a nurse?
   One of the things you already know about nursing is the fact that it is never an easy job. This is something that you get to know as you progress in the career. The interviewer asks the question so as to know the views you have regarding the hardships that are faced in the profession. For example, you can say that the difficult part is having your patient deal with a disease that incapacitates them and it has no cure.
8. What are your strengths and weaknesses
   This question is asked so as to help the interviewers see if your strengths are a match for the requirements of the job, you should have about three or, if possible, more strength like interpersonal skills, optimistic approach and even leadership qualities that may very well get you ahead. Be honest about any weakness and mention how you cope with the same.
9. What measures do you take so as to upgrade the knowledge you already have?
   This is your chance to mention any seminar or degree pursued so as to enhance the knowledge that you already have.
10. How would you describe the former supervisor, you had?
    The worst mistake you can make is to criticize the supervisor. Try to be as positive as possible and state all the things that you may have learned from them.
11. What’s your motivation in nursing?
    This is an opportunity that needs to be taken and you should highlighter all the positive features instead of giving some vague answers. You can illustrate the experience that you may have had in real life.
12. What in your opinion is your greatest failure?
    For safety purposes, avoid the real truth as it can be ugly. Don’t mention the major failure you had. The interviewer only wants to see your flaws and how you overcome them. You can explain some bad experiences and give real examples telling them what you were able to learn. You can say that you once made a mistake on the patient’s charts, but the supervisor noticed and that is why you always double checking all charts.
13. Describe the salary requirements that you have
    This is a very tricky and it is aimed at seeing whether you are in for the money or nursing. Don’t give the exact figures. Just make sure you reiterate the dedication you have for the job. You can say you expect a salary that is appropriate for the role and based on your experiences and work knowledge.

Some nursing behavioral questions that may come up

There are different types of nursing interview questions that may come up during an interview. Nursing behavioral interview questions include:

• You are confident that some instructions given by the management aren’t right and they aren’t in the company’s best interest. How do you warn the management and deal with the instructions till they get modified?

Answer: contact the immediate manager and tell them of the concerns and the information that supports your case. You may have to go on with the instructions as an obligation till modified.

• The supervisor tells you to drop all other things and concentrate on something you don’t feel is as important. What do you do?

Answer: instructions are to be followed and they need to be dealt with immediately. Get the task done and try to make sure disruptions are few. Even if it isn’t right, you will be re-prioritizing the instructions given by the management.

• You get distracted by extra meetings and work and this generates a backlog. How do you deal with that?

Answer: these things may be unavoidable. Establish a chain of different processes so as to deal with work so as to make time to get work done. You may delegate some if possible or request for delegation but you need to keep on moving.

Nursing school interview questions

Nursing school interview questions are used so as to gauge your eligibility for a place in the school. If you are planning to submit applications, then you should be prepared for the possible questions that may come up. The interviewer is looking to see your skills, capabilities to solve issues, realism, moral fabric and other issues.

1. Why do you want to be a nurse?
   The answer is a cliché in the present day and many people say they want to help people. Just be honest and be very specific.
2. What are your passions and hobbies?
   This is an answer that allows the interviewer to get a very deep insight regarding your personal interest. There is not a correct answer to this because everybody is different. Be forthright and honest with this one.
3. If you saw classmates stealing, what actions would you take?
   This is used to assess the moral compass and your ethical views. It is not in your best interest to say you will remain quiet.
4. If a nurse at a practicum is acting in an unethical way, what would you do?
   This is a question to assess the moral compass and the interviewer may not want to hear that you won’t say anything about it and they may not want to hear that you would skip the chain of command.
5. What are your strengths?
   This one doesn’t have a correct or incorrect answer because everyone has unique strengths to offer. These are problem-solving expertise and so on. Make sure you evaluate your own strengths before the interview.

Some of the questions you can ask during an interview

After an interview, you may be prompted with the chance to ask the interviewer some questions that you may have in mind. When preparing for nursing interview questions, you also need to have some of your own set of questions ready so s to ask the interviewer later. Most interviewers will give you the chance to ask questions and when this is the case, you should be ready. The questions should be related to knowing more about the working environment so as to know exactly what to expect in case you are successful. Nursing interview questions to ask include:

• What is the patient nurse ratio?
• In what ways will I be held accountable for the high qualities of practice?
• Do you have support staff to work alongside the nurses?
• What input do I need to put with regard to the care environment, equipment, and systems?
• Are there any developmental opportunities that are open for the nurses?

One of the things that any nursing professional that is well trained should know is the fact that you have the ability to really discriminate as you seek a job because nurses are really essential. However, there is a need to be well prepared in all angles before the job interview. As you plan for the questions to ask, you should cover the working environment. Other areas that you need to get information about include orientation and the training you may need, as well as the management and admiration on the part of the employer.

Other things to know about preparation

If you know you have a nursing interview coming up, you need to read the questions. In this case, it is not only about reading, you need to practice them and rehearse how you will answer. You can talk and listen how it all sounds. Let it be as natural as possible. You should never let the interview with your employer be the very first time that you are formulating an answer in words. Don’t just think about what you will say, practice verbally. You can set with a friend, your roommate, significant other or anyone who is effectively critic. Go through the questions and let the other party tell, you just how you sound and the areas that need to be ironed out. Each opportunity you get to go for an interview, there is a need to be well prepared at all times.

When you are aware of all the things that you should expect, you will be calmer and more confident. Now you need to find something appropriate to wear to the interview and prepare to be there on time. Do some research on the organization you are interviewing for so as to have some bit of knowledge about it.