Landing a nursing job interview is a very big deal. This profession is a noble one, and choosing to work as a nurse can be a back-breaking yet rewarding experience. Just like any other profession, there is a standard procedure for hiring new nurses into an organization. Interviews are also one of the most common processes to look out for.
Here are the top 10 nursing interview questions that you need to know about- and how you can prepare for them.
1- What Is It That Drew You to the Nursing Profession?
This is a common question, and it is almost inevitable that you will be asked this. The reflexive response that most people have would be “Because I want to help people.” While this answer is excellent, it is also all too common.
The best way to answer this question is to be genuine about what drew you to this profession. You can add a personal story here if you wish to. Think back on what motivated you to become a nurse, and tell the genuine story to your interviewer. Remember to keep the story short and crisp, however!
Read More: What Is a Pre-screening Interview?
2-What Are Your Weaknesses?
Just like any other job interview, you might face this question in a nursing interview as well. Of course, the interviewer wants to know your weakness which is directly related to your nursing profession, and nothing personal. Try and state your weakness genuinely and how you are working on your self-improvement.
This part is essential. You cannot merely state weakness and walk away feeling like you have been honest, and that’s all that matters. It would help if you worked on fixing the issue as well.
Read More: Best Ways to Explain Your Weakness in the Interview
3- What Are Your Career Goals?
You always have to be moving forward. Many people choose the nursing profession as a stepping stone to move on to something else- and that is completely fine. Your interviewer wants to know what you have planned for yourself and your career.
In case you have not put any thought into it yet, it might be time to think about this and prepare an answer. You do not have to have your entire career mapped out in front of you, but having goals are essential.
4- How Would You Respond If a Family Member Asked You for a Personal Diagnosis?
This is an important question that will help the interviewer assess where you draw your personal and professional boundaries. Either way, it is not a good idea to give a personal diagnosis to anyone without proper medical examinations.
Of course, in case your family member needs some validation or is looking for a better explanation of prognosis, you can do so without any issues.
Answer this question by telling your interviewer that you can share information with the family member without stepping outside your role. In case it is a diagnosis to be made, you should typically ask them to get the problem medically checked out before you can give a diagnosis.
5- Why Do You Want to Work Here?
The interviewer knows why you chose the nursing profession. Now they want to know why you specifically chose their institution. It would help if you did your homework beforehand.
Research about the institution and genuinely state what made you want to sit for an interview with them. If you find the institution to be a reputable one, where patient care is the priority, mention that as a point.
6- How Do You Handle Stress on the Job?
A nursing profession is inevitably stressful. There is no point in saying that you don’t feel stressed- everyone does. What the interviewer wants to know is how you handle this stress.
If you like to take a few minutes to yourself and breathe, or you like to step out for a tea break, or you shut down when you’re nervous, whatever it is. Be authentic in your response- the interviewer wants to know your method of handling the inevitable stress on the job.
7- How would you handle a patient who is being very rude or inappropriate?
Patients come in all shapes, sizes, and forms. The same goes for their personality and temperament. You will always find that super rude patient, and you have to know how to handle them.
You absolutely cannot lose your temper, so the best thing to do here is handling the patients’ demands calmly. After this, you can go to your supervisor and speak to them about the issue you are facing.
8- What Can You Bring to Our Team?
In most probability, the institution is looking to add new nurses or replace some old ones. You have to have specific strengths, which will make them want to hire you.
If you are super patient when it comes to dealing with patients, mention this as a strength. Be genuine about this answer, because sooner or later, the management will find out whether you have those strengths or not.
9- What Do You Do If a Patient Is Not Satisfied with Your Patient Care?
This can happen more often than you think. It is essential to know exactly how to navigate these situations. While you want to accommodate the patient, you also have to provide them with the best care possible while doing so.
The best way to answer this question is to tell the interviewer that you would try your best to accommodate the patient. If they are unhappy, you would have to take the help of other nurses and your supervisor to try and fix the issue for them as best as possible.
10- What Is the Hardest Part About Being a Nurse?
This is a common question, but it is a trick question. Of course, you should not tell the interviewer about how you hate the long shifts, or how you hate dealing with difficult patients. If this is the case, then the nursing profession is not right for you.
Instead, an excellent answer to this would be- the hardest part about being a nurse is when you have done your best to help a patient, but they don’t seem to be improving. That feeling of absolute helplessness is the worst part of this profession.
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