Nursing Interview: Questions and Answers Which Can Help

It is easy to anticipate the types of questions that may be asked of you at a nursing interview.
Nursing interview questions and answers can vary, and it is important to be prepared for those
which are likely to steer your overall success. Here are some questions which are often asked at
interviews:

What Makes You Believe You Are Suitably Qualified For This Role?
Use this questions as an opportunity to boast about your qualifications and educational
achievements. Focus on your educational and work experience successes. If you have embarked
on any additional ventures such as voluntary work, or extra shifts in key areas which may
enhance your suitability for the role, then make sure the panel members are aware of your
activities. Nursing interview questions and answers can be in your favour so make the most of the
opportunity to make yourself stand out.

Why Are You Specifically Interested in This Role?

This is where you can use the opportunity to flatter the interview panel. When faced with a
question like this you need to convince the panel that this job is your lifelong dream and you are
hungry for it. You are interested in this role because you admire the nurses who work in this area
of healthcare, the role is a challenging one and allows you the opportunity for career
development.

It may be useful to state why this role suits you over other roles. For example, “I look forward to
the busy environment and frontline pressures of being an E.R nurse" conveys the message that
you understand the unique nature of nursing in an emergecny room environment. The panel
members will realize that you have done your ‘homework’ and have considered other nursing
roles also. What you must avoid saying is that you are interested in this role because it gives you
20 days leave per year and that you like the color of the uniform. This may be the case but the
panel do not want to view you as someone who has superficial needs and that actually the job
role itself is not the thing which has encouraged you to apply.

Where Do You See Yourself in Five Years Time?

This one always seems to come up and ‘yes’ it is relevant and definitely requires a succinct and
well structured response. The interview panel will expect at this point for you to display your true
commitment to the role for which you have applied. They will expect to see you display true
ambition and a desire to continue to improve your skills as a nurse. What you must not imply is
that you see yourself being somewhere entirely different in five years time. What they want to
hear you say is that you intend to have worked hard in that time to have achieved promotion and
upward mobility in your role and that the five year period has allowed you to develop your nursing
role significantly. Whatever you do, don’t say that you intend to be backpacking in Australia in five
years time. This type of response most certainly will not give them any indication that you are
committed to the role for which you are applying.

What Do You Hope to Gain From This Role?

Be honest about your expectations. Try to convey that you want to be employed in a stable
nursing role with opportunities for career success and financial stability. Believe it or not the latter
comment is a pivotal one. If the the panel members realize you are committed to supporting your
family financially then they know you are likely to be a ‘safe bet’ in terms of your overall
commitment to the role. Use this opportunity also to probe the panel about what the job is likely to
offer you.

Sample RN Interview Questions

‘ Please give an example of how you have coordinated and managed care in
previous work environments.
........It is important that the nurse has experience looking at the
bigger picture and also knows how to work with a team and access
resources. This may provide this type of information for the
interviewer.
‘ Why would you like to be a Contract RN?
........Look for answers such as having the opportunity to learn more
about the client, more opportunities to do holistic assessments, and
enjoyment of teaching, community nursing, and being with the client.
‘ Tell me why you would like to visit clients in their own homes?
........Look for answers such as being able to assess the client more
holistically when they are in their own environment. The RN is able to
see barriers to egress/safety and more easily learn about support
systems (family, friends, neighbors) and how the client meets her/his
own needs.
‘ What experience have you had in teaching skilled nursing tasks to
unlicensed persons? Do you feel this can be successful?
........This will give the interviewer an opportunity to learn if the nurse
is knowledgeable about nursing delegation and, in addition, the
nurse’s comfort level for teaching tasks of nursing care.
2
‘ How would you react if the client lived in less than sanitary conditions or
refused to follow instructions you feel are important to her/his own health?
........Look for answers that concur with the SPD philosophy about
client choice and importance of remaining in their own home. This is
an opportunity for the RN to discuss supporting the client in their own
environment.
‘ What is your experience working with individuals with physical limitations
and mental health and/or substance abuse problems? Would you be
comfortable working with this type of client? How would you be
supportive?
........This question may give the interviewer additional information as
to how the RN might function with more difficult clients along with
information about their experience with this type of client.
‘ You have a client who has a skilled nursing task that requires delegation to
the care provider. The care provider is not educated and appears almost
illiterate and you have concerns about her ability to learn the task, or read
instructions. How would you proceed?
........This is an opportunity to find out how flexible and creative the
nurse may be (important in the community). It also may give you an
opportunity to see how the nurse feels about nursing delegation in
general. The nurse may suggest drawing pictures for instructions and
providing opportunities to watch the care provider perform the task
numerous times. If the RN has some understanding of the relationship
with the case manager s/he should also mention contacting the case
manager if the care provider is unable to learn the task.
3
‘ During a visit you suspect the client is being abused/neglected. The care
provider, a relative, is right there and appears to be overly concerned about
the client’s welfare and will not leave the client’s side. What steps would
you take to determine that abuse/neglect may be an issue?
........Look for a response such as attempting to talk to the client alone
for an interview and an in-depth assessment. The RN should also state
that the suspected abuse/neglect must be reported. This is an
opportunity to talk about protective services and mandatory
reporting.
‘ You receive a referral to visit and assess an elderly client who, normally
quite docile, has become confused and combative. How would you proceed?
........The nurse should mention performing an assessment to look for
possible causes of the behavior changes. The assessment should
include a medication review, signs of infection, environmental review,
pain, and other possible causes of the behavioral changes. Suggesting
calling the physician for a medication order before an assessment is
the wrong answer.
‘ How do you continue your own self-education?
........This question should give you an idea of how important selfeducation
is to the nurse. Look for answers such as reading journals,
attending workshops, using the Internet, etc. You are looking for an
enthusiasm for learning and adding to the knowledge base. If the
Nurse appears to be unsure of how to self-study, working as an
independent contractor would probably not be appropriate role for
this nurse.
Do You Have the Skills to Do the Job?

According to Karsh, the employer must first determine whether you have the necessary hard skills
for the position, e.g., the programming knowledge for a database administration job or the writing
chops to be a newspaper reporter. "By really probing intowhat the candidate has done in the past,
an interviewer can tap into hard skills."

But the interviewer is also looking for key soft skills you'll need to succeed in the job and
organization, such as the ability to work well on teams or "the requisite common sense to figure
things out with some basic training," says Terese Corey Blanck, director of student development at
internship company Student Experience and a partner in College to Career, a consulting firm.

Do You Fit?

"Every organization's first thought is about fit and potentially fit in a certain department," Corey
Blanck says. That means the interviewer is trying to pinpoint not only whether you match up
well with both the company's and department's activities but also whether you'll complement the
talents of your potential coworkers.

Do You Understand the Company and Its Purpose?

If the organization fits well with your career aspirations, you'll naturally be motivated to do good
work there -- and stay more than a month or two, Corey Blanck reasons. "I don't want someone to
take the position because it's a job and it fits their skills. I want them to be excited about our
mission and what we do."

How Do You Stack Up Against the Competition?

You're being evaluated in relation to other candidates for the job. In other words, this test is graded
on a curve. So the interviewer will constantly be comparing your performance with that of the other
candidates'.

Do You Have the Right Mind-Set for the Job and Company?

"I'm always looking for someone who has a can-do type of attitude," Corey Blanck explains. "I want
someone who wants to be challenged and is internally motivated to do well.

Corey Blanck points out that an employer can't train for this essential trait. "But you can hire for it.
And if you don't, you'll end up with a lower-performing employee."

Do You Want the Job?

Most employers know better than to believe everyone they interview actually wants the position
being offered. They understand some candidates are exploring their options, while others are using
an interview with a company they don't care about to hone their interview skills.

So you have to prove you really want the job, says Al Pollard, senior college recruiter
forCountrywide Financial. "I use the ditch-digger analogy: Many of us can dig ditches, but few are
willing to -- and even fewer want to."

65 interview questions for nurses

1. Where do you see yourself in 3 years?
2. What do you bring to this position? How do you stand out from the other applicants?
3. What attracts you to this facility? To this position? What do you hope to get out of the
experience?
4. How would you describe your ideal job? Your ideal work environment?
5. Why are you leaving your current position?
6. What did you particularly like about your last position?
7. What's your most important professional achievement?
8. Who are your career role models and why?
9. How do you set priorities in your work?
10. Do you have any time-management tricks other nurses could benefit from?
11. What are the most important lessons you've learned in your career?
12. How much supervision do you want or need?
13. What professional organizations do you belong to?
14. How have you participated in the professional organizations you belong to?
15. What nursing publications do you subscribe to?
16. Have you attended any national conferences? If so, how did you benefit from the experience?
17. Have you ever done any volunteer work? If so, what was it like?
18. How do you keep up with the latest information in your field?
19. What are your goals in terms of going back to school, becoming certified, taking on
management responsibilities?
20. Can you give an example of a time you were a leader?
21. Can you give some examples of your problem-solving skills?
22. What do you think are the most challenging aspects of meeting patients' needs?
23. How do you handle a request you disagree with?
24. What happened the last time you put your foot in your mouth?
25. What actions would you take in your first month on the job?
26. Can you give some examples of your creativity?
27. Who is the most difficult person you've ever worked with and why?
28. What type of management style do you work with best?
29. Can you describe a time when you had to intervene for a patient, what you did, and why?
What was the outcome?
30. How would you rate yourself in communicating with patients-and with families?
31. Can you describe a situation in which you dealt with a difficult family member?
32. How do you motivate patients?
33. Can you describe a time you went beyond the call of duty?
34. Can you describe a situation in which you thought that you were right and others were wrong-
and what you did about it?
35. Can you describe a situation in which you were supposed to work with a person you didn't like
and how you handled it?
36. Have you ever been in a situation in which a co-worker put a patient in jeopardy? If so, what
did you do about it?
37. What would you do if you were asked to float to a specialty area you weren't familiar with?
38. Can you describe a time your work was criticized and how you handled it?
39. How do you handle delegation issues with unlicensed assistive personnel?
40. How would your co-workers describe you?
41. How would you describe your role in a recent code?
42. How do you handle stress?
43. Have you ever been fired or asked to resign?
44. What would a background check on you show?
45. Would your previous employer recommend you?
46. What would you do if you were caring for an alert patient who suddenly got acutely confused
and disoriented?
47. What would you do if you found an elderly patient on the floor in his room? How would you
document it?
48. Have you worked with many foreign nurses? If so, what did you do to help them?
49. How would you handle a situation in which you couldn't read a prescriber's orders?
50. If you were offered your last job again today, would you take it?
If you're returning to nursing after not working in the profession for a while:
51. How long has it been since you worked as a nurse?
52. What have you been doing since you've been out of nursing?
53. How have you prepared to return to nursing?
54. Did you take a refresher course? How did it help?
55. How have you kept up with changes in the profession?
If you're a student applying for your first position:
56. What's your most important achievement as a student?
57. When do you plan to take your NCLEX? Have you taken a course to prepare for it?
58. Where did you get your clinical experience? What units?
59. Did your clinical experience include putting in a urinary drainage catheter or starting an
intravenous line access? Inserting or removing a nasogastric tube, or caring for a patient with
one?
60. What was your favorite clinical experience? Least favorite? Why?
61. What types of charting systems have you used? What do you like about them? What do you
dislike?
62. What do you think is a reasonable orientation time?
63. Have you worked with an electronic medication administration record? Bar coding?
64. What new technology have you used in school, such as personal digital assistants (PDAs)?
65. Are you on-line often? What are your favorite sites for reliable health care information?

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9
GOOD INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
1. Tell us a little more about your
professional experiences, particularly
those not mentioned on your resume.
2. Why are you interested in leaving your
current assignment and why do you
feel that this assignment would be
better for you?
3. Do you feel this position is a promotion,
a lateral move, a broadening of your
professional experience, or just a
change? Why do you think so?
4. How does this position fit into your
overall career goals?
5. Describe the duties of your current job
6. What do you dislike most about your
current job?
7. What is your favorite part of your
current job and why is it your favorite
part?
8. What are the three college courses that
best prepared you for your current job?
9. What is the best method of creating a
______? [A relevant product]
10. What qualities or experiences make
you the best candidate for this
position?
11. Describe two or three major trends in
your profession today.
12. On the basis of the information you
have received so far, what do you see
as the major challenges of this position
and how would you meet them?
13. Describe a situation in which you did
“all the right things” and were still
unsuccessful. What did you learn from
the experience?
14. Discuss the committees of the
organization where you currently work.
15. Why did you choose this
profession/field?
16. What new skills have you learned over
the past year?
17. Think about an instance when you
were given an assignment that you
thought you would not be able to
complete. How did you accomplish the
assignment?
18. Have you ever had a great idea but
been told that you could not implement
it? How did you react? What did you
do?
19. Describe the best boss and the worse
boss you have ever had.
20. Describe your ideal job.
21. What would your coworkers or your
supervisor say about you?
22. Can you describe how you go about
solving problems? Please give us
some examples.
23. What is the biggest conflict you have
ever been involved in at work? How
did you handle that situation?
24. What new programs or services would
you start if offered the position?
25. Please share with us your philosophy
about customer service in an academic
environment and give us some
examples of service that would
illustrate your view.
26. Tell us how you would learn your new
job in the absence of a formal training
program.
27. How would you characterize your level
of computer literacy? What are some
of the programs and applications with
which you are familiar?
28. Think about a coworker from the
present or past whom you admire.
Why?
29. What are the characteristics that you
prize most in an employee? What
behaviors or characteristics do you find
intolerable?
30. Can you share with us your ideas
about professional development?
31. Describe some basic steps that you
would take in implementing a new
program
32. What are one or two of your proudest
professional accomplishments?
10
33. Do you have any knowledge of the
unique role of a ______? [Two-year
college/liberal arts college/research
university]
34. How do you feel about diversity in the
workplace? Give us some examples of
your efforts to promote diversity.
35. Tell us how you go about organizing
your work. Also, describe any
experience you have had with
computers or other tools as they relate
to organization.
36. Please tell us what you think are the
most important elements of a good
_______. [service, activity, product,
class, etc.]
37. Describe your volunteer experiences in
community-based organizations.
38. What professional associations do you
belong to and how involved in them are
you?
39. Tell us about your preferred work
environment.
40. What experiences or skills will help you
manage projects?
41. Tell us how you would use technology
in your day-to-day job.
42. In what professional development
activities have you been involved over
the past few years?
43. What volunteer or social activities have
helped you develop professional skills?
44. What things have you done on your
own initiative to help you prepare for
your next job?
45. Do you have any concerns that would
make you have reservations about
accepting this position if it is offered to
you?
46. What do you think most uniquely
qualifies you for this position?
47. Do you have any additional information
that you would like to share?
48. Do you have any questions for us
11
GOOD INTERVIEW QUESTIONS FOR FACULTY
1. Describe your teaching style.
2. Describe your teaching philosophy.
3. What technology applications have you
utilized in the classroom
4. How do you engage students,
particularly in a course for non-Majors?
5. Share your ideas about professional
development.
6. In your opinion, how should the
workload of a faculty member be split
and into what areas?
7. What changes have you brought to the
teaching of ______?
8. How would you go about being an
advocate and resource for the use of
technology in the teaching and learning
process?
9. What courses have you created or
proposed in the past five years?
10. What do you think are the most
important attributes of a good
instructor?
11. Where would this position fit into your
career development goals?
12. How do you define good teaching?
13. What do you think are your greatest
strengths as an instructor? In which
areas do you feel you can use some
further development?
14. How do you feel your teaching style
can serve our student population?
15. In what professional development
activities have you been involved over
the past few years?
16. What pedagogical changes do you see
on the horizon in your discipline?
17. How would your background and
experiences strengthen this academic
department?
18. How do you adjust your style to the
less-motivated or under-prepared
student?
19. Have you involved your students in
your research?
20. What are your current research
interests?
21. What are the most recent books and
article that you’ve read?
12
INTERVIEW QUESTIONS TO AVOID
You cannot ask any question during an
interview that relates to an applicant’s race,
color, religion, age, gender, national origin, or
disability. In some states, inquiries about a
candidate’s sexual orientation are illegal. The
following questions are merely a few of the
questions that should not be asked:
Questions to Avoid
Are you a U.S. Citizen?
Where were you born?
What is your birth date?
How old are you?
Do you have a disability?
Are you married?
What is your spouse’s name?
What is your maiden name?
Do you have any children?
Do you have childcare arrangements?
What is your race or ethnic origin?
Which church do you attend?
What is your religion?
The following questions should be asked only
when there is a bona fide, job-specific reason
to ask them. If asked of one candidate, they
should be asked of all candidates for the same
position.
Acceptable Alternative Questions
Do you have any responsibilities that conflict
with the job’s attendance or travel
requirements?
Are you able to work in the United State on an
unrestricted basis?
Are you able to perform the duties on the job
description with or without reasonable
accommodations?
Have you ever been convicted of a felony
crime?
If hired, can you provide proof that you are at
least 18 years of age?
Do you have any conflicts that would prevent
you from working the schedule discussed?
What languages do you speak or write
fluently?
Have you worked under any other professional
name or nickname?
Do you have any relatives currently working for
this institution?
Would you have any problem working
overtime, if required?
Would anything prohibit you from making a
long-term commitment to the position and
the institution?

Position:

Candidate Name:

Interviewer Name:

Interview Date:

Based on the interview, please evaluate the candidate's qualifications for the position listed
above. In each section, space is provided to write additional job specific comments. If one of
the questions does not apply to the position, please write N/A in the comment section.

Education / Training

The candidate has the necessary education and/or training required by the position.
_____ Exceeds requirements

_____ Meets requirements

_____ Needs a little more training

_____ Doesn't meet requirements

Comments:

Work Experience

The candidate has prior work experience that is related to the position.

_____ Extensive experience

_____ Meets requirements

_____ Not related but transferable skills

_____ No prior experience

Comments:

Skills (Technical)

The candidate demonstrated to your satisfaction that he/she had the necessary technical skills
to perform the job successfully.

_____ Exceeds requirements

_____ Meets requirements

_____ Needs a little more training

_____ Doesn't meet requirements

Comments:

Supervising Others

The candidate demonstrated to your satisfaction that he/she had the necessary experience in
supervising others to perform the job successfully.

_____ Exceeds requirements

_____ Meets requirements

_____ Needs a little more training

_____ Doesn't meet requirements

Comments:

Leadership Skills

The candidate demonstrated to your satisfaction that he/she had the necessary leadership
skills to perform the job successfully.

_____ Exceeds requirements

_____ Meets requirements

_____ Needs a little more training

_____ Doesn't meet requirements

Comments:
Interpersonal Skills

Communication: articulated ideas clearly both written and orally.

_____ Exceeds requirements

_____ Meets requirements

_____ Needs a little more training

_____ Doesn't meet requirements

Comments:

Teamwork

Demonstrated the ability to work well in a team and with superiors, peers, and reporting staff.

_____ Exceeds requirements

_____ Meets requirements

_____ Needs a little more training

_____ Doesn't meet requirements

Comments:

Time Management

Demonstrated the ability to manage time independently and work efficiently.

_____ Exceeds requirements

_____ Meets requirements

_____ Needs a little more training

_____ Doesn't meet requirements

Comments:

Customer Service

Demonstrated the ability to be customer focused.

_____ Exceeds requirements

_____ Meets requirements

_____ Needs a little more training

_____ Doesn't meet requirements

Comments:

Motivation for the Job

The candidate expressed interest and excitement about the job.

_____ Exceeds requirements

_____ Meets requirements

_____ Needs a little more training

_____ Doesn't meet requirements

Comments:

Problem Solving

Demonstrated the ability to design innovative solutions and solve problems.

_____ Exceeds requirements

_____ Meets requirements

_____ Needs a little more training

_____ Doesn't meet requirements

Comments:

Skill Needed

--List an additional skill specific to the job you are filling.

Demonstrated the ability to:

_____ Exceeds requirements

_____ Meets requirements

_____ Needs a little more training

_____ Doesn't meet requirements

Comments:
Skill Needed

--List an additional skill specific to the job you are filling.

Demonstrated the ability to:

_____ Exceeds requirements

_____ Meets requirements

_____ Needs a little more training

_____ Doesn't meet requirements

Comments:

Skill Needed

--List an additional skill specific to the job you are filling.

Demonstrated the ability to:

_____ Exceeds requirements

_____ Meets requirements

_____ Needs a little more training

_____ Doesn't meet requirements

Comments:
Overall Recommendation

_____ Highly recommend

_____ Recommend

_____ Need clarification of qualifications

_____ Do not recommend

Comments: