Common Correctional Nursing Interview Questions

Specialties Correctional Nursing Q/A

I'm collecting a compendium of Interview Questions and best answers for folks prepping for a correctional nursing job interviews. Could you chime in with yours even if you might have posted elsewhere on this forum? It would be good to have them all in one place for newbies searching this site.

Thanks for all the time and effort you spend helping new correctional nurses learn the ropes!

Nurse_Jessica_ said:
Scenario ?'s like if there was an inmate with over 200 blood sugar & no coverage, hypertensive inmate c/o HA & ESRD w/sepsis. :nurse:

What is the answer they are looking for here? To me, it is very clear what my scope is. If there is a protocol, follow it. If there is no protocol, call the provider for orders. Am I missing something?

I have an upcoming interview for LVN position at a correctional facility in Ca.I would like to ask for pointers,possible interview questions and what nursing fundamentals,theories and concepts i should focus...i really want this job and i dont want to screw this up.thank you so much!

Specializes in Forensic Psych RN.

search correctional nursing on this site. Lori Schoenly administrates this subject on this site. Also, my experience, as an RN, which would probably apply to you as well, is: s/s hypo and hyper glycemia, prisoner tells you he already had his insulin injection...what would you do? Find a man down, what would you do, boundaries with prisoners i.e. asking you to do them favors, bring items in, etc.

Specializes in Emergency Room, Hospice/Palliative Care.

Yes, know your nursing protocol=don't over think but be cautious of safety. I have interviewed for city jail nursing, and not in person with the county facilities. I will tell you that I had no few clinical questions during the interview-it was more of 'what kind of person are you". I started this process over two years ago, and was just recently offered a per diem position in the jails...after two in person interviews. Be patient. Not the way to go if you are looking for immediate work, as far as I can tell. Good luck-you will do fine. SAFETY FIRST.

\ said:

I have an upcoming interview for LVN position at a correctional facility in Ca.I would like to ask for pointerspossible interview questions and what nursing fundamentals,theories and concepts I should focus...I really want this job and I dont want to screw this up.thank you so much!

I applied to the county jail last month and was offered a job last week as a new grad LPN. I was asked what's the biggest mistake give made and how did you fix it. What are your strengths and weaknesses. Why should we hire you. That's it! Interview wasn't so bad.

Thank you all so much for these sample nursing interview questions. I'm a new grad RN and I have an interview in two weeks and I'm a little nervous about interviewing in front of a panel. I took a tour of the facility with my mental health instructor and I loved it; the autonomy, the challenges you have to face on a daily basis and having to think "on your toes" is why I'm truly excited. I'm fully prepared with all my paperwork, I was thinking about making photocopies of all my required documents and then taking the originals just in case, does that sound like a good idea? I also have a letter of recommendation from my Mental Health instructor that has health fairs at the same prison every couple of months; should I take that in with me? I'm great with Med-Surg but it's hard for me to get out of that thinking "patient safety is first", so basically from what I see on here, if they ask an emergency scenario question, just always get a correctional officer first? I just want to be completely prepared for any question they may throw my way so I can make a good first impression. ANY advice would be helpful!!

Thank you for your helpful comments. I am in Ohio and when I did my application online, I was not allowed to upload any attachments, including my resume. I will probably take it with, better to be overprepared than under. Thank you again!

Specializes in Education.

Thanks for this thread! I had an interview and while the questions I was asked weren't really what was mentioned on this thread, I was able to use the information here to ask questions of my own. But things are now out of my hands, so all I can do is keep my fingers crossed and wait (im)patiently.

i had interview yesterday, and the interviewer said i will be first in line of waiting list hopefully they will call me soon i dont know. the interview went good he asked me about my work experience, what is point of view about the inmates, he gave me an idea of what the job will be if i get hired..hopefully they will call me soon and get this job..

Thank you all so much for your feedback and comments! This has been extremely helpful! I am a new grad RN and I have been diligently seeking employment with California Correctional Health Care here in the Bay Area. I have had zero luck finding work in a hospital, and although I could go and work at any nursing home/LTC/SNF/Rehab center, it's just not my area and not for me! I had dreamed of becoming a Police Officer long ago, and although I was destined to become a Nurse, my heart still lies in the Corrections and Justice system. I have been applying to several positions at the state prisons, and I don't know how much the system has changed since these prior posts of 2009, 2011, but I hope that now in 2014 I will have some luck finding work in Prison Health Care.

Thank you all for these great threads!

-Priya, RN

Specializes in NICU; Acute psych; pediatric psych.

So how did everyone's interviews go?!

I have an interview Monday 11/24/2014 at San Quentin. I hope thy ask some of these questions.

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