Questions you were asked on ER interview?

PedsER-RN, BSN, RN · Feb 19, 2006

My interview consisted mainly of my nm talking, with me doing a lot of listening. She already knew me b/c I had worked in the dept as a tech. Some of the questions I was asked (actually, I can't really remember which one's were from the nt interview and which were from the rn interview, but oh well. ?

How do you handle conflict?

Where do you see yourself in five years?

Why do you want to work in an er (specifically, a pediatric er)?

Tell me about yourself (I hate when interviewers ask/state this).

How would you describe yourself (pretty much the same as the last)?

What are some of your positive and negative attributes?

Hope this helps!

Trauma Columnist · Feb 20, 2006

I've worked in this ER for almost 10 yrs and do peer interviewing. Here are some questions:

1. Why do you want to work here? (We're looking for hints that they have done their homework and know this is a very busy, level one trauma center).

2. Where do you see yourself in five years? (Looking for ambition and commitment to life-long learning.)

3. What are your strengths? (Will this jive with our unit culture).

4. What are your weaknesses? (Again, jiving with our culture and the ability to be introspective).

5. What is your best preferred learning style? (So, that we can match you with an appropriate preceptor).

6. How do you prioritize your care? (Triage questions. Not looking for exactly right answers, just that they know that the ABC's are the first things to consider no matter how much blood or other distracting injuries the patient has).

7. How do you cope with stress? (Ensuring the prospective nurse has coping strategies in place).

Hope this helps.

noc_owl · Feb 20, 2006

I interviewed in two ERs, and I was asked many of the questions in the posts above. One that hasn't been listed yet is "Have you ever been in an emergency situation and how did you react?"

whiskeygirl, LPN · Feb 20, 2006

I was asked very technical questions.

Q: A patient comes in with a pain in her leg, what do you do?

A: Visualize the extremity, feel for temp., palpate pedal pulses.

Q:What of these 6 meds are you going to anticipate giving to the pt.

A: Heprin- clot buster for DVT.

Q: A heavy set diabetic woman comes into the ER complaining of jaw pain. What do you do?

A: Test her BS, EKG, M.O.N.A.

There were many others all in the same interview but its really too much to type. I figure this will give you an idea of what was asked.

Lurksalot, BSN, RN · Feb 20, 2006

Thank you all, this is great, exactly what I was looking for. I am kinda getting nervous about interviewing and want to gather my thoughts together. I was wondering if interviewers often throw out scenarios to get your response, it looks like that is a possibility. I think it's the whole nursing-school mentality, sometimes I KNOW the answer to a question and just can't get it past my lips but most times I am fine, so I guess I just have to trust what I know.

Thanks again. ?

vampireslayer · Feb 21, 2006

I had a classmate who was asked basically to run through a CPR scenario...it had to do with what she'd do if the family member of a patient suddenly fell to the floor. I wasn't asked any technical nursing questions, but here's what I remember:

1. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? I know several other people have mentioned this one. I came right out and told my interviewer that this was one of those questions that our nursing school had told us to prepare for, and that I KNOW how to "play the game" and give the "right answer" but I just couldn't do it. Of course she asked what I THOUGHT was the "right answer" and I said, "well, I'm supposed to say something that indicates ambition and drive and leadership, like how I want to learn to be an excellent ER nurse, then I how I hope to be able to be team leader, then charge nurse..." or something like that. It was basically how the "right answer" had to do with climbing the ladder in the sense of moving up from staff nurse to supervisory capacity... but I have "been there and done that" with supervisory positions, and really don't care to do it again. So I said that what I hoped for was that in 5 years I'd have learned my job so well, and become so good at what I do, that in 5 years, when some major trauma was called in, or when they were short staffed and up to their eye balls, that someone would be inclined to say "go get 'vampireslayer' "...that they would know that I was the "one" they needed in a "dire" situation. Ok, kind of silly, kind of pretentious, maybe, but really, I wanted them to know that what I wanted was to be DAMN good at my job, not to follow the traditional role of "moving up" the career ladder. That the job they were hiring me for was the job that I wanted to do, not to use it as a stepping stone for something else.

2. What are your strengths?

3. We're interviewing over 50 people for these 6 spots. What is the one thing you want me to remember about you?

Try to figure out what you think might be your weak point. For me it was my age and lack of experience, I was already 40 years old and had not worked as a tech anywhere. Everyone else they were interviewing had either tech experience, or, even better, ER tech experience. One person was a paramedic, and an ER tech. So I told them that although I had no ER experience, and no medical experience, I had "life experience", and I built on that. I've taught, and so much of being a nurse is patient teaching. And I've supervised. And I've learned LOTS of new things. Really stress your love of learning. It's important to be open to new things.

4. What do you think you will like LEAST about this job? I told them that I knew that ER was a "glamorized" job, that probably what I knew about it, from TV, was inaccurate, so it was hard for me to reply to this. But probably, being vomited on or peed on would be right up there with one of those things I wouldn't really love. My interviewers all thought this was very funny...because they'd all been vomited on & peed on! But then I went on to say, that "seriously"...knowing that there were so many people in the waiting room, and knowing I could only do one thing at a time, I would probably have a hard time not being able to help everyone right away. So I tried to give a funny answer and a serious one.

5. Why did you choose nursing? Try to come up with a specific "lightbulb moment"...not a general "I just want to help people". They might ask why you chose ER, not just nursing. But either way, find the one moment that you knew you wanted to go into nursing, and describe that particular moment. It will stick with them so much more than any generic "wanting to help people" comment ever will.

Good luck with your interviews!

VS

sapeterson · Feb 1, 2012

I'm interviewing for a new grad ER RN residency program this Friday...reading these posts has been extremely helpful...thank you for all that each of you shared!!! SP

Gorycat · Feb 6, 2012

Good luck to all the interviewees! Remember that they asked YOU to meet with them so show some confidence as you speak. Go on a TON of interviews just for the experience of interviewing, even if it's not your dream job. You are applying to be an ER nurse where you will deal with high emotions, family drama, and interpersonal communication deficiencies and that's just with other staff members ;) You guys have the basics, go with your your strengths and let your weaknesses be an opportunity for growth!

rnICU303, BSN, CNA, RN · Oct 22, 2012

I have an interview for an ER nurse intern program this week. I've read the posts and suggestions of others and it's been extremely helpful. Thanks!

Any suggestions would be appreciated in preparation.

I've been an RN for three years in a busy step down unit.