[chick_pea]

hi!just passed my boards and presently on a job hunting. Can you guys pls. give me some tips on job interviews.What do they usually ask? Will they like test you if you know a certain drug or a patho of a certain disease? I'm really anxious.Replies would be much appreciated.Thanks a lot...

[S.T.A.C.E.Y]

I'm still a student, so I haven't yet gone to a job interview for a nursing position, but these are a couple of the questions I was told to be prepared for:

- Why do you want to work on this unit? What experience do you have relevant to that unit?
- What was your most difficult patient? Why?
- What was the most complex patient you have dealt with? Why?
- Customer service stuff: How would you deal with irate doctor/family/whoever.
- Critical thinking case study questions specific to the floor/unit you will be working on.
- Assessment questions specific to the the floor/unit you will be working on.

Good Luck with your Interview!!!

[Bala Shark]

Here are some interview questions:

If a MD ordred NPH insulin at 12 units and you took the patient's blood sugar and it was at 62..What would you do?

What are your strengths?

What is your weakness?

[EricJRN]

I like this thread:

http://allnurses.com/forums/f50/can-...view+questions

As far as technical/patient care questions, they might give you a scenario or two to see if you're a critical thinker, but I think your personality is probably the more important factor in most interviews. They probably won't expect you to hit the ground running as a brand new nurse.

[WeeBabyRN]

I have been on a couple of interviews and some of the same questions have cropped up.

What is your biggest weakness?
What brought you to our facility?
Tell me about a conflict you had and what you did to solve it.
If I called one of your old employers, or one of your clinical instructors, what would they tell me your strengths were?
Tell me about a time when a patient or family was upset with you and what you did about it.
Where do you see yourself as a nurse in 5 years?

The behavioral questions, the "tell me" ones are easy to answer if you remember SAR..
S-sitaution, briefly describe the situation
A-action, describe the action you took
R-result, describe the result.
If you remember SAR then you will not ramble as much, I say in my brain, situation, OK told them that, time to move onto action etc...I tend to ramble when I am nervous and remembering these steps helps reign me in.

Good luck to you!

[mom2michael]

*I was asked what I thought would be my biggest challenge from NS to GN/RN position.
*I was then asked how I was going to resolve that issue when I started.
*I was asked what I would do in 3 scenerio type situations.
*I was asked where I wanted to be in 5 years (and no, the correct answer is not always right there in the position you are applying for).
*I was asked what my clinical instructors would say about me if she was to call one right now (I did about 75% of my clinicals on this particular floor with the same instructor).
*She asked me my biggest challenge in NS and how I was able to resolve that challenge.
*She has asked me what I enjoyed the most about nursing school. She also asked me what I liked least about NS.
*I was asked my biggest weakness and how could/would I resolve that weakness on the unit.
*I was asked what my biggest strength was and how I could/would use that on the unit.
*I was asked how I would deal with a co-worker that did something horribly wrong to a patient and violated P&P and how I would handle the post conflict it would cause on the unit if I was(did) to report the situation.
*We discussed conflict issues on the unit. We also discussed teamwork. We talked very briefly about how NS did not prepare me for the world to come that was just a step in the big huge process of being an RN. We talked a lot about the support groups the hospital has for GN's and how she felt those were very valuable.
*We also discussed my training, orientation and classes I would be taking over the next 90 days.
*I was asked the normal questions - can you work nights, weekends, holidays, etc....

That pretty much sums it up - I work on this unit but I was put through the same interview as all GN/RN's are put through.

[classicdame]

All good responses in above posts. I recommend you have some questions prepared yourself. What is the turnover rate for this unit? Does the facility have a clinical ladder program? How does the facility promote professional development for nursing staff?

Ask the interviewer for a business card so you can send them a thank you and spell the name correctly.

Dress appropriately. I see this recommendation all over the place, but people still come in looking like they fit my interview in between Wal-Mart and a visit at the Vet.