Not having answers to interview questions

[ohcomeon]

I don't know how else to title this really. I have been on two interviews. At each one, there are questions that come up where I just do not have an answer. I just graduated, so no nursing experience other than school/clinicals. I have been asked about making a mistake or error where patient care was affected. I did not have an answer for this. I haven't made an error. In school, they have so many safeguards in place so it is next to impossible to make an error at clinicals. I told the interviewer this. I was also asked about a time where I questioned my decision to become a nurse. Again, this is hard for a new grad to answer. I said something about a time when I had a patient yell and scream at me. Also a time in my life where something affected the quality of patient care that I provided. Ugh, of course I play the whole interview scenario over and over again in my mind and I feel like I am answering these types of questions poorly. I just don't have the experience to draw on to come up with a better answer. Sorry. I guess this was a vent really.

[RNReadyManc]

That's what rejections are for ... they give you a chance to practice again and again.

By the time I was on my 6th interview in 6 months I had all the questions covered without hesitation.

Did you find a job after that

[calivianya, BSN, RN]

As long as you can give an employment related example, using stuff from a different job would suffice. For example, I had an interviewer ask how I motivate myself when I have no one looking over my shoulder, and I told him about when I used to work at a hotel and was completely unsupervised and the only person in the building at night and I got my work done by challenging myself to do it better faster every night, and stuff like that. You can usually find an example in some other field. Most people have waitressed or had some kind of job before - use examples from those if you can't think of a nursing example.

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

These people are also asking to find out how you answer a question, not necessarily to find out the answer per se. Do you squirm, confabulate, or make excuses, or are you open about how you would own a potential error and seek out ways never to do it again? Are you someone who's cheerful and might make a good team member? Are you flexible, willing to learn, wanting to grow in this new role? That can be more endearing than someone who has the pat answers from a website down cold. Do I want this person on my team? Is s/he worth my hiring budget to bring along? In a year, will s/he be an asset to my team and showing promise of more growth? That's that they're thinking. Try to see it from their side, and your way may be clearer.

Good luck! :)

:flwrhrts: