Best way to prepare for interview questions

[JJL618, RN]

I’m about to graduate, so I’ve been applying for jobs. What is the best way to go about practicing or being prepared for interview questions? I don’t have much experience in interviews, and today I had a question in one that I didn’t know how to answer. I was embarrassed about it afterward and during, so I’m trying to be prepared to do better next time.

I can’t remember word for word what the question was but it was to the extent of you have to take care of 3 patients that have come into the ED. One patient’s BP is starting to tank; the other two are unstable as well and all are getting vasopressors. How do you manage and prioritize their care since they’re all critical? I answered that it was a tough question and I hope that it was something I would learn as I gained experience. I said I never have experienced an incident like this and hoped it would be something I would learn how to deal with. I also in the midst of this I said I would try to prioritize their care and she said how? They’re all critical? That’s when I replied again that I hope it would be something I learned as I gained experience.

What’s a better way to answer a question like this? The whole interview was kinda weird. It was like a just going through the motion type thing and seemed impersonal (maybe that’s how they usually are idk). It was very different than the other 3 interviews I completed earlier in the week, but I want to be better prepared to rock my future interviews since I feel this one didn’t go very well.

Thanks for the help.

[DowntheRiver]

I mean, without more info, I'd have to say you address the patient that is starting to tank. Sure, the other two patients are critical and unstable, but did they say if there were stable enough at the moment? These questions really set you up for failure without more info. Keep in mind, you are allowed to ask more questions to figure out triage - in the interview it might demonstrate "assessment" skills and help. What are their VS? Let them know you'd ask for help - if someone became really unstable, you'd call a Rapid or Code.

[JJL618, RN]

Thanks for the tips. That sounds better than what I said ?

The only other thing I remember her saying was the one BP was 70/40. But she was talking too fast like she just wanted to be done with the interview because she had two pages to get through of questions while writing down my answers. I should have asked her to repeat it and for clarification and I will next time.

[DowntheRiver]

A lot of interviews are going to be prioritization scenarios and behavioral interviewing. Behavioral interviewing is where they ask you questions like:

- How have you dealt with a difficult co-worker or a co-worker who doesn't pull their weight?

- Tell me about a time you had a disagreement with a coworker and how did you handle/resolve it?

- Tell me about a time where you had to address a customer service (patient) issue.

Basically, they want to know how you handle conflict. If you don't have patient experience, it is perfectly acceptable to say so and ask to use an example from being a server or retail worker.

[Kallie3006, ADN]

You don't know what you don't know and that is so important to remember. They need to know that you will provide safe care to the patients and not be the one that thinks they do not need help and know it all.

My intake on the question presented would be to inform your charge and the physician about the 3rd patient's change of status and ask for assistance. You have one patient that is starting to tank and to me that would be priority. Ask why is the patient's BP dropping? What was this person's chief complaint? Are they septic? Bleeding out? Mistakenly too their partners BP meds? Received narcotics and was not handling the dose? I would clarify that the other two patients are responding to the pressor infusion. Ask if their VS are stable, they can still be critical while they are responding to treatment but they are responding. You can say that your patients are your top priority and you would enlist the help of others on your team. Reiterate that team work is important for patient safety, moral and the fluidity of the department as a whole.

If you Google nursing interview questions there are some sites that provide example answers and if you read those you will have a better idea on what and how to answer. Good luck on this and future interviews and getting your license!

[guest52816]

8 hours ago, Kallie3006 said:

You don't know what you don't know and that is so important to remember. They need to know that you will provide safe care to the patients and not be the one that thinks they do not need help and know it all.

My intake on the question presented would be to inform your charge and the physician about the 3rd patient's change of status and ask for assistance. You have one patient that is starting to tank and to me that would be priority. Ask why is the patient's BP dropping? What was this person's chief complaint? Are they septic? Bleeding out? Mistakenly too their partners BP meds? Received narcotics and was not handling the dose? I would clarify that the other two patients are responding to the pressor infusion. Ask if their VS are stable, they can still be critical while they are responding to treatment but they are responding. You can say that your patients are your top priority and you would enlist the help of others on your team. Reiterate that team work is important for patient safety, moral and the fluidity of the department as a whole.

If you Google nursing interview questions there are some sites that provide example answers and if you read those you will have a better idea on what and how to answer. Good luck on this and future interviews and getting your license!

Excellent answer.

And honestly, this type of question is what you will be asked repeatedly, on NCLEX.

You go to the tanking patient first. From your summation of the question, the others were sick, but stable.

Always think: Who will die on my first? Then go from there.

Morbid.

Yes.

But it is how you prioritize.

Again, the poster gave you good advice.