Common Correctional Nursing Interview Questions

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!

Specializes in Med/Surg Acute Care RN.

Hello.....I had an interview fee days ago and was asked the following? It's for RN position...

1. Have you ever worked with someone that you didn't get along with?

2. Have you ever had to deal with an aggressive patient?

3. If you caught a co-worker falsifying documents, what do you do?

4. How do you feel with HIPPA with coworkers and none coworkers?

5. If a inmate comes to clinic said he had fight, lost consciousness, what do you do?

6. Found an inmate that was hung, he was cut down by CO they said he has pulse and is breathing, what do you do?

7. Female patient come to clinic c/o RLQ pain x 2 weeks, what do you do?

That's all I can remember.....

2018

I had an interview for a Washington Correctional RN position. The questions they asked me were many scenario questions.

ex) Why do you want to work here?

what is an something you felt you accomplished?

What do you do if you find out you administered the wrong medication?

You find a patient pulse less, what do you do. Know your CPR

A patient is psychotic, throwing feces, denies treatment. What do you do ? Bring it up to your manager/Supervisor

How to you give CPR to someone who was spinal cord injuries?

If your supervisor doesn't like you, go talk to the director

They will ask what patient would you triage and give you 4 patients. think Airway, Breathing, Circulation

Hope this helps

Just had my interview last Friday, September 14 2018. I got tons of questions. DON has three pages of paper with her. Here are some of the questions I remember:

1. Why do you want to work as correctional nurse?

2. Prioritize which one to attend first,

left ear pain, SOB but with inhaler and the last one was inmate having chest pain

3. What your recent supervisor the good traits you have?

4. How are you going to deal with coworkers that having conflict with?

5. What professionalism means to you?

6. What do you like most on your previous job? whats the least you like about it?

7. Any frustrations you encountered while working as a nurse?

8. What are your career goals?

9. How many absences in a year would you consider for termination?

10. What do you like most about what all we discussed today?

11. What do you like most about the things we discussed today? and the least as well

12. What brings you to medical field?

13. How do you respond to negative criticism?

14. How are you going to handle negative criticism from your supervisor?

Rating from 0-10 how well you do

injections/lab works

communicating with physician

mental health

chemical dependence

computer

paperworks

There still more but I forgot .

DON said I'll be contacted in two weeks if selected. She gave me business card if I have questions or so.

Hopefully I'll be hearing good news from her soon.

Fingers crossed.

Specializes in corrections.

Thank you so much for this post. It helped me ALOT. I got the job! Some of the questions that I remember from my interview:

Side effects of antiviral meds of hepatitis c

Side effects of antipsychotic meds

describe how your background will compliment correctional nursing

cultural practices of aboriginal population ie: sweat lodge, smudge, medicine wheel

inmate is exhibiting unusual behaviour, how will you respond

inmate presents with abdominal pain, assessment and interventions

security level: what are some things to be aware of

angry/difficult individual, how do you respond and give an example of a time you dealt with this

how will you teach medical information to someone who is not in the medical field

inmate wants to get off the methadone program, how and what will you teach them ie long term benefits and why he should stay on it

what are some of the reasons why an individual may find themselves in the prison system ie low socioeconomic status, low education, homelessness, etc

These are great - yes, it is so hard to remember the interview questions if it has been a while since you applied. It will be very helpful to new candidates to corrections positions to get an idea of what to expect that might be different from a traditional nursing staff position.

My place also has a standard list of 'behavioral' questions which focus on scenarios. Things like - give an example of a time you had to make a tough clinical decision and how you went about it.

If you think of any others, please post. This thread will be valuable for folks in the future.

Lorry

Specializes in New Grad.

Hey guys, thanks for posting these interview questions! Can anyone tell me what SHOULD you do if you found an inmate down, or an inmate threatening to jump?

Can you also give me some tips on how you would deal with manipulative behavior or what special skills are necessary to work in this environment?

Specializes in Rural, Midwifery, CCU, Ortho, Telemedicin.
lm8539 said:
Can anyone tell me what SHOULD you do if you found an inmate down, or an inmate threatening to jump?Can you also give me some tips on how you would deal with manipulative behavior or what special skills are necessary to work in this environment?

ManDown or Threat to Self/other Harm: first hit your alarm to summon or otherwise summon assistance. If man down - assess for danger to self or have C.O secure scene. Then proceed to assess inmate for extent of medical intervention needed and act accordingly. For Threat to harm: Summon assistance. Use psych skills to maintain inmate attention, and assurance of no need to self harm. Do not attempt to bring the inmate down as they may take you with them.

Manipulative behaviour: Set clear and firm limits. Let inmate know that manipulation is not acceptable nor will it be tolerated.

Special skills - respect for yourself and the ability to set limits in a fair and balanced manner.

I am loving the responses on this thread. I know this will be a great help to our nurse friends looking to break into this specialty. Lorry

Specializes in New Grad.

I also said that I don't get intimidated easily and mentioned that although I have not actually worked as a nurse yet, I felt very comfortable during my psych rotation, and in my community health rotations where I made some home visits in very impoverished areas of Long Beach.

Specializes in Corrections, med-surg.

hi

i am scheduled for an interview at chino prison, any help with interview questions please,,, and any advise about nurses at this facility????

thanks

Ann

Specializes in ER, CCU, Admin, Transplant.

I will be sure to remember some of the interview questions I am asked on Monday and post them! I am going to review the correctional nursing section of my Forensics textbook! Will keep you updated!

So, can I just say that the only thing about the interview that makes me nervous is that it is street parking only, no parking on site and the neighborhood is extremely dangerous!!!!!

Is this interview in Baltimore? I can't remember. If for the Baltimore Jail, park on the street with the meters between the Jail complex and the Youth Center. Staff don't park there because of the meters so it is often open and it is a safe street. Bring a few quarters and you'll be fine :-)

(Disregard if I got you mixed up with another forum poster :uhoh3:)

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