ER interview tips?!

ED Nurse, RN · Jan 5, 2016

Be concise, be thoughtful- don't be afraid to take several seconds to answer a question. Are you a new nurse? If not, think about your past experience and how it has prepared you to be an ER nurse. Please do not be too eager- it's ok to be excited, but don't present yourself as a novice and awe-struck. ER nurse are calm, cool, collected and level headed- being over zealous does not highlight those characteristics. Be polite and speak with purpose. Make eye contact. Have questions formulated to ask them if given the opportunity. Be a team player and show how you've been a team player in the past.

JV-RN · Jan 5, 2016

Thank you for your response. I have been an RN for three years but no ER experience. I have done nursing home and clinic nursing so I am kind of out of my element. I am definitely a team player so that's a plus! Ready for a change and to broaden my nursing skills/knowledge.

Editorial Team / Moderator · Jan 6, 2016

I have typically been asked things like "why this ER?" and "tell me about a time that you had a problem with a coworker, and how you resolved it." ERs typically need flexible team players who know the value of communication and problem-solving skills and who aren't afraid to admit when they don't know something.

Good luck!! :)

JV-RN · Jan 12, 2016

Thank you! I am very nervous. It is tomorrow.. I don't even know if I want to work there yet. Never thought of myself as a ER nurse but the idea does exite me.

bgxyrnf, MSN, RN · Jan 14, 2016

What does customer service mean to you?

How might you detect ROSC?

Pt arrives by EMS with a heart rate of 220... what should be your initial actions and what kinds of orders would you anticipate from the physician?

Pt on drips of dobutamine and nipride. Monitor shows CVP=24, BP=73/42... you notify the physician who orders a 500 cc bolus, hold the dobutamine drip for 30 minutes, and titrate up the nipride drip. What do you do?

LPC2RN · Jan 18, 2016

I was a new grad hired into the ED so the questions I was asked will likely be different than the ones you, being an experienced RN, might receive. I was presented with a scenario of patient is given a foley and you see the tech break sterile field. What do you do? Most nursing students would say start again but in an emergent situation the right answer is get it in there and notify the doc who can add antibiotics if necessary.

Another question they asked was meant to examine my ability to think quickly and analyze a situation. They asked, if you could be any ingredient in any pie you wanted, what ingredient in what pie and why? Most people said something about being pecans in a pecan pie because they were nutty. I went with lemon from a lemon meringue pie because I can be sweet or sour. I am warm and love the summer. You get the idea.

And of course there are all of the typical interview questions: Why this ED? Why are you better than the other candidates? Tell me about a time you noticed a change that needed to be made on your unit/in your work place, how did you go about effecting a change? What would you do if you noticed a fellow nurse sneaking a controlled med or asked you to waste drugs with them but you saw them pocket the drugs? Good luck. If you like fast pace, excitement and learning, I think you will enjoy it. I did.

Ikikaeru · Jan 18, 2016

Just went through this process myself going from a rural ER to a much larger city ER. They asked the same questions most interviews ask, how do you deal with conflict, how do you describe yourself, why do you want to work in ER, etc. Prep for those questions mostly. The only ER specific question was a triage question. I always go into an interview convinced that I don't need the job. Takes the pressure off and lets me just flow with the questions.

JV-RN · Jan 19, 2016

Thank you all for the advice! I thought I bombed the interview but apparently I did good because I got the job :)

Kristenlaurenw · Jan 19, 2016

Congrats! The ER is great! Work is never boring!