First RN Interview with HR - advice needed

I just had one of these last week. She asked basic interview type questions. The ones I can remember are:

Tell Me About Yourself

Describe your perfect job

What are your strengths?

What are your weaknesses?

What would former supervisors say about you?

Tell me about a time you went up and beyond for a patient.

I hope you have a better interviewer than I did. She seemed to be in a huge hurry, really didn't seem interested in any of my answers because she'd let me get a sentence out of my mouth before saying "ok" and then moving on to the next question. Good luck!

Hey Which hospital is that? Do you have a BSN?

Since you already work there, you're at an advantage. Be sure to mention how much you love working for the hospital, want to stay there long term, agree with the values and mission of the hospital, etc. HR loves that.

John Hopkins has a great website with sample interview questions and answers of all kinds.

Be prepared for "what would you do" type of questions that assess your character, critical thinking and how you respond to adversity. Such as, "What would you do if you had a conflict with a co-worker?" "What would you do if you say a patient being bullied by a family member?" "What would you do if a visitor fell in the hallway during your shift?" "How would you handle a difficult patient?" "What would you do if you caught another nurse stealing medication?" "What would you do if you walked into a room and the patient wasn't breathing?'

The best thing you can do is respond honestly, with answers that emphasize patient safety, teamwork and customer service. If you are asked a medical question and you don't know the answer, simply say, "I don't know, but if I were caring for that patient I would be sure to look it up and confirm my treatment plan with another nurse and/or the MD before moving forward." Don't feel like you have to make up something just so you have an answer.

What to bring:

Copies of your cover letter and resume, copies of your school transcripts, a copy of your license, BLS and ACLS cards, and any letters of recommendation that you have.

If you had to write journals at any point, rereading those may help. Also, remember what made you interested in the field to begin with. What makes you passionate? Reminding yourself about this will give you the boost you need to be positive and excited about the opportunity. Try to enjoy the conversation. (I know...that's hard! But, personally, I found out that my interviews were far more successful once I started enjoying myself.)

I interviewed with two different hospital networks with two different recruiters. They both wanted stories. If you say "I value integrity" tell a short (concise) story to back it up. Think of the SBAR format to help you.