Help with behavior-based interview questions!!!!!!!!!

myoglobin, ASN, BSN, MSN · Jul 11, 2019

I take a sort of "Buddhist" approach in that I never want a job too much. Thus, I always try to apply for many jobs while I have "something" in place (even if prn) to pay the bills. In this way I can be confident that I will find "something". Having said that I would try to envision your "ideal self" in the scenarios given. Thus, with any scenario there may have been a continuum of responses that you have experienced over time. For example "describe a situation where you felt overwhelmed at work. How did you respond to this situation?" Well, in my 11 years as an RN I've done everything from prioritize, and calmly work through a maelstrom of crXX to basically freak out and gone to the restroom to stop the bloody nose that I probably got from my BP spiking to 250/100. Obviously, the answer I draw upon will reflect those instances where my response was more ideal and not the panic attack/hypertensive urgency scenarios. However, I might just go with the bloody nose story because I always try to be myself and give an average to poor interview. My reasoning is that I would rather lose many jobs where I'm overqualified and expectations are high before I get the job than get one where I'm unable to meet expectation. I like to set low goals and then consistently fail to even meet those. When asked about my best RN skills I've actually said "well I always tell coworkers I'm basically only good at three things breaking things, lifting things, eating things, and annoying things, wait that's four", I actually got that job.

allnurses Guide · Jul 11, 2019

I love love love behavioral interviews. Why? Because it lets me tell the best stories of my career's evolution! Think of it as a way to share the things you have done throughout your career, with other nurses, who likely have similar stories. Put aside concern over right vs wrong answers; what they are looking for is:

1. Whether you are likable/personable and whether you can speak in complete sentences with a reasonable ability to keep cohesion to your thoughts.

2. Whether you exercised good nursing judgement

3. If you didn't (or sometimes even if you did), what you learned from it.

Seriously. That's it. Tell your stories. View these people as fellow nurses, wear friendliness all over you, have a sense of humor about your foibles and share your successes and speak your history. You will see heads bob in understanding or relation and you will nail it.

tiddles · Jul 18, 2019

I work for a hospital system within which I have changed jobs several times. Each time I get interviewed and then peer interviewed with the same type of annoying questioning. I hate it.

Most recently I thought I would participate in the vaccination program for the coming season (going around schools giving flu shots) which lasts about six weeks.

Well I attended my first interview, which was via phone (same hospital employer, remember) and they start asking me the same things (tell us about a time where you went above and beyond - blah, blah). After a couple more questions I was suddenly overcome with exhaustion and I couldn't do it anymore. I told them that this was more of an ordeal than I had anticipated for a temporary, part time position. I asked if they did this to the EMS and agency staff they hire (because they can't get any of our nurses to do it). They said they didn't have to, because they weren't hospital employees.

Knowing that I would have to attend a peer interview with MORE of the same torture, I ended up saying thank you for your time, but I will be withdrawing my application.

FolksBtrippin, BSN, RN · Jul 18, 2019

On 7/11/2019 at 8:24 AM, Calbrunette said:
Need fast help with answering these types of interview questions. I tend to struggle with coming up with good answers. It always feels so fake and forced. I actually normally interview really well when it's not this format but that doesn't seem to be the norm anymore. Anyone have any creative answers to these questions or any good resources for practice questions???

What questions?

I tend toward honesty in interviews. It works really well.

Cricket183, BSN, RN · Jul 19, 2019

I just went through an interview (first time since graduating nursing school 16 years ago) with a lot of behavior questions. I found it helpful to be prepared beforehand with an idea of how I might answer the most common ones-tell me about a time you handled conflict, tell me about a time you had to deal with a difficult patient/family member, etc.

Also, don’t be afraid to take a minute to think if they ask you to describe a situation that catches you off guard. A thoughtful answer is better than a rushed, hurried response.

If all else fails and you cannot think of a specific scenario say so but then describe how you would normally handle that or a similar situation. I had this happen during my interview. I was asked to recall a particularly difficult shift and how I handled it. I’ve been out of nursing for over 10 years. I’ve had difficult shifts to be sure but recalling the specifics at this point and exactly what I did is a distant memory so I just admitted so and talked about things like teamwork, prioritization, knowing available resources, importance of working with other departments, keeping calm and threw in an example or two where I could.

Wishing you the best of luck!

Forest2 · Jul 19, 2019

Interviews are basically torture. I swear sometimes they actual mean to torture you. That aside, I have done a lot of interviews. I can honestly say that my best interviews did not land me a job and some of the other interviews that just seemed blah, I was offered a position. Who can figure?

In any case, I do just go back and remember challenging times and what I did to resolve those problems. Tell me about a time you made an error, etc. Tell me when you prevented an error by double checking your work, duh. That question never quite made sense to me because the reason I double check nearly every cotton pickin thing I do is so that I don't make an error. So yea, double checking works. I mean what do they want you to say? Right?

The one I really don't like is, Tell me your greatest weakness. So that takes some creative thinking. You have to come up with something that you may not be such an expert in but make sure it is something you are working on, because that is how you are to follow up on that question. Soooo. I am weak in motivational interviewing and to remedy that I have been taking some online CEU's to learn techniques to improve that. Yadda, yadda, yadda. Or, I am weak in starting IV's and so I decided to practice and work in the lab practicing on a dummy and the educator has been giving me tips, so I am improving with that. Yadda, yadda, yadda.

I have researched behavioral questions , made a list of them and wrote my answers down. Then have someone read my paper and practice with them. But, after you do so many interviews it becomes second nature how to answer and you don't have to think so hard.

I used to drive myself crazy getting ready for interviews and trying to follow all the tips, don't talk too much, be direct, sit up, don't lean back, lean forward, keep eye contact, don't talk with your hands too much, dress conservatively, try not to shake, watch the body language, don't wear perfume, remember to smile, this, that and the other. I would totally stress out! So hey, I'm glad you are on here asking questions. That's a good thing. Keep reading what is out there about interviews and the more you know the better you will do and remember to practice.

I think I will start a thread on the most torturous interviews ever. LOL