ICU Interview Questions

[sugarmagnoliaRN]

I am an RN working on a telemetry unit (mostly cardiology, CV/thoracic surgery, & CHF patients) at a large teaching hospital and am planning on applying for the next RN internship class to move to the ICU. Interns precept in each ICU (MICU, SICU, CVICU, and neuro ICU) and then are hired into one unit at the end. All the managers and the ICU educator are in the interview so it's a panel more than one-on-one interview. My question is, what kinds of interview questions should I anticipate? This will be my first interview as an experienced nurse so during my last interview, I didn't have any clinical experience for them to really evaluate. I'm sure I'll get a lot of "tell us about a time when" questions, but can y'all give me some examples of what you would ask your candidates? Or questions you've been asked yourself in ICU interviews as an experienced nurse (but one with no ICU experience)?

Thanks!!

[dah doh, BSN, RN]

Besides the usual interview questions, we usually ask scenario questions and ask about the most unstable patient you've cared for and conflict management situation, etc.

We really don't expect you to get all the answers correct, but can you talk it through to come up with an answer and tell me why you came up with that answer. Some questions have NO one correct answer, but a range of correct answers depending on where your questions or answers lead. The goal of these types of questions is to get a sense of how you think (reasoning & common sense) & how you manage various situations. I know that's not specific, but every facility is different & some scenarios & questions are harder than others.

[sugarmagnoliaRN]

Thank you! If anyone else has any tips for the interview or things I should start thinking about, please do let me know :)

[nsti]

I interviewed as a new grad coming into ICU, but had experience at that particular hospital as a nurse intern and was asked the same questions as the experienced RNs. They asked me a handful of scenario-based questions. They want to know if you can critically think. My questions were pretty basic: MI, A-fib w/RVR treatment, stroke management, etc.