How To Answer The Most Common Nursing Interview Questions

[TheCommuter]

To be perfectly blunt, interviews can be rather nerve-wracking because a lot is at stake. After all, you really want to be considered for this available position, and you only have one chance to make a good first impression on the interviewer. Another aspect that adds to the stressful nature of the interview process is the fact that you are most likely competing with many other applicants for that prized job opening.

Based on my personal experiences, the vast majority of the most common nursing interview questions have remained constant and unchanged over the handful of years that I have been in this profession. Without further ado, here are some of the most common interview questions.

Tell me about yourself

Although the interviewer is not wanting to listen to your life story, he/she does want you to describe your personality, educational attainment, career goals, and professional experiences.

Tell me what you know about our company

You should conduct some research and be at least somewhat knowledgeable about the entity that might very well become your future workplace. You will look good to the interviewer if it appears that you have been doing your 'homework' on the company.

So, tell us what you know about _____ nursing

Insert any nursing specialty into the blank space provided. You will stand out to the interviewer as a candidate who truly has passion about the specialty if you know more about it than the average person. If your dream is to work as a nurse in a well-baby nursery, you'd better be knowledgeable about the area in which you envision yourself working.

Tell us what your current/former boss would say about you

The interviewer is basically looking for clues that will shed light on your work ethic and interpersonal skills. Direct quotes work well. "Jill always said I was dependable" is a direct quote that says a lot.

Tell me why you want to work here

Your reasons for wanting to work at this place of employment should be positive. Also, make a connection between your career goals and how they can be achieved at this company.

Describe to us how you perform under pressure

The settings in which nurses work can quickly turn into pressure-cooker environments. To be blunt, the interviewer does not want to hire anyone who is so emotionally fragile that they'll shatter like plate glass when faced with the day-to-day pressures of the job.

Discuss your biggest strengths and weaknesses

The interviewer wants to hear about strengths that would be assets in the workplace. Since we all have weaknesses, the person conducting the interview will know you're a boldfaced liar if you deny having any.

Are you a team player?

Healthcare facilities prefer to hire people who work well with others, have good social skills, get along well with patients and visitors, and can pull together as a team for the sake of patient care.

Discuss your salary requirements

This question is sneaky. Some companies have strict pay grids and other facilities are unionized, so salary typically cannot be negotiated at these places. However, smaller workplaces may offer some wiggle room for negotiating the salary. The important thing is to not price oneself out of the market.

What motivates you to be a nurse?

Companies prefer to hire healthcare workers who are motivated by intangible ideals, not concrete realities such as money. Even if cash is your ultimate motivation, do not elaborate on your need for money.

Recall a difficult situation and describe how you handled it

If you have healthcare experience, they want to know how you have dealt with angry doctors, emotionally upset families, or difficult patients. If you lack healthcare experience, you can discuss a difficult situation that occurred in school or a previous workplace.

Tell us why we should hire you

This is the last time to truly sell yourself to the interviewer. Emphasize your positive attributes, reaffirm that you are a team player, and tell them why you are the best candidate for the position that they need to fill.

Do you have any questions for us?

Ask the interviewer a question or two, whether it pertains to nurse/patient ratios, length of orientation, or educational opportunities. You might appear uninterested if you have no questions.

By the way, please read Part 2 and Part 3 of this series for more interview questions and how to answer them!

Nursing Interview Questions (Part 2)

10 Toughest Nursing Interview Questions (Part 3)

Want a laugh? Check these "nursing interview" toons...

Nursing Job Interview Stories

Job Interview: Phone Not Ringing

[Volleyvolley]

I've thought about the "What are your weaknesses" question a lot.

My weakness is I can't stand people who don't vaccinate their children, with their ignorance they are literally hurting society (herd immunity) and therefore hurting me or my future children.

But I realize that is their freedom, and just because I don't respect you or your decisions doesn't mean I won't treat you with respect. I'll give you (and your children) the same care that I would give any other patient. But I won't be happy about it. :/

I'll have to figure out a way to portray that in an interview. I think it is a valid answer though, at some point we'll all have to treat child molesters, murderers, drug users, or simply just rude people - our level of care cannot change when if we don't like someone. Luckily we don't have to be their friend we just have to help them get well.

[EmTheNewRN]

CrazierThanYou said:

I can NEVER think of anything to say when it comes to naming my weaknesses. It's not that I think I don't have any, I definitely do, but everything I think of I'm afraid to say because I'm afraid they won't hire me based on that! I HATE, HATE, HATE that question! Anyone have any suggestions?

I care about each patient as a person, which is a valuable trait in nursing; however, it is important not to be consumed by it. I am working on learning to maintain a healthy work-life balance because "taking them home with me" doesn't help anyone. That is an honest statement from me, and my hope is that it reflects positively because empathy/caring is a positive trait in general, but it's important not to let it interfere with your clinical judgement or your own sanity. If there is something about you that is good as a person but can become a weakness as a professional, I think that's a good place to start.*

*I'm relatively inexperienced so if the pros have a different opinion I'd love to hear it!

[BrandonLPN, LPN]

CrazierThanYou said:

I can NEVER think of anything to say when it comes to naming my weaknesses. It's not that I think I don't have any, I definitely do, but everything I think of I'm afraid to say because I'm afraid they won't hire me based on that! I HATE, HATE, HATE that question! Anyone have any suggestions? Also, what exactly should we know about the facility? I mean, I can get on their website and see how many beds they have, etc. What do I need to talk about in an interview? This

baffles me.

WHATEVER you do, don't say something like "I'm a workaholic." or "I'm too much of a perfectionist."

We do "team interviews" where I work, and I've sat in on a few where the interviewee said something like this. I always want to roll up a magazine and bop them on the head.

[EMTtoRNinVA, MSN, RN]

My company utilizes Targeted Selection and so you won't be asked any of the traditional or "easy" interview questions during your interview. The goal is to determine "best fit" through past performance.

[adventure780, BSN, MSN, RN, APN]

this is very helpful, definately looking at this before my next interview

[nurse2033, MSN, RN]

NayRN said:

My interviews have been nothing like this. I was prepared for these questions. I'd done my research. I'd had deep thoughts on the mission, vision, and values of the company. The questions I was asked include:

1. Identify a time when you were distressed by your ability to provide care for a patient within the constraints of the health care system and maintained a relationship with the patient afterwards. What happened? What is the patient doing now?

This one threw me. I told of a time when I had a patient who was uninsured and not a citizen, and they were given emergency care and were stabilized in the hospital, but the docs were unwilling to provide the $25,000 surgery to fix their broken bone. I discharged them that way. I understood the business logistics of the situation, but as a nurse, it stunk to watch that patient walking out of the hospital still broken. No I did not maintain a relationship with the patient because I draw professional boundaries in my care and do not become personally involved with patients as a general rule.

2. Identify a time when you had a problem with a coworker. What happened, and how did it turn out.

I told about a time when I was a new nurse, and the charge nurse took my statement of "I have no idea if I can take a new patient right now, we need to ask my preceptor" wrong-I think she thought I was challenging her authority, or maybe my tone was just wrong. Anyway, after she walked off in a huff, I chased her down the hallway and apologized for my statement coming out wrong. 3 years later, she was one of the nurses who gave me a personal reference for this new job. Happy ending.

3. Tell of a time you failed at something. What was it, and how did it turn out.

I discussed a med error I had made. It was minor, and resulted in no harm, but an error all the same. I considered it a failure of many things including a stressful work environment and simple human nature. I related how it made me much more vigilant when checking medications, and how I consider it a success if I don't make the same or similar error again. I discussed how I have a hard time with the definition of failure because in my eyes the only "failure" is giving up. As long as something is learned from a mistake, it can never be considered a complete failure.

There were several more questions, very open ended, but tailored to very specific circumstances. I felt good about it afterwards. I paid a lot of attention to my appearance and body language. It was a difficult interview, and I didn't get the job. The interviewer told me she would let me know either way by the end of the week. This was several weeks ago, and I never heard anything. I'm not sure what to think. Anyone else had an interview like this?

I have had many similar questions. I would never admit to med error though, this could be the single reason you didn't get the job. I know, we are supposed to report, and management is supposed to give us an award for feeling safe and being honest. I'm not saying don't report med errors, but it is not something I would bring up in an interview.

[nurse2033, MSN, RN]

deni_an said:

I've thought about the "What are your weaknesses" question a lot.

My weakness is I can't stand people who don't vaccinate their children, with their ignorance they are literally hurting society (herd immunity) and therefore hurting me or my future children.

But I realize that is their freedom, and just because I don't respect you or your decisions doesn't mean I won't treat you with respect. I'll give you (and your children) the same care that I would give any other patient. But I won't be happy about it. ?

I'll have to figure out a way to portray that in an interview. I think it is a valid answer though, at some point we'll all have to treat child molesters, murderers, drug users, or simply just rude people - our level of care cannot change when if we don't like someone. Luckily we don't have to be their friend we just have to help them get well.

I would say you are passionate about being an advocate for immunization. "Can't stand" a paying customer is not a strong quality to show in an interview.

[nurse2033, MSN, RN]

Good post!

[Volleyvolley]

nurse2033 said:

I would say you are passionate about being an advocate for immunization.

Yes this is much better! Good call ?

[~miss_mercy_me]

Food for thought... lots to think about... THANKS!

[Workitout]

In regards to discussing a med error at an interview- I personally don't think it is terrible so long as you can say you learned from it. There are very few nurses who haven't made a med error in their career. I wouldn't look at a med error as deal-breaker, and would appreciate the person's honesty. Especially when they can tell me that the error made them a better, more concientious nurse in the end. I agree with the poster who said a mistake is only a TOTAL mistake if you learn nothing from it.

Med errors are bad because most are preventable and a serious one has the potential to cause great harm- so we are scared of discussing them and being labeled a 'bad' nurse, even though in reality, most of us have made at least one at some point. We are all human, we all make mistakes. Interviewers know this just as we do. I think our best hope would be that when we do make a mistake, there are no serious consequences and we learn from it.

[whitebunny]

i dont lie about med errors. i made few med errors(small) when i was casual, and when i became full time i became one of the RN with the best practice(least incident report) on the floor. Because i learn from my error and i figure out a way to establish the best practice for myself. i admit med error during interview and stating i learn from it, and i believe all interviewers expecting you being honest. they know me young,novice and they want to see that i can grow and i can learn from mistakes during interview.