Nursing Interview Questions (Part 2)

This article is a second response to the numerous inquiries that people make about their upcoming nursing job interviews. The intended purpose of this article is to shed some much-needed light onto a few of the most commonly-asked nursing interview questions. Nurses Job Hunt Article Video

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This article is the second part of a two-part essay on how to answer common nursing interview questions. The interview process can stir up deep feelings of nervousness and anxiety because most candidates truly want to be considered for the job opening, and in many instances, this is the one opportunity to bestow a positive first impression upon the interviewer.

The interview process is also stressful due to other issues such as economic forces combined with the knowledge that you might be competing with masses of other applicants for that single open position. In other words, it is important to get it right the first time without fumbling. Here are some more common nursing interview questions:

  • Tell us about an idea or suggestion that you made. Was it implemented?

    Your answer will give the interviewer an abbreviated idea about your ability to think outside the box. Personally, I have been asked this question at various interviews. The last time I was asked this question, I told the interviewer about my suggestion that day shift nurses update the care plans for patients in odd-numbered rooms while night shift nurses update plans of care for the patients in even-numbered rooms. This suggestion was to help ensure that all care plans be updated consistently at my current place of employment.

  • What do you enjoy the most about nursing?

    If you are interviewing for a bedside nursing position, the interviewer most likely wants to hear about your passion for helping patients or your eagerness for lifelong learning. I would not mention anything about entering the nursing profession for the money, flexibility, or benefit package.

  • Describe your greatest weakness.

    Your answer will give the interviewer an idea about your propensity for honest introspection and self-reflection. Some candidates, in an attempt to conjure up brownie points, will say "I work too hard!" However, astute interviewers are able to catch on and might be turned off by people who use this catch-all response.

    You will want to describe a weakness or personal fault that could be a potential advantage in the workplace. For example, some candidates would say that they are so detail-oriented that they sometimes miss the big picture. Although occasionally missing the big picture is a personal fault, attention to detail is often seen as a keen advantage in situations when patients' lives are at stake. In other words, place a positive spin on your greatest weakness.

  • So, where do you see yourself in five years?

    If possible, attempt to connect your long-term career goals with the company. If you are interviewing for a job opening as a medication nurse at a psychiatric facility, you may want to mention that you hope to attain professional certification as a psychiatric nurse in five years. The candidate who is educated at the LPN, diploma, or associates degree level might mention that they will be a BSN degree holder in five years.

I had previously written How To Answer The Most Common Nursing Interview Questions which describes suggestions on how to respond to some of the most common nursing interview questions that a candidate might receive. Also, please read 10 Toughest Nursing Interview Questions (Part 3) for additional resources.

Specializes in Public Health, L&D, NICU.
TheCommuter said:
My true weaknesses are ones that would make me seem sociopathic, and therefore, totally kill my chances at getting hired at any workplace that involves interpersonal relationships with people.

"I have difficulty empathizing, sometimes have a blunted affect, and regularly view people as objects." Any hiring manager who heard those words coming out of my mouth would probably make sure that my employment application gets shredded or placed into file number thirteen (a.k.a. the wastebasket). Therefore, I would never divulge these aspects unless I want to live under a freeway overpass due to being unemployed.

OMG, yes, this! :roflmao: For me it would be, "I have zero tolerance for stupidity, and in fact, think doctors and nurses should be given dart guns loaded with Depo Provera and sent to Walmart with orders to shoot to disarm. I hate meaningless chit chat and cannot participate in it. If I think it, I say it (or at least my face does). And I have zero respect for physicians until they earn my respect. When can I start?"

This post just took a wonderful turn. Humor therapy.

"I drive a windowless van and sleep in it most of the time so commute time won't be an issue."

Specializes in being a Credible Source.
TheCommuter said:
My true weaknesses are ones that would make me seem sociopathic, and therefore, totally kill my chances at getting hired at any workplace that involves interpersonal relationships with people.

"I have difficulty empathizing, sometimes have a blunted affect, and regularly view people as objects." Any hiring manager who heard those words coming out of my mouth would probably make sure that my employment application gets shredded or placed into file number thirteen (a.k.a. the wastebasket). Therefore, I would never divulge these aspects unless I want to live under a freeway overpass due to being unemployed.

I'm kind of weird because an answer like that would make you a real person to me... and separate you from all the folks with the canned answers.

I'd follow up with questions about how you cope with these traits in the service industry of nursing.

+++

I generally avoid saying, "My biggest weakness is..." but instead rephrase it as, "One area in which I've identified a need for ongoing growth and development is..."

I was asked the "where do you see yourself in 5 years" question and I replied honestly. I said that I'd still be a nurse, still with the company. When I started looking for a job (I stayed home when I had my baby and he's 8 months old now so I've been looking for 2 months) people actually asked if I was going back to nursing or changing paths. I'd reply that I'm a nurse and always will be, I worked too hard to use it for a few years and hang it up. When the interviewer asked me the 5 years question and I said I'd still be a nurse, she wrote down "still just a nurse" on my application. I kinda figured she'd be happy I wasn't after her job. I didn't get that job, or the other one with the same facility, and I'm wondering if being "just a nurse" is a bad thing. I'm not planning on getting my RN for quite a while, if ever, so I'm not going to lie and say I plan to have my BSN and blah blah blah.

I was also asked if I had made any errors with injection dosing (allergy shot in particular) and I said yes and anyone who said they haven't is lying. I explained the error and how it happened, and it was an easy error to make (previous dose was .05 and I looked too fast and saw 0.5) and I think that hurt my chances.

Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
Quote
I'm kind of weird because an answer like that would make you a real person to me... and separate you from all the folks with the canned answers.

However, you're a man. Most interviewers in the nursing profession are middle-aged women with conservative viewpoints and idealistic (but unrealistic) standards regarding nurses. On a mental and socioemotional level, men and women operate very differently. You know the saying: "Men are from Mars; women are from Venus."

Specializes in Public Health Nurse.
monkeybug said:
OMG, yes, this! :roflmao: For me it would be, "I have zero tolerance for stupidity, and in fact, think doctors and nurses should be given dart guns loaded with Depo Provera and sent to Walmart with orders to shoot to disarm. I hate meaningless chit chat and cannot participate in it. If I think it, I say it (or at least my face does). And I have zero respect for physicians until they earn my respect. When can I start?"

The Walmart reference was funny.

Specializes in Public Health Nurse.
mmm333 said:
"I drive a windowless van and sleep in it most of the time so commute time won't be an issue."

Is this for real? Because the idea is fantastic if I get a job 50 miles from my house....LOL....wait, where will I shower? Mmm....the gym close by, to which I will hopefully have a membership comes to mind. I may be able to find a job a little further north from where I live then :yes:

TheCommuter said:
However, you're a man. Most interviewers in the nursing profession are middle-aged women with conservative viewpoints and idealistic (but unrealistic) standards regarding nurses. On a mental and socioemotional level, men and women operate very differently. You know the saying: "Men are from Mars; women are from Venus."

See, now, I think there are more of us women who appreciate this sort of personality than you realize.

I'm blunt, I'm low drama, and I don't particularly care what people think about me. I mean, I'd prefer that patients like me, but mainly because that means they are more likely to do what I ask them to do and not be difficult. I am definitely a Ron Swanson type of gal.

So if someone came into an interview and said something like; "A weakness I can self identify is that I have a blunt, up front, low drama personality. I know this can come across to some patients and coworkers as uncaring, and I know most people expect their nurses to be touchy-feely types of people. I am not that person, but that doesn't mean I'm uncaring. I know, though, what my patients are expecting, and I have been working on my communication skills. I do care, and I have been working on showing it when I communicate with my coworkers and patients." I'd hire that person over the one who says her greatest weakness is that she cares too much. Barf.

Nursing units have too many martyrs and too much estrogen as it is.

Thanks a lot for this article. I'm been a nurse for 10 years and 5 years ago I started working in USA. Now I'm in Germany and my only chance to get a job is in the military facilities. I did my first interview but I think I scared them with my English. English is my second language and some time when I am under stress it is very difficult for me to speak clearly. I am doing my homework and your article it is helping me a lot. I am working to do a better interview next time.

OMG this is tooooo funny! I have actually contemplated this exact scenario! I've even looked into "remodeled" vans and whatnot. And I totally planned on showering at the gym! Hmmmm now what to do about cable 3 nights a week? Satellite dish mounted to the roof of the van? hahaha... you do what you need to do when you're a new grad in this economy.

Specializes in Operating room, Pediatrics.
dsb_fam said:
I was told by a hospital administrator that they had two make or break questions.

1. What is critical thinking and give an example of a time you used critical thinking in relation to patient care.

2. What is the vision for this hospital? (Obviously, one would have had to take the time to research this specific hospital and know what their vision statement is)

I just interviewed for an OR nurse fellowship on Monday and I was asked the critical thinking question. I'm so glad I saw this thread last week because I was prepared with a good answer. I was also asked many of the interview questions from the "commonly asked questions" threads and felt like I did very well. Thanks for posting these!