RN Interview

[RescueNinja]

I am a recent BScN grad and I have two interviews at local LTC homes next week. I was wondering if you guys could give me some pointers toward what might be asked. I assume it will be less about my actual nsg knowledge and more about "how would you handle this" or "what would you do if" type of questions. Please correct me if I'm wrong. Also, if you have any tips on how to ace the interview I'd really appreciate it! These will be my first real interviews!!

:) Thanks in advance!!

[imintrouble, BSN, RN]

I have only had one interview where the interviewer asked a "what would you do" question. That was when I was brand new, my first interview. When I've been interviewed lately it seems the questions are designed more to get a feel for what kind of person I am. Rather than what I know. I've been a nurse for 15 years, so maybe there's an assumption with that much experience I would be able to handle most situations.

Since your new, you may be looking at questions that measure your knowledge. That first interview was the only one I've been to that I didn't get the job. The question was a scenario about a resp. pt. in distress and what would I do. I crashed and burned. Fifteen yrs later and I still cringe when I remember what I said.

I have always been totally honest on interviews. If I didn't know an answer, I admitted it. If I was nervous, I announced it. If I wanted the job ...desperately.. I said it.

Good luck to you. I hope you get the job you want.

[AntMarchingRN, RN]

First of all congrats on your interview!! They arent easy to come by these days

Every interview and the questions asked are different but be ready for the "tell me about yourself" part of the interview. It seems simple enough, but have an idea of something you want to say that brings attention to your good qualities without saying umm a lot.

Also be sure to have a few questions ready to ask the interviewer when they ask you if you have any questions for them. It makes you look more interested and better prepared b/c you have put some time into your interview process and didnt just show up to answer questions. If you do some research about the place you are applying to and ask them questions specific to them, they will be really impressed.

Good Luck!! Cant wait to hear you got the job!

[shuubie]

If I didn't know an answer, I admitted it. If I was nervous, I announced it. If I wanted the job ...desperately.. I said it.

telling them that you're desperate really works? I'm going to try that someday hehe

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

I've been doing this for so long that I barely remember my first interviews. Now I am the one doing the interview. I ask the standard "why do you want to work in long term care.", "what experiences you've had as a student prepares you for this job?" "How are your computer skills". "What would you do if someone were insubordinate?"

Then, and this is as important as the interview itself, I take them on a tour of the building...to every unit. If they flinch when a resident comes up to them, it's a sure sign they don't really want to work with people. If they seem to over react to any commotion...another good sign that they might already be in over their head. If they smile at everyone they meet...especially the crazy little old lady who calls them Judy, they'll probably be hired.

Good luck.

[sweetER]

Maybe situational questions are just more widely used in my area, but everyone I know that's been on an interview- mostly new grads and a couple with 2-3 years experience- has always been asked several situational/behavioral questions. I was asked a few during the 2 RN interviews I had an during a PCT interview I had (thought I was going to be graduating this July, so I already had RN interviews, but had to drop a class so now not graduating until December). The questions I remember being asked were "Tell me a time when you delivered excellent customer service", and a variation of that, "Tell me a time when you handled a very difficult patient" - I was asked this at all three interviews. I was asked "Tell me a time when you had to learn something on your own and you didn't really know what you were doing" during RN interview, "How would your coworkers/other students describe you?" during all 3 interviews, "If you had 4 patients all demanding your time, what would you do?" during an RN interview - I sorta floundered on this one because what I should have done was ask for her to give me more details about the patients and then say something about ABCs, etc.; "Tell me about a time when you had a conflict with a coworker and how you handled it" during the 2 RN interviews, and of course the "Tell me about yourself" one at all three interviews. When they ask this one I try to keep it to what is relevant to the job - I say I graduated with honors in high school, will graduate with honors in college, and I've worked in the healthcare field for over five years, and give a little (very short) summary of my clinical experiences. That's all I can remember from those, so hope it helps. Good luck!

Oh yes, if they ask if you'd like some water, just say yes. Even though I haven't felt really nervous during mine, my mouth always becomes soooo dry that my tongue sticks to my teeth when I try to speak lol.

[Calixan]

lol that is almost EXACTLY how my interviewing went. I graduate next month from nursing school and I had my first interview about 3 weeks ago in the ER and they asked me a clincal scenerio question (which I wasn't ready for btw) and they both kind of just looked at me. They asked, if you walk into a room and you find the patient unconscious and unresponsive, what would be the first thing you do. My answer probably wasn't the best because I really wasn't expecting clinical questions but it's ok. I had another interview yesterday at different ER, one much closer to my house, bigger facility, and more excitement. I think it went pretty good, I got a tour around the unit so I am looking forward to that call back.

Some advice I can possibly give you though is when you arrive on the unit, smile and be curteous to all you come in contact with. When you meet the manager, smile introduce yourself first andn last name and shake hands firmly. Also, if they ask you if your nervous, it's okay to say yes. I think sometimes nervousness indicates an intrest in the job. If you can, take two copies of letters of recommendation, cover letter, and resume. Especially if you didn't attach a cover letter and resume to your application. When I had my interview and walked in with a folder, my interviewers asked me what I had, I told them and they lite up when I said I had letters of recommendation so I think letters are better than a phone contact list for them to call. Be prepared for the strength/weakness question. That is a gimme.

Oh and one last thing, in this particular ER that I interviewed at yesterday, I was told by the two that interviewed me they had never hired a new grad there. So if your type of facility or unit says that, make sure you send them "Thank You" note. It's nice to do it anyways, but especially if this is a rarity for new grads to be there.

Over all, I think my interview went well. Be attentive, look them in the eyes, and don't talk over them. This may sound like BLAH coming from a new grad myself and not even having a job yet, but i got really positive feed back from this interview. Good Luck! Keep us posted on if you get the job.

[Calixan]

Hmm, I had a few typo's in my above post but I'm sure you knew what I meant. :)

[RescueNinja]

THANK YOU so much everyone!!! I will post after my interviews tomorrow and let you know how they went Thanks again!

[emnicams]

I got asked how would I handle a family that wanted to keep their dying relative a full code.

Also, why did I wanted to work in long term care.

They nitpicked my resume apart too, where I had listed my job responsibilities at previous jobs... "what does this mean to you?" etc. It was nerve wracking. I got the job though.

[BackfromRetirement]

I have to laugh at myself when I remember the goof-ball questions thrown at me in interviews. "What would you do if" is the most catchy one. I think more than once I replied "the ABC's of life support", then ask a more seasoned nurse to advise me of the next steps. Interviewers are especially hard on new grads. New grads don't have the experience to know exactly what they would do in a situation they have never experienced. In my past experience, I have initiated oxygen at 2L and THEN called the MD for a prn order for a pt with COPD. Risky? Yes. But in LTC the on-call MD's sometimes wait up to an hour before they call you back.

[RescueNinja]

Both interviews went well...the second DON offered me a casual position (both were for casual) during the interview! I was shocked!! He said he just has to check my references and police check and as long as everythings a-ok it's mine The first one went well too but not AS well as the second. I do think she will offer me a casual position, but she said she call my references and get back to me.

Thank you all so much for your help! Nearly everything that was mentioned here popped up in the interview lol. I was asked about my knowledge r/t health & safety and infection control, fire codes, etc etc. What would I do if other staff were having a conflict or not acting safely since I would be supervisor. I was asked about my age (22) and how being young will affect my practice. I was asked if there was ever a nurse that I was paired with as a student that changed my perspective on nsg. Why I wanted to be a nurse etc etc.

Again, thank you all so much! :heartbeat:bowingpur