Tips for Reducing Interview Anxiety

Hey everyone.

I'm a brand new recent graduate, and I had my very first nurse job interview (for Float Pool) last Monday (and first interview in general in almost 9 years...) and I found out yesterday that I won't be getting a job offer. One of my best friends (she's a nurse manager there) recommended the position since she thinks I'd like the variety and the hospital is very receptive to new graduates. The nurse manager I interviewed with felt I should get experience on another unit with the support of regular staff then she said once I become comfortable being a nurse I can reapply for the position down the line since she liked me and still thinks I'm a great candidate.

Of course I'm upset a little since I liked the idea of float pool and the experience, but I have another interview lined up next week for a general med-surg floor at the same hospital.

I think my biggest issue is interviewing anxiety. I have general anxiety, it runs in my family. I also have some social anxiety. Are there any tips you guys have to help manage this for my next interview? I thought I did okay with hiding how nervous I was, but evidently not good enough. I tend to stammer and ramble when I'm very nervous. It's kinda bad. I was thinking no coffee at all the morning of, and maybe going for a run early that morning to burn off energy. I think I also need to improve on how I answer those dreaded questions. I had written up answers the days leading up to the interview but my mind just blanked when she actually asked them. And I also had forgotten my list of questions to ask her but most of them had been answered during our convo, she was very thorough. Ugh. I need to get better at this.

Any tips or words of wisdom are greatly appreciated.