Tired of searching for CRNA Interview Questions??

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I know there are so many aspiring CRNA's who are dreading the interview day. Let's make this thread the most resourceful for interviewing questions.

So share interviewing questions that you had or maybe questions that your friends have had....

Let's keep it going......

Some of my colleagues had questions listed below:

Why do you want to be a CRNA?

Identifying Myocardial infarctions on a 12 lead EKG

What are appropriate interventions for cardiogenic shock?

Discuss a mistake you made and how you resolved it...

What increases ICP? What is the normal ICP?

Ok lets keep it going!!! SHARE YOUR QUESTIONS AND ADVICE!!!!!

Lets make this thread a one stop shop....

Keep checking back.......

I will frequently post questions as I find out......

Thank You

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describe the difference detween 1st degree heart block and 2nd degree type 1 and type 2 heart block.

what is the first thing you would do if you looked up and saw 2nd degree type 2 heart block and the bp was low? -------trancutaneous pacer, and atropine.

how does atropine work? -----------binds with acetycholine receptors blocking parasympathetic response thereby blocking a decreased heart rate.

how does digoxin work?-------potassium atpase, an enzyme that regulates the quantity of sodium and potassium inside cells. inhibition of the enzyme leads to an increase in the intracellular concentration of sodium and thus (by stimulation of sodium-calcium exchange) an increase in the intracellular concentration of calcium.

a 85 kg man is sitting up in bed eating lunch, you look in and he isn't breathing, whats the first thing you do?

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Specializes in Author/Business Coach.

Know your own specialty like the back of your hand because they will ask you what you should know!!!

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they will ask why you want to be crna....tell us about yourself....and then, they will ask you about a "challenging" case you have had...make sure you can answer EVERY possible scenario...if its neuro, know neuro well, etc....seemed to work for me!!!

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Here's my list of non-clinical interview questions. These came from hours of searching this and other forums, questions from friends in programs, and the first seven were directly from my first interview.

As for clinical questions, they tend to focus on your area of supposed expertise - MSICU, CVICU, NICU, etc. For me, clinical pt scenarios were given with vital signs, ABGs, and gtt settings. For this type of questioning, you need to know your stuff, period. Learn your CCRN material thoroughly. I call the Kathy White Fast Facts books "my bible". Study it.

Hope these help -

What do you see as your role? (The interviewer would not elaborate - as a student? as a CRNA? as what????? I was forced to guess and gave a stupid answer.)

  • What would you do if you received a bad review that you felt was untrue?
  • What are your strengths/weaknesses?
  • Why did you choose this program?
  • What would you do if you didn't get in?
  • What would you do if you saw a fellow student with drugs? (They went into a complete scenario with the "fellow student" even being threatening.)
  • What was your last difficult pt? What made it difficult and what did you do?
  • What is the role of a CRNA/What do you see as your role as a CRNA?
  • Why did you choose this program/What do you know about this program?
  • What are your career plans?
  • How do you relax if you're feeling stressed?
  • What are your two most important achievements as a nurse?
  • Why did you choose this career field over other advanced practice fields?
  • What attributes make you suitable for this career field?
  • Why should we choose you over other prospective applicants?
  • Why do you want to be a CRNA?
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why do you want you be a crna? They had me describe a pt scenario where I had to critically think. My example guide the questions.

-what are the symptoms of sepsis?

-what would swan numbers sho in a septic pt and why?

-what does levophed do? what is it's mechanism? what receptor sites does it work on?

-normal range for ICP?

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Specializes in PostOp/Trauma, OR,ICU...Pre-SRNA.

my questions were all personal.

1. why do you want to become a crna?

2. tell us about what preparations you and your family has done to prepare for the rigors of crna school?

3. why should we select you over all the other candidates?

4. tell us about your strengths and weaknesses? (i had a lot to talk about when it came to strengths - i totally forgot to mention any weaknesses, remembered on my way home).

5. how long have you been in the icu? (i had only been there about 7 months at the time of my interview). i told them 6 - kinda got nervous and short my self 1 month. but then i went into my vast experience in the or setting as a staff nurse then educator and how i felt that would give me a huge advantage in that setting. so i neutralize the lack of icu experience and made it work for me. you have to be able to sell yourself and give them a reason to pick you!

the last question was something like this:

6. you seem so confident, how prepared are you to be a novice again? how well do you handle criticism?

then i was asked if i had any questions for them.

i said yes ---- when do i start? they all laughed then i proceeded to ask about the aana recommendation of a dnp for advanced practice nurse and what steps the school was taking now to meet that requirement in the future.

that was it, it lasted about 15 minutes, i even said, is that it? they said yes. i thanked them, got in my car and drove home thinking about all the better-prepared answers i had but didn't say. i spoke from my heart and not from memorizing a line.

however, i was prepared for clinical questions, i have about 8 binders full of icu facts etc (most i got from icu faqs, you can get it at www.icufaqs.org, others from another anesthesia website i can't mention due to tos ,someone from the army on that site had posted the army's basic review of icu need to know stuff and i also reviewed stuff i received from a member on here who had made up a crna review book and was nice enough to share it with a total stranger, thanks chase!). i also bought 2 icu books and a ccrn review book and i studied for about 6 months. in fact i started studying for this interview before i even applied. so i felt ready for clinical questions but was happy to have gotten out of there with a behavioral interview because i rock with those!

that's all

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Specializes in ICU,CCU, CVICU, MICU.
CaslaRN said:
Yes - starting this Fall. Applied to 2 schools, interviewed with 1, got in.

PS..... I have been a nurse for 14+ years. I have worked Med-Surg, PostOp Trauma and OR before ICU, so I certainly wasn't green.

So glad to hear you got in to school. I have been looking for people that have been nurses for along time that are trying to get into CRNA school or have gotten in to school. I keep reading all of the posts by nurses that have only been out of nursing school (for less than) a couple of years. It's making me feel a little old. There is something to be said for experience.

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I wanted to dig up this thread so people can add to it. I feel that it great to have all these interview questions in one place.

Lets keep this thread active if possible

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Specializes in Author/Business Coach.

What about the all important question of...How do you plan on supporting yourself while in school since you won't be able to work?

I've heard that's been asked frequently during interviews.

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Specializes in CVICU/SICU-MICU/OR/PACU.

How about these...Tell us about yourself? did you pass your NCLEX on the first try?, whats the difference between a high vent alarm vs. a low? tell us about a patient you took care of recently? try to bring up one where you are comfortable with explaining the disease process if asked. and lastly, do you have any questions for us? that was my interview in a nut shell. Hope this helps someone. :redpinkhe

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Specializes in ICU.

I havent interview yet (havent even applied), but a friend of mine who got in said he was asked to tell the difference between dopamine and dobutamine and when would you use one over the other. Also, the financial preparedness question and describe the different vent settings. hope this helps. im still looking for more questions also.

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