What kind of questions should I ask in 1st interview?

llg, PhD, RN · Jun 2, 2008

Are you well acquainted with their orientation program and ongoing staff development programs? Those are usually good and appropriate topics to explore in an interview.

Tait, MSN, RN · Jun 2, 2008

I always had lists of questions in front of me, and then just picked and chose which ones to ask.

Such as:

1. Orientation length.

2. Patient ratios.

3. Magnet status. (Yes there are hospitals that actually use it correctly, and its great!)

4. Governance system and nurse expectations for committees.

5. Recent trends in nurses being placed on call/or called off.

6. Patient population questions. (avg age/diagnosis etc)

7. Type of staffing per shift (how many nurses/techs/secretaries)

8. Types of support staff (IV team/rapid response/ACLS cert. nurses)

That is about all I can think of at the moment.

Good luck!!

Tait

LadyTiger44 · Jun 3, 2008

I found a really great article that had some good interview questions in it, I think it came from nursinglink.com... I thought the questions were great at my two interviews I went on before I got my job. Hope this helps!

Inquire About Support

Query the nurse manager about the level of clinical, social and emotional support available for new nurses. This support includes having experienced nurses on hand to help debrief a new nurse once he experiences a tragedy at work, such as a death. That debriefing must happen the day the event occurs, not a week later, Kyriakidis says.

Ask About First-Year Nurse Turnover Rates

High turnovers indicate how the employer treats first-year nurses, Benner says. Turnovers higher than 20 percent are generally considered high in the industry.

Find Out About Orientation and Preceptor Programs

A preceptor is a teacher and coach who helps nurses become oriented and familiar with a facility's routines, procedures and people, says Patricia Hooper Kyriakidis, RN, MSN, PhD, a nurse consultant and researcher and president of Practice Solutions, a Hendersonville, Tennessee-based healthcare consultancy. New nurses are more likely to stay if they have an experienced and helpful preceptor. That's why you should ask, "Will a preceptor be available on my shift after the orientation to answer questions and help with clinical decision making?"

1. What happened to the person who previously did this job? (If a new position: How has this job been performed in the past?)

Why You Need to Ask: You need to know any problems or past history associated with this position. For instance, was your predecessor fired, or was he promoted? Is this a temporary position or brand-new? The answer will tell you about management's expectations and how the company is gearing to grow.

2. Why did you choose to work here? What keeps you here?

Why You Need to Ask: Although you may like this company, you're an outsider. You need to find out what an insider has to say about working there. Who better to ask than your interviewer? This also forces the interviewer to step out of their official corporate role and answer personally as an employee and potential coworker.

3. What is the first problem the person you hire must attend to?

Why You Need to Ask: You need to be on the same page as your new manager, as well as be clear on what the initial expectations are and that you can deliver. What you don't want is to allow yourself to be misled about the job's requirements and end up overwhelmed and over your head after the first week on the job.

4. What can you tell me about the individual to whom I would report?

Why You Need to Ask: It doesn't matter how wonderful the company might be; your time will be spent working for a specific manager. You need to find out who this person is and what kind of manager he is--earlier rather than later, before personality clashes develop. If you're an independent type used to working through solutions on your own, for instance, you'll chafe when you find you're being supervised by a micromanager.

5. What are the company's five-year sales and profit projections? (Depends on the type of hospital you work in)

Why You Need to Ask: You need to know about the future of the company you plan to spend several years of your life working for. It doesn't have to be this exact question. For example, you might want to ask about the company's future plans for new products and services or any planned market expansion. Of course, you've done your own research, but nothing can beat an insider's observations and insights. This also shows you've done your homework and are serious about this company.

6. What's our next step?

Why You Need to Ask: This is your closing and the most important question to ask at the end of the interview. You need to know what happens after this point. Many books advise asking for the job now, but most people may feel too intimidated to bluntly do so. And with more candidates already scheduled for interviews, the company is not likely to make you an offer yet. You may also need to do some additional research on the company, making it too early to ask for the job.

A good compromise: Take the lead and set a plan for follow-up. You'll also be able to gauge the company's enthusiasm with the answer. Don't forget to ask for your interviewer's direct phone number and the best time to call.

What to Remember

As a job seeker, the key to a good interview is to find out as much about your potential employer as possible. Asking these six questions will not only make you appear more committed as a candidate, but will also give you better insight into both the challenges and opportunities that may lie ahead for you.

Medic2RN, BSN, RN, EMT-P · Jun 3, 2008

All great questions so far. I'd also ask about their floating policy. I never knew to ask about that with my first job. It's a good thing to be aware of it beforehand rather than showing up for work and discovering that you are floated to an unfamiliar unit.

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Jun 3, 2008

also check out the sticky threads on the nursing career advice forum (https://allnurses.com/forums/f87/) because i believe there is information there about interviewing and questions to ask

http://www.hospitalsoup.com/interview-questions.asp - questions you'll be asked
http://www.hospitalsoup.com/employerquestions.asp - questions for nurses to ask employers during interviews
http://www.hospitalsoup.com/inappropriate-interview-questions.asp - inappropriate or unacceptable interview questions and what you should do if you are asked one of these

jnks · Jun 4, 2008

Thanks for all the great responses. I appreciate the help.

pagandeva2000, LPN · Jun 4, 2008

After, I mean AFTER you obtain information suggested by the previous posts (by the way, everyone offered great suggestions!), I would then ask about salary and benefits.