Expert Guide on Common Nursing Interview Questions

As a job applicant in the nursing field, it is important to take extra steps to getting prepared for your interview. The interview process allows your employer assess your abilities and knowledge in interacting and caring for others. It helps them determine if you’re a good fit for the position. Preparing beforehand with common nursing interview questions can help you demonstrate your clinical knowledge, skills and experience with ease.

Nursing job interview can be challenging, but can be softened by smart preparation. This guide highlights the questions your interviewer may ask during your nursing interview, including tips on how to answer them properly.

Nursing Interview Questions on Teamwork

Teamwork is important in healthcare, including the nursing field. You’ll need to be comfortable with working closely with others in a variety of situations.

The hiring team wants to assess if you’re a great team player that can work well with others. Some of the questions your employer may pose to assess this skill are:

1. Describe a Situation Where You Had to Work With a Difficult Co-Worker. How Did You Handle It?

This question helps the interviewer to assess your ability to solve problems, adapt to a difficult situation and come to a compromise. Ensure that you don’t speak badly about anyone. State the situation, the resolution that worked and what you learned from the situation.

2. Describe a Moment When You Felt Proud of Your Healthcare Team. How Did You Contribute to Your Team’s Success?

This is an opportunity to show that you’re a great teamplayer. By explaining how you contributed to your team’s success, your hiring team knows that you’re an active teamplayer who works towards the commongoal. Be detailed as possible and explain explicitly, the role you played in the team’s success.

3. How Do You Like Working With a Team?

Everyone in the nursing field requires teamwork as an essential skill. Your employer wants to know that you recognize the value of working together with other staff members to provide the best patient outcomes.

Your responses should highlight your interpersonal skills, like patience, active listening and collaboration. Provide insight into how you relate with members of your team on a professional level.

4. Describe a Time There Was a Miscommunication Between You and a Teammate. How Did You Handle It?

Disputes are inevitable in a team environment. It is important to understand how to deal with work conflict. With this question, the interviewer wants to assess your conflict resolution skills.

In answering this question, present a conflict situation that you didn’t cause, yet played a crucial role in resolving. Remember not to speak poorly of others. Carefully select your words, and focus on explaining what you did well without putting people down.

Nursing Interview Questions on Patient Care

Patient care is a top priority for nurses. Interviewers want to ensure that you value your patient’s needs and that you’re committed to giving them the best care possible. Here are some of the possible questions your interviewer may ask to assess your patient care skills.

5. How Would You Handle a Demanding and Difficult Patient?

Compassion and patience are skills nurses must possess. Depending on their situations, patients have different attitudes.

The interviewer wants to know how you approach different patients including difficult ones. Answer this question by giving an example of how you managed a difficult patient and helped improve the patient’s outcome.

6. How Do You Address Questions From a Patient’s Family and Friends?

The interviewer wants to know how you disseminate information. In answering this question, you’d need to state that you ensure to provide the correct information to patients’ family.

Sometimes, it’s not in your place to answer some questions. So, emphasize that you ask a superior or refer the patient’s family to someone who can answer them.

7. Can You Explain Situations Without Using a Lot of Medical Jargon? Give an Example.

Patients may find medical information unintelligible. The nurse must effectively translate information from a doctor to a patient. Answer this question by emphasizing how you ensure the patient understand the instruction that has been written down, no matter how complex.

8. Have You Ever Dealt With a Patient or Family Member Who Was Unhappy With Your Care? How Did You Handle It?

Your employer wants to know how you find a resolution when a patient or their family is dissatisfied with the care you provide.

As a potential job candidate, you need to show that you are capable of understanding your patients’ concerns and working to satisfy them. Answer this question by citing an example and establishing how you were able to resolve the problem.

9. What Would You Do in the Case of a Patient Who Struggles With Pain Management?

When your interviewer asks this question, they want to know if you use empathy when communication with patients, especially those dealing with pain.

Emphasize that you genuinely care about your patient’s health. Use an example to demonstrate your understanding of your patient’s concerns and how you help them through empathy and problem-solving.

Nursing Questions on Background and Personality

Your personality go a long way in determining how you fit into a position. The interviewer not only assesses your skills and experiences but wants to know how your personality fits into their team. Some of the common personality questions interviewers ask are.

10. Tell Me About Yourself.

The interviewer isn’t asking for your life story when they ask this question. This is an opportunity to pitch yourself. Mention some of your top skills and why you find your work enjoyable. Highlight your most significant professional achievement and why you’re great for their team.

11. Why Did You Decide to Be a Nurse?

With this question, the interviewer wants to know if your ambitions matches with the principles of the healthcare facility. Highlight something about your personality that matches with the position. Care, compassion and empathy are great. State how these personality traits guided you into the path of becoming a nurse.

12. What Are Your Strengths and Weaknesses?

Be honest when answering this question. Your interviewer isn’t perfect and doesn’t expect you to be. With this question, they want to know if your weaknesses will affect your competency and ability to deliver on the job. State your weaknesses and what you’re doing to overcome them. However, do not state something that’ll jeopardize your chances of getting the job.

Nursing Interview Questions on Adaptability and Flexibility

13. How Do You Handle Workplace Stress?

Complex tasks and fast-paced workflows are normal experiences in the healthcare field. The interviewer wants to know how you handle the demanding aspects of your job.

In answering this question, tell the methods of stress-relief you have developed. You can discuss your hobbies, exercise schedules, and other necessary measures you take to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

14. Describe How You Manage a Busy Workload

Emphasize your dedication in providing quality care to your patients no matter the situation. Provide an example of a situation when you managed an increasing number of tasks without compromising protocols or procedures.

Other Nursing Interview Questions

• How would you uphold the mission and values of this organization?
• What experience do you have in this specialty?
• How would your coworkers describe you?
• What makes you a good candidate for this position?
• How would you handle a crisis such as an outbreak?
• Describe a time that you stepped up as a leader.
• How would you handle a disagreement with a doctor?
• What are your professional goals?
• Describe a situation when you were under considerable pressure. How did you handle it? What strategies worked well for you?
• Why are you leaving your previous position?

To Wrap Up

The nursing interview process can be challenging. The interviewer wants to know if you’re a good fit for the team and can pose lots of questions. It helps to know the possible questions you’d be asked and what the interviewer is looking out for in your responses.

This guide has highlighted the common nursing interview questions and how to answer them. Get ready to ace your next interview!