Job interviews are exciting and nerve-wracking all at the same time. As with any interview, it’s best to prepare for any and every question that you think will come your way. Sure, there are the standard questions like “Tell me about yourself.” or “How do you stand out amongst other candidates?” that you can expect. However, when it comes to nursing, it’s important to consider a more specific set of questions. Take a look at 15 that we think all nursing students should be prepared for.
We recommend that you take the time to write your answers before you practice saying them. It will help you think critically about your answer, identify your feelings about the question, and you will subconsciously begin to commit your authentic, well-reasoned response to memory.
Interview Questions for the New Nurse
- Why do you want to be a nurse?
- How have clinicals helped to prepare you?
- Describe a memorable patient care experience from your clinicals.
- Tell me about a time you made a mistake in a clinical setting.
- Share a time when you went above and beyond for a patient.
- What did you do when you didn’t know how to perform a skill?
- How do you deal with the death of a patient?
- What are your strengths as a nurse? What are your weaknesses?
- What do you find challenging about nursing?
- Why do you want to work in this nursing specialty area?
- What would you bring to the unit?
- What do you know about this hospital?
- Why do you want to work in this hospital?
- What shifts are you willing to work? Take the quiz, Is Night Shift Nursing for You
- Situational Questions:
- How would you handle a patient who ____ ?
- If a doctor did _____ how would you handle it?
- What do you say to a patient’s loved one who ____ ?
- When would you call code on a patient who _____ ?
- If a patient has these symptoms _______, what tests would run? What drugs would you provide?
- If the nurse taking over at the end of your shift did not arrive, how would you handle it?
Related Read: How to Ace Your Job Interview – Tips for the New Nurse
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