NURSE INTERVIEW QUESTION PART 3

1.      Question: How would you describe the primary duties of a staff nurse?
Answer: The primary duties of a staff nurse include facilitating and monitoring patient progress towards recovery, charting progress, giving medication, and making sure patients are comfortable.

2.      Question: What can you tell me about team work as part of the job?
Answer: There is usually a team of staff nurses working in cooperation with each other. . A team of nurses has to get along well and coordinate their actions, usually by dividing their responsibilities into sectors or specific activities. They help each other perform tasks requiring more than one person.

3.      Question: How is patient progress monitored by a staff nurse?
Answer: Nurses monitor vital signs and look for symptoms of potential illness. They chart progress for use by other nurses and physicians. They report progress to physicians on duty.

4.      Question: In what cases does a staff nurse contact the patient’s family members?
Answer: Family members are contacted during emergencies. At other times, family members are informed on the patient’s progress. Nurses consult with the family to decide on the best course of treatment for the patient.

5.      Question: What personal characteristics should a staff nurse possess to be good at the job?
Answer: It is important to be organized and have a good memory; a nurse performs her duties quickly, on time, and efficiently. Nurses are sensitive and pleasant with others. Their attitude must not be to simply administer technical treatment mechanically, but to make patients feel as comfortable as possible.

6.      What do you consider the most important qualities for this nursing job?

Make your answer relevant to the specific nursing job. For example common qualities required for successful performance as an ER Nurse include adaptability, resilience, critical thinking, organization and planning, emotional stability and high stress tolerance.

7.      What did you like and dislike about your previous position?

The interviewer is evaluating your suitability and compatibility with this nursing opportunity. General likes that are applicable to most nursing jobs include learning opportunities, professional growth, job diversity and directly contributing to improving patient care.

The dislikes should not refer to characteristics of the nurse job you are interviewing for. Stay away from reasons that involve common working conditions such as overtime. Avoid criticisms of your previous employer but refer to the absence of something that you want in your new job such as the opportunity to use your initiative more or learn new skills.

Expect nurse interview questions that explore your motivation for the nursing job and a nursing career.

8.      Why did you choose your specialty area of nursing?

Whether the area of specialization is ER, Occupational Health, Community Health, ICU or any other, the key to answering interview questions about your nursing career choice is to be very specific about why you chose it. What influenced you in your choice? How did you explore your options? Highlight how your strengths are best utilized in this area and how it suits your personal competencies.

10.  How do you stay current with the nursing profession?

Nurse interview questions about your motivation to learn and stay updated are important indicators of your commitment to nursing as a career. Examples include attending conferences, subscribing to professional nursing journals, joining relevant forums and groups and conducting online research.

11.  Instead of giving a chronological work history, focus on your strengths and how they pertain to the role. If possible, illustrate with examples. 

Good answer:
“I’m really energetic, and a great communicator. Working in the medical field for two years helped me build confidence, and taught me the importance of patient care. I’ve also got a track record of success. In my last role, I juggled a variety of patient loads, assisted in a charity fundraiser, and became an advocate for senior patients. Because of this, the hospital is launching a new educational program to teach nurses how to better care for elderly patients.”

12.  Why are you leaving your current role?

“I’ve learned a lot from my current role, but now I’m looking for a new challenge in nursing, to broaden my horizons and to gain a new skill-set – all of which, I see the potential for in this job.”

 

Below is a list of frequently asked nursing management interview questions; review it and prepare your own answers:

13. How do you motivate your nursing staff?
14. How do you mentor nurses and how much autonomy do you give nurses vis-a-vis making decisions regarding patient care?
15. Give an example of a change you made in your nursing practice that improved the quality of care you were able to provide or to ensure safer working conditions.
16. What are nurses’ biggest challenges?
17. What are your plans for future growth?

Answering these questions –
The interviewer wants to learn about your management style, approach and attitude.
You will increase your chances of getting hired if you can demonstrate your abilities to assess and monitor patients’ needs, while caring for them professionally. If you are aiming for a supervisory position, be prepared to give examples of your leadership abilities as demonstrated in past work situations.
The best way to answer these questions is by providing examples of your day to day work as well as telling about your significant achievements as a nurse manger.

18.  Q: What made you choose nursing as a career?
A: I have always wanted to make a difference in other people’s lives.  I see the nursing field as a challenging and exciting opportunity to do just that!

19.  Q: How have your clinical rotations prepared you for a nursing career?
A: At Medical Careers Institute, I experienced an internship at [insert company here], which gave me the hands-on experience with patients I need in order to make a difference on day one of my new career. 

20.  Q: Do you have any professional affiliations?
A: Absolutely, I feel it's important to stay informed about trends and news in the nursing profession.  I'm a member of the [insert association here], and the [insert association here].

21.  Q: How would you deal with a doctor who was rude?
A: If the doctor was not happy with my care of a patient in some way, I would want to know how, so I could take corrective action to remedy the situation.  If I needed to, I would even bring the question to my supervisor for help resolving the issue.

22.  Q: How would you handle a patient who constantly complains about pain?
A: In this situation I would take the following course of action:  A) I would bring this concern to the attending doctor and make sure that the patient's pain was being managed in the most effective way.  B)  I would reassure the patient that everything possible was being done to alleviate their discomfort and C) I would listen sympathetically to their complaint, reassure them that their concerns were being heard, and that we were doing everything possible to help them.

23.  Q: What would you do if your shift replacement did not arrive on time or at all?
A: I would notify my shift supervisor and offer to stay until my replacement arrived.

24.  Q: What do you find most difficult about being a nurse?
A: I think for me, the most difficult part of being a nurse, is when I have a patient that is very uncomfortable, or in a lot of pain, and I cannot comfort them.

25.  Q: How would you handle a family who is displeased with your patient's care?
A: I would listen to all of their concerns and make sure that if any were well founded, that they were addressed immediately.

26.  Q: How would you handle a patient who complains about everything?
A: I would first ensure that the patient had no valid complaints, and then just be patient and reassuring that we were doing everything we could for them.

27.  What’s your greatest weakness?

If asked to name a weakness, think in terms of having a ‘developmental need’ that you are addressing. ‘For example, if delegation is an issue, describe how you have already made improvements and how you feel the period of mentor ship offered by the new role will further develop your confidence,’ says Cathy.

28.  What do you understand by the term ‘diversity at work’?

Sometimes, it’s the simple-sounding questions that trip up candidates. If you’re asked about your understanding of diversity at work, the interviewer is looking for more than just “treating everybody in the same way.”

29.  ‘The importance with these kinds of questions is to focus on the positive,’ says Cathy. ‘Take an example from your current or a previous role, and focus on what you learnt from the experience and how you would do things differently now.’

30.  For example: “When I started out as a staff nurse, I didn’t fully appreciate the importance of advocating for the patient. One day, a junior doctor was struggling to find a vein when taking blood from a patient. Eventually a more senior doctor was called. I could see that if the junior doctor had used a pillow to support the patient’s arm, he would have found it much easier. If the same thing happened now, I would have the confidence to halt the procedure and take the doctor to one side to share the benefit of my training and experience – and so save the patient any more distress.”

31.  How do you explain your gap in employment?

Hiring managers are trained to spot inconsistencies and gaps on your CV. Don’t leave employers guessing. If you haven’t worked for a period of several months include a line to explain what you were doing, for example “full-time carer to my mother” or “extended period of maternity leave.”

32.  ‘You should be prepared to talk about any gaps in employment, and indeed any other issues an employer might pick up on from your CV, such as only staying in a post for a short time,’ warns Cathy.

‘If you’ve been job hunting for a while, you should make it clear that this has been your decision, rather than an inability to find work. For example, you might say: “My work is very important to me. I don’t want to take any nursing job, I’m looking for a position where I can use the skills and experience I have gained and continue to develop in the future.”