1. Explain me a time when you erred in your operational duties. How did you overcome the situation?
Candidates should acknowledge the importance of diligence in their job. Look for stories where candidates erred, rectified their error and learned a valuable lesson in the process.
2. Please explain what type of skills do you need to work as a dialysis technician?
Compassion is probably the first thing that patients look for when they are approached by a dialysis technician. Integrity and ability to keep patient information confidential is a close next. As far as job-related skills are concerned, it is important for dialysis technicians to be able to affix and remove dialyzers appropriately, calibrate dialysis machines, and document dialysis procedures according to set standards of practice.
3. Please explain what Do People Most Often Criticize About You As A Nurse?
There is no on-going criticism. I'm open to personal and professional growth and welcome the opportunity to improve. One of the things that I am sometimes criticized for is being too much of a perfectionist. I tend to expect very high standards of work from myself.
4. Can you explain me your Work Style As A Nurse?
☛ I am very focused on my work and consequently, I am able to work quickly.
☛ I keep a steady pace and check my work as I go along to prevent mistakes from snowballing.
☛ Because I am very organized, I am able to accomplish a lot in a limited amount of time.
☛ I am organized and efficient and I'm able to multi-task very well.
5. Tell us what Would You Do If Your Replacement Did Not Arrive As A Nurse?
☛ I would wait until she arrived or until someone else was called in.
☛ I would notify the supervisor and offer to stay until my replacement arrived.
☛ Try calling her to see if she were on the way or if she needed help making arrangements for someone to take her shift.
6. Please explain why did you choose ‘nursing'as your career?
To answer this interview question you should look for motivation and values that have driven you to take up nursing as a career. See to it that you answer this question wisely. Do not talk about the monetary benefits that drive you to become a nurse. Even if money is an aspect that made you take up nursing, don't mention it. A good way to answer this question is, ‘I always loved to help people, I feel good when I help people. I help people who are in need and this gives me the utmost satisfaction.'
7. Tell me what are your qualities that make you successful?
If you feel that this question is difficult to answer, then simply think about the compliments you get from your superiors or co-workers. You sure must have got some compliments from others during work, quote those and speak about it. You can answer by saying ‘I am good at communicating with the patients, I have got many compliments from my co-workers on how well I communicate with the patients. This ability helps me to deal with the stressful situations and thus helps me to be a successful nurse.'
8. Explain me about the conflicts you had at work and also tell us how you resolved those conflict?
Talk about the times you had conflicts with your superiors (Registered Nurse), your co-workers or with the patient. Talk about the situation in length and then talk about how you resolved the conflict. The employer wants to know if you have conflict resolution skills or not and if you can work as a part of a team. So think about the answer well before answering. You can easily slide down the path of talking negatively, but you must avoid it and try to stay positive throughout the interview. Make sure that you have at least three examples of the conflicts ready. Also, don't forget to mention what you learned from the experience.
9. Tell us how is your relationship with your superiors?
In order to answer this question, you will have to try to be as positive as possible. Do not begin to talk negatively about your seniors instead, talk about the good times and tell them how you bonded well with the seniors.
10. Tell us can you work during the weekends or late nights?
Answer this question with a ‘Yes' if you have no problems working overtime. All hospitals provide you with extra wage when you do over time. If you have some family obligations that stops you from doing over time, then tell the interviewer about it. Mostly if you put in more efforts then you earn points for promotion. So, take up the opportunities with a smile.
11. Please tell me why is patient education so important in this regard?
Dialysis is a painful and invasive procedure. If patients are not made aware of what to expect during and after each dialysis session, they may become hysterical or simply afraid to come to the next session. Educating them about how the procedure works and what to expect after a session is completed makes it easy for them to cope.
12. Can you please explain what Are Your Pet Peeves?
If something is bothering me, I step back, analyze "why" and find a good solution. If you asked my teenage daughter she would tell you my pet peeve is the volume of her music and the mess in her room.
13. Can you explain how Would You Handle A Patient Who Complains About Everything?
I would first be sure that the patient had no valid complaints and then just be patient and reassure them that we were doing our very best for them. I understand that some patients will complain about everything, just because they are unhappy about what brought them to our care. I just reassure them that everything possible is being done to make them comfortable.
This situation is quite common, we all have faced this situation in some way or the other. Remember that you can't talk negatively during the interview, try to stay positive throughout the interview. Give positive answers and make sure that you answer thoughtfully. Answer this nursing job interview question this way – ‘people are late sometimes, but as a care provider my job doesn't end with my shift, I stay and continue to care for my patients until the replacement arrives.' Tell them that you would inform your superior that your replacement nurse hasn't arrived yet and that you will continue to care for the patients until the replacement nurse has arrived.
15. Tell me why are you looking for a new job/ job?
This is yet another common yet difficult interview question for nurse asked during interviews. If you are a fresher you don't have to ponder over the question a lot, just tell them that you are looking forward to work in the field you have always been interested in. However, if you are experienced and have worked previously in other hospitals then, you will have to be a little more cautious while answering this question. Don't just say that you are looking for better prospects, instead talk about the skills that will help you provide the employer with profits in the industry.
16. Explain me can you work under pressure?
This is a clinical question that is asked a lot during nursing interviews. You will have to be positive while answering such questions, tell them that you can work under pressure and that you know that the job will require you to work under pressure. If you are a fresher then, work pressure will help you grow in your career. Professionals don't fear pressure and they know how to deal with it. So, make sure that your answer to this question is positive in all ways possible.
17. Tell us what are your greatest nursing strengths and weaknesses?
This question is asked to understand the strengths you have that will match the strengths that the interviewers are looking for. Also when you mention your weaknesses it talks about your honesty. The employer wants to know if you are working on your weaknesses. When you talk about your weaknesses make sure to tell them how you are trying to work on it too. See to it that the answer you provide is positive. Talk about your strengths and weaknesses at a stretch. Prepare at least three strengths and three weaknesses.
18. Can you explain about the time at work when you made an error that was critical?
This question is quite tricky, you must be thinking that when in an interview you should only provide positive answers but what if the question wants you to talk about the negatives, here the question is asking about the mistake that you made during work and you cannot run away from the question. Answer this question by saying that you made a mistake and you learned from it. Talk about the mistake in detail and then add to it that you will not do the same mistake again as you have learned from it and you moved forward. Do not blame others for your mistake, own it and speak confidently. You don't have to mention a ‘Critical' mistake you can speak of a minute mistake as well but be sure to talk about the positive consequences as well.
19. Can you explain me Yourself As Organized As In Nursing Field?
Absolutely. I like to have a check list and make sure that each item gets the attention it needs. Sometimes a little too much so. I make sure that everything is neat and in order. I am a very organized and thorough person, which I think contributes to my success as a nurse. I use several online and desktop tools to stay organized. I like to carefully plan my daily, weekly and long term work project. That helps me stay organized.
20. Tell me how Much You Are Passionate About Nursing?
Your response doesn't need to be work focused but do be sure that what you share isn't something that could potential cut in to your working hours.
21. Please explain what is your prime job at the beginning of your shift as a dialysis technician?
At the beginning of my shift each day, I have to make sure that the dialysis equipment is in proper working order, attach dialyzers and tubing to machines, mix dialysates according to the given formula and calibrate machinery to ensure optimum functionality.
22. Explain me how do you ensure dialysis machines are in working order?
Candidates should describe the steps they take to prevent any oversight in their duties. They should run through a checklist at the start of their day and ensure that all equipment is working, machines are calibrated to achieve optimal performance and dialysates are mixed according to a given formula, among other tasks.
23. Please explain what Do You Find Are The Most Difficult Decisions To Make In Nursing?
Give concrete examples of difficult situations that actually happened at work. Then discuss what you did to solve the problem. Keep your answers positive (Even though it was difficult when Jane Doe quit without notice, we were able to rearrange the department workload to cover the position until a replacement was hired) and be specific. Itemize what you did and how you did it.
24. Explain me a situation that transpired during a dialysis session, which you handled flawlessly?
A patient on whom a dialysis procedure was being performed, nearly slipped due to his blood pressure dropping. Before the heart could give out, I performed immediate CPR on him, saving his life and enabling him to finish the procedure.
25. Tell us how do you ensure that patients remain calm throughout the dialysis treatment?
Dialysis treatment can be a frightening experience for a patient, as it involves drawing lots of blood through complex operational technology. Candidates should ensure that patients are kept informed of every stage in the treatment process, ensuring that they understand what the treatment does and how it benefits them.
