1. Plese tell us something about yourself and your qualities?
I am a highly motivated, energetic, and compassionate person, wants to dedicate my whole life to nursing. I am a great communicator and loves helping people. My previous credits and experience of 4 years taught me the importance of patients' care and developed a sense of responsibility.
2. Why do you want to work in the healthcare sector?
A person, who decides to become a nurse, has some different reasons other than earning money, to enter this field. This question gives you a chance to express your desire to help out individuals and how important human life is for you.
I believe that with this profession, I can make a difference, and make people feel better. Seeing so many people in pain and misery motivated me to practice nursing.
3. Explain why are you leaving your current job?
Instead of criticizing your previous job, pinpoint the positive aspects. Never give a negative reason for leaving, stay away from bad mouthing your employer or colleagues. Focus on the opportunities that will come with the new job.
My previous job taught me so many things and developed necessary qualities required to be a proficient nurse. But now, there is no room for growth, and I am looking forward for new challenges to thrive in nursing.
4. Where do you see yourself in six years?
The main objective of the interrogator is to know whether you are a career-oriented, ambitious, determined worker and have a positive outlook in nursing. So, avoid discussing your dreams and share an answer, which exhibits your real commitment and interest.
In 6 years, I would like to have profound knowledge of nursing by way of earning a doctoral degree, so that I can serve people with more advanced techniques.
5. Why should I hire you as nurse?
It's the job of an interviewer to hire the best person for the position. This question gives you a golden chance to impress the recruiter by highlighting your skills.
6. How would you handle a patient, who complains about everything?
The main motto of asking this question is to determine whether you are capable of handling difficult situations or not. While answering this question, you can share any difficult situation that you have managed in your previous workplace.
The major reason of complaints is their diseases, which makes them unhappy. As a nurse, I would understand their situation, listen and reassure them that the best possible services are given to them.
7. What is the most difficult part of being a nurse?
Nursing is not an easy job. You keep on learning throughout your career. By asking this question, the interviewer wants to know your views about the hardships of this profession.
According to me, the most intricate part of being a nurse is having a patient, who suffers from an incapacitating disease, which is incurable.
8. What measures have you taken to upgrade your knowledge?
If you have attended any seminar or pursued a degree for the sake of enhancing your knowledge and competency in working, mention them.
9. Describe your former supervisor?
Don't commit the mistake of criticizing your former supervisor, stay positive and state what you have learned from him.
He was a competent supervisor with exceptional leadership qualities, who always maintained healthy interpersonal relationship. I have learned a lot from her.
10. What are some positive personality traits that will help you in your job?
Instead of saying something generic like, "I am a great communicator or I pay close attention to detail", provide a personal story. "I have always been the type person to go the extra mile in everything I do in life. I give it 110%. When I was completing my training course, I was working with a patient I had gotten to know well. Her conversations with me one morning were nothing like we had before. I just had a feeling something wasn't right even though she looked well and her vitals were fine. Even so, I talked to my supervisor to let her know something was wrong. The doctor was called and it turned out the patient was ill that day. Since I had always taken time to really talk to and understand my patients, I was able to help when she was not well."
11. Tell me are you a team player?
Healthcare facilities prefer to hire people who work well with others, have good social skills, get along well with patients and visitors, and can pull together as a team for the sake of patient care.
12. Discuss your salary requirements?
This question is sneaky. Some companies have strict pay grids and other facilities are unionized, so salary typically cannot be negotiated at these places. However, smaller workplaces may offer some wiggle room for negotiating the salary. The important thing is to not price oneself out of the market.
13. What is your salary requirements?
This question is sneaky. Some companies have strict pay grids and other facilities are unionized, so salary typically cannot be negotiated at these places. However, smaller workplaces may offer some wiggle room for negotiating the salary. The important thing is to not price oneself out of the market.
14. Tell me what motivates you to be a nurse?
Companies prefer to hire healthcare workers who are motivated by intangible ideals, not concrete realities such as money. Even if cash is your ultimate motivation, do not elaborate on your need for money.
15. Recall a difficult situation and tell us how you handled it?
If you have healthcare experience, they want to know how you have dealt with angry doctors, emotionally upset families, or difficult patients. If you lack healthcare experience, you can discuss a difficult situation that occurred in school or a previous workplace.
16. Do not hesitate if you have any questions for us?
Ask the interviewer a question or two, whether it pertains to nurse/patient ratios, length of orientation, or educational opportunities. You might appear uninterested if you have no questions.
17. Tell us what you know about nursing?
Insert any nursing specialty into the blank space provided. You will stand out to the interviewer as a candidate who truly has passion about the specialty if you know more about it than the average person. If your dream is to work as a nurse in a well-baby nursery, you'd better be knowledgeable about the area in which you envision yourself working.
18. Why you want to work with us as nurse?
Your reasons for wanting to work at this place of employment should be positive. Also, make a connection between your career goals and how they can be achieved at this company.
19. Explain how you perform under pressure?
The settings in which nurses work can quickly turn into pressure-cooker environments. To be blunt, the interviewer does not want to hire anyone who is so emotionally fragile that they'll shatter like plate glass when faced with the day-to-day pressures of the job.
20. Explain what interests you in this career?
This question is your chance to speak about how important human life is and about your desire to help individuals and nurse them back to health.
This question is very common in various healthcare departments. These professions mostly have people who work for reasons other than the financials. Therefore, you should inform the interviewer about your inherent need to serve people and help them get better and the happiness you feel when successful.
22. What you do in emergency situations?
The medical world is full of emergency situations, and anyone with any experience at all must have a few incidents to speak of. When answering this question, tell about some of the most challenging and difficult cases that you have faced. You can also talk about a specific problem and how you handled it. Make sure that you speak about the added value that the situation gave to your medical experience.
Every person in the medical world should be resourceful and organized in their work. Without organization, even the greatest of genii would not have been able to achieve their complete potential. Therefore, tell the interviewer about how organized you are in your work and even in your personal life; give examples. This will add value to your resume, and raise your chances of landing the position.
24. Tell me how did you share your knowledge with colleagues?
Nursing involves helping, sharing and efficient medical team work. These capabilities are nursing fundamentals; it is impossible to work alone. Therefore, tell interviewers about your positive past group experiences and try to convince the employer that you are a team player.
25. Tell me what are your likes and dislikes about nursing job?
All jobs have advantages and disadvantages. As you respond, be careful - do not say anything that puts your previous jobs in a bad light, unless it was a well-known or extreme situation. Focus on the positive, mention a few good things about previous job(s). If you feel it is important, briefly outline any disadvantages. Close with more positive comments.
