1. How do you handle pressure in nursing?

★ I actually work better under pressure and I've found that I enjoy working in a challenging environment.
★ From a personal perspective, I manage stress by visiting the gym every evening. It's a great stress reducer.
★ Prioritizing my responsibilities so I have a clear idea of what needs to be done when, has helped me effectively manage pressure on the job.
★ If the people I am managing are contributing to my stress level, I discuss options for better handling difficult situations with them.
★ I find that when I'm under the pressure of a deadline, I can do some of my most creative work.
★ I am not a person who has a difficult time with stress. When I'm under pressure, I focus and get the job done.

2. Describe a difficult work situation and how you overcame it 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.

3. Describe a time when your workload was heavy and how you handled it in nursing?

When I was working on a software implementation team at ABC Company, we took over another company and had to transition many clients to a new product in a short amount of time. It took a lot of planning, time, hard work and effort, but we were able to complete the project in a timely manner.

4. Give some examples of teamwork in nursing?

I was part of team responsible for evaluating and selecting a new vendor for our office equipment and supplies. The inter-departmental team reviewed options, compared pricing and service, chose a vendor and implemented the transition to the new vendor.

5. If you know your boss is 100% wrong about something how would you handle it?

An answer that works well is:
It depends on the situation and the personality of the supervisor.
To elaborate, give examples:
My prior supervisor was more easy-going and if I told her "You know, I think it might work better if I do what you asked in such and such a way," she would say "Okay, try it."

6. How do you evaluate success in nursing?

In your answer, you should be cognizant of the type of job you are applying for. Whereas a large corporation might place all their emphasis on the bottom line, a non-profit would measure success not in money but in social impact.

7. What type of work environment do you prefer in nursing?

I can be flexible when it comes to my work environment in nursing.

8. Do you prefer to work independently or on a team in nursing field?

I am equally comfortable working as a member of a team and independently. In researching the company, your mission statement and the job description, I could see similarities to my previous position where there were some assignments that required a great deal of independent work and research and others where the team effort was most effective. As I said, I'm comfortable with both.

9. If the people who know you were asked why you should be hired as a nurse, what would they say?

I am sure if you asked my friends that question they would say you should hire me because I have the skills outlined in the job description and I bring 10+ years of expertise to this position. Words they have used to describe me are:
★ Hard working
★ Professional
★ Trusted and a team player.

10. Why should I take a risk by hiring you as a nurse?

The best way to answer this type of question is to emphasize how well this particular position fits your interests. Review each element of the job description and note the responsibilities that are most interesting to you. Think of parallel roles you have had in the past and be ready to describe how fulfilling any of those activities have been for you.

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