Nurse Interview

Questions & Answers

General nurse interview questions will explore the following areas:

Your training, qualifications and work experience
Where did you get your training and what qualifications and certifications do yo
u have?
Explain why you have chosen a specific area of practice. Be prepared to discuss
your theoretical training as well as the practical component. Remember to take c
opies of your certifications with you.

You will be asked nurse interview questions around your work experience based on
the resume you have submitted.
Prepare by carefully going through your resume beforehand. Be completely familia
r with your tasks and responsibilities and the skills, abilities and knowledge y
ou have gained.
Anticipate the following type of questions:
This nursing job requires training and experience in ......... Tell me how your
training and experience fulfill this requirement.
Your resume shows that you have knowledge of ........ Please tell me more about
your experience in this area.
What is your experience in ..... Tell me in some detail how you went about perfo
rming this task?

In answering these nurse interview questions highlight special achievements and

the acquisition of specific skills and abilities. Use the opportunity to demonst
rate your commitment to nursing. Speak positively about your experiences and pre
vious employers. Keep your answer relevant to the requirements of the nursing op
portunity.
Typical nurse interview questions
By preparing answers to the most common nursing interview questions, you will be
able to give effective and convincing answers that set you apart as an excellen
t candidate for the nursing job.
Why are you the right person for this nursing job?
Highlight why your training and experience qualify you for this specific nurse j
ob. Prepare for this beforehand by closely reviewing the key job requirements an
d matching the relevant skills and abilities you have gained to these. Provide s
pecific examples of these skills when answering this question.
Use your background research to show your understanding of the key challenges fa
ced by this organization. Detail how you can help meet these challenges and be p
art of the solution.
Why are you interested in this particular nursing job?
Again prepare for this by finding out as much as possible about the job and the
facility. Demonstrate why this job is the one you particularly want using this b
ackground research. For example: "I am specifically looking for a position in a
facility like this because of it's excellent emergency care ....."
What have been your most significant accomplishments to date?
Describe achievements that relate to this nursing job. Take specific examples an
d describe how your approach benefited the patient and/or facility.
What do you consider your strengths and weaknesses as a nursing professional?
Prepare three or four key strengths that relate closely to the job you are inter
viewing for. Reinforce each strength with a concrete example. Go to What are you
r strengths? to help you with this questions.
Be honest about your weaknesses, show you have the maturity and insight to recog
nize your areas for improvement. State a weakness and then discuss how you are m
anaging it and the improvements you have made so far.

What are your future goals?

Your answer should show your commitment to this job and facility. You can explai
n how this nursing job meets your long term objectives by providing an opportuni
ty to grow and develop your nursing skills.

Be realistic and select reasonable, achievable goals otherwise you will come acr
oss as a bit of a dreamer.
Why are you leaving your present job?
Explain how this opening provides a new challenge and opportunity. Avoid critici
zing your former employer or colleagues and giving a negative reason for leaving
. Focus on the positive possibilities that will come with a move to a new nursin
g job.
What do you consider the most important qualities for this nursing job?
Make your answer relevant to the specific nursing job. For example common qualit
ies required for successful performance as an ER Nurse include adaptability, res
ilience, critical thinking, organization and planning, emotional stability and h
igh stress tolerance.
What did you like and dislike about your previous position?
The interviewer is evaluating your suitability and compatibility with this nursi
ng opportunity. General likes that are applicable to most nursing jobs include l
earning opportunities, professional growth, job diversity and directly contribut
ing to improving patient care.
The dislikes should not refer to characteristics of the nurse job you are interv
iewing for. Stay away from reasons that involve common working conditions such a
s overtime. Avoid criticisms of your previous employer but refer to the absence
of something that you want in your job such as the opportunity to use your initi
ative more or learn new skills.
Motivation for the nursing job
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 nurse interview questions about your nur
sing career choice is to be very specific about why you chose it. What influence
d you in your choice? How did you explore your options? Highlight how your stren
gths are best utilized in this area and how it suits your personal competencies.
Why do you want to work in our hospital and/or community?
Use your background research to support your answer. Look at aspects such as the
commitment to health care provision, innovations in patient care, the community
it serves.
How do you stay current with the nursing profession?
Nurse interview questions about your motivation to learn and stay updated are im
portant indicators of your commitment to nursing as a career. Examples include a
ttending conferences, subscribing to professional nursing journals, joining rele
vant forums and groups and conducting online research.
What are the biggest challenges facing nursing today?
Health care systems globally are struggling to meet the demands of the populatio
ns they serve. One of the major problems is the current shortage of trained nurs
es. Use your interview answer to demonstrate that you have thought about this is
sue and offer up some reasons as to why there is such a shortage of skilled nurs
es. Possible reasons include low nursing school enrollment due to poor perceptio
ns of nursing as a fairly rewarded career and nurses leaving the profession befo
re retirement age due to job dissatisfaction. You need to be able to show your i
nterest in nursing as a career by demonstrating that you have thought about the
current and future issues facing nurses.