Nursing Interview Questions

Nursing is a growth sector, with qualified nurses working for a private practice or in the NHS.

Job interview questions, for both the public and private sector, will be very similar with employers looking to employ a qualified nurse who can work in a multidisciplinary role, requiring a range of skills.

Even though Nursing roles are set to increase competition is high with Nurses earning an average of £25-£30k once qualified, raising up to £40k with experience and up to £70 for senior nurses.

Employers, when interviewing prospect nurses, are looking at work ethic as the role requires unsociable hours, empathy due to direct patient tasks, and a vast array of knowledge and skills due to the diverse range of job duties.

Interview questions, therefore, are mixed with employers mainly asking behavioral and situational job interview questions.

How to prepare for a nursing job interview.

Before we delve into the questions and answers, applicants need to prepare for the job interview:

Check the job criteria

No two nursing jobs are the same.

With this in mind, read the job duties and essential criteria to help predict the job interview questions. All questions will be based, in the main, on the future employee’s main tasks.

Source suitable examples

On average each applicant should have 5 stories that each exhibit 3 different skills or knowledge depending on how the interview answer is framed.

An example answer that explains how a nurse supported a patient who was ill even though the nurse had a prior engagement can be used to answer ‘tell me a time you went above and beyond to support a patient?’ or ‘what would you do if on a routine check-up you notice that the patient was acting out of character?’

The answer to the first question could be structured by talking about the importance of the prearranged event, before explaining the patient’s situation, ending with the nursing staying to support the patient.

Whereas, the structure for the second interview question would be best suited by giving an overview of the routine visit – what was expected, followed by a detailed explanation of the patient’s symptoms and potential illnesses, ending with the actions the nurse took.

Same example, two different frames.

Plan the delivery of answers

In most cases interviewees will arm themselves with several relevant examples.

What makes a successful interviewee standout is the style of delivery.

In fact, the applicant job interview identity – how the interviewee is viewed in the job interview, varies depending on their delivery and communication style.

To be seen as highly skilled prove it with evidence:

Testimonials
References
Data sets
360 Reviews
Awards

Imagine being asked a question, as all interviewees do, the applicant answers using a real-life example.

Halfway through the answer, as the candidate is explaining what they did to achieve the objective, the evidence is provided to back up this claim. This results in a high-scoring interview answer.

Think about communication style

Low-scoring applicants often use short-sentences, a monotone voice and a low volume.

To be viewed as a professional experienced nurse, applicants must communicate with confidence.

Confident communicators, research shows, will:

Vary tonality
Use a variety of language
Be more descriptive
Have reduced filler words
Positively frame all interview answers – even the weakness question.

Share knowledge level

The main focus, as always, should be the ability to highlight a higher level of knowledge and expertise than a competitive applicant.

Sector knowledge can be shown through the delivery of strong interview answers, often with real-life examples, the production of evidence, and the use of industry models and theories.

Answering technical interview questions by discussing, as an example the human care theory by Dr Jean Watson, shows a high level of knowledge and academic ability.

Nursing Interview Questions and Answers

First, we will list the most commonly asked nursing interview questions, then we will analyse a few of the sector-related questions, highlighting how to create a high-scoring answer.

Most commonly asked interview questions.

Describe your experiences as working as a nurse and the different healthcare roles you have been involved in?
What made you choose nursing as a career?
Give me an example of when you have had to deal with a crisis?
How do you collaborate with other healthcare professionals?
What do you check before you administer drugs or medication?
What are the steps for carrying out a routine investigation?
How do you give patients healthcare advice?
Give an example of building trust with a patient?
Describe a time you had to work with a difficult patient?
What would you do if you disagreed with a doctor?
Give an example of managing a busy schedule?
How would you support a patient who was suffering from extreme pain?
Do you have any questions for the interview panel?

Questions and answers

Within the interview, the questions asked will fall into 3 key areas:

Patient care
Experience and knowledge
Caseload management

Patient care interview questions

Patient care interview questions include:

How do you build trust with a patient?
Give an example of giving end-of-life care?
What would you do if a patient became angry?

As well as looking for knowledge, the patient care questions allow an employer to view the applicant’s empathy, social skills, communication style, and personal qualities, in short, their temperament.

With this in mind, to answer any questions to relate to working directly with a patient use a story-telling interview answer.

Start the story, or real-life example, by descriptively explaining the patient’s situation. This could include if the patient was new or existing, a quick summary of their medical history and their current situation (the patient became angry, became ill, deteriorated, etc)

The middle section of the story structure must highlight the applicant’s skills and qualities. Here the interviewee can discuss the initial reaction to the current situation’ and describe the actions they took.

Actions can include remaining calm, following a process, a quick-thinking innovative solution, being assertive, being empathetic, going above and beyond.

This section is designed to showcase competencies. Explain the 5 steps taken to resolve the issue:

‘Initially I responded by (immediate action)…’
‘…this helped/solved/supported/assisted the patient (describe the outcome to the immediate action)…’
‘…Once the patient was out of immediate danger/had calmed down, I was able to (describe a well used industry process relevant to the situation IE completed CPR)
‘…this allowed me to assess the situation (more detail can be given)..’
‘…which resulted in (give outcome)…’

The final part of the story telling is a summary.

The conclusion should include a reference to the applicant’s temperament as well as their skills:

‘…to summarise, as someone who really cares for their patients I am always quick to respond to a crisis, which gives confidence to those around me, that’s how I (reference the original interview question)’.

Experience and Knowledge interview question

Job competency questions look like:

How do you collaborate with other healthcare professionals?
What do you check before you administer drugs or medication?
What are the steps for carrying out a routine investigation?
How do you give patients healthcare advice?

Each question is designed to test expertise.

To be viewed as a qualified professional, rather than an employee who, if employed, would need additional support, applicants need to frame their answers academically.

Model plus Example structure.

Detailing or breaking down industry-related models and theories, throughout the job interview, highlights a vast knowledge base.

Step 1 – state the model

‘The theory for dealing with (situation) is (state theory, model or process)…’

Step 2 – state experience

‘…an example of using this model was when (share a real life example)..’

Step 3 – show wider knowledge

‘…the downside of this model is (add the negative perspective) whereas (reference a 2nd model) does not have this problem, but can (add negative of 2nd model)..’

Caseload management interview questions

Administration interview questions are common across healthcare roles due to the large amount of paperwork required in this sector.

Interviewers are looking to test that the successful interviewee will be detailed oriented, possess time-management skills, and can easily multi-task.

Questions will include:

How do you prioritise patient needs (or tasks)
Are you experienced in using data management systems?
Give an example of caseload management?
How do you ensure that all tasks are completed to the set deadlines?
Why is administration important in a nursing role?

Answer each adminsiational question with a confience statement:

‘I am highly experience in…’

‘In all my previous roles I have…’

‘Yes it is important…’

Next, breakdown how you would deal with (the criteria reference in the question)

‘..when working in my last role I (give an explanation of what steps were taken to achieve the job criteria)…’

End the answer by explaining how you would implement the skill in the new position

‘…if I was successful in gaining the job offer I would (achieve task) by (summarise steps you would take)…’

Job Interview Advice

February 19, 2021February 19, 2021

3 Interview hacks to ace the job interview

Industry experts are more likely to be hired over a perceived low level of knowledge applicant, as all employers associate expertise with productivity.

With this in mind, the more an interviewee can prove sector knowledge, the more likely they are to be offered the advertised role.

For a highly experienced and confident applicant, such as the self-assured interviewee, the task of showing above-average industry know-how comes naturally due to their long duration within the job sector.

For other less experienced interview identities, including the inadequate candidate, to be seen as hireable, the applicant must be viewed as being more of an expert than they are.

These 3 job interview hacks will help anyone increase their chances of being hired.

Hack 1 – get quoted in industry magazines.

Nothing says ‘expert’ like a real quote in an industry magazine.

You don’t to be a charismatic and sector authoritative to have your opinions printed on paper (or online). In fact, it is really easy for anyone with a little industry knowledge, to be quoted by a journalist.

In a second I will show you a 5 step process that will get any career professional mentioned in an industry article.

What is important about this interview hack is that it can be used twice during the recruitment process.

First, the applicant’s application form. When highlighting their level of experience, a job hunter can state how they ‘…have X years of industry experience and have been quoted on (add sector-related activity) in (industry) magazine (or blog)…’

Stereotypically, only ‘experts’ have the industry experience and sector knowledge base to be viewed as worthy enough to be of interest to a leading sector magazine.

This hack, therefore, creates the ‘Halo Effect’. The halo effect is a psychological process where an interviewer, due to what they believe they know about an applicant (that they are an expert as they were referenced by a journalist) influences how they act towards the interviewee, often scoring their interview answers higher than they would have without the halo effect in operation.

Secondly, the same expert hack can be utilised in job interview itself.

Questions such as ‘tell me about yourself?’ or ‘what is your experience?’ lend to an applicant referencing how they are often quoted in sector-related articles.

No matter how the interview hack is used, employers are often impressed by an applicant with a visible level of expertise.

How to get quoted in an industry magazine.

Sign up to HARO (help a reporter out) as a ‘source’

HARO is a platform for journalists and expert sources to collaborate to help produce informative articles, news stories, and blog posts.

Receive emails based on your job sector/expertise

Once signed up you will receive daily emails with a list of request for quotes, stories, and expert industry information from a range of physical and online newspapers and magazines

Write and send of quotes, opinions and expert advice on subjects relating to your career

Some request ask for a full length piece, while others ask for a quote on a particular sector subject or an expert interview.

Receive confirmation that the piece you have been quoted in is ‘live’

When emailing your tips, advice or quotes, ensure that you record your name, profession, and even link to your personal website or social media pages as most online journalists reference the source.

Use being a professional source during the recruitment process

Don’t go into to much detail, and avoid explaining the process of being a ‘source’. Instead, discuss how as an industry professional you are often asked to give quotes and sector related opinions.

Hack 2 – Create a celebrity status

In the main, career professionals use linked-in to find job opportunities, to network with industry professionals, and now more than ever before, to share pictures of cats!

But linkedin is one of the best sources for pre-interview research.

One thing that impresses an interviewer is when a candidate knows who they are – it makes the recruiter feel like a celebrity.

With just a few hours strolling through the interviewer’s post you can find interesting facts that can be mentioned in the job interview to build rapport.

It is well documented that commonality increases liking. For instance, if an applicant’s research shows how they and the interviewer have both worked at the same organisation during the same period, the interviewee, on arrival to the interview could ask ‘hey, didn’t you work at X about 5 years ago?’

Not only will the interviewer agree (as the statement is true) the interviewer will increase liking due to the psychological power of the affinity bias.

A secondary gain from this hack is that the interviewer will feel compelled to ask the candidate what job role they had or what department they worked in, creating a natural conversation.

Conversations bond people together , especially when discussing shared experiences.

Another way to use the ‘celebrity’ status hack is by showing enthusiasm for an industry-related project, achievement or comment the interviewer has referenced on their Linked-in profile.

As an example, saying ‘I liked how you defended your argument about (sector relevant criteria)’ or ‘I know you champion (industry policy) this is something I’m passionate about to’ will help increase rapport.

Positive comments are associated with being liked, and through the power of reciprocal liking, the employer who now thinks the applicant likes them, will in turn like them back.

Hack 3 – Linkedin for likeability

The familiarity principle stats that more exposure a customer has to a brand the more that customer will positively evaluate the brands products.

Why do brands such as coke-cola and McDonald’s spend billions of pounds on advertising even though customers know who they are and already purchase their products?

Because familiarity increases likeability. Some research shows how a customer needs to see a product 7 times before they are influenced to purchase it.

This psychological sales hack is the same for applicants in the job interview.

The more awareness an interviewer has of a potential employee the more inclined they are to offer them the position.

How many times have you missed out on a job opportunity because the position was offered to an internal candidate?

Linked-in can be utilised, prior to the job interview, to increase familiarity with the interviewer.

This hack needs to be started well before the interview, even before a job has been advertised.

Choose several companies you would be happy to work for
Set up alerts to ensure you are one of the first to know about new job openings
In the meantime, on Linked-in search for managers in each of the desired companies and connect with them
Next join industry related groups, especially those that the managers have previously joined
To increase visibility, like and add comments to the managers posts
To show sector expertise, add industry articles and make sector related comments and question on industry related groups

By the time an applicant has applied for a role within one of the target companies, they would have hundreds of LinkedIn interactions, many of which would have been viewed by one of the managers who are now part of the interview panel.

Conclusion

To be successful in a job interview, especially for medium to high-level job roles, employers need to view the applicant as an industry expert.

Using exposure, via platforms such as Linkedin and showing expertise through being quoted in industry magazines, which can also be added to the candidate’s LinkedIn page, creates the impression of being highly knowledgeable.

This process creates the halo effect, improving pre-interview opinions. In the interview, rapport can be further improved through the use of finding commonality.

Once the interview opinion of an interviewee is positive, all the career professional has to do is to give detailed answers to each interview question to showcase previous experiences and competencies.

Job Interview Advice

December 11, 2016

3 Ways to Feel More Powerful in the Job Interview

Yes job interviews are scary and no, its not just you who thinks that.

In fact job interviews are in the top ten most commons fears. But there are ways to feel more confident, to feel more powerful. By creating the feeling of internal power, increasing your job interview self esteem your interview performance will impress and show you at your best.

By creating this positive state you are more likely to sell yourself, build rapport and of course be offered more job positions.

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Create Job Interview Power #1

Interviewees feel inadequate as the compare themselves to a fake but positive perspective of the interviewer. We wrongly believe that the interviewer is this powerful god like person who has your life, your future in their hands.

We search for and find all of our own weaknesses and presume that the interviewer god will know about them. To feel more powerful you need to turn this negative technique on its head. Instead of looking for your on weaknesses, search for theirs. Look for little signs of weakness; a dirty shoe, un-ironed tie, messy desk – anything that makes them human again.

Even compare yourself to this weakened person – my shirt is smart, clean and ironed – this creates a natural aura of power within yourself

Create Job Interview Power #2

Every time you go to a party there is always one person who stands out, a person who grabs the attention of the room, a memorable individual that everyone warms to

It is this same type of person who sticks out and gets offered the job from any job interview

Whats the secret??? Stories! Yes stories.

People are emotional drawn to a story. The likable party goer will have hundreds of stories and anecdotes for any situation. They build up suspense, give a detailed description and end with a bang. By adopting this story telling tactic in the job interview you can create an authority by selling your skills, experiences and qualities through the adventure of a detailed story

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Create Job Interview Power #3

Create a conversation

Because people, generally, are scared in the job interview, they will nervously smile, answer the question in a matter of fact way (no story telling here) and prey for the job interview to end

Instead build both rapport and likability, which increase your chances of receiving a job offer, by asking questions to the job interviewer.

This answer then ask a question technique puts the interviewer on the back foot, helping you to feel more powerful. It also creates a natural conversation that will create a connection between you and the interviewer. Its this connection and gut instinct from the interviewer that will land you the job offer.

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