Top 21 Nursing Interview Questions in 2024 [With Answers]

Nursing is a beautiful profession wherein you are paid to treat people and save their lives. The year 2020 was declared as the year of Nurses and Midwives, which in itself shows how important and crucial this profession is. If you are planning to become a nurse and have relevant interests and skills, then you are on the right path as there are ample opportunities available in the job market and your pay increases leaps and bounds with an increase in inexperience.

Latest Nursing Interview Questions and Answers

1) Introduce Yourself

The first phase with which every interview process begins is through your introduction. Answer to this question should be such, that gives a brief introduction abut you, your qualifications and experiences. A template answer could be:

My name is ABC and I am a resident of YXZ City. I have done my nursing at Mount College, YUI, and secured an internship of 6 months during my college days at Hospital CCG. On the work front, I have 2 years of experience as a nursing assistant with hospital KKL.

2) What Attracted You To Nursing As A Full Time Profession?

A medical institution always hires an employee who simply loves their profession and not someone who is just doing it to earn some money. They can evaluate your dedication to the profession through your answer to this question. A modest answer should be on these lines:

Like every child, I also used to get sick and pay visits to my nearest hospital. The white dresses, problem solving attitudes, and respect that people offered attracted me towards this profession. The feeling of saving someones’ life or treating him or her, has always excited me and motivated me towards this career.

3) What Advice Would You Like To Offer To Your Fellow Nurse?

Through this response, they want to know the following things:

• If you have ever experienced anything bitter with your colleagues
• Things that you would want to change working in a group and
• Your attitude towards nuisance and distractions.

Though I am not a person, who consistently complains and makes fusses, still I would like to advise them, to not do gossips and household talks during the shift. Further, I am too open to some entertainment post-completion of my shift.

4) Tell Us One Thing That You Don’t Like About Nursing?

No person in this world loves everything about his or her profession and it is absolutely normal to share the same with your employer. In order to answer this question effectively, you must self evaluate yourself and give an honest reply. Your perfect answer could be:

Though I greatly admire and applaud my profession, one thing that I really don’t like is Phlebotomy. Though it is the first skill that every nurse is taught, still I don’t like it. The skill of puncturing someone’s vein, in order to eke out blood, I don’t buy that thing.

5) In Your Opinion, What Is The Most Difficult Thing In Nursing Profession?

Nursing is a challenging profession, where in you have to:

• Work under pressure
• Experience immense workload
• Take crucial decisions
• Wear uncomfortable medical gears
• See deaths
• See people crying and screaming out of pain
• Consistently learn new skills and technologies

All these things make the profession of nursing demanding and crucial. Through this question, an employer wants to know, whether you are ready and up for all the challenges that you are going to face in your career. A good answer can be:

Seeing and experiencing deaths is in itself horrifying, frightening, and panicking. Though I consider myself to be strong and emotionally balanced, sometimes these situations turn out to be a lot worse than expected. Frankly speaking, this is one thing that I would love to avoid throughout my career.

6) Why Should We Hire You?

It can be considered as a common and frequently occurring interview question, which still struggles to find a perfect answer. Boasting of your achievements or abilities will ruin your chances of selection, rather, sharing them in a modest and pleasant way can make wonders. Sample response:

The profession of nursing, demands, efficient communication skills, basic psychological understanding, and time management skills besides nursing skills. I believe that I am in possession of all of these skills and would love to contribute and serve your prestigious organization.

7) Rate Your Crucial Decision Making Abilities On A Scale Of 1 To 5?

It has been observed that, in the profession of medicine, there have been numerous instances, wherein a professional has to take tough decisions upfront. This applies to nurses as well and they too have to take some crucial decisions. Your decisions can affect people, and hence properly replying to this question can boost your chances of selection manifolds. You could reply as:

Throughout my life, I have decisions that have always benefitted me and have provided me satisfaction. Opting for nursing, was one such decision, which I still cherish and admire. I would rate myself a 4.8.

8) How Do You Come To Know About The Vacancy?

Organizations want to know the source from where a candidate got to know about the vacancy generated. There are various sources of such information and just tell them, from where you came to know about the same. Some acceptable and most common sources are:

• Print media such as newspapers or magazines
• Employment exchange
• Through your friend
• Radio
• Placards
• Online websites or
• Any Mobile application

9) How Efficient Are You In Dealing With Basic Medical Equipment?

Medical profession involves extensive usage of medical equipment and upholstery. Give them a genuine reply, and also quote any past experience of dealing with the same.

10) What Extra Precaution Would You Take While Dealing With An Elderly Person?

Elderly persons and children are most vulnerable and prone to mismanagement and mishandling. Hence, one must always be extra cautious while dealing with them. Your perfect answer could be:

Elders and children need special attention and care. I always ensure that I have thoroughly washed my hands and have worn a clean and sanitized dress so that any transmission of virus or bacteria is nipped in the bud itself.

11) Are You, Comfortable Working, In Medical Emergencies?

Answer this question positively with good confidence. Every employer wants there employees to work in emergency conditions. Saying a no, can ruin your chances.

12) How Often Do You Use Your Phone While Performing Your Shift?

This is a trick question that judges the level of seriousness with which you perform your duties. An ideal response could be:

I am always fully committed to my profession while performing my duty. Only in a case of utmost necessity, I pick my phone or respond to messages. You won’t find me talking unnecessarily on the phone while between shifts.

13) Are You Interested In Working During Night Shifts?

Such is the demand for medical professionals that medical institutions require them day and night. They hire people working in different shifts, which are also bound to change. A negative answer to this question can reduce your chances of selection. The best way to handle this answer could be:

Injuries, cuts, abrasions, traumas don’t have a fixed time to occur and can happen anytime. Thus, a nurse must always be ready to work, even though it is not his or her shift. I am absolutely fine working during night shifts.

14) Do You Like To Work In A Team?

Through this question, an interviewer wants to know your views on teamwork. During serious injuries and accidents, teams are formed to operate the victim in an efficient manner. Hence, being a good team player is a necessary skill that you must possess. You could answer:

Working in a team is absolutely necessary for the medical profession as it improves the efficiency and effectiveness of your efforts. In some nerve-wracking situations, a person standing beside you can reduce your levels of anxiety and nervousness. Further, I have full faith in my nursing skills and where ever required I can manage the situation solely also,

15) Do You Consider Nursing As Stressful? If Yes, What You Do To Reduce It?

Nursing is a stressful profession involving stretched hours of hectic work. Your employer is completely aware of this fact, just don’t reply negative to this. Sample response:

Nursing can be stressful at times, but managing stress is easy and quick. To reduce my stress levels, I regularly perform yoga and listen to relaxation music.

16) Do You Possess _______________ Certification?

Interviewers perform a education background check, and may simply ask you, if you possess a particular certification. Reply to this question honestly.

17) Do You Like To Wear Face Masks?

Rvery employer now asks this question as a safety and precautionary measure. Say a yes to this question, as it is for the safety of you as well as your patients.

18) Why You Want To Join Us?

Through this question an employer wants to evaluate your seriousness about the vacancy you have applied for. TO answer this question in best way, do a proper research of the medical institution to which you have applied and note down some unique and key features. You can use their website, as now a days every institution boasts of everything at their web address. Couple it with the shortcomings, that you have experienced at your current employer. The best way answer to this question is:

My current hospital is not as advance as yours in terms of technology and infrastructure. In a profession like medicine, where new techniques are evolving every now and then, it is vital to learn new things. Further, working on new technologies broadens your understanding and ultimately gives you more understanding of your profession. Your hospital is a perfect place thoroughly equipped with the latest equipment and possesses a state of the art infrastructure. Thus, making it my dream workplace.

19) How Do You Handle A Failure?

In medical professions, where often, quick decision making skills are involved, there are high chances of experiencing an unexpected failure. You can respond in following manner:

I not being perfect like everyone, have also experienced failures and disappointments. But I have always seen the bright side of things and have always learned from my mistakes, making sure, they are never repeated.

20) Do You Like Learning New and Improved Technologies?

Say a big yes to this answer, as no employer wants to employ people who are against learning and don’t want to evolve their skills. With a continuous advent in technology, it is almost impossible to avoid learning new things.

21) Do You Have Any Questions For us?

The most common mistake that candidates make while attending this question is they simply say ‘no sir‘ i.e. they answer in negative. Just don’t respond in this manner otherwise it will give an impression that you were not attentive or completely involved in the interview process. Best response would be to frame a few questions from the major happenings that occurred during the interview process and shoot them to your new employer.

Download the list of questions in .PDF format, to practice with them later, or to use them on your interview template (if you want to crack Interview):

Conclusion

The role of a nurse is hard-working, demanding, and sometimes hectic too, but after all getting respect similar to that of a god is no less a feat to achieve. Hence, one must be dedicated and prepare seriously for the interview process by following the tips mentioned above. If you like our articles, then don’t forget to share them with your friends and family members. Also, do let us know through the comments section, how helpful our articles turn out to be.

References

1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0020748906001672
2. https://journals.healio.com/doi/abs/10.3928/00220124-20090401-11