Top 21 Nursing School Interview Questions In 2024 [With Answers]

A wise man once said if you want to help this world, become a cure and heal the people who are suffering. The whereabouts of this man are currently unknown but his saying still prevails in the hearts of many medical aspirants. As a nurse, you will not only hunt down the discomfort of most people suffering from various illnesses but also enable them to live life to their fullest.

It is a hugely respected profession and makes you capable of earning a nice steady income. Thus, work hard and strive to gain a seat in a respectable nursing school. Make sure you read all the interview questions mentioned below and bolster your selection chances.

21 Best Interview Questions To Study

1. What Is The Smallest Gland In Our Human Body and Its Various Functions?

This question tests your knowledge and understanding of the various endocrine glands of the human brain.

Sample Answer

Sir, the smallest gland in our body is the Pituitary gland, which is also known as the master gland. It is divided into two parts, with both parts having their functions, which are:

Name of the part	Functions
Anterior Pituitary	It secretes: a) Growth hormone is known as somatotropin. b) Melanin, which regulates our skin color c) Prolactin, the hormone of maternity
Posterior Pituitary	It secretes: a) Anti-diuretic hormone, which is known as Vasopressin. It helps in the reabsorption of water in the kidney. b) Oxytocin hormone, which helps in contraction of the uterus during labor pain.

2. What Do You Mean By Islets Of Langerhans? What Are Its Various Cells and Their Primary Functions?

This question tests your knowledge and understanding of the mixed glands present in our human body.

Sample Answer

Sir, the pancreas is a mixed gland, as it contains both an endocrine portion and an exocrine portion. The endocrine portion of the pancreas consists of several cells, which are collectively known as Islets of Langerhans. This collection comprises two primary cells, which are:

• Beta cell: These cells produce insulin, which coverts glucose into glycogen. In absence of these cells, the level of glucose in our blood stream will shootup causing various illnesses and ailments.
• Alpha cell: These cells produce glucagon, which have a function opposite to that of insulin. It reconverts glycogen to glucose and restores it into the blood stream causing its level to rise.

3. What Are The Various Vestigial Organs In Our Human Body?

Being a nurse, you need to have a complete understanding of the various parts, glands, and organs of the human body. Hence, there will always be questions covering this aspect.

Sample Answer

Sir, vestigial organs or parts, are those internal glands, bones, or regions that effectively have no use in our body. These neither perform any major function nor support any major function performed by any other gland. Thus, these are also known as waste parts. There are three such vestigial organs in our human body, which are:

• Appendix
• Cocygeal region
• Nicitating membrane

4. What Happens To Our Body When There Is Hypo-secretion Of Anti-diuretic Hormone?

This question tests your knowledge and understanding of practical or applied biology.

Sample Answer

Sir, the anti-diuretic hormone is released by the pituitary gland present in the human brain. Its hypo-secretion (less than required) leads to two major issues, which are:

• Poly-uria: More than usual and consistent passage of urine, due to lower re-absorption rate and decreased efficiency of kidney.
• Poly-dipsia: More than usual feeling of thirst, due to excessive loss of water through urine

5. Explain The First Step Of Cellular Respiration In Brief.

This question tests your knowledge of the various steps performed in cellular respiration.

Sample Answer

Sir, the first step of cellular respiration is known as Glycolysis. It is an anaerobic step in which one molecule of glucose is split into:

• Pyruvic Acid
• NADH (Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide – Hydrogen) and
• Net Two Molecules of ATP (Adenosine triphosphate) (in total four molecules of ATP are produced but two are consumed in the process itself)

6. Can You Share The Breakup Of Vertebral Column Possessed By Humans?

This question tests your knowledge and understanding of the human skeletal system.

Sample Answer

Sir, the human spine comprises a total of 33 bones. which are divided into five different regions, which are:

Name of the region	Number of bones
Cervical region	7 bones
Thoracic region	12 bones
Lumbar region	5 bones
Sacrum region	5 bones
Coccygeal region (waste bones)	4 bones

7. Name Any Five Famous Bones Of Human Body.

This question tests your knowledge and understanding of the human skeletal system.

Sample Answer

Sure, sir, These are:

Name of the bones	Associated body part
Patella	Knee
Femur	Thighs
Tarsal	Ankle
Humerus	Upper arm
Phalanges	Fingers

8. Please Tell Me Everything You Know About The Thyroid Glands.

This question tests your knowledge and understanding of the various glands present in our human body.

Sample Answer

Sir, thyroid glands are present on the right side and left side of the trachea. They need Iodine to produce and secrete two primary hormones, which are, Thyroxine (T4) and Tri-iodothyronine (T3). The deficiency of iodine, which is obtained by humans from their daily requirement of common salt, leads to Goitre in which these thyroid glands swell up. In addition to this, it also secretes another hormone known as Calcitonin, which reduces the level of calcium in the bloodstream.

9. What Are The Three Steps Performed By The Human Kidney? Explain Each One Of Them In Brief.

This question tests your knowledge of the human excretory system.

Sample Answer

Sure, sir, The three steps are:

• Glomerular filtration: In this step, blood is filtered from the fluid passing through the kidney, using Bowman’s capsule.
• Tubular re-absorption: The useful substances are re-absorbed and put back into the bloodstream.
• Tubular excretion: The unwanted substances are excreted and flushed out through urine.

10. What Are The Three Types Of Bone Cells?

This question tests your knowledge of the human skeletal system.

Sample Answer

Sure, sir, these are:

• Osteocytes: These are mature bone cells.
• Osteoblasts: These cells lead to the formation of new bones.
• Osteoclasts: These cells destroy the existing bones.

It must be noted that in the human body there is regular formation and destruction of bones, which is known as re-modeling.

11. What Are The Various Substances Released On The Break-down Of Amino Acids and Nucleic Acids?

This question tests your knowledge of the human excretory system.

Sample Answer

Sir, upon the breakdown of amino acid and nucleic acid, four primary nitrogenous wastes are released, which are:

• Ammonia
• Urea
• Uric acid and
• Creatinine

12. Students Dream A Lot About Their Alma Mater. How Does Your Dream Nursing School Look Like?

It is a fact that students truly dream a lot about their college. Through this question, an interviewer wants to know about the expectations and desires that you have from your nursing school. For example, you might want to study in a nursing school, which offers rewards to its meritorious students, who have scored excellently in their college examinations. Be specific, and share only realistic dreams or expectations, that does have a faint possibility of getting true.

13. Describe Yourself In A Single Word.

This is a tricky interview question, wherein you are required to summarize your whole personality into a single word. To prepare an ideal response, just share a few student-friendly words, such as committed, dedicated, hard-working, serious, etc. Your answer must not stop here, as now you must justify your selection using valid reasons and logic.

14. Our Legacy Has Been Setup On The Basis Of Quality Education That We Provide To Our Students. How Do You Interpret The Term “Quality”?

This is a word-based interview question wherein you are required to interpret the term “quality”. All students are different and have different intelligence, behavior, and approaches when it comes to interpreting different terms. Thus, an interviewer is interested in knowing your version of interpretation. Further, “quality” is achieved when a student can score good marks in their college assessments and also behave appropriately throughout their college years.

15. We Have Adopted A Comprehensive Syllabus Wherein You Will Be Required To Perform Several Researches, Practicals, Medical Investigations, Prepare For Theoeretical Examinations, Etc. How Do You Prioritize?

Through this question, an interviewer wants to know about your prioritization technique using which you are able to order and arrange your study on the basis of pre-defined criteria, such as weightage in the examination, difficulty level, time consumption, etc. For example, you might be having a written examination and a practical assessment after two days, having weightage of 80% and 20% respectively. Since the written exam has more weightage you decided to study it first and devote more hours to it.

16. There Are Several Nursing Schools That Impart Quality Education Like Us. Why You Chose Us As Your Alma Mater?

This is a common interview question through which an interviewer wants to know about your seriousness and commitment towards the nursing school you have chosen to study in. The best way to prepare an answer for this question is by browsing the official website of the company and noting down all the historical facts, achievements, and accomplishments of the company. Add your interests to the answer, and compile them to form a structured response.

17. Our Exams Are Widely Recognized As Conceptual and Tough Across The Medical Fraternity. We Also Have A Low Passing Percentage. How Do You Cope With Failure?

This is a common college interview question and is asked by several interviewers across the world to check the mental strength of the students in regards to academic failure amid increasing cases of suicide and self-affliction. You must demonstrate a positive response using persuasive language wherein you state the various ways to cope with the mental pressure of failure. Further, it is recommended to always attempt his question and never shy away by answering diplomatically.

18. As A Nursing Student, You Need To be Consistent, Energetic and Dedicated As We Have A Deep Syllabus. When Performed Regularly, This Might Lead To Stress. How Do You Manage This?

Stress is a common issue and spares nobody. Students are the worst victims of stress as their naive mind is simply unable to cope with it. A stressed student not only performs badly in academic examinations but also gradually heads towards depression. Thus, an interviewer is always interested in knowing the various techniques using which you are able to manage your work-related stress.

19. What Are Your Strengths and Weaknesses?

This is a common interview question and will follow you even when you will become a nurse and go for professional employment. Thus, prepare a perfect reply for this answer now by assessing and deeply scrutinizing your personality. You must always follow the written approach and note down at least three of your closest strengths and weaknesses. Prepare an explanation for these, and you are good to go.

20. What Motivates You To Study Medicine As A Profession?

We all need the motivation to perform. When studying in a nursing school and dealing with all those tough concepts, you need something inside you, which prompts you to work hard and achieve your study goals in a time-bound manner. Through this question, an interviewer wants to know about all your motivational factors that are highly dependent upon your financial condition, desires, and living circumstances. Thus, always extend an original reply, and avoid all the generic ones.

21. Do You Have Any Questions For Us?

Be it an engineering college or a medical college, every interview session is concluded by this interview question. Through this question, an interviewer wants to know all your doubts and apprehensions that you might be having in regards to the school, such as the fee details, syllabus, scholarship opportunities, counseling services, etc. Further, this question gives the last opportunity to impress your interviewer, which you can do by asking relevant counter questions from your interviewer. Read out the model questions mentioned below, for a better understanding:

Model Questions

1. What are the various scholarship schemes run by this nursing school?
2. Is it the policy of the school to provide grace marks to its students in cases of medical emergencies rendering students temporarily incapable of attempting examinations?
3. Please share a list of all the holidays that are offered by the nursing school in a calendar year.

Download the list of questions in .PDF format, to practice with them later, or to use them on your interview template (For Nursing School interview):

References

1. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1362361320981319
2. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=gtRJEAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=Top+21+Nursing+School+Interview+Questions+in+2021+%5Bwith+Answers%5D&ots=EebT8NSfnO&sig=0YKYLq0SMf_Jxo5PRNfjMy_-2tU