2 answers

Registered Nurse

Asked Tucson, Arizona

How do I prepare for a nursing interview? What do you find he hardest part of being a nurse?
#nurse #healthcare

2 answers

Rachel’s Answer


I am apart of a team on my unit that conducts peer interviews for prospective nurses. Most of the questions we ask are behavioral. We look to see if someone is adaptable, can manage conflict, and how they manage stress (at work and at home) Most of the time, we really want to get to know you and your personality to see if you will work well with the team. My best advice is to be honest and come prepared. Honestly assess your strengths and weaknesses (we all have them and we want to see if you have self-awareness) and come with a plan on addressing your weaknesses. Many times you will be asked about a conflict with a coworker and how you handled it; even if it is not nursing related, prepare an example you were apart of. Last, personal experiences help us determine best how you fit with the team; try to answer with a personal experience and how it impacted yourself and others. Keep these short and sweet.

The hardest part for me about being a nurse is juggling the work/life balance. Work has a habit of always needing you to be there, but your home/social life is just as important. Also, the "nurse" never really goes away. I find myself assessing people in public and am always preparing myself for an "out-of-hospital" emergency. The desire to help and care for others is strong, but the struggle comes from never not being a nurse, even if you aren't treating patients.

Ronald’s Answer


Hello Tania,

I help my customers with job interviews, and how to ace them. Most job interviews use behavioral questions - meaning these questions cannot be answered simply with a yes or a no. You would have to tell me a story that follows a simple structure: S-Situation, A-Action, R-Result (S.A.R.). If you remember this structure it can help you prepare and answer most situational/behavioral interview questions. Check the link below for sample behavioral interview questions for nursing.

Ronald recommends the following next steps:

  • Read: https://nurse.org/articles/nurse-behavioral-interview-questions-answers/
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