Registered Nurse interview questions and answers
This Registered Nurse interview profile brings together a snapshot of what to look for in candidates with a balanced sample of suitable interview questions.
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Registered Nurse Interview Questions
Due to the recent boom in the healthcare industry, healthcare centers are rushing to hire Registered Nurses. At the same time, the applicant pool is flooded with both experienced and newly credentialed RNs. Most teams don’t have the capacity to train a new graduate, which means that the one thing that hiring managers are looking for is an RN candidate with the right kind of experience.
These interview questions will work for interviewing nurses in any healthcare field. They are written to help you evaluate the extent of a candidate’s hands-on experience in nursing and have an emphasis on providing high-quality patient care. For best results, add questions that address their nursing specialty, such as oncology, obstetrics, surgical services, etc.
Great nurses are patient, empathetic, observant, and have a knack for problem-solving. They are clear, even-tempered communicators capable of getting the point across to physicians but also demystifying healthcare for patients and their families. Use these interview questions to evaluate your candidates’ communication skills, clinical skills, practical experience and bedside manner.
Operational and Situational questions
- What led you to pursue a career in healthcare?
- What’s challenging about being a nurse?
- How much experience do you have in [this specialty area]?
- What measures do you take to continually increase your knowledge of [this specialty area]?
- Describe a time you faced a crisis at work. How did you overcome it?
- How would you handle disagreeing with your colleagues on the management of a patient?
- How do you ensure smooth collaboration with other members of a patient’s care team?
- Recall a time you calmed down a distressed or difficult patient. What did you do?
- Describe a time you had to deliver bad news to a patient’s family.
- Describe a time you had to make a time-sensitive decision regarding a patient.
- What would you do if you believed that management gave you incorrect information regarding a patient?
- How do you cope with high-stress situations at work?
- What are some of the frustrations you experience in this job?
- What do you know about our facility and why do you want to work here?