You did it! You passed your exams. All your hard work, sleepless nights, and studying paid off. But now it is time for the next big step and that is preparing for interviews. Here in this blog, we will guide you on how to prepare for a nursing interview. These interview tips for nurses will help you land your dream job and start your career as a successful nurse.
Nursing interview tips
Here are tips on how to prepare for your nursing interview. Preparing for a nursing interview is essential, and these tips will help you to ace your interview.
- Research on healthcare facilities.
- Read the job description and demands.
- Search and look for social media.
- Review common interview questions.
- Refresh your knowledge of clinical skills.
- Practice your responses to the interview questions.
- Stay updated on the latest trends and technologies in nursing.
- Refresh your clinical skills.
- Keep your professional documents to date.
- Dress professionally
- Confirm the time location and format of the interview.
- Follow up.
How to prepare for nursing interview?
First, it is important to know what type of interview it is. Is it phone screening or in-person?
Pre-screen phone interview for Nurses
This is the interview to determine whether the candidate is fit for the job or not before calling them for a more in-depth interview. The goal of this is to filter the candidates and select the ones that are most suitable for the job.
Interview tips:
- Do not miss the call.
- Make sure to take calls in a quiet room.
- Answer the questions and do not be silent.
- Ask questions if you have any.
In-person interviews
In-person interviews are done face-to-face. This interview is to make sure you are the best or perfect candidate for the job or not so they can hire you.
Structure of in-person interview:
- Welcome, and introduction.
- Questions about professional background and experiences.
- Behavioral and situational questions.
- Clinical scenarios and problem-solving.
- Personal motivation.
- Wrapping up and thank you.
Nursing interview tips for in-person interview
Some of the nursing interview tips for in-person interviews are as follows:
- Be a storyteller using the STAR acronym and SABR acronym.
- Another tip for nursing interviews is to have control over your body language such as facial expressions, hand movements, posture, etc.
- Be real.
- Practice different types of questions. Do mock interviews with your friends or family members.
- Ask questions from the interviewer.
- Standout with your portfolio.
- Give a strong close.
- Clarify yourself with the next steps.
STAR nursing acronym
STAR is an acronym that nurses can use in their interviews to help structure answers to the interview questions. The STAR nursing acronym stands for:
- S: Situation
- T: Task
- A: Action
- R: Result
Situation: Describe the situation or task
For example: What was the situation, who was involved and why did it happen?
Task: Explain your role in the task
For example: Why were you involved and what is the background story?
Action: Describe the action you took.
For example: What steps did you take and why did you choose to use this method to resolve the situation?
Result: Explain the result of your action and highlight your strengths.
For example: What was the outcome and how do you feel about it? What did you learn?
Example to explain STAR nursing acronym
Question:
Describe the time when you had a demanding situation, how you managed it and why.
Answer:
Situation: One day, a patient was brought to an emergency department after a minor fall. His condition suddenly changed, it was difficult for him to breathe and had chest pain.
Task: My task was to quickly assess the patient and to coordinate with the medical team for rapid response to a potential heart attack.
Action: I recognized the symptoms and realized it was a myocardial infarction. I started emergency protocols such as administering oxygen and IV and communicating with other medical health workers to make sure that every step has been taken swiftly.
Result: The actions taken on time saved the patient’s life. He was admitted to the hospital for further recovery. This response made me realize that quick thinking and teamwork saves someone’s life.
SBAR nursing acronym
SBAR nursing acronym represents effective communication in nursing such as:
- S: Situation
- B: Background
- A: Assessment
- R: Recommendation
Final steps on how to prepare for nursing interview.
- Know the name of the person who is going to take your interview.
- The next nursing interview tip for nurses is to write down the time, location, and date of the interview.
- Another tip for interview tips for nurses is to drive to the location a few days before the interview so you don’t face any problems on the day of the interview.
- Do appropriate dressing.
- Plan your transportation and figure out how you will reach there.
- Bring essential items and documents.
- Follow up.
PICU interview questions:
- Do you have any previous experience providing care to children?
- How will you communicate the health information in an age-appropriate manner?
- How can you gain a child’s trust and make them comfortable?
- How can you resolve a conflict?
- What steps will you take to help a parent cope with anxiety or grief? How will you help them?
Interview questions for assistant director of nursing
- What qualities do you look for in nurses when recruiting?
- How will you manage newly trained nurses? What will you do differently?
- What is your experience with staff assessments?
Charge nurse interview questions example
- Tell me about the time you helped another nurse?
- How well you can manage pressure situations?
- How do you balance clinical care with administrative tasks?
Labor and delivery interview questions
- Why do you choose to become a labor and delivery nurse?
- Do you have any previous experience? If so, how much?
- Describe the time when you had to make a difficult decision.
- What steps did you take and what was the outcome of your decision?
Conclusion
To get your dream job it is important to be prepared for the nursing interview. In this blog, we have discussed all the nursing interview tips. These tips for nursing interviews will help you get the job you desire. These tips include how to prepare for a nursing interview, what type of questions you can expect during an interview, and how to answer them in the best possible way. It is also important to be prepared ahead of time, and dress appropriately.
