Whether you’re an experienced nurse or just getting your career started, here’s a guide with sample nursing interview questions and answers to help you prepare for your next job interview.
Searching for a nursing job is exhausting, from filling out applications, uploading your resume and cover letter to passing readiness tests and assessments. By the time you finally land an interview, the process can be overwhelming. Nursing job interviews can feel intimidating for even the most experienced nurse, but interviewing can be something you conquer without breaking a sweat. Here’s a guide to help you master your next job interview, including samples of common nursing interview questions and answers.
Nursing Peer-Interview GONE WRONG| Interview Tips
What is your greatest contribution to a team?
Its important that to fit into a team youre working with so everyone can come up with creative solutions to patient problems and collaborate well as a group. Each employee comes to the workplace with a variety of experiences, both personally and professionally, that can affect how they interact with others. If your peer group asks you this question during an interview, they are probably doing so to understand more about what they can expect from you if you were to get hired.
Example answer: “Although the healthcare environment can be serious, especially since we all have a lot of responsibility, I bring an element of fun to the team. I truly believe that if you can have fun at work and enjoy the company of your peers, youll experience greater job satisfaction and be open to more opportunities to collaborate.”
Similar jobs to nursing
If youre seeking a job as a nurse or another occupation in the medical field, there are multiple options to consider. Heres a list of 10 jobs that are similar to nurses:
1. Medical assistant
2. Health technician
3. Home health aide
4. Paramedic
6. Respiratory therapist
7. Sonographer
8. Dental hygienist
9. Phlebotomist
10. Rehab counselor
Tell us about a time when you disagreed with your coworker over how to care for a patient.
Its imperative that coworkers get along so they can accomplish their shared goal of providing great patient care, but there may be times when you disagree with someone over the treatment plan for a patient. Because of your unique experiences, you may have different opinions from your peers or the doctors you work with. During your peer interview, consider how you can let those interviewing you know you can still be respectful and professional if youre in this situation.
Example answer: “I respect my teammates, but I know there can be times when we disagree about how to provide care to a patient. In these instances, I make sure to actively listen to my peers to hear and understand their rationale. Then, I provide insight into my own thought process. Most of the time, this resolves any potential disagreement but if not, I think its important for both parties to feel comfortable asking for a physicians help.”
Why Did You Choose a Career in Nursing?
Healthcare hiring managers care about passion—for nursing, for patient care and safety (and quality patient care), and for making a positive impact on people’s lives.
“Passion is probably one of the most important things. There are so many times where it comes down to two candidates, both equally qualified, [and] they will always take the candidate with more passion about why they’re doing what they’re doing,” says Musto. If a nurse isn’t in love with their field, Musto points out, they won’t work well with others, and they also won’t work well with patients.
Explain what drew you to nursing from a mission standpoint. What do you love most about it? What gets you excited about the field? What about taking care of patients resonates with you?
Don’t be afraid to tie it back to a personal anecdote, either, such as a childhood experience or a relative who was a nurse. These three women’s stories about why they choose a career path in medicine might inspire your own pitch.
How Do You Practice Self-Care?
Nursing can be a physically and emotionally taxing career, so it’s important for interviewers to see that you know how to balance work and life. And that you’ll be able to take care of yourself—no matter how grueling the work gets—so that you can come back the next day ready to continue to perform.
“Every day you’re opening the obituaries and seeing a patient that you treated for 10 years, or you’re seeing that mom who had three small kids who died of breast cancer,” says Emily Hershey, BSN, RN, Executive Search Consultant of Clinical Nursing at The Roman Healthcare Group. So when she’s interviewing candidates, she wants to know how they deal with and overcome “compassion fatigue.”
Underneath this question, she says, she really wants to know: “How do you handle your emotions changing in a matter of 30 seconds, and be able to go from room to room? And then be able to go home to be with your spouse and your children?” Overall, good nurses have strong emotional intelligence—about their patients, sure, but also about themselves.
There’s no right or wrong answer to this: Just explain how you’ve learned to cope with the stresses and exhaustion of the job. Do you exercise? Bake? Unplug with a good movie and some quality family time?
Bonus: Adding in a couple specific examples of times you’ve had to overcome an especially emotional situation or day can make your answer even stronger.
PILOT INTERVIEW Questions And Answers! (How to PASS an Airline Pilot Interview)
1. What is CRM process as Airline Pilot? The systematic and effective use of all available resources to ensure a desirable outcome and completion of the flight. Focusing on communication, teamwork, task allocation, decision-making and situational awareness. The major contributors in the CRM process are: Dispatchers, flight attendants, maintenance, ATC and of course the cockpit crew.
2. What is the MAP on a non-precision approach? Non-precision: MAP is usually visually identified by a capitol and bold “M” in the Jepps or at the end of the solid line on NOS. There are several ways to id the MAP: Published DME at the MAP, Navaid such as the middle marker (MM), or timing from the FAF
3. What is the importance of proficiency in several languages for a pilot? A private pilot may limit himself to knowledge of English good enough to understand control towers. Other pilots, being more publicly involved figures by necessity, greatly benefit from knowing more than one language.
4. What is your Proudest accomplishment? Becoming a pilot and graduating from college as to be the biggest accomplish so far.
5. What is the 1-2-3 rule? Requirements for filing an alternate. 1-2-3: 1hr before to 1hr after estimated time of arrival, the weather must be forecast to be 2000′ ceiling and 3SM vis.
6. What makes a good captain or what do you expect from a Captain? one that is knowledgeable, decisive, conservative and safety conscious, good people skills, superior communication skills, solid piloting skills, can manage stress and avoid confrontation
7. List your qualifications as a pilot? Besides relevant college degree(s), pilots graduate from flying school and participate in annual additional training.
8. What is GRID MORA? It’s an altitude derived by Jepp or provided by state authorities. If derived by Jepp, Grid MORA clear all terrain and structures by 1000′ in areas where highest elevations are 5000′ MSL or lower. MORA values clear all terrain and structures by 2000′ in areas where highest elevations are 5001′ MSL or higher. Grid MORA (State) altitude supplied by the State Authority provides 2000′ clearance in mountainous areas and 1000′ in non-mountainous areas. Also… a +/- denote doubtful accuracy but are believed to provide sufficient reference point clearance.
9. What is the definition of CRM? CRM is a system which allows optimum use of all available resources – equipment, procedures, interpersonal communication, team work – all to promote safety and enhance efficiency in operations
10. What is Vso of your most recent aircraft? Cessna 172 is 41Kts
11. What is the max distance from the runway if you were to circle to land? Depends on your speed
12. Have you applied anywhere else? Just be honest on this one. If you are in the job hunt, it’s normal to apply to several companies. It’s great to tell them that Cathay is your top choice, but it would be suspect to say Cathay is your only choice.
13. What is mach tuck? As the aircraft reaches critical mach the nose of the aircraft tends to pitch downwards due to the flow of air over the wing reaching supersonic speeds producing additional life and center of pressure moving rearward. As the center of pressure moves rearward the elevators become less effective, pushing the aircraft into a potentially unrecoverable dive.
14. What is tower’s NORDO signal to be cleared to land? Steady green
15. What is VMCG? minimum speed control in the ground
16. What is the difference between Blue, Green Airports? blue is IFR (has approaches) green is VFR (no approaches)
17. What is GRADIENT CLIMB? 3%
18. What is VMCA? Minimun Speed Control in the Air
19. What is windshear? its a change on direction and speed of the wind
20. What is MOCA? Minimum Obstacle Clearance that provides obstable clearance between Vor airways. It also ensures VOR coverage 22nm from the nearest VOR
21. What is hyperventilation? hyperventilation is when the body has too much Oxygen and not enough Co2
22. Ever had an emergency? yes, many over the years
23. Pilots have many simultaneous responsibilities during the flight. What can you tell me about this? Pilots navigate the flight, observe and direct the activities of the crew, check instruments, keep an eye on the weather, and monitor altitude and air traffic. Doing all these and more, often simultaneously, requires outstanding multi-tasking skills and power of concentration.
24. What are the max airspeeds in C airspace? 200 KIAS within 4 NM of Primary Class C Airport
25. How would you behave as the pilot of a plane during an emergency? Describe first what your emotional response would be. It is important to demonstrate, preferably through examples, that you can maintain your poise during such events, and that you possess enough presence of mind to activate emergency procedures and delegate duties among crew members as necessary.
26. Where do you see yourself in 6 months? with your company
27. Did you ever have to modify the flight course in the past? Pilots are able to modify the course in flight, if this is dictated by internal or external conditions. This is not a small responsibility and needs careful coordination with control towers and scrupulous attention to detail.
28. What Is V2? takeoff safety speed
29. What Is Max A/s In Class C? Airspeed maximum of 200 knots indicated within 4 nautical or 5 statute miles and 2500 feet above the ground of the primary airport.
30. What Are The Cdi/raim Sensitivities Of A Gps Outside 30nm? Inside 30nm? +- 5 mi +- 1 mi
31. What Is The Effect Of Aft Cg On Performance? rearward Cg gives better fuel efficiency
32. What Is An Lda? a precision approach that is offset from the runway, it may have GS
33. Where Is The Faf On A Vor/ils Approach? On a VOR approach, the FAP is whenever you are established on course inbound and the final decent may be started. For non-precision approaches, the FAF is the “Maltese Cross” and for precision, the arrow which identifies the GS intercept.
34. Why Cape Air? big airline paneer
35. What Kind Of Airspace Is Around Lax? Class B. Very congested airspace.
36. What Is V1? Take off decision speed
37. What is hypoxia? Lack of oxygen to body tissues
38. Why do you like Compass? I like the new modern equipment and I like the fact that it’s got flow through to/ is part of Northwest.
39. What is a squall line? It is a continuous narrow line active of thunderstorms ahead of cold front but can develop far removed of any front. May be too long to detour, too thick to penetrate. It forms very rapidly reach Max intensity in late afternoon or early evening. IT IS THE SINGLE MOST INTENSE WEATHER HAZARD FOR AIRCRAFT.
40. Why do you want to work for Allegiant? growing company, day trips, upgrade potential
41. Why Ameriflight? I’d like to fly cargo and gain the single-pilot IFR experience
42. Did you ever have a problem with an F/O? Yes
43. What is your clearance limit when cleared for the approach and then you loose coms? The published hold on the missed.
44. What is MEA? Minimum En Route Altitude, lowest altitude on that airway that assures obstacle clearance and acceptable navigational reception.
45. What is Definition of V2? Single engine climb speed until safe altitude or clear of obstacles
46. What is Definition of V1? on a balance runway it is the last chance for you to decide not to go if you have and emergency and still stop on the runway according to the air data
47. What is the definition of Hypoxia? Not enough Oxygen
48. What is the seating capacity of the Dash 8 100 and 300 and how many flight attendants you need? DA-100 (37) DA-300 (50) FA 1
49. Tell me the biggest factor as far as fuel conservation goes as it relates to a jet engine? TSFC thrust specific fuel consumption which directly inperpolates to power setting and altitude. Higher you climb the less fuel required. Throttle settings also have a say in conservation and relates more to maintenance issues which is why full throttle takeoffs are rarely done.
50. What qualities make a good captain? Confident, Diligent, Good CRM skills, Good Problem Solver
51. What’s your choice of base? PDX or Seattle
52. World Airways Pilot Interview Questions:
53. Flight Express Airline Pilot Interview Questions:
54. Lion Air Airline Pilot Interview Questions:
55. LAN Airline Pilot Interview Questions:
56. Miami Air International Airline Pilot Interview Questions:
57. Mokulele Airlines Pilot Interview Questions:
58. Ryan International Airlines Airline Pilot Interview Questions:
59. Seaborne Airlines Pilot Interview Questions:
60. XOJET Airline Pilot Interview Questions:
FAQ
What questions are asked in a peer interview?
- How would you handle a conflict with a coworker without addressing your supervisor? …
- What are your ideal traits for a coworker? …
- What words would you use to describe the ideal employee? …
- How would you rate your teamwork skills?
How do you pass a peer interview?
- Tell me about yourself.
- What do you like most about being a nurse?
- What do you find most difficult about being a nurse?
- Why are you leaving your current position?
- Why do you want to work here?
- What are your strengths and weaknesses as a nurse?
What is a peer review interview?
- Observe and listen. This is more generic, but get a sense for the office culture. …
- Ask questions. The same skills ring true for your peer interviews. …
- Then ask the same questions again. …
- Go higher. …
- Pay close attention to body language.
