Nursing Interview: 5 Tricky Questions

If you are a qualified nurse and you’re applying for a nursing position then there may be a lot of candidates for the role. There are many questions that you may come across in your interview process.

Below we cover some of the more tricky questions you may face offering you as much advice as possible to help you along the way.

1. How you have dealt well in an emergency situation?

Hospitals are fraught with potential emergencies and any employer will want to know that you are able to cope with these situations when they arise. Be sure to take some time before the interview and make a note of emergency situations that you have dealt with in the past.

If you have no experience of this then don’t dodge the question. Give them examples of when you have worked well under pressure. Explain that you can use this experience to deal with more serious situations in the future.

2. Give an example of a situation at work that didn’t go as planned

By asking this question your potential employers are looking for a couple of things. Firstly they want you to be self aware, and able to acknowledge when things have gone badly. Secondly, they are aiming to see you show initiative in ensuring that these situations don’t arise again.
Mention the problem briefly, but spend more time talking about how you resolved this. Explain how you worked towards being confident it wouldn’t happen in future. This is the perfect chance to show your desire to learn and develop over time.

3. What’s your biggest weakness?

This is a question that will pop up in most job interviews. When answering this question you will want to give them a sign that whatever your weakness is, you are working towards improving in that area. If you struggle with a particular procedure then be sure to mention the short course you are undertaking in order to rectify the issue.

There are short courses for many things from specific procedures to time management courses. Whichever weaknesses you have, be sure to do something about them and then mention this in the interview. It shows that you are self aware and are always looking to improve.

4. What would you do if you were the only nurse on duty when…

• You notice some drugs are missing
• A patient falls out of bed
• A colleague hurts themselves

This question can come in a number of forms, but essentially what the employer is after is an answer that displays common sense. You want to let them know how you would deal with the situation in a professional manner.
Focus on the following points highlighted by the Royal College of Nursing:

• How you asses the situation
• The appropriate action you take
• The procedures and guidelines you should follow
• The correct communication
• Keeping record of the situation
• How you would evaluate and learn from the incident

If you can back this answer up with an example from a previous job of how you dealt with a situation similar, then make sure you do so. Proving you’ve already dealt with this scenario is a great way to prove your capability for the role.

5. Explain what is meant by ‘diversity at work’

This is a question that can be tricky, but as long as you are prepared it can be answered easily. You don’t just want to say that is involves treating everyone the same. This is a much too simplistic answer. You want to ensure that you mention that everyone has equal access to services and talk about how you should treat all of your colleagues with support and respect.

The Royal College of Nursing also offer this snippet of advice: ‘It is also about being self-aware and knowing how your own background, upbringing and culture may affect your interactions with those people who are different to you.’

They also suggest trying to get hold of the organisation’s equal opportunities or diversity statement, if it is available, as this will give you a better understanding of their own stance on the statement.