What made you choose nursing as a career?

I wanted to do something in my career that is challenging, interesting, and makes a difference in people's lives on a daily basis. My mother is a nurse, and seeing the satisfaction she feels every day by helping people in her job inspired my own interest in the field. I believe that nursing is one of the most interesting and growing careers available today, and I enjoy the difference I can make in my patient's hospital experience. How has your training prepared you for the challenges you will face in this position? What interests you about working at this facility? What do you feel you contribute to your patients? I offer my patients the very best care and advocacy I can. I believe that I offer my patients comfort and confidence that they are being well cared for. I feel that my patients know that I am there to provide comfort and understanding, that I will listen to their concerns, and that I will act as their advocate if necessary. How do you handle stress on the job?" By focusing on the most important thing, the care of the patient. I feel I owe it to my patients to stay calm and focused on them. In the ER setting, there are often stressful situations that arise. I just make sure that the stresses of the job don't interfere with the care of the patient. I am generally an easy going person, and I don't allow on the job stress to interfere with my work. How would you deal with a doctor who was rude and demeaning to you?" I would bring the question to my supervisor. If the doctor was displeased with me in some way, I would want to find out so I could take action to rectify the situation. I would ask the doctor if there was something in my care of the patient that she felt needed discussion. If it were a one time occurrence, I would figure that she was just having a bad day. If it happened repeatedly, I would notify my supervisor. How would you handle a patient who complains constantly of pain?" I would confer with the attending doctor to make sure that the patient's pain was being managed in the most effective way. I would reassure the patient that everything possible was being done to alleviate their discomfort. I would listen sympathetically to their complaint, reassure them that their concerns were being heard, and that we were doing everything possible to help them. How would you handle a patient who complains about everything?" I would first be sure that the patient had no valid complaints, and then just be patient and reassure them that we were doing our very best for them. I understand that some patients will complain about everything, just because they are unhappy about what brought them to our care. I just reassure them that everything possible is being done to make them comfortable. How would you handle the family of a patient in your care who is displeased with your care of the patient?" I would listen to their concerns, and reassure them that I was doing my very best for their loved one. Sometimes family members are looking for someone or something to blame for what their loved one is going through. I would try to reassure them that the patient was getting the best quality of care available. I would listen to their concerns, and make sure that if any were well founded they were addressed immediately. What do you feel you contribute to your patients?" I offer my patients the very best care and advocacy I can.

I believe that I offer my patients comfort and confidence that they are being well cared for. I feel that my patients know that I am there to provide comfort and understanding, that I will listen to their concerns, and that I will act as their advocate if necessary.

What do you find difficult about being a nurse?" Sometimes I find it difficult to leave work at work, as I tend to become very involved with my patients. I think the most difficult part of being a nurse is when I have a patient that is very unhappy, or in a lot of pain, and I can't comfort them to the degree I'd like. I prefer to look at difficulties as challenges, and I enjoy conquering challenges. What do you find most rewarding about being a nurse?" The most rewarding thing for me as a nurse is seeing the joy when a family first holds their baby. Interacting with the patients and their families is what I find most rewarding. I find helping patients through recovery after surgery, which is often one of their greatest challenges, to be most rewarding. What would you do if your replacement didn't arrive on time?" I would wait until she arrived, or until someone else was called in. I would notify the supervisor, and offer to stay until my replacement arrived. Try calling her to see if she were on the way, or if she needed help making arrangements for someone to take her shift. If you had the opportunity to become a doctor, would you take it?" No, I enjoy the personal contact with my patients, and the comradeship with my colleagues unique to nursing. I chose to become a nurse because I find the field fascinating. I plan on advancing my career as a nurse, not a doctor. Yes, I enjoy the medical field tremendously, and plan to continue my education throughout my career.

Would you describe yourself as an organized person?" Absolutely. I like to have a check list, and make sure that each item gets the attention it needs. Yes, sometimes a little too much so. I make sure that everything is neat and in order. I am a very organized and thorough person, which I think contributes to my success as a nurse. Are you a self motivator?" Absolutely. I can always find something productive that needs doing. I'm very motivated to do a good job at what I take on, and I like to stay busy. I am a self motivator, and I take great pride in my job as a nurse. Do you prefer to work alone, or as part of a team?" That depends on the circumstances. I enjoy being part of a treatment and support team, but I also like the autonomy of working alone. I believe that nursing in a hospital is a team effort, and I really enjoy making my contribution to the team. You need a certain amount of independence to work without the daily support of a team. As an in home nurse, I enjoy the one-onone with my patients.

Tell me about yourself: Although the interviewer is not wanting to listen to your life story, he/she does want you to describe your personality, educational attainment, career goals, and professional experiences. Tell me what you know about our company: You should conduct some research and be at least somewhat knowledgeable about the entity that might very well become your future workplace. You will look good to the interviewer if it appears that you have been doing your 'homework' on the company. So, tell us what you know about _____ nursing: Insert any nursing specialty into the blank space provided. You will stand out to the interviewer as a candidate who truly has passion about the specialty if you know more about it than the average person. If your dream is to work as a nurse in a well-baby nursery, you'd better be knowledgeable about the area in which you envision yourself working. Tell us what your current/former boss would say about you : The interviewer is basically looking for clues that will shed light on your work ethic and interpersonal skills. Direct quotes work well. "Jill always said I was dependable" is a direct quote that says a lot. Tell me why you want to work here: Your reasons for wanting to work at this place of employment should be positive. Also, make a connection between your career goals and how they can be achieved at this company. Describe to us how you perform under pressure: The settings in which nurses work can quickly turn into pressure-cooker environments. To be blunt, the interviewer does not want to hire anyone who is so emotionally fragile that they'll shatter like plate glass when faced with the day-to-day pressures of the job. Discuss your biggest strengths and weaknesses: The interviewer wants to hear about strengths that would be assets in the workplace. Since we all have weaknesses, the person conducting the interview will know you're a boldfaced liar if you deny having any. Are you a team player? Healthcare facilities prefer to hire people who work well with others, have good social skills, get along well with patients and visitors, and can pull together as a team for the sake of patient care. Discuss your salary requirements: This question is sneaky. Some companies have strict pay grids and other facilities are unionized, so salary

typically cannot be negotiated at these places. However, smaller workplaces may offer some wiggle room for negotiating the salary. The important thing is to not price oneself out of the market. What motivates you to be a nurse: Companies prefer to hire healthcare workers who are motivated by intangible ideals, not concrete realities such as money. Even if cash is your ultimate motivation, do not elaborate on your need for money. Describe a difficult situation and how you handled it: If you have healthcare experience, they want to know how you have dealt with angry doctors, emotionally upset families, or difficult patients. If you lack healthcare experience, you can discuss a difficult situation that occurred in school or a previous workplace. Tell us why we should hire you: This is the last time to truly sell yourself to the interviewer. Emphasize your positive attributes, reaffirm that you are a team player, and tell them why you are the best candidate for the position that they need to fill. Do you have any questions for us: Ask the interviewer something, whether it pertains to nurse/patient ratios, length of orientation, or educational opportunities. You might appear uninterested if you have no questions.

Why do you want to work in this industry? Ive always loved nursing, but my interest in health care really started when I volunteered at a homeless shelter in college. Seeing so many people without care inspired me to pursue a career devoted to caring for others. I kept going back and volunteering, which got me hooked. It was great to be able to contribute positively to society that then led me to a field I feel so passionate about. Tell us about yourself. Im really energetic, and a great communicator. Working in the medical field for two years helped me build confidence, and taught me the importance of patient care. Ive also got a track record of success. In my last role, I juggled a variety of patient loads, assisted in a charity fundraiser, and became an advocate for senior patients. Because of this, the hospital is launching a new educational program to teach nurses how to better care for elderly patients. Where do you see yourself in five years? In five years Id like to have an even better understanding of this industry. Also, I really love wor king with people. Ultimately, Id like to be in some type of managerial role at this hospital, where I can use my people skills and nursing knowledge to benefit the nurses working for me, and the patients and hospital as a whole." Whats your greatest weakness? Ive never been very comfortable with speaking up which as you know, can be a hindrance in nursing. Realizing this was a problem, I asked my previous employer if I could enroll in a speech workshop. He said yes. I took the class, and was

able to overcome my lifelong fear. Since then, Ive made great strides in sticking up for my patients, communicating with doctors, and just being a better nurse. I still dont love it, but no one else can tell! What salary are you looking for? Im more interested in the role itself than the pay. That said, Id expect to be paid the appropriate range for this role, based on my five years of experience. I also think a fair salary would bear in mind the high cost of living here in New York City. Why should I hire you? Ive been a Nurse Practitioner for the past ten years my boss has said time and time again that without me, the hospital would fall apart. Ive also taken the time to educate myself on some of the latest industry issues I regularly use (but didn t really understand the ins and outs of). Whats good enough for most people is never really good enough for me. What is your greatest failure, and what did you learn from it? When I was in college, I took an art class to supplement my curriculum. I didnt take it very seriously, and assumed that, compared to my biology classes, it would be a walk in the park. My failing grades at midterm showed me otherwise. Id even jeopardized my scholarship status. I knew I had to get my act together. I spent the rest of the semester making up for it, ended up getting a decent grade in the class. I learned that no matter what Im doing, I should strive to do it to the be st of my ability. Otherwise, its not worth doing at all. How do you explain your gap in employment? My work is important to me, so I wont be satisfied with any old nursing job. Instead of rushing to accept the first thing t hat comes my way, Im taking my time and being selective to make sure my next role is the right one." When were you most satisfied in your job? Im a people person. I was always happiest and most satisfied when I was interacting with patients, making sure I was able to meet their needs and giving them the best possible care. It was my favorite part of the job, and it showed I was rated as Good or Excellent 95% of the time in peer reviews. Part of the reason Im interested in this job is that I know I d have even more interaction with patients, on an even more critical level." What motivates you? Ive always been motivated by the challenge of a tough patient. In my last role, I came across a particular patient who refused a handful of nurses before he was assigned to me. I was able to find something we had in common, which calmed him down. After the patient saw me make an effort to better understand his situation, he became much more agreeable to my aid. I love facing and overcoming challenges on such a personal level. How would your friends describe you? My friends would probably say that Im extremely persistent Ive never been afraid to keep going back until I get what I want. When I worked as a program developer, recruiting keynote speakers for a major tech conference, I got one rejection after another this was just the nature of the job. But I really wanted the big players so I wouldnt take no for an answer. I kept going back to them every time there was a new company on board, or some new value proposition. Eventually, many of them actually said yes the program turned out to be so great that we doubled our attendees from the year before. A lot of people might have given up after the first rejection, but its just not in my nature. If I know something is possible, I have to keep trying until I get it.