NEW GRAD RN INTERVIEW EXAM 2025-2026
VERIFIED QUESTIONS AND DETAILED
ANSWERS.
What sparked your passion for nursing?
Preparing for these interviews made me really realize that there are two main
answers to this. I had always known that after caring for my father as he waited for
a liver and kidney transplant had turned me towards nursing. He waited a long time,
was in and out of various hospitals and declined so much during that time that we
very nearly gave up hope of it ever happening. It did by the way! Watching and
helping dedicated nurses care for him, made me realize what an impact a good
nurse can make opposed to one going through the motions. Small comforts are
everything when you are living your life looking at the same four walls and being
subjected to the same treatments and interventions day after day. Often patients
lose their dignity, their independence and sometimes a measure of their humanity.
The absolute least that they deserve is whatever small comfort we can provide. He
had my mother and I at his bedside 24/7 and still mishaps and miscommunications
happened! It terrified me then and still does to think about those who are seriously
sick and have no-one to advocate for them. I was looking for a noble profession to
devote myself to and knew that I had found it!
The second event that solidified my commitment to nursing was when my nephew,
who was 3 or 4 got mauled by a dog while we were visiting relatives out of town.
It was the 4th of July and we'd just come back to my cousin's house from watching
fireworks. She was caring for her daughter's American Bulldog and the loud noises
had freaked it out. My cousin was standing in her doorway keeping the dog back,
when we pulled up outside her house. My nieces and nephew adore my cousin and
so they ran to hug her. My nephew was fastest, got to her first and lept into her
arms. The dog rushed forward and clamped it's large mouth around his tiny thigh
,and began to shake him. I was right behind the kids and began pounding on the
dogs back with both fists until it released my nephew and turned to me in
bewilderment. I could tell the dog really thought it had been doing it's job
protecting my cousin from this little attacker.
Very quickly, we were back in the van on the way to nearby ED. When we got
there, they rushed us all back, heard the story, assessed him and began cleaning the
wound to prepare to stitch it up. When my sister-in law saw the full extent of the
damage to her son's leg, she blanched and slumped over. Soon the staff was
rushing to her aid, admitting her and starting a 12 lead EKG. My brother looked at
me in a daze and said he had to see about her and asked whether I could stay with
his son who was terrified, in a panic and wanting his mother more than anything in
the world!
Like any kid he hates shots and t him the dozens of lidocaine pricks was a new
torture. To keep his focus on me and to keep him steady while the pricked and
stitched him, I started asking him about his two favorite subjects. Christmas and
his birthday. Although he was still terrified, the lidocaine had begin working and
he was able to begin reciting to me the laundry list of things that his little heart
desired. When he ran out of things that her wanted he began asking for things for
his sisters. Needless to say I promised him almost everything he asked for and had
me describe how he'd use it.
By the time the had finished and his mother was back at his bedside, I had the
feeling that I wanted to work with kids and that I wanted to and was capable of
caring for them in the scariest of times. I knew that I wanted to be pediatric nurse
then and never questioned it afterwards. Thinking back through my experiences
only recently made me realize that this was the moment.
Describe some specific ways that clinical rotations prepared you for a nursing
career?
Being in the UCSF PICU reminded me that a certain level of self-doubt or even
fear is a healthy thing. I came in intimidated, found a comfort zone, realized that
, that comfort zone was an illusion, and left intimidated but with faith that in time I
could be a great PICU RN! Nicholle, my preceptor built my confidence by giving
me easier patients until I was almost completely caring for them independently -
when I was confident and comfortable. She revealed to me that, while giving the
same care that I was - in the moment, she was looking out for and anticipating a
dozen other possible scenarios based on her assessments and observable data. I'm
so glad that I had that progression of thought to learn from! My L and D rotation
prepared me by reminding me that you should always be your patient's fiercest
advocate and that if you are respectful, personable, competent and show that you
care, patients will put their trust in you in nearly any situation. It is your duty to not
betray that trust once you've earned it, and to stay focussed on what's important for
them and their wellbeing.
What are the best and worst things about being a nurse?
Best: Is definitely seeing a patient turn around and improve. To see hope and effort
realized. While I was in the PICU, we had a toddler that finally got to go home
after 8 months of being there. I remember, the nurses on the unit got together and
made a big posterboard card congratulating him and his parents on the graduation
and wishing them Best Wishes. They even got balloons! When transport came to
take them and the 4 carts of belongs they had accumulated in the room, nearly the
whole unit turned out to cheer them as they paraded through the halls to the exit. I
got a little choked up and thought that, with all the losing battles we fight, what a
great thing it is to get such a sweet win, once in a while.
Worst: First is sometimes not having the tools or ability to alleviate the suffering of
your patient. This along with the fact that nurses take a certain amount of their
work home with them, can sometimes make it a very hard job. Second is Code
Browns! I've gotten so used to them, that I don't really mind them. Between my
nearly 5 years at UCSF and during my CNA and Nursing clinicals, I've literally
wiped hundreds of butts! But, I mind the much less when it's baby poop.
VERIFIED QUESTIONS AND DETAILED
ANSWERS.
What sparked your passion for nursing?
Preparing for these interviews made me really realize that there are two main
answers to this. I had always known that after caring for my father as he waited for
a liver and kidney transplant had turned me towards nursing. He waited a long time,
was in and out of various hospitals and declined so much during that time that we
very nearly gave up hope of it ever happening. It did by the way! Watching and
helping dedicated nurses care for him, made me realize what an impact a good
nurse can make opposed to one going through the motions. Small comforts are
everything when you are living your life looking at the same four walls and being
subjected to the same treatments and interventions day after day. Often patients
lose their dignity, their independence and sometimes a measure of their humanity.
The absolute least that they deserve is whatever small comfort we can provide. He
had my mother and I at his bedside 24/7 and still mishaps and miscommunications
happened! It terrified me then and still does to think about those who are seriously
sick and have no-one to advocate for them. I was looking for a noble profession to
devote myself to and knew that I had found it!
The second event that solidified my commitment to nursing was when my nephew,
who was 3 or 4 got mauled by a dog while we were visiting relatives out of town.
It was the 4th of July and we'd just come back to my cousin's house from watching
fireworks. She was caring for her daughter's American Bulldog and the loud noises
had freaked it out. My cousin was standing in her doorway keeping the dog back,
when we pulled up outside her house. My nieces and nephew adore my cousin and
so they ran to hug her. My nephew was fastest, got to her first and lept into her
arms. The dog rushed forward and clamped it's large mouth around his tiny thigh
,and began to shake him. I was right behind the kids and began pounding on the
dogs back with both fists until it released my nephew and turned to me in
bewilderment. I could tell the dog really thought it had been doing it's job
protecting my cousin from this little attacker.
Very quickly, we were back in the van on the way to nearby ED. When we got
there, they rushed us all back, heard the story, assessed him and began cleaning the
wound to prepare to stitch it up. When my sister-in law saw the full extent of the
damage to her son's leg, she blanched and slumped over. Soon the staff was
rushing to her aid, admitting her and starting a 12 lead EKG. My brother looked at
me in a daze and said he had to see about her and asked whether I could stay with
his son who was terrified, in a panic and wanting his mother more than anything in
the world!
Like any kid he hates shots and t him the dozens of lidocaine pricks was a new
torture. To keep his focus on me and to keep him steady while the pricked and
stitched him, I started asking him about his two favorite subjects. Christmas and
his birthday. Although he was still terrified, the lidocaine had begin working and
he was able to begin reciting to me the laundry list of things that his little heart
desired. When he ran out of things that her wanted he began asking for things for
his sisters. Needless to say I promised him almost everything he asked for and had
me describe how he'd use it.
By the time the had finished and his mother was back at his bedside, I had the
feeling that I wanted to work with kids and that I wanted to and was capable of
caring for them in the scariest of times. I knew that I wanted to be pediatric nurse
then and never questioned it afterwards. Thinking back through my experiences
only recently made me realize that this was the moment.
Describe some specific ways that clinical rotations prepared you for a nursing
career?
Being in the UCSF PICU reminded me that a certain level of self-doubt or even
fear is a healthy thing. I came in intimidated, found a comfort zone, realized that
, that comfort zone was an illusion, and left intimidated but with faith that in time I
could be a great PICU RN! Nicholle, my preceptor built my confidence by giving
me easier patients until I was almost completely caring for them independently -
when I was confident and comfortable. She revealed to me that, while giving the
same care that I was - in the moment, she was looking out for and anticipating a
dozen other possible scenarios based on her assessments and observable data. I'm
so glad that I had that progression of thought to learn from! My L and D rotation
prepared me by reminding me that you should always be your patient's fiercest
advocate and that if you are respectful, personable, competent and show that you
care, patients will put their trust in you in nearly any situation. It is your duty to not
betray that trust once you've earned it, and to stay focussed on what's important for
them and their wellbeing.
What are the best and worst things about being a nurse?
Best: Is definitely seeing a patient turn around and improve. To see hope and effort
realized. While I was in the PICU, we had a toddler that finally got to go home
after 8 months of being there. I remember, the nurses on the unit got together and
made a big posterboard card congratulating him and his parents on the graduation
and wishing them Best Wishes. They even got balloons! When transport came to
take them and the 4 carts of belongs they had accumulated in the room, nearly the
whole unit turned out to cheer them as they paraded through the halls to the exit. I
got a little choked up and thought that, with all the losing battles we fight, what a
great thing it is to get such a sweet win, once in a while.
Worst: First is sometimes not having the tools or ability to alleviate the suffering of
your patient. This along with the fact that nurses take a certain amount of their
work home with them, can sometimes make it a very hard job. Second is Code
Browns! I've gotten so used to them, that I don't really mind them. Between my
nearly 5 years at UCSF and during my CNA and Nursing clinicals, I've literally
wiped hundreds of butts! But, I mind the much less when it's baby poop.
