RN NURSING INTERVIEW QUESTIONS SAMPLES WITH ANSWERS
You find your patient is unconscious. What steps
do you do next? - - First, I would assess If patient is able, encourage deep breathing
the patient's ABC's (airway clear, if they are (pursed lip). Check patient medications for any
breathing and if they have a pulse). If i can see puffers, nebulizers, steroids if there is mucus
that the patient has airway obstruction, I can build up,. I would also suction if patient has
suction or try a tilt chin lift. excess muscus that is obstructing the airway.
If the patient is not breathing, has no pulse, and Call doctor. Draw blood, monitor lab values like
is full code, I will call a code blue and begin chest ABG's.
compressions and ambu bag.
If the patient has a pulse, I would immedietly Give an example of a time where you had a
check patient blood glucose levels, because they conflict with a co-worker and how you handled it -
may be experiencing hypoglycemia. As per - As a student nurse, I was paired up with a
medical directive, I would administer 50% nurse that I have not worked with before on the
dextrose over 5 mins and get them on D5w IV unit. It was our first time working together and at
after that. Call doctor and monitor BS and vitals the beginning of the shift I noticed the nurse was
a bit stand off-ish. She was not including me in
much and was a bit rude when she talked to me.
Your patient is experiencing chest pain. What are Initially I was quite upset, because it did hurt my
the priority interventions to be done? - - feelings a bit and all I wanted to do was to help.
First I would do a pain assessment, PQRSTU.
Usually patients that are having a suspected MI I took a step back and empathized on how the
describe their chest pain like someone is sitting nurse might feel with having a heavy work load
on their chest. First I would administer oxygen and having a nursing student on top of that.
therapy, then raise the head of the bed, check
vital signs, call doctor, prepare to administer I spoke to the nurse later on and tried to reassure
vasodialators. Nitroglycerin to be given up to 3 her that I am here to help and support her with
doses, five minutes in between. Pain whatever I am able to do as a student. She
management (morphine), IV fluids to bring blood appreciated my words and I noticed a change on
pressure up, Adenosine to bring HR down. EKG how she communicated with me which was much
to be done etc etc more positive.
Make sure I try to lower patient's anxiety during
the process as it is a very scary time. Document Explain the role of a nurse during discharge
what happened and let family know. teaching and planning - - Initially, I must
make sure the patient is stable. Next I would
move to patient education. I would provide
What would you do if your patient is SOB and education on patient medications that they will be
having dyspnea? - - Raise the HOB. Give taking home what they are and what they do. If
patient oxygen therapy. Count respirations, look the patient is going home with something like a
at quality of breaths taken. Inspect chest wall catheter I would teach them signs and symptoms
and face for cyanosis, palpate for any masses of infection which can occur with indwelling
and perform tactile, auscultate for any catheter care. Additionally, I explain to them
adventitious sounds. Check O2 and other vital about the follow up appointments with their
signs primary health care giver. Answer any questions
1/5
, RN NURSING INTERVIEW QUESTIONS SAMPLES WITH ANSWERS
they may have and make sure they feel confidnet what was required of your job? - -
and are competent to take care on their own or
with family.
A patient had their scheduled Dilauded dose
recently and on top had a PRN pain med but is
Describe a time where you demonstrated person still complaining of pain. What would you do
centered care - - Heard from report that a about this? - - Assess Pain -PQRSTU-->
patient was rude, decline a lot of morning try to critical think the underlying cause of the
hygeine care such as bed bath, brushing teeth. I pain (ie huge headache can be stroke etc)
spoke with the patient to understand the reason check pt MAR to see if any other pain meds are
why, and patient expressed wanting to be able to available to be given, if not do temporary non-
do things on his own like "he used to". He didn't pharmacological interventions such as re
like brushing his teeth on his bed like the other positioning or distractions. Next I would call the
nurses provided him with. I decided to do doctor and collaborate with the anesthetic team
something about this by getting the patient into a (?) to look for alternative pain management such
wheelchair and into the bathroom. Although he as PCA pumps, epidurals, CADD pumps etc. Or
was 2 person assist and I needed to get another perphaps a different pain medication. Once that
person to get him to the bathroom, the patient is implemented I will evaluate the effect of the
really appreciated it and was very pleasant the pain mangement.
rest of the day.
A patient had a fall while you were not there, a
Why do you think we should hire you? - - family member however was there at the time.
Firstly, I have experience working at Sunnybrook,The patient is on the floor and and is alert and
specifically on C6. Which was a surgical- oriented x 2. What will you do? - - First take
oncology floor. There I learned a lot and worked patient's vital signs, do quick head to toe
collaboratively in a fast past environment. I assessment looking for any broken bones. I
encourntered patients who were rapidly declining would ask the family member and patient about
in health status and I had to prioritize and what exactly happened and if the patient hit their
critically think--> important working in ACNRT head on anything. If patient is stable, I would get
help to get patient up into bed. Addressing the
I am flexible and able to asapt quickly. Working patient being oriented x2, I would check their
as PSW in home care, I am in new environments baseline, if it is different I will complete a
with new clients all the time. Have to provide thorough neuro assesment (PERRLA, glasgow
care in new places and interact with other coma scale) Let doctor and family aware and
caregivers. perhaps get testing such as CT scan of head if
there is any effect in brain ie aneurysm
Passionate to work with ACNRT , amazing
learning oppurtunity.
What are some of the important things to do and
I resonate with hospital's mission: We care for keep in mind when doing patient education? -
our patients and their families when it matters - I personally like to follow Vella's 12
most. prinicples of Adult Education. The first step is
assessing what the patient know and doesn't
know. Other important parts of the process is the
Describe a time you went above and beyond of environment, making sure its a quite and safe
2/5
You find your patient is unconscious. What steps
do you do next? - - First, I would assess If patient is able, encourage deep breathing
the patient's ABC's (airway clear, if they are (pursed lip). Check patient medications for any
breathing and if they have a pulse). If i can see puffers, nebulizers, steroids if there is mucus
that the patient has airway obstruction, I can build up,. I would also suction if patient has
suction or try a tilt chin lift. excess muscus that is obstructing the airway.
If the patient is not breathing, has no pulse, and Call doctor. Draw blood, monitor lab values like
is full code, I will call a code blue and begin chest ABG's.
compressions and ambu bag.
If the patient has a pulse, I would immedietly Give an example of a time where you had a
check patient blood glucose levels, because they conflict with a co-worker and how you handled it -
may be experiencing hypoglycemia. As per - As a student nurse, I was paired up with a
medical directive, I would administer 50% nurse that I have not worked with before on the
dextrose over 5 mins and get them on D5w IV unit. It was our first time working together and at
after that. Call doctor and monitor BS and vitals the beginning of the shift I noticed the nurse was
a bit stand off-ish. She was not including me in
much and was a bit rude when she talked to me.
Your patient is experiencing chest pain. What are Initially I was quite upset, because it did hurt my
the priority interventions to be done? - - feelings a bit and all I wanted to do was to help.
First I would do a pain assessment, PQRSTU.
Usually patients that are having a suspected MI I took a step back and empathized on how the
describe their chest pain like someone is sitting nurse might feel with having a heavy work load
on their chest. First I would administer oxygen and having a nursing student on top of that.
therapy, then raise the head of the bed, check
vital signs, call doctor, prepare to administer I spoke to the nurse later on and tried to reassure
vasodialators. Nitroglycerin to be given up to 3 her that I am here to help and support her with
doses, five minutes in between. Pain whatever I am able to do as a student. She
management (morphine), IV fluids to bring blood appreciated my words and I noticed a change on
pressure up, Adenosine to bring HR down. EKG how she communicated with me which was much
to be done etc etc more positive.
Make sure I try to lower patient's anxiety during
the process as it is a very scary time. Document Explain the role of a nurse during discharge
what happened and let family know. teaching and planning - - Initially, I must
make sure the patient is stable. Next I would
move to patient education. I would provide
What would you do if your patient is SOB and education on patient medications that they will be
having dyspnea? - - Raise the HOB. Give taking home what they are and what they do. If
patient oxygen therapy. Count respirations, look the patient is going home with something like a
at quality of breaths taken. Inspect chest wall catheter I would teach them signs and symptoms
and face for cyanosis, palpate for any masses of infection which can occur with indwelling
and perform tactile, auscultate for any catheter care. Additionally, I explain to them
adventitious sounds. Check O2 and other vital about the follow up appointments with their
signs primary health care giver. Answer any questions
1/5
, RN NURSING INTERVIEW QUESTIONS SAMPLES WITH ANSWERS
they may have and make sure they feel confidnet what was required of your job? - -
and are competent to take care on their own or
with family.
A patient had their scheduled Dilauded dose
recently and on top had a PRN pain med but is
Describe a time where you demonstrated person still complaining of pain. What would you do
centered care - - Heard from report that a about this? - - Assess Pain -PQRSTU-->
patient was rude, decline a lot of morning try to critical think the underlying cause of the
hygeine care such as bed bath, brushing teeth. I pain (ie huge headache can be stroke etc)
spoke with the patient to understand the reason check pt MAR to see if any other pain meds are
why, and patient expressed wanting to be able to available to be given, if not do temporary non-
do things on his own like "he used to". He didn't pharmacological interventions such as re
like brushing his teeth on his bed like the other positioning or distractions. Next I would call the
nurses provided him with. I decided to do doctor and collaborate with the anesthetic team
something about this by getting the patient into a (?) to look for alternative pain management such
wheelchair and into the bathroom. Although he as PCA pumps, epidurals, CADD pumps etc. Or
was 2 person assist and I needed to get another perphaps a different pain medication. Once that
person to get him to the bathroom, the patient is implemented I will evaluate the effect of the
really appreciated it and was very pleasant the pain mangement.
rest of the day.
A patient had a fall while you were not there, a
Why do you think we should hire you? - - family member however was there at the time.
Firstly, I have experience working at Sunnybrook,The patient is on the floor and and is alert and
specifically on C6. Which was a surgical- oriented x 2. What will you do? - - First take
oncology floor. There I learned a lot and worked patient's vital signs, do quick head to toe
collaboratively in a fast past environment. I assessment looking for any broken bones. I
encourntered patients who were rapidly declining would ask the family member and patient about
in health status and I had to prioritize and what exactly happened and if the patient hit their
critically think--> important working in ACNRT head on anything. If patient is stable, I would get
help to get patient up into bed. Addressing the
I am flexible and able to asapt quickly. Working patient being oriented x2, I would check their
as PSW in home care, I am in new environments baseline, if it is different I will complete a
with new clients all the time. Have to provide thorough neuro assesment (PERRLA, glasgow
care in new places and interact with other coma scale) Let doctor and family aware and
caregivers. perhaps get testing such as CT scan of head if
there is any effect in brain ie aneurysm
Passionate to work with ACNRT , amazing
learning oppurtunity.
What are some of the important things to do and
I resonate with hospital's mission: We care for keep in mind when doing patient education? -
our patients and their families when it matters - I personally like to follow Vella's 12
most. prinicples of Adult Education. The first step is
assessing what the patient know and doesn't
know. Other important parts of the process is the
Describe a time you went above and beyond of environment, making sure its a quite and safe
2/5
