When you’re going through the hiring process at any organization, one necessary step is the job interview. In healthcare, you work closely with nursing peers and others to provide exceptional patient care, so a peer interview is typical so that others can contribute feedback on your hiring. Peers interviewing you may include the nurses you’ll work with, and it’s important to be prepared to answer their questions. In this article, we provide a list of interview questions you may receive during a peer interview and give you guidance on how you can answer them.
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Nursing peer interview questions with sample answers
Use this list of sample interview questions you may receive during a peer interview to successfully prepare for a new nursing position:
1. What do you love about being a nurse?
Peers often ask this question to understand more about you as a nurse, including what motivates you and why you chose this profession. This is your opportunity to talk about your favorite parts of the job. While there may be a lot you love, focus on the top one or two parts of nursing that you enjoy the most.
Example answer: “The reason I pursued a career in nursing is to make a difference in the lives of others. That is still a top reason why I continue to grow my career in this field. I’ve had the fortune to see how my actions have positively impacted someone else’s life, and it’s a great feeling.”
2. What’s your communication style?
Communication is important in any profession, but for those in the healthcare industry, good communication between teammates can affect the quality of care for a patient. It can be helpful for your peers to understand more about what they can expect from you as their coworker. With this information, they may be better able to decide if you’d be a good fit for the team that currently exists in the workplace.
Example answer: “In the workplace especially, I communicate openly. I do my best to make sure that my patients and members of my healthcare team know they can ask me questions or request something from me, and I’ll provide answers when I can and complete additional tasks as needed. In previous positions, I’ve been able to both lead a team discussion and allow others to do the same as the situation warrants it. If I earn this opportunity, I will make sure I learn how those around me prefer to communicate and use that knowledge when engaging in a discussion.”
3. How do you make sure you minimize the chance of injury to your patients?
Injury can happen in any healthcare environment, and it’s important that your team knows you have a plan for decreasing the risk of this situation happening. Keeping patients safe under your care and trusting the healthcare environment they’re in can be crucial to keeping them healthy and progressing in their treatment. Before you answer, think of the various protocols you’ve had to follow in previous roles so you can develop a response that shows this is something you’ve thought about or have had training in.
Example answer: “I know there are certain procedures in place for any organization to make sure the facility continues to be a safe place for patients. Because I know that injury can happen when we least expect it, I make sure I’m always up-to-date on fall prevention and know how to clean up spills and discard hazardous liquids. I also minimize the chances of injury by cleaning my work area, scheduling patient procedures so there isn’t overcrowding around the procedure room, and teaching patients how to care for themselves so they can avoid injury.”
4. What skills are you currently working on developing?
In the healthcare industry, you may be exposed to new trends and ways to treat patients and work in a variety of environments that include different diseases, types of patients, and work schedules. It’s likely you can find skills to develop as you continue your career in nursing, and managers and peers will probably want to see that you have goals you want to accomplish that will enhance your understanding of the nursing field and the abilities you have.
Example answer: “I think it’s important to keep your skills up, especially in a position like nursing. Right now, I’m taking a course on placing a central line so I can be ready to do so for a complicated procedure or emergency.”
5. Have you ever been in a situation where a patient was unhappy with your care? How did you handle it?
Exceptional patient care is likely near the top of your goals list for excelling in your career in nursing. However, even the most skilled nurses can be in situations where they have a patient who is upset with their level of care. It’s important to show a group of peers that you understand this can happen, yet you’re committed to continuing to perform your work to the best of your ability.
Example answer: “Patient care is really important to me, but I know there are times when a patient wishes that their care was different. I have been on the receiving end of a patient who was disappointed in the care I provided and, while that was slightly discouraging, it also kept me motivated to continue learning new skills, accessing patients thoroughly and speaking to them more about what they need from their care team.
When a patient is unhappy with my care, I start by listening. I want to hear their opinions in their entirety, so I understand more about why they may feel as they do. Then I apologize, see if I can fix the situation and thank the patient for being so forthcoming with their displeasure and willing to share more about their experience.”
6. Tell us about a time when you disagreed with your coworker over how to care for a patient.
It’s 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 you’re 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 it’s important for both parties to feel comfortable asking for a physician’s help.”
7. What is your greatest contribution to a team?
It’s important that to fit into a team you’re 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, you’ll experience greater job satisfaction and be open to more opportunities to collaborate.”
8. What are your expectations of this position?
This is an interesting question that your peer group may ask you so they can make sure your expectations of the position are close to what the actual experience will be. If your expectations are very inaccurate, the peer group may share more about the workplace or realize that this isn’t the best place for you. However, if your expectations are in line with how the work environment actually is, your peers may feel more comfortable welcoming you as a new member of the team.
Example answer: “I expect this position to be as close to the job description as possible, but I also understand how roles develop and I’m open to adjusting my expectations as needed. In general, I expect to work with individuals who are compassionate, kind, helpful, and perform their work with the patient’s best interest in mind.”
I hope you find this article helpful.