ER Nurse Interview Questions:
1. Describe an experience in managing an emergency situation. How did you manage it?
Candidates should demonstrate a methodical approach to emergency care and walk you through their process of responding to an emergency. Look out for a detailed, step-by-step methodology that is cognizant of its strengths and weaknesses.
2. Describe a situation where a patient was not responding to standard treatment. What action did you take?
When a rigid, methodological approach to emergency treatment fails, ER nurses are required to think on their feet and demonstrate sound decision-making ability in time-sensitive scenarios. This question tests a candidate's ability to think on their feet. Look out for stories that display bold decision-making under pressure.
3. Why are you interested in being a nurse?
With the current shortage of nurses and subsequent mandatory overtime, candidates need to treat the position as more than just a job. Suitable candidates will ruminate on the importance of empathy and will describe themselves as naturally caring people. They will demonstrate this by sharing stories of how they've cared for others in the past.
4. Tell us about a mistake you made in dealing with a crisis. How did you overcome it?
Candidates need to acknowledge that mistakes in their profession can often have severe consequences for their patients. Nonetheless, mistakes will happen. Candidates will need to describe how they managed their mistakes and the lessons they have learned.
5. Describe an experience where you had to deal with a difficult patient. What did you do?
ER nurses will often deal with patients who will refuse certain treatment or prove difficult to restrain. Candidates will need to display professionalism and patience in dealing with such patients.