Interviewing & Hiring Tips in Nursing

Nurses play an integral role in patient care. Selecting the best of the best when it comes to hiring nurses is very important to patient care. When interviewing for a nursing position, candidates should understand what exactly a hospital is looking for in a nurse. Experience, motivation, desire and education all play key roles in the hiring of nurses. Additionally, a strong interview can often be the key to success in securing a nursing position.

Hiring Standards

• Hiring practices vary from hospital to hospital. However, hospitals across the country tend to look for professional nurses with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Hospitals also tend to look for nurses who have plans to further their education. Candidates should be emotionally stable and able to work in stressful environments. Nurses who have a strong desire to help others and assist patients as much as possible are highly desirable. With the diverse background of today's patients, hospitals want nurses to reflect a diverse population. Managers are hiring nurses from a variety of social classes, races and economic status. Nurses from diverse backgrounds can better relate with patients.

Experience

• The amount of experience required for a nursing job depends largely on the hospital floor and requirements. Managers will sometimes look at nurses with no experience, however they prefer potential hires to have at least some experience. In large, busy hospitals, experience is often a must. In smaller, less hectic facilities, the staff often has more time to devote to the training of new nurses.

Interviewing Tips

• According to Sue Heacock, author of "Inspiring the Inspirational: Words of Hope From Nurses and Nurses," no job interview is stress-free. In fact, some consider the interview more stressful than the job itself. To succeed in a nursing interview, one should arrive early and dress professionally. A prospective nurse should smile, firmly shake the hand of the hiring manager, and always make eye contact when speaking and being spoken to.

  Prospective nurses should always exude confidence. All questions should be answered in a positive manner. Never say anything negative about a former employer. Remember, to think about questions before answering them. The interviewing manager will not expect anyone to continuously spit out answers. It is more than okay to pause between hearing a question and giving an answer.

  Prior to leaving the interview, hand the interviewing manager a resume, list of references, a letter of recommendation, and documentation of your training and licensure. Remember, to firmly shake the hand of the manager and thank them for this opportunity.