Nursing School Interview Questions

An interview is a process to gauge the potential strengths and weaknesses of applicants. In today's competitive world, there are situations where many applicants apply for the same position. To select the most talented and most deserving candidates, the interviewers employ different methods.

One of the most common methods, which is part of every interview, is asking the applicant a series of questions to know more about his personality, strengths, motivations, aspirations, weaknesses, etc. There are various prerequisites for nursing schools and clearing the interview is obviously one of them. 

While appearing for the interview, most of the applicants are anxious about the type of questions that they would be asked. We have compiled a list of frequently asked questions during a nursing school interview, which can help you to prepare yourself in a better way.

• Tell us something about yourself.
• Why do you want to be a nurse?
• What are the major challenges that the nursing industry can face in future?
• Any special reason for choosing our nursing school?
• Why did you specialize in this field?

• Where do you see yourself in the next five years?
• How would your professors describe you?
• What according to you are the qualities that a nurse should have to do this job successfully?
• What type of support system do you have?
• How do you encounter a difficult situation?

• What according to you are your biggest strengths and weaknesses?
• How do you relieve your stress?
• What are your short-term and long-term goals?
• How would you describe your skills as a team player?
• Who according to you is the role model for nurses today?

These were some of the common interview questions. Apart from answering these questions confidently, you also need to ensure that you are able to impress the interviewers by your personality. The interviewers are experts in their field, and can gauge you from your body language, dressing sense, etc. 

So, it becomes important that you are well-prepared for the nursing school interview. Let us take a look at some of the tips that can help you in preparing for the interview.

The first thing that you need to do before appearing for a nursing school interview is to do some research about the school, so that you get an idea about what the school is essentially looking for.

Once you have done a bit of research on the school and its history, the next thing that you need to do is a bit of retrospection about where you stand when compared to others. You can go through the official website of the school to know the statistics, average scores, etc.

While appearing for the interview, it is important that you have a clean-cut and a well-groomed appearance. Invest some time in choosing a formal attire which is well ironed. Try to reach the venue at least half an hour in advance. This calms the nerves and gives you some time to rehearse for the interview.

During the interview, it is important that you let the interviewers know about your strengths and attributes. You have to also watch your non-verbal clues, as a pleasant smile, direct eye contact, and an energetic tone, will portray to the interviewers that you are confident and enthusiastic. 

Applicants who are successful at interviews view it as an opportunity. If you are someone whose GPA and test scores are average, it's time that you make up for them by selling yourself to the interviewer. If you have some weakness, do not try to pass the buck by lying or evading questions during the interview. 

Interviewers appreciate applicants who are forthright with their answers, and accept that there are areas in which they can improve. After the interview is over, you can send a handwritten 'thank you' note to express your gratitude to the interviewers.

Most of the questions are aimed at knowing the applicant in a better way. The nursing schools are particular about who gets to represent their institution and the interviews determine to a large extent whether you are accepted into nursing school. We hope that the interview questions and tips mentioned here will help you to prepare for the interview better.