Find a job as Registered Nurse with behavior-based interview

 RN’s must be reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfill their obligations. Some good examples are good attendance at work, strong commitment to your organization and ability to keep promises. Here some questions to expect.Give me a specific example of a time when you did not meet a deadline. How did you handle it?We all face times when personal issues pull us away from work responsibilities. If possible, tell me about a time when your dependability or attendance was challenged. How did you handle it and/or remain accountable or involved in work? How long did the situation last?RN’s must be honest and ethical. Think of events that demonstrate your values and be ready to answer the following questions.Have you ever been in a situation where, although it was difficult for you, you were honest and told the truth, and suffered negative consequences?What would be the best example that shows you are a person of integrity?What would be the best example that shows you are an honest person?Have you ever had to work with, or for, someone who lied to you in the past? How have you handled this?Have you ever taken a stand or said something in public that you knew those above you would not like? When was the last time you did that? What did you say?What is the hardest thing you can remember having to admit to in a work setting? What did you say? What did you do?Has your manager/supervisor/team leader ever asked you to do something that you didn't think was appropriate? How did you respond?Have you ever had to present an unpopular proposal/point of view that you believed in?Have you ever had to present a position that you did not totally agree with?Tell me about a time where you stood alone to stand up for what was right.RN’s must be sensitive to others' needs and feelings. They must be understanding and helpful to others. Sympathy is not enough. Answers to questions showing that you can reflect someone’s feelings are not as important as having empathy. Showing you can act on your insights is more important. Take time to recall specific events so you can answer the following questions.1. Describe the way you handled a specific problem involving people recently.Describe the situation to me.How did you approach it?What was the outcome?2. Tell me about a time when you had to resolve a difference of opinion with a friend/coworker/customer/supervisor.Describe the situation to me.How did you approach it?What was the outcome?3. Tell me about a time when you needed to give feedback to another person with emotional or sensitive problems.What did you do?What was the outcome?4. Describe a specific problem involving others with differing values, ideas or beliefs in your current or previous job.How did you handle it?What was the outcome?5. Have you ever had to make a decision that was unpopular among friends/coworkers/customers/supervisors?Describe a time when you felt it was necessary to modify or change your actions in order to respond to the needs of another person?6. Describe the way you handled a specific problem involving people recently. How did you carry it out?What was the circumstance?What was the outcome?How did you handle it?What was the outcome?What did you do?What was the outcome?How did you approach it?Describe the situation to me.What was the outcome?How did you approach it?Describe the situation to me. 2. Tell me about a time when you had to resolve a difference of opinion with a friend/coworker/customer/supervisor. 3. Tell me about a time when you needed to give feedback to another person with emotional or sensitive problems.4. Describe a specific problem involving others with differing values, ideas or beliefs in your current or previous job.5. Have you ever had to make a decision that was unpopular among friends/coworkers/customers/supervisors?6. Describe a time when you felt it was necessary to modify or change your actions in order to respond to the needs of another person?View the list »
SAN DIEGO (March 7, 2011) Nurse practitioner Tiffany Holm performs a routine physical on Willie Benjamin at the Tricare Outpatient Clinic-Clairemont Mesa operated by Naval Medical Center San Diego.

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With 3 million jobs and median pay of $32 per hour, the Registered Nurse profession tops all others in the U.S. This is an authoritative guide to interview questions that anyone applying for Registered Nurse (RN) should be ready to answer. These are also the questions that interviewers should know to ask any candidate.

Behavior based interview

Past behaviors are the best predictor of future behaviors. Therefore, expect to be asked about what you have done in previous jobs, school or other venues. You need to think through very specific accomplishments related to job characteristics. Many questions will take time to think through. Effective interviewers will actually ask you to take time to think about your answers. It is more important to think through and communicate good examples of whom you are than to show you can answer questions quickly. Quick answers will more likely be the wrong answers.

Preparing for the interview

Each answer should 1) explain the situation, 2) detail your actions in first person (say “I did this” and not “we did that” and 3) describe the results and how it helped a person or how it improved your organization.

Success factors for RN’s

The Department of Labor’s O*Net website defines work styles of the Registered Nurse. These personal characteristics are related to success in the RN job. The work styles that best predict job success are listed first.

Concern for Others — Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.

Integrity — Job requires being honest and ethical.

Dependability — Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.

Stress Tolerance — Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.

Self Control — Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.

Attention to Detail — Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.

Cooperation — Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.

Adaptability/Flexibility — Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.

Initiative — Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.

Independence — Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.

What RN’s do

RN’s assess patient health problems and patient needs. They must develop and implement care plans and maintain medical records. Many administer nursing care, advise patients or manage patient cases.

A typical day may involve monitoring, recording and reporting patients' symptoms requiring accuracy and attention to detail. Nurses may order, interpret or evaluate diagnostic tests. They may modify patient treatment plans, direct other personnel and coordinate with healthcare team members.

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  • RN’s must be sensitive to others' needs and feelings. They must be understanding and helpful to others. Sympathy is not enough. Answers to questions showing that you can reflect someone’s feelings are not as important as having empathy. Showing you can act on your insights is more important. Take time to recall specific events so you can answer the following questions.1. Describe the way you handled a specific problem involving people recently.Describe the situation to me.How did you approach it?What was the outcome?2. Tell me about a time when you had to resolve a difference of opinion with a friend/coworker/customer/supervisor.Describe the situation to me.How did you approach it?What was the outcome?3. Tell me about a time when you needed to give feedback to another person with emotional or sensitive problems.What did you do?What was the outcome?4. Describe a specific problem involving others with differing values, ideas or beliefs in your current or previous job.How did you handle it?What was the outcome?5. Have you ever had to make a decision that was unpopular among friends/coworkers/customers/supervisors?Describe a time when you felt it was necessary to modify or change your actions in order to respond to the needs of another person?6. Describe the way you handled a specific problem involving people recently. How did you carry it out?What was the circumstance?What was the outcome?How did you handle it?What was the outcome?What did you do?What was the outcome?How did you approach it?Describe the situation to me.What was the outcome?How did you approach it?Describe the situation to me. 2. Tell me about a time when you had to resolve a difference of opinion with a friend/coworker/customer/supervisor. 3. Tell me about a time when you needed to give feedback to another person with emotional or sensitive problems.4. Describe a specific problem involving others with differing values, ideas or beliefs in your current or previous job.5. Have you ever had to make a decision that was unpopular among friends/coworkers/customers/supervisors?6. Describe a time when you felt it was necessary to modify or change your actions in order to respond to the needs of another person?
  • RN’s must be honest and ethical. Think of events that demonstrate your values and be ready to answer the following questions.Have you ever been in a situation where, although it was difficult for you, you were honest and told the truth, and suffered negative consequences?What would be the best example that shows you are a person of integrity?What would be the best example that shows you are an honest person?Have you ever had to work with, or for, someone who lied to you in the past? How have you handled this?Have you ever taken a stand or said something in public that you knew those above you would not like? When was the last time you did that? What did you say?What is the hardest thing you can remember having to admit to in a work setting? What did you say? What did you do?Has your manager/supervisor/team leader ever asked you to do something that you didn't think was appropriate? How did you respond?Have you ever had to present an unpopular proposal/point of view that you believed in?Have you ever had to present a position that you did not totally agree with?Tell me about a time where you stood alone to stand up for what was right.
  •  RN’s must be reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfill their obligations. Some good examples are good attendance at work, strong commitment to your organization and ability to keep promises. Here some questions to expect.Give me a specific example of a time when you did not meet a deadline. How did you handle it?We all face times when personal issues pull us away from work responsibilities. If possible, tell me about a time when your dependability or attendance was challenged. How did you handle it and/or remain accountable or involved in work? How long did the situation last?
  •  RN’s often must accept criticism and deal calmly and effectively with high stress situations. Examples on or off the job can be equally effective.Tell me about a time when you had to cope with strict deadlines or time demands. Give me an example.Give me an example of a time at work when you had to deal with unreasonable expectations of you. What parts of your behavior were mature and immature?When have you had to cope with the anger or hostility of another person? Be specific.It is not unusual to be in a setting at work that will be physically demanding or hazardous. Tell me about a time when you were able to do a job in spite of difficult conditions.Sooner or later we all deal with interpersonal conflict or personal rejection at work. Give me an example of a time when you had to cope with these demands.Tell me about a high stress situation when it was desirable for you to keep a positive attitude. What happened?Describe a high-pressure situation you had to handle at work. Tell me what happened, who was involved, and what you did in terms of problem solving.Give me an example of a time when another person really tried your patience. Specifically, talk about a time when you were angry or frustrated and felt like attacking the other person.Tell me about a time when you brought two reluctant people or groups together.Describe the worst customer or coworker you have ever had and tell me how you dealt with him or her.Tell me about a situation in the past year in which you had to deal with a very upset customer or coworker.Tell me about the last time you had to smooth over a disagreement between two other people. What was the end result?Describe the last time you confronted a peer about something he/she did that bothered you. What were the circumstances? After realizing the problem, how long did you wait to confront the peer? What did you do?How did you feel about it afterwards?Tell me about the most difficult or uncooperative person you had to work with lately. What did you do or say to resolve the situation? What was the outcome?Tell me about a team member from whom it was tough to gain cooperation. How did you handle the situation?Tell me about a time when you handled a conflict you were having with a parent/friend/boss/peer/direct report.Tell me about a time when you handled an arrogant person or one who made you angry.What is your typical way of dealing with conflict? Give me an example.Tell me about a time you were able to successfully deal with another person even when that individual may not have personally liked you (or vice versa).Describe a time when you were faced with problems or stresses at work that tested your coping skills. What did you do? 
  • RN’s must maintain composure, keep emotions in check, control their anger and avoid aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations. Show that you can avoid expressing anger or displaying negative emotions to others. It is important to maintain composure, avoid emotional outbursts, and avoid showing anger or losing your temper. The best answers show how you have responded calmly when provoked and avoided aggressive behavior in difficult situations.Give me a specific example of a time when you had to address an angry friend/coworker/customer. What was the problem? What was the outcome?Please think back to a time when setting a positive example had the most beneficial impact on people in your group.  How did you determine that a strong example was needed? What was the effect on others?Describe your best boss.Describe your worst boss.Tell me about a time when a friend/coworker/customer/supervisor criticized your work. What did you do?
  •  RN’s must pay attention to details and complete their work tasks in a thorough manner. Describe how you handled work with great precision, accuracy and organization. Describe any detailed records you keep. Describe how you double-check work for accuracy. Remember times when you identified mistakes or omissions.Describe a situation where you had the option to leave the details to others or you could take care of them yourself.Do you prefer to work with the “big picture” or the “details” of the situation? Give me an example of an experience that illustrates your preference.Have the jobs you held in the past required little attention, moderate attention, or a great deal of attention to detail? Give me an example of a situation that illustrates this requirement.Tell us about a difficult experience you had in working with details.Tell us about a situation where attention to detail was either important or unimportant in accomplishing an assigned task.
  •  RN’s must be pleasant with others on the job and display a good-natured, cooperative attitude. Some questions that give you an opportunity to describe this aspect of your personality are as follows.What did you do in your last job to contribute toward a positive work environment? Be specific.Building a team spirit to get results is often a very difficult thing to do. Tell me about a time when you had your greatest success in building a team spirit. What specific results were accomplished by the team?How would you describe yourself in terms of your ability to work in a group?Describe a situation where others you were working with on a project disagreed with your ideas. What did you do?It's sometimes important to confront a negative attitude to block de-motivators at work. Give me an example of a time when you confronted a negative attitude successfully with the result of building morale.Describe a time when you put your needs aside to help a co-worker or classmate understand a task. How did you assist him or her? What was the result?Describe your most recent group effort.Tell me about a time when your relationship with a person was tested because of your responsibilities. Explain what you did and why. 
  •  RN’s must be open to change (positive or negative) and deal with considerable variety in the workplace. Here are some questions addressing your adaptability and flexibility.Sooner or later we all have to deal with arrogant, dogmatic, people. Tell me about a time when you were able to be flexible with this type of person.By providing examples, convince me that you can adapt to a wide variety of people, situations and environments.Tell of some situations in which you have had to adjust quickly to changes over which you had no control. What was the impact of the change on you?Describe a time when you felt it was necessary to modify or change your actions in order to respond to the needs of another person.Give me an example of a time when you had to analyze another person carefully or a situation in order to be effective in guiding your action or decision.What would be the best example of your ability to be flexible and adaptable?Several years ago, a popular phrase said 'different strokes for different folks'. At work, we frequently need to deal with all sorts of people. Describe a time when you adapted to different types of people.Tell us about situation in which things you had planned or expected fell apart. What was the situation and what did you do?Describe a high impact experience that forced you to learn to do something differently. Tell me about a time you had to learn to behave very differently.In the work situation, we must all compromise to make things happen.Tell me about a time when you felt it necessary to compromise your own immediate interests in order to be socially flexible and tolerant of another person's needs.It is sometimes very difficult to accommodate the wishes of another person without going so far that we lose our own personhood. Tell me about a time when you tried hard to 'be nice' BUT had to back off to avoid loss of self esteem.It's often very difficult to please another person while maintaining you dignity. Tell me about a time when you were able to balance your sense of dignity while changing your behavioral style.At times, we are all required to deal with difficult people. An even more demanding factor is to be of service to a difficult person. When have you been successful with this type of situation at work?Tell me about a time when you were able to make someone feel comfortable when dealing with a situation which had a lot of feelings involved in it. Describe a specific case.Describe a situation in which you had to arrive at a compromise or guide others to a compromise. 
  •  RN’s must be willing to take on responsibilities and challenges. Think of experiences related to the following questions.Give me an example of a time when you had to go above and beyond the call of duty in order to get a job done.Can you tell me about a job experience in which you had to speak up and tell other people what you thought or felt?Tell me about times when you seized the opportunities, grabbed something and ran with it yourself.Have you ever started something up from nothing – give an example?Give me a specific example of something you did that helped build enthusiasm in others.Give some examples of when you have shown initiative over the last six months in school or at your last job.Tell me about a time when you showed high enthusiasm and energy in order to create positive motivation in others. Give me a specific example.Tell me about a specific occasion when you conformed to a policy even though you did not agree with it. 
  •  RN’s often must develop their own ways of doing things, guiding themselves with little or no supervision, and depending on themselves to get things done. While you may not have gone on a rescue mission into a remote beach on Catalina Island such as is pictured here, certainly one can think of good examples of exercising independence in everyday life.Give an example of a time in which you had to come up with a new way of doing something.Tell me about a project/suggestion that you initiated. Explain how you communicated the project/suggestion.Tell me about a time when you had to take action, but didn't have all the information you needed.What risks have you taken in your present/previous job? Tell me about it.Give me an example of a time you had to make an important decision. How did you make the decision? How does it affect you today?Describe a situation in which you had to draw a conclusion quickly and take speedy action.Tell me about a situation in which you found it important to 'take a stand' and be decisive on an issue of health/safety/human welfare.Describe a time when you had to commit to a plan of action in an emergency. Give me the details of the situation and tell me how long it took you to take action. 
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Robin Johnson regularly provides advice to friends, employees, and business executives. He started his career in government enforcing non-discrimination laws and administering unemployment compensation. He moved on to serving as a recruiter, a human resources representative, and HR executive in...

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