Among healthcare nursing positions, being a school nurse will usually allow you to enjoy less stressful workloads with the added benefit of greater pay. Those who love education and healthcare may be interested in working as a school nurse. So if you have made the decision to apply for such a post, it is now time to prepare for the forthcoming interview.
Nursing interview questions for a school nurse can be similar to those for hospital nursing jobs. However, since you will be in a school, working with kids, parents and educators, there are some different questions that you have to be prepared for. Here are some interview tips and examples of common school nurse interview questions.
Typical School Nurse Interview Questions
It is time to work on the possible questions for this type of nursing job interview. As a nurse, you will expect common questions for nurses, such as:
- “What makes you a good nurse?”
- “Who and what influenced you to become a nurse?”
- “What do you know about our school? Why do you hope to join us?”
- “Why do you want to leave you current job?”
- “What are the duties of a school nurse?”
- “What skills and character should a good school nurse have?”
- “What advantage do you have over the other candidates?”
- “Are you capable of working in a multi-ethnic population?”
- “Can you handle teaching tasks?”
- “How can you make use and maximize our limited healthcare supplies, like salt water, etc?”
- “What are the healthcare issues that particularly relate to schoolchildren?”
Some nursing interview questions will be situational; asking about you response to certain scenarios. Such questions are constructed to see if you possess the particular skills that are highly required for a school nurse position.
How to Prepare for School Nurse Interview Questions
All job applicants and candidates must arrive in an interview well-prepared. Answering interview questions impressively takes some background research on the school that you are applying to. What district and what ethnic backgrounds do students belong to? How many students are there? Are there any social problems associated with the area?
As a possible school nurse, you must be aware of the various health laws that are applicable to the school that you wish to join. You must also have an idea about the job itself: its duties and responsibilities. The job may also involve teaching, so you must have the necessary skills when it comes to talking and facilitating healthcare to students.
Some of them can be difficult to answer, thus research and careful preparation are very essential. Another interview ploy is to contact an existing or retired school nurse and ask if she can offer advice or remember any school nurse interview questions from her own recruitment.
We have now identified some of the most likely-to-be-asked interview questions. You are now in a position to compose your answers, followed by practice in delivering them. Once you are happy with your answers you can set up a mock job interview and ask a friend to help. Go through the likely questions and repeat your pre-prepared answers. This will ease the tension during the build up to your actual interview and allow you to be in a more positive frame of mind during the actual event.
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During the Interview
To win that interview and finally to be hired, you must have the total package. Arrive early, as early as 15 minutes before the interview. This will give you enough time to be familiar with the venue and to get relaxed. Have copies of your transcript and resume with references to hand.
Keep your poise and stay calm. It will be of no help if you panic. Relax and be confident. Do not panic if you cannot answer questions right away. It is absolutely fine to spend a few seconds contemplating your answers rather than saying the first thing that comes into your head.
Give clear, concise answers and speak confidently. Make eye contact and avoid making unnecessary gestures especially with your hands – be aware of your body language. Lastly, say thank-you before leaving the room.
When you apply for a job as a school nurse, you are quiet likely to have had some previous experience as a nurse in other organizations. Hence, you may already be familiar with some nursing interview questions. For those applying for their first nursing job, as long as you are well prepared and confident, there is no reason to feel anything but positive about your chances of securing that school nurse position.