6 Best ER Nurse Interview Questions

Hiring the right emergency room (ER) nurse is imperative due to the unique high-stress environment and array of medical conditions they encounter on a daily basis. These specialists work in trauma and crisis situations. ER nurses must be able to quickly assess the patient, stabilize their condition, and minimize distress.

What to Look for in an ER Nurse Candidate

Since ER nurses are the first line of response in medical emergencies, it’s crucial to interview and onboard candidates who remain calm under pressure, value empathy and compassionate care, pay attention to details, and communicate clearly with others. The frequency of high-pressure situations they encounter means that the ideal candidate will carry themselves with confidence in the face of uncertainty.

6 Optimal ER Nurse Interview Questions

In addition to asking standard interview questions for nurses and asking the candidate to share their prior work experience, it’s important to ask these strategic questions to find the right ER nurse:

1. What Attracts You to Working in an Emergency Department?

It takes a special individual to seek out work in a crisis department. By asking this pointed question, you get to the heart of what the candidate is looking to gain from their work experience.

The ER is often when we see people at their worst. What would draw someone to seek out this ward? Many ER nurses appreciate the learning experience of getting to juggle patients dealing with everything from acute injuries to chronic health conditions. This variety of patient care allows ER nurses to get unique hands-on experience serving individuals across oncology, radiation, surgery, and more.

Plus, it’s not uncommon for ERs to offer advanced certifications such as:

• Basic Life Support (BLS)
• Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS)
• Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS)
• Trauma Nurse Core Course (TNCC)
• Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN)
• Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN)

For ambitious nurses, joining an emergency department can be both a calling to serve patients who need it most and an opportunity for career advancement.

2. What On-The-Job Stress-Management Strategies Work Best for You?

There’s no denying that emergency departments are magnets for unexpected stress. What separates ideal ER nurses from traditional RNs is their ability to navigate stressful situations without letting the stress impact their patient care.

By asking this question, you can see what support and strategies the candidate currently implements to limit stress spillover. The candidate will get an opportunity to highlight their successful tools and strategies. Look for answers such as:

• confiding in other nurses
• taking advantage of mental health services
• taking a walk during breaks
• journaling to process feelings

3. How Have You Handled Conflict-Resolution with a Patient or Another Member of Your Medical Team?

Conflicts arise in the ER due to a host of reasons spanning from:

• Mismatched expectations between patients/families and medical teams
• Different assessments from medical staff on how to treat a patient
• Patient advocacy assumed by ER nurses if families aren’t present
• Unclear communication with a patient due to a lack of medical knowledge/proficiency

Conflicts within the high-pressure environment of the ER are unavoidable, but the hiring manager needs to assess the candidate’s ability to mitigate conflict and remain calm despite challenges.

Interviewees should use this question as a chance to share their strategies for communicating with diverse people, finding mutually beneficial solutions, and advocating for their patients in the face of adversity.

4. How Would You Describe Your Time-Management/Multitasking Skills?

Given the urgency associated with providing emergency patient care, ER nurses must have excellent time-management skills and an ability to multitask effectively. Unlike other departments, ERs can’t preplan for the patients who will come through their doors, and therefore they should be ready to reprioritize their schedule at a moment’s notice.

Candidates should use this question as a chance to share times when they’ve juggled several complex cases at once or had to reprioritize tasks based on unknown elements.

An ideal answer will include a detailed example from experience.

5. How Would You Manage Three Concurrent Patients Managing Three Separate Health Conditions (i.e., one mental health, one acute health pain, one severe body trauma)?

Framing a situational question like this during the interview helps to understand a candidate’s thought process and controlled decision-making skills. Hearing how a candidate would prioritize triaging their patients gives you a sense of their clinical expertise, task prioritization, delegation skills, and even conflict resolution.

6. How Would You Describe Your Communication Style When Speaking with Patients vs. Doctors/Healthcare Professionals?

In the ER, there’s little time for miscommunication. Ask this question to assess whether a candidate is prepared to speak up when necessary, to clarify points in moments of confusion, and to communicate effectively with multiple types of individuals.

This question can be reframed in a situational-style format, as well. The goal is to identify if a candidate is both confident in their expertise and able to handle miscommunications tactfully and respectfully.

Other Things to Consider When Hiring ER Nurses

Similar to interviewing for traditional nursing roles, ensuring your ER nurse has the right hard and soft skills necessary to offer optimal patient and medical care is important. Be sure to craft all ER nurse interview questions to solidify a candidate’s dedication to teamwork, compassionate patient care, clear communication, and adaptability.

Nurses are vital to any healthcare department, but ER nurses are especially crucial within emergency departments. Refer to these ER nurse interview questions when screening candidates for your emergency room.

If your hospital is struggling to recruit and screen ER nurses, Insight Global can help. Contact us today to find the best fit for your emergency team.