Do you have an upcoming interview for a director of nursing job position? If you do then it is necessary that you start preparing for your director of nursing (DON) interview. We have compiled a list of the most likely asked interview questions for a person who is applying for a nursing director position. From behavioral Interview questions to salary related questions, you will be able to get all your answers right here. You can prepare for your upcoming interview thoroughly with the help of these questions and answers. These common nursing management interview questions are applicable for any head of nursing job position including the chief nursing officer, assistant director of nursing (ADON) position and several others.

Director Of Nursing Interview Questions

1. Give us a thorough description of your personal strengths and qualities that enable you to tackle difficult problems within a limited timeframe.

Answer:- Some of the major qualities that I possess are effective problem solving and smooth management of hurdles. When a problem arises it is essential that we pay close attention to the overall objectives as well as the small and significant details. Paying attention to both aspects of the problem have helped me resolve many issues in the past. Additionally, collaboration with other people is also essential if one needs to get problems solved quickly and efficiently. Teamwork is absolutely a necessity in order for an organization to reach its final goals. I do a thorough interview of nurses that I hire and make sure that they are amongst the best in the field. I make sure that my team works in harmony and that all the problems are resolved peacefully and in joint efforts.

2. How do you handle customers or employees who tend to test your patience and can be extremely frustrating?

Answer:- Encountering people who are difficult and stubborn is a part and parcel of any job in any field. I am well aware of this and truly have accepted that I will meet all kinds of people in this industry. Just because I have been brought face to face with a difficult person does not affect me or bring about a change in my demeanor or personality. I have enough past experience and judgment to handle all kinds of frustrating individuals. Whether the issue is related to a patient, a colleague, or even to the management, I hear both sides of the story before coming to a conclusion and making a decision on how to handle the problem. I’m a very fair judge and make decision in an unbiased and neutral manner. I also handle sensitive matters smartly as I’m well aware that in the health care management service industry, dealing with frustrated clients is a part of the job description.

3. Give us an example where lack of communication was hampering the overall affairs at your workplace and what you did in order to handle it.

Answer:- Lack of communication can lead to disasters in any organization. In the medical industry in particular, lack of communication can prove to be lethal to a patient. In the past I had an experience where the life of a patient was almost at stake because of a lack of communication in the department and because the patient was not given certain medicines by the on call nurse. In order to prevent such situations, I started conducting department meetings on a daily basis so that everyone in the department was briefed about all the patient’s needs and requirements. These daily departmental meetings were short but kept all the team members aware of the jobs that they needed to do. This further resulted in the avoidance of miscommunication and mishaps.

4. Give us an example where an urgent goal had to be set by you and was achieved.

Answer:- In my previous job I overlooked a team of around 20 nurses. The hospital which I was working with had a low patient satisfaction rate at merely 45 percent. This wasn’t acceptable to me and I wanted to work towards increasing the patient satisfaction rate to around 65 percent. I started making changes in the way my team worked. I gave them new and improvised ideas on how to deal with patients and communicate with them. I also held lots of brainstorming sessions with my team members so that ideas for better patient management could be shared and implemented. All of these changes eventually led to a surge in patient satisfaction. The patient satisfaction rate bounced upto almost 70 percent.

5. Cultivating a respectful environment is essential for any workplace to flourish. What do you do to make sure that your team members respect each other and other colleagues?

Answer:- I have always believed that in order for one to get respect, he or she must give respect too. Respect is something that is earned. When interacting with employees and subordinates I make sure that I give them the utmost respect. It doesn’t matter what the position of the employee in the firm, I interact with every individual with the same kind of respect. I make sure that I know the names of all the employees and team members that I deal with. While treating them with respect I also make sure that I maintain a certain amount of leadership.

6. What are the challenges that you expect from this job position?

Answer:- In order for me to grow it is necessary that I am faced with challenges. I am always seeking challenges that allow me to make maximum use of my skills and strengths. I have always been extremely motivated when faced with a challenge. It is a good challenge that makes a person grow professionally. I also have the necessary strengths and skills to handle challenging situations without succumbing to pressure. In the past, I’ve experienced several professional challenges head on and emerged victoriously. My resume also shows the various challenges I’ve faced.

7. Please Describe Your Management Style

Answer:- My management style comprises a perfect balance of leadership and approachability. When dealing with subordinates and employees I make sure that I approach them with respect yet authority. I feel it is necessary for a team leader to be able to manage employees in a way that they are comfortable to approach their immediate boss but at the same time get work done on a timely basis without taking their seniors for granted. When it comes to the management of patients, I make sure that every patient is given individual attention and is absolutely comfortable. Managing patients can be a very tricky matter as they are already probably experiencing discomfort due to their illnesses. I make sure that the respective registered nurse to the patient shows up every couple of hours to check up on the patient. I personally check up on all the patients at least once a day myself.

8. What salary do you expect for a head of nursing position?

Answer:- While I’m well aware of the current market salary for this job position, I have also had a lot of years of experience in the field. If I could get a salary hike of around 20 percent higher than my previous salary, I would be deeply grateful. With the kind of experience and dedication that I have, I will ensure that patient satisfaction in the hospital increases by at least 15-20 percent. This increase in patient satisfaction will end up resulting in more cases being diverted towards the hospital and increased income for the hospital. Besides this, I am also ready to put in extra hours when required and when the hospital is overflowing with patients. All of these qualities make me believe that I must get a 20 percent hike from my previous salary and that I will be an asset to your organization.

9. Why should we hire you for the director of nursing job?

Answer:- While I’m well aware of the fact that there may be countless candidates with similar skills and strengths who have shown up here today for this interview, I have something that most of them may not and that is passion. From the time that I was a child, I always dreamed of helping and serving the sick and needy. I knew at a young age that I wanted to be a nurse and grow in that field so I can help people recover from discomforting and painful illnesses. I have also always been excellent with children and that skill has helped me handle frustrating and cranky patients with the utmost ease and without me having to lose my mind. My passion towards nursing makes me ideal for this job because staying back at work for long hours is not a hassle for me but a pleasure. My passion makes me extremely dedicated to the job and you won’t be disappointed in my overall nursing and nursing skills.

10. Why do you want to join our hospital?

Answer:- I am well aware of how this hospital’s goals and objectives and my own professional objectives and goals are also in sync with those of your medical facility. Working here would mean a lot to me because while I’m working towards helping the hospital achieve it own goals, my own goals will also be getting achieved. Besides this, I have always wanted to work at this hospital because of the fact that it’s a multi-specialty hospital and will give me room to grow. I will be able to handle a larger number of subordinates and this will prove to be more challenging and motivating for me to perform my best. I’m also eager to work with this hospital because of the integrity that it emphasizes with customers and sick patients who are admitted in the facilities.
Read here –
Sample Nursing School Interview Questions
17 CRNA Schools Interview Questions
20 Popular Assistant Nurse Manager Interview Questions