Fresh Dialysis Nurse Interview Preparation Guide

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I was part of team responsible for evaluating and selecting a new vendor for our office equipment and supplies. The inter-departmental team reviewed options, compared pricing and service, chose a vendor and implemented the transition to the new vendor.

In your answer, you should be cognizant of the type of job you are applying for. Whereas a large corporation might place all their emphasis on the bottom line, a non-profit would measure success not in money but in social impact.

Finally, pick three aspects of your past or current job that held the least interest to you. Make sure that any tasks you mention are not likely to be prioritized by your target employer nor should they be frequently performed or highly important aspects of the position.

This is just like the “what is your greatest strength?” question and should be treated similarly. You should pick accomplishments that show that you have the qualities the company is looking for and this adds value to you as a candidate for the position you are interviewing for. You may have achieved a lot over the years but for the sake of the interview, pick only the relevant ones

In most work roles, being respected should be given greater emphasis, since it is typically linked more closely to competence and productivity. However, a significant factor to consider is the nature of your relationship with your colleagues.

You are a parent to a toddler, and it is okay for you to have a rigid work schedule. At the same time, any professional facility would be looking for employees who are ready to make compromises for the improvement of the workplace. As a professional in an area as important as nursing, it would be expected of you to apply for the job only after giving due consideration to the work schedule. Whatever the case may be, you are required to be committed to making life comfortable for your patients.

In case my replacement does not arrive on time [for example], I would get in touch with my facility and try to inquire into my situation. I am fully aware of my responsibility of not leaving the patient unsupervised under any condition. In case there is no replacement at all, I would have to take up additional responsibilities for the time being and then lodge a complaint if the case demands once I return to my facility.

Questions such as this one are asked with the aim of getting you to discuss some of your qualities, perhaps hidden that you wouldn’t have mentioned if you weren’t asked.

“Well, my colleagues will tell you they can count on me. They will tell you that I am a team player and someone they enjoy working with.”

Here you talk about the number of years you have spent on the field, the hospitals or dialysis centres you have been associated with, and any special incident that you feel has been defining or life-changing. Remember that it is okay not to have much experience as compared to other candidates as long as you can establish that you are very good at what you do and that you agree to the company’s policy and look forward to new challenges.

I have been on this field for the past five years and I have been associated with both multi-facility hospitals and dialysis clinics. I have come across patients with multiple degrees of renal failure and each experience has been different. [this is where you can insert an experience which has affected you a lot and has brought out or changed your skills]

One important dimension of your interpersonal style is how you motivate others, especially if you will be supervising staff, managing projects or leading teams of co-workers. In addition, you may also encounter this type of questioning while interviewing for jobs in sales and public relations, where you need to motivate customers and clients.

Remember, the subtext is always ‘How far are you willing to go to impress your fellow workers?’ It is one thing to make minor concessions to be a better team member, but another to let go of your basics. A frequently asked question similar to this is what would you do if you saw someone in your team behaving unethically. Take your time to answer. Understand that everyone is looking for a confident employee for whom the reputation of the workplace would be of the utmost importance.

It depends on the situation. If it is a critical moment where I am required to do someone else’s work as well, or to work overtime, I am absolutely fine with it. At other times, I would expect my team members to make equal compromises. In case I see someone doing something they shouldn’t, I would try to understand the situation and follow protocol to seek redressal in case it is required of me to do so.

The essence of this question is to test your composure, ability to solve problems and staying true to the task, even in unfavorable conditions. Give an example of a time where you were faced with a challenge and what you did to remedy the situation. In the process, highlight how you were calm and in control till everything was okay.

The thing to remember with the tricky questions is that it is fine to take a moment or two to frame a response. Then be honest, relatively speaking, so you are answering the question but not in a way that would make the interviewer not want to hire you. Keep it positive as much as you can.

You might reference a fascination with how groups function or the dynamics of effective communication.

Example: Think about projects you have completed or specific courses which you have taken in your major that have the closest connections to the job. Use them as examples during the interviewer.

This could be a very simple question if you are prepared for it. You just have to talk about the strengths that you know would be of value to the company.

DO:
☛ Make the most of this question. This question gives you the control to guide the interview to where you want it so take advantage.
☛ Emphasize the strengths you have that are crucial to the position
☛ Find out from the job description and from company research, the kind of strengths the company invests in.

DON’T:
☛ Do not be too modest or claim to be what you are not
☛ Do not try to mention things you cannot illustrate with a brief example
☛ Do not mention the strengths that aren’t relevant to the job at hand

Through this question, your interviewer would try to understand what kind of ideas you have regarding your position as a dialysis nurse, and what you prioritize as a part of your job. Similar questions may include salary expectations and job descriptions. Take some time to think out your answer if required, and try to match your points with the expectations from the work culture of the institution you are aiming for.

While the position of a dialysis nurse is challenging and can be quite exhausting at times, it has been immensely rewarding to me. As a dialysis nurse, I am expected to initiate treatment, monitor the patient throughout the treatment, and have the immense responsibility of deciding when to discontinue treatment. I am also responsible for ensuring that the prescribed medication is rigorously followed, that the machines function properly and that the patient understands what is happening to them. A dialysis nurse often learns many new and unexpected things as she goes along. My position has also taught me to think on my feet and make quick and vital decisions. It has taught me to be very patient, has made me a good listener, and now I have become very efficient in forming and handling bonds with my patients.

Turn this question into a strength question in disguise. For instance, say something like “I do not like not being challenged at work” or you could mention a weakness that has nothing to do with the job and that you can overcome with training. This way, you end up turning this potentially tricky question into a positive.

Sometimes, you may be asked about certain challenges you faced in your previous position. If you are asked this question, lean towards the problem that happened early in your carrier and that you were able to solve. Do not try to blame others, just identify the problem and the role you played in solving it.

★ I actually work better under pressure and I've found that I enjoy working in a challenging environment.

★ From a personal perspective, I manage stress by visiting the gym every evening. It's a great stress reducer.

★ Prioritizing my responsibilities so I have a clear idea of what needs to be done when, has helped me effectively manage pressure on the job.

★ If the people I am managing are contributing to my stress level, I discuss options for better handling difficult situations with them.

★ I find that when I'm under the pressure of a deadline, I can do some of my most creative work.

★ I am not a person who has a difficult time with stress. When I'm under pressure, I focus and get the job done.

☛ Tell me about yourself?
☛ What are your greatest strengths?
☛ What Are Your Greatest Weakness?
☛ What experience do you have in Dialysis nurse field?
☛ What are key tasks for Dialysis nurse…position?
☛ What are top 3 knowledge/top 3 skills for Dialysis nurse…position?
☛ What are KRAs/output of Dialysis nurse…position?
☛ How to measure/appraise your Dialysis nurse…position?
☛ What do you know about this company?
☛ Describe two or three major trends in your Dialysis nurse field?
☛ Did you choose this profession/field?
☛ What tertiary qualifications have you attained that related to Dialysis nurse…position?
☛ What is the most recent skill you have learned that related to Dialysis nurse…position?
☛ What do you do to stay current with provincial, federal, state, municipal regulations?
☛ A dialysis nurse clerk often has to face employees’ ire due to a dialysis nurse error. How would you handle such a situation
☛ Define dialysis nurse. Mention the various dialysis nurse procedures conducted regularly for updating the dialysis nurse database?
☛ What are monitoring methods for Dialysis nurse activities?
☛ Describe ISO 9001 for Dialysis nurse?
☛ What made you choose to apply to Dialysis nurse…position?
☛ Tell me about your last position and what you did?
☛ What do you know about the Dialysis nurse…position?
☛ What have you done to improve your Dialysis nurse knowledge in the last year?
☛ What have you learned from mistakes on the Dialysis nurse job?
☛ What was the most complicated dialysis nurse you are responsible for?
☛ State the dialysis nurse principles and standards defined to work and maintain an organization’s dialysis nurse system.
☛ Name the dialysis nurse software you can access? Do you have knowledge of some accounting software as well?
☛ What’s your experience level with Microsoft Excel and access?
☛ Tell me about the most complicated report you have to prepare related to personnel. For example, over time, these, headcount, retirement contribution and so on.
☛ Dialysis nurse is run every two weeks, which means a lot of pressure to meet the deadline. When have you had to work under pressure?
☛ What are some of the most important reports you have written? How difficult were they to write? Why? What reactions did they get?
☛ Describe the employment laws that affect your work?
☛ Please tell us something about dialysis nurse tracking, reconciliation and reporting.
☛ Please rate yourself on a scale of 1 to 10 on your data entry skills and general math and book keeping skills.
☛ Are you willing to work overtime or off-shift during emergency or special situations like auditing, financial year-end etc?
☛ What were the challenges you faced in dialysis nurse operations while following either company or government policies?
☛ What kind of training and certification, do you have related to dialysis nurse?
☛ Tell me about a time when you took disciplinary action against an employee. How did you decide what to do?
☛ How do you monitor your department’s productivity or performance as a Dialysis nurse Administrator? Give some examples.
☛ What training or certification program have you gone through in this field?
☛ Do you have adequate technical knowledge of the computer software programmes and applications that will be required in your work?
☛ What do you know about the regulatory standards, policies and procedures of dialysis nurse?
☛ What are methods that are used to manage Dialysis nurse?
☛ How to maintain Dialysis nurse activities?
☛ What are common risks for Dialysis nurse? And how to face?
☛ Describe steps to manage Dialysis nurse?
☛ How to measure performance of Dialysis nurse activities?
☛ Describe your experience with the administration of electronic timekeeping.
☛ Do you have experience of handling typical dialysis nurse issues raised by the employees? If yes, tell us about your strategy to deal with such a situation?
☛ Explain your role with dialysis nurse administration. Discuss the nature of problems generally occurred during the dialysis nurse record submission?
☛ What do you understand from employer’s social security, compensation payments and dialysis nurse liabilities? Discuss the relationship between these three entities.
☛ Tell us the formula for calculating provincial income and social security taxes.
☛ How do you make sure that employee records are entered and accurately and on time?
☛ You can never be too prepared: Try these open-ended "What if..." questions you could face in a job interview.
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☛ Where do you see yourself in 3 years?
☛ What do you bring to this position? How do you stand out from the other applicants?
☛ What attracts you to this facility? To this position? What do you hope to get out of the experience?
☛ How would you describe your ideal job? Your ideal work environment?
☛ Why are you leaving your current position?
☛ What did you particularly like about your last position?
☛ What's your most important professional achievement?
☛ Who are your career role models and why?
☛ How do you set priorities in your work?
☛ Do you have any time-management tricks other nurses could benefit from?
☛ What are the most important lessons you've learned in your career?
☛ How much supervision do you want or need?
☛ What professional organizations do you belong to?
☛ How have you participated in the professional organizations you belong to?
☛ What nursing publications do you subscribe to?
☛ Have you attended any national conferences? If so, how did you benefit from the experience?
☛ Have you ever done any volunteer work? If so, what was it like?
☛ How do you keep up with the latest information in your field?
☛ What are your goals in terms of going back to school, becoming certified, taking on management responsibilities?
☛ Can you give an example of a time you were a leader?
☛ Can you give some examples of your problem-solving skills?
☛ What do you think are the most challenging aspects of meeting patients' needs?
☛ How do you handle a request you disagree with?
☛ What happened the last time you put your foot in your mouth?
☛ What actions would you take in your first month on the job?
☛ Can you give some examples of your creativity?
☛ Who is the most difficult person you've ever worked with and why?
☛ What type of management style do you work with best?
☛ Can you describe a time when you had to intervene for a patient, what you did, and why? What was the outcome?
☛ How would you rate yourself in communicating with patients—and with families?
☛ Can you describe a situation in which you dealt with a difficult family member?
☛ How do you motivate patients?
☛ Can you describe a time you went beyond the call of duty?
☛ Can you describe a situation in which you thought that you were right and others were wrong—and what you did about it?
☛ Can you describe a situation in which you were supposed to work with a person you didn't like and how you handled it?
☛ Have you ever been in a situation in which a co-worker put a patient in jeopardy? If so, what did you do about it?
☛ What would you do if you were asked to float to a specialty area you weren't familiar with?
☛ Can you describe a time your work was criticized and how you handled it?
☛ How do you handle delegation issues with unlicensed assistive personnel?
☛ How would your co-workers describe you?
☛ How would you describe your role in a recent code?
☛ How do you handle stress?
☛ Have you ever been fired or asked to resign?
☛ What would a background check on you show?
☛ Would your previous employer recommend you?
☛ What would you do if you were caring for an alert patient who suddenly got acutely confused and disoriented?
☛ What would you do if you found an elderly patient on the floor in his room? How would you document it?
☛ Have you worked with many foreign nurses? If so, what did you do to help them?
☛ How would you handle a situation in which you couldn't read a prescriber's orders?
☛ If you were offered your last job again today, would you take it?
☛ How long has it been since you worked as a nurse?
☛ What have you been doing since you've been out of nursing?
☛ How have you prepared to return to nursing?
☛ Did you take a refresher course? How did it help?
☛ How have you kept up with changes in the profession?
☛ What's your most important achievement as a student?
☛ When do you plan to take your NCLEX? Have you taken a course to prepare for it?
☛ Where did you get your clinical experience? What units?
☛ Did your clinical experience include putting in a urinary drainage catheter or starting an intravenous line access? Inserting or removing a nasogastric tube, or caring for a patient with one?
☛ What was your favorite clinical experience? Least favorite? Why?
☛ What types of charting systems have you used? What do you like about them? What do you dislike?
☛ What do you think is a reasonable orientation time?
☛ Have you worked with an electronic medication administration record? Bar coding?
☛ What new technology have you used in school, such as personal digital assistants (PDAs)?
☛ Are you on-line often? What are your favorite sites for reliable health care information?

I am sure if you asked my friends that question they would say you should hire me because I have the skills outlined in the job description and I bring 10+ years of expertise to this position.

Words they have used to describe me are:

☛ Hard working
☛ Professional
☛ Trusted and a team player.

No matter what you say, do not mention negative things about your employer, neither should you mention anything about more money being the reason. The reason is simple; if you are leaving a company because of money to come to theirs, you will definitely leave them to move on to another if it promises a better paycheck. Your best bet is to ay it on responsibility and challenge and how your previous position want challenging you enough. Indicate that you yearn for more responsibility and how what you have to offer outweighs the responsibility and challenge posed by your former position.

This question is asked not only to test your relations with your seniors in your previous workplace but also your professionalism. It is a great opportunity to brag about yourself using someone else’s words, but remember to make it seem like your boss’s appreciation mattered to you.

According to [insert name], I am one of the few people (s)he met whom (s)he could rely upon without much effort. As a new nurse trying to make lives better, that was a huge thing for me [like this, include some more points].

I am equally comfortable working as a member of a team and independently. In researching the company, your mission statement and the job description, I could see similarities to my previous position where there were some assignments that required a great deal of independent work and research and others where the team effort was most effective. As I said, I'm comfortable with both.

Your answer should contain two components, first a description of the situation that angered you and then a reference to how you processed the event and handled your anger.

I can be flexible when it comes to my work environment in nursing.