Are you eyeing a career in the exciting field of travel nursing? You probably already have a clear idea of what this job entails, but you may not be sure exactly what to expect when it comes to interviewing for one of these jobs.
You should start thinking about travel nurse interview questions today in order to prepare yourself for your opportunities in the future.
Starting out:
If you have been considering a career in traveling nursing, then you know your job will entail more than just taking care of patients.
In the modern medical field, it is very likely that you will need to travel from place to place in order to keep up with the demand for your skills.
It comes with the territory if you want to work as a travel nurse.
You can expect to answer questions about this aspect of your career during the interview process.
The interview process:
If you are trying to break into travel nursing, then you probably already understand one thing about the interview process: it involves a lot more than just showing up and answering general interview questions.
During many travel nurse interviews, you will need to show more of your personality and give a little more information about yourself.
You will probably find that you get several common travel nurse interview questions from most companies, but this is because they are looking for certain traits in new recruits.
You should also expect some interviewers to ask about the more personal side of your life.
Many companies want to know if you can be gone for long periods of time.
They will want to know how you would feel about moving every few months, and they will want to see that you are able to work well independently.
What you should know:
You should always think about what new information potential employers might need in order to get a better idea of what you can bring to the table.
You need to know what these companies are looking for in order to make a good impression before you even step foot inside the building.
In most cases, travel nurse interview questions revolve around three main aspects:
- your work history
- your personal life
- your educational background
Before heading straight to the travel nurse interview questions and answers I highly recommend you to watch this video about what to expect on travel nurse interviews.
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Table of Contents
Questions to Ask During Travel Nurse Interview
Now, finally, you have been invited for a travel nurse interview.
You need to prepare yourself for the travel nurse job interview as this is your first step towards a new career.
Most of the time companies will conduct some travel nurse interviews by phone and on-site/travel nurse face-to-face interviews before hiring you.
The following are the 15 most common travel nurse interview questions you should expect:
1. Why do you want to become a travel nurse?
2. What are your greatest strengths as an employee?
3. Tell me about the worth ethic of the people that you’ve managed in past jobs.
4. What is your greatest weakness?
5. How would you handle conflicts with co-workers if they disagreed with your style or methods of giving instructions?
6. Have you ever been on a team where someone went behind the back of another person to get what they wanted or needed? What did you do about it?
7. Describe a situation where you had to learn something quickly.
8. What did you do when your supervisor asked you to do something that you didn’t agree with? How did you handle it?
9. Have you ever been in a position where your team was depending on you for instructions and support, but due to the lack of proper training, you were unable to support them?
10. What motivates you to go the extra mile?
11. How would your previous supervisor(s) describe your work ethic?
12. Why have you been unemployed for a period of time?
13. Describe a time when there was a great deal of pressure on you because time was running out.
14. How would you handle having a co-worker that is underperforming?
15. Describe your ideal work environment? What type of culture are you looking for in an ideal job?
The Most Common Travel Nurse Interview Questions and Answers
1. Why do you want to become a travel nurse?
When asked this question, you need to show that you are looking for an experience different than the one you have at home.
You also want to let them know that there is more to your job search than just the paycheck, which means you should not let this question stump you.
I am looking for a new experience in my life.
I have always wanted to travel and see the country, but working as a nurse in a hospital just wasn’t doing it for me.
By becoming a travel nurse, I can help people all across the country while earning great paychecks along the way!
See also: Home Health Nurse Interview Questions
2. What are your greatest strengths as an employee?
Focus on the skills you know will be important to this job.
You can discuss your ability to work independently, as well as some of your leadership and management skills.
See also: Nurse Leadership Interview Questions
Mention that you are a quick learner who is able to adapt quickly to change.
You should also give examples of how you have done so in the past.
I am a very hard worker and can always be relied on to get the job done.
My co-workers have often praised my ability to work independently.
In fact, when I was in school, they would give me extra assignments just so that I could manage them on my own.
See also: Rapid Response Nurse Interview Questions
3. Tell me about the work ethic of the people that you’ve managed in past jobs.
When answering this travel nurse interview question, be sure to mention that you can expect the same work ethic from yourself as well.
If your former co-workers had different work ethics than you, don’t say that they were lazy and unmotivated.
Instead, discuss how you helped them increase their own productivity.
When I was in the military, I helped establish a new workout program for some of my men.
We worked really hard to get them into shape and increased their efficiency at work so much so that it lowered the number of accidents on our base!
See also: Interview Questions for Nurses
4. What is your greatest weakness?
This is not the time to be shy.
You should mention an area that you are currently working on improving, but also share something that you feel is already strong in your favor.
For example, if you are currently working on becoming more patient with others, share how good your listening skills already are.
I used to have a problem with being impatient in certain situations, but I have since worked on becoming a more patient person.
In fact, my previous supervisor has told me that not only is my listening skills amazing, but that I have the ability to help co-workers develop their own in time.
See also: Flight Nurse Interview Questions
5. How would you handle conflicts with co-workers if they disagreed with your style or methods of giving instructions?
When discussing this travel nurse interview question, you want to mention that you would work with them in order to find a solution.
You should also point out how your previous job allowed you to learn from others and embrace their own ideas.
I believe that all co-workers can add value to the workplace.
If someone is expressing a different opinion than I might have, I’m not afraid to listen and work with them to come up with a solution.
See also: Aesthetic Nurse Interview Questions
6. Have you ever been on a team where someone went behind the back of another person to get what they wanted or needed? What did you do about it?
As far as this travel nurse interview question is concerned, you want to mention that your instinct would be to discuss the situation with both parties together.
This shows that you are a team player who does not appreciate seeing one person go behind another’s back.
I’ve never had this happen before at my previous job, but if it did, I would try to bring both parties together so that we could all work through the issue together.
See also: Wound Care Nurse Interview Questions
7. Describe a situation where you had to learn something quickly.
When answering this travel nurse interview question, you want to bring up a time where you did not have all of the necessary information or skills in order to perform your job effectively.
You should mention that with teamwork and trust in your co-workers, you were able to figure out what you needed to do and succeed with flying colors.
When I started my first nursing job, I had no idea what to expect.
However, I trusted my co-workers and worked hard to do everything they asked of me. In the end, we were able to save a life!
See also: Do Nurses Have to Do Continuing Education?
8. What did you do when your supervisor asked you to do something that you didn’t agree with? How did you handle it?
When asked this traveling RN interview question, you want to mention that working with your supervisor is similar to working with a team.
You should say that you would first take the time to talk about it together and find a solution everyone can agree upon.
When I worked as an EMT, my supervisor asked me to do something that I didn’t think was safe.
I decided to take a step back and discuss it with them so that we could see the situation from each other’s perspective.
We eventually came up with a solution that worked for everyone!
See also: 5 Rights of Delegation in Nursing
9. Have you ever been in a position where your team was depending on you for instructions and support, but due to the lack of proper training, you were unable to support them?
When answering a travel nurse interview question regarding this subject, you should mention that teamwork is very important to you and it’s especially important when things don’t go as planned.
You can also mention how your quick thinking during those times often leads to the best solution.
Yes, I’ve been in a situation where my training was inadequate.
However, I was able to work with my co-workers and come up with a solution that worked.
My quick thinking saved the day!
See also: Outpatient Nurse Interview Questions
10. What motivates you to go the extra mile?
This traveling nurse interview question can be answered by talking about your former or current co-workers.
See also: What Motivates You Nursing Interview Question
Mention how they motivate you and that you will do the same for them in return.
I like to go above and beyond because it feels good to hear my co-workers compliment me on a job well done!
It’s always rewarding to know that you’ve made a difference in someone’s day.
See also: Float Pool Nurse Interview Questions
Conclusion: Interview Questions for Travel Nurses
Travel nurse interview questions can be tough to answer, but by familiarizing yourself with them before your interview, you’ll feel more prepared at the time.
It’s also important to relax so that your true personality comes across!
Good luck with your next travel nursing assignment!
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