Top 7 Med-Surg Nurse Interview Questions to Ask

Medical-surgical nurses work in hospitals and provide care to a broad patient population. While the term “med-surg” was traditionally coined to reference the care a patient receives before or after surgery, it is now used as a catch-all to describe the care of a wide variety of patient conditions and acuities.

Med-surg is the most common nursing specialty, but hiring managers still find it difficult to staff these units. Asking the right med-surg nurse interview questions can help identify high-quality candidates and reveal key traits necessary for success.

In this article, we’ll review seven key med surg interview questions — and answers job candidates may provide — to help healthcare leaders pick the right nurse for the job. If you’d like more insight into the hiring market, including competitive salary ranges, check out the latest med-surg positions on our job board.

Medical-Surgical Nursing Interview Questions and Answers

Hiring managers only get a few minutes with each candidate, which can make it challenging to ascertain a nurse’s abilities. Therefore, when planning interview questions for med-surg nurses, it’s important to ask about scenarios that reveal the clinician’;s behaviors, skills, and clinical experience.

Start with a few introductory questions to set a casual tone, and then continue into more complex questions to validate their clinical competency and judgment. Here are some example interview questions to help you get started.

1. What excites you about being a med-surg nurse at our facility?

While this question may seem generic, answers can provide insight into a nurse’s interests and motivations. They can also reveal whether a candidate has done their research on your facility’s acuity and the patient population you serve.

A prepared nurse may discuss how their clinical experience has prepared them for the position. They may also mention that they align with your organization’s mission, vision, and values. These nurses have done their homework, showing that they have a genuine interest in the position and are aware of the job’s requirements.

2. How has your previous nursing experience prepared you for this role?

Here, you can better understand a candidate’s clinical experience. While most nurses share this information in a resume or cover letter, hearing directly from them how their experiences have shaped their career is more valuable and meaningful. Answers to this type of med-surg nurse interview question should reveal a nurse’s understanding of the duties and responsibilities of your open position.

If the interviewee is a new graduate nurse, then they might not have much real-world nursing experience. They may, however, have volunteer or CNA experience in a similar unit that can assist them in serving their new role as an RN. When making a hiring decision, it’s important to consider these new nurses — they can contribute a great deal despite their lack of clinical experience.

3. Did you encounter any challenges in your last job?

All healthcare providers struggle through difficult situations at work. Whether it’s a heavy patient assignment, outdated charting technology, or juggling duties with an inexperienced team, there are barriers to effective care in every organization. However, nurses who show their problem-solving and process improvement skills are the team players you’re looking for.

Does the nurse show initiative to get things done, or do they spend a large percentage of time gossiping about prior personnel issues or coworker conflicts? When managers are looking for high-quality nurses, they seek out clinicians who are hopeful and determined. Strategically structuring your med-surg nurse interview questions can help you discover these behavioral qualities.

4. Have you ever made a mistake on the job? How did you get through it?

The hard truth is that every nurse makes mistakes. Employees who can admit to errors and prioritize correcting them demonstrate moral strength. Great nursing professionals will answer honestly and may share a story about their mistake, who they notified, and how they worked to mitigate patient harm.

Candidates may answer behavioral med-surg nurse interview questions like these by sharing ways that they worked to prevent similar errors in the future. Others may have initiated quality improvement projects to keep coworkers from making the same type of mistake. These goal-oriented nurses can be a real asset to your healthcare team.

5. Imagine you’re preparing a patient for a procedure you’ve never heard of before. How would you handle the situation?

Rapid scientific advancements frequently alter healthcare treatments and service offerings. It’s realistic, even for a highly-experienced nurse, to come in contact with unfamiliar health conditions, medications, or surgeries.

Scenario based med-surg nurse interview questions like this one can help hiring managers find nurses who aren’t afraid to admit that they don’t know something. Nurses with the strength to professionally handle these situations ensure patient safety and encourage healthy communication in the workplace.

Strong answers to this question may include any mix of the following responses:

• “I would go straight to the charge nurse and mention my unfamiliarity with the procedure.
• “I would take time to search hospital nursing protocols, safety manuals, or online health databases and jot down notes on important things to remember.”
• “I would ask a neighboring nurse for tips prior to the patient’s admission, and ask them to help me admit and assess the patient to ensure everything is prepared correctly.”

6. How do you build rapport with your patients and colleagues?

Empathetic and compassionate communication is essential in nursing. It’s important that nurses feel comfortable and confident talking to their coworkers, hospital leaders, patients, and their family members. When asked how they develop meaningful relationships, a qualified nurse will mention utilizing face-to-face communication, active listening, and a calm demeanor.

Taking a genuine interest in what individuals have to say goes a long way toward developing trust and engagement. Hiring a care provider who can do this authentically can help your facility improve patient satisfaction and health outcomes.

7. Nursing shifts can be grueling. How do you recover and find balance?

Working long 12-hour shifts coupled with the physical and emotional demands of the job can be stressful and exhausting. Your team needs a nurse who is ready for the challenge and has a work-life balance that can make it all possible.

Nurses who engage in external activities like community clubs, sports, or music groups on their days off are happier, healthier, and more likely to stay at their jobs. Nurse retention is a major consideration when determining a facility budget — finding a nurse that is in it for the long haul can help save you time and money down the line.

After a candidate responds, take the opportunity to share a bit about any workplace wellness initiatives your facility has in place. Telling an interviewee about company perks like a free employee gym membership, discounted community cooking classes, and childcare benefits may help them choose your facility as their next place of employment.

Find the Qualified Nursing Candidates You Need

These med-surg nurse interview questions can get you the best hire, but first you need the right applicants. Don’t use generic job boards that can’t distinguish a CNA from a CPA. Our healthcare job board reaches over 1 million nursing professionals looking for jobs — connect with them today.