7 Key Public Health Nurse Interview Questions to Ask

Public health nurses are vital to keeping our communities safe and healthy. These specialized clinicians collaborate with local, regional, state, and national health authorities to develop health promotion initiatives, deploy emergency response programs, and drive disease prevention efforts. If you’re looking to hire one of these nurses for your organization, crafting high-quality public health nurse interview questions is the first step to finding an exceptional employee.

In this article, we’ll review seven frequently-asked public health nursing interview questions — and answers candidates may provide — that can help you find a nurse with the qualifications and skills for success. We’ll also list follow-up questions you can ask to clarify a nurse’s answer or glean additional details about their experience.

Before crafting your interview questions, it’s important to get insight into the public health nurse job market. Research competitive salaries, benefits packages, and scheduling options on our nursing professional job board to ensure your company’s offerings meet industry standards. Next, create a well-written job description to attract candidates to the position and entice them to apply.

7 Public Health Nurse Job Interview Questions

Once you’;ve done your background research, it’s time to start planning for your interviews. Public health nurses — sometimes referred to as community health nurses — have varied levels of clinical and life experience. Take the opportunity to get to know each nurse candidate and hear about what they can bring to the table.

What motivates them to come to work, and how does their experience prepare them for the role? Developing tailored public health nurse interview questions can help you make the most of your time with each candidate. Here are seven example questions to get your hiring team started.

1. Tell me a bit about yourself.

Starting off with open-ended nursing interview questions like this one can help break the ice and put candidates at ease. Here, nurses are given the opportunity to introduce themselves and share details about their personal and professional background.

Qualified candidates are likely to discuss why they became a nurse and may describe the previous roles and patient populations they served. While they may have shared this information on their resume or cover letter, asking this question allows you to assess each nurse’s ability to professionally communicate.

After a nurse responds, take the opportunity to share a bit about how you got involved in the organization and why you appreciate working with the team. Boast about any company awards or accolades to get candidates even more excited about the position.

Follow-Up Questions:

• How has your previous experience prepared you for the role?
• What made you decide to leave your current or most recent job?

2. What inspired you to apply for this public health nurse position?

Whether you’re interviewing a new graduate or a nurse with years of experience, learning why they’re excited to join your team can show you how invested they are in your position. Look for answers that hint at a nurse’s compassion, motivation, and drive to improve patient care and health outcomes. If a candidate only discusses the negative attributes or challenges of their previous job, it could be a red flag and may indicate that they’re burned out.

Follow-Up Questions:

• Do you have any experience working with our patient population?
• We encourage professional development for all of our clinical staff. Where do you see yourself in five years?

3. How does your style of professional practice align with the mission, vision, and values of our organization?

Asking this type of public health nurse interview question shows whether a candidate did their homework on your facility. Have they researched your company’s history? Are they familiar with your fiscal and clinical goals? Do their personal values align with those of the organization?

Nurses who share a professional vision with the company they work for often have higher rates of job satisfaction and engagement. These nurses tend to stay with organizations for longer periods of time — they’re the ones you want on your team.

Follow-Up Questions:

• Do you have any previous public health nursing leadership experience?
• Have you ever participated in any community health quality improvement or evidence-based practice initiatives?

4. How do you plan to build meaningful relationships with the people we serve?

Once you’ve asked a few introductory questions, it’s time to get into more complex community health nurse interview questions. Public health nurses care for patients from infancy to adulthood and work in a variety of clinical settings, including:

• Health department offices
• Nonprofit organizations
• Schools
• Community health clinics
• Correctional facilities

No matter the clinical setting, these clinicians are responsible for providing care to hundreds of patients a week. Knowing that a candidate can handle the challenges and stresses of a fast-paced environment gets you one step closer to hiring a great employee. Listen for answers that demonstrate the empathy, professional communication, and person-centered care required to serve this unique nursing role.

Follow-Up Questions:

• Describe three skills of a high-performing team. What types of behaviors limit care quality? Explain your reasoning.
• How would you overcome a language barrier when developing rapport?

5. Imagine you’ve been assigned to develop a flu shot education module for the local elementary school. What steps would you take?

Now that you’ve gotten a feel for the candidate’s personality type, it’s time to assess whether they’re prepared to perform the duties of the job. This scenario-based public health nurse interview question should reveal a candidate’s ability to prioritize, plan, and implement a public health initiative. Feel free to adjust the question to match the demands of your unique patient population.

Follow-Up Questions:

• Discuss a time when you provided care to a difficult patient. Describe the situation and explain how you worked through the challenges.
• Juggling multiple priorities can be stressful. How are you able to find work-life balance?

6. How do you prioritize equity and equality when treating patients?

Public health nurses care for patients from all socioeconomic backgrounds, cultures, and religions. Treating patients with the dignity and respect they deserve is the first step to providing safe and non-judgmental care.

When asking public health nurse interview questions like this one, listen for responses that reveal a nurse’s:

• Acceptance of choices and beliefs that differ from theirs.
• Empathy and understanding.
• Awareness of their unconscious biases and how they work to minimize their effects.

Hiring a compassionate, open-minded, and introspective clinician not only builds unity among your multidisciplinary team, but it can also help improve patient loyalty, engagement, and health outcomes within your organization.

Follow-Up Questions:

• Describe a time you provided culturally competent care.
• What are some techniques you use to limit the effects of unconscious bias?

7. What would be your salary expectations if you were offered the position?

While this question may seem off-putting, it can save you and the nurse candidate time and effort down the road if there’s a mismatch in compensation expectations. If the candidate asks about an approximate salary range, be honest and open about what your facility is able to offer. Be sure to provide information on career advancement opportunities and any related pay raises to keep them interested even if the starting salary isn’t what they were expecting.

Follow-Up Questions:

• If you were hired for the position, when would you be looking to start?
• Do you have any additional questions for me before we finish up?

Find High-Quality Public Health Nurses Today

Now that you’ve crafted your public health nurse interview questions, you’re well on your way to hiring a top-tier candidate. Sometimes, finding qualified candidates to apply can be the most challenging part of healthcare hiring. Posting your vacant positions to our nursing job board can help you quickly secure the employees you need.