7 Essential Infusion Nurse Interview Questions to Ask

Infusion nurses, sometimes known as IV nurses, are responsible for administering intravenous medications, fluids, and blood products. These RNs ensure patient safety by performing thorough physical assessments, monitoring for adverse infusion reactions, and educating patients and their family members on proper IV line maintenance.

If you’re looking to hire an IV nurse, developing high-quality infusion nurse interview questions can help you pick a candidate with the required skills and clinical expertise. In this article, we’ll review seven questions that are frequently asked during infusion nurse interviews and describe answers to listen for that can predict a candidate’s success.

Before starting the hiring process, it’s important to get insight into the infusion nurse job market. Construct a thorough and inviting job description by researching competitive salaries, benefits packages, and schedule requirements on our infusion nurse job board.

7 Interview Questions to Ask Infusion Nurses

After you’ve done the background work, it’s time to start crafting your infusion nurse interview questions. This is your opportunity to gain insight into a nurse’s motivations, behaviors, and clinical experience, helping you hire the best possible candidate. Here are some example questions to get your team started.

1. How did you get interested in infusion nursing?

Starting out your interview with this introductory question can give you insight into a candidate’s personal and professional background. Why are they passionate about caring for patients? What motivates and drives them to perform at work? Begin the interview on a casual note and get to know the nurse candidate before moving on to more complex questions.

2. How does your nursing experience prepare you for this role?

You’ve probably read about your interviewee’s clinical experience in their job application, but directly asking them about their previous positions can help you better understand whether they’d be a good fit for your team.

Answers to this infusion nurse interview question should also reveal whether the candidate has researched your facility, patient acuity, and population served. Proving that they understand the IV nurse role and have the skills necessary to do the job can get your preferred candidate one step closer to securing the position.

3. How do you provide comfort to patients who are in pain?

Infusion nurses often treat oncology and hospice patients who suffer from acute or chronic pain. Knowing the signs of pain and understanding how to provide care to patients who are struggling is crucial to exceptional care.

Strong nurse candidates will respond with answers like:

• “I will ask patients their pain score and provide the appropriate pain medication.”
• “I would ask them if there’s anything that has helped with their pain in the past, and try to provide that option when possible.”
• “I always encourage deep breathing exercises for patients who are uncomfortable.”
• “I will attempt to distract them from the pain by asking them about their personal interests and hobbies.”
• “I usually offer patients hot or cold packs, aromatherapy, or light massage in addition to ordered pain medications. These have proven to ease pain in cancer patients and make their treatment time more comfortable.”

4. Imagine that after starting an infusion, a patient complained of itching and shortness of breath. What would you do next?

Now is an appropriate time to start asking critical thinking infusion nurse interview questions such as this. Asking how a nurse would handle realistic case scenarios can help you see how well they think on the spot.

Great infusion nurses know that hives, site redness, itching, and shortness of breath are just a few signs of an adverse infusion reaction. Nurses who mention stopping the infusion, notifying the appropriate physician, and putting an ice pack at the IV site are the clinicians you want on your team.

5. Tell me about a time when you had to advocate for a patient.

Standing up for a patient’s rights requires compassion, empathy, and respect. It’s important for healthcare facilities to hire staff who not only provide great care, but also understand the wants and needs of the individuals they serve. Strong nurses may discuss actions such as:

• Speaking up when a care plan compromises a patient’s cultures or values.
• Carrying out the wishes detailed in a patient’s advance directive.
• Educating patients who may not understand the risks involved with a particular treatment or procedure.

Advocating for patients requires strong communication and problem-solving skills — knowing a nurse is able to carry out this duty ensures patient needs will be met.

6. How do you incorporate infection prevention practices into your clinical practice?

This nursing specialty requires precision, focus, and attention to detail to prevent central line associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) and medication infiltration. It’s important to ask infusion nurse interview questions that touch on this subject to gain insight into a nurse’s clinical competence and familiarity with appropriate care guidelines.

After a nurse responds, you can describe a few of your organization’s unique infection prevention practices. Assessing their excitement and passion for learning can help you predict how well a nurse will orient to your team’s practices.

7. Working as a nurse at our facility can be busy and fast-paced. How do you rest and recover between shifts?

The risk of burnout is high for all nursing specialties, which often makes a significant impact on employee satisfaction and retention. It’s important to ask about a candidate’s work-life balance to ensure they’l be able to handle the stresses of the job.

After an interviewee responds to this question, you can discuss the ways your organization supports nurses. Mention company benefits like paid time off and free employee counseling services to demonstrate your willingness to create a healthy work environment.

Quickly Find Infusion Nurses Who Are Ready to Work

You’ve written great infusion nurse interview questions, but sometimes finding qualified nurses to apply for your position can be the toughest part of the hiring process. Need a hand? Posting your nursing positions IntelyCare’s search optimized job board can help you reach a wide array of qualified candidates in a short amount of time.