7 Essential Oncology Nurse Interview Questions to Ask

Oncology nurses provide life-saving cancer treatment to patients in need. They’re specially trained to administer chemotherapy medications, monitor for adverse effects, and manage symptoms in patients at all stages of the cancer continuum. If you’re looking to hire one of these specialized RNs, crafting well-written oncology nurse interview questions is the first step to finding someone with the compassion and competence for the job.

In this article, we’ll outline seven critical oncology nursing interview questions — and answers candidates may provide — to help you find a nurse with the qualifications and skills necessary for the role. We’ll also list follow-up questions you can ask that can give you further insight into a candidate’s professional history or clinical interest.

Before organizing your interview questions, it’s important to perform background research into the oncology nurse job market. Conducting a review of oncology nurse salaries, scheduling options, and benefits packages on our job board can ensure your application entices the most competitive applicants. Specify your organization’s unique needs in your oncology nurse job description to ensure that the candidates who apply are qualified and interested in the role.

You can also download the following oncology nurse candidate evaluation form, which will help you to assess and compare candidates throughout the interview process.

Oncology Nurse Interview Questions and Answers

Oncology nurses work in a variety of settings, including acute care hospitals, cancer treatment centers, and outpatient clinics. Be sure to tailor your questions to suit your facility’s patient population and acuity level.

For example, pediatric oncology nurse interview questions would differ significantly from radiationoncology nurse interview questions. It’s essential that you maximize your time with each candidate and ask for information and details that are relevant to your facility’s unique needs.

1. How did you become interested in oncology nursing?

While this may seem like a basic introductory question, a candidate’s answer can reveal a great deal about their passion and professional interests. After the nurse responds, be sure to share information regarding any awards or accolades your team has earned. Using a back-and-forth conversation style can help break the ice and encourage thorough and honest responses throughout the interview.

What to listen for:

• Clear, open, and honest communication
• Professional body language, strong eye contact, and obvious enthusiasm about the profession and the candidate’s own career

Potential follow-up questions:

• Have you previously worked in another clinical department? What made you decide to switch specialties?
• How has your education and previous experience prepared you for this job?

2. What skills and attributes make you most qualified for this role?

Answers to this question can show whether a candidate is aware of what it takes to be an oncology nurse. They also show whether the nurse researched your facility’s acuity and patient population. Do they know the job duties of oncology nurses at your facility, and are they aware of the basic workflow of your unit? You should be able to glean this type of information in a candidate’s answer.

What to listen for:

• Understanding of essential oncology nurse qualities like compassion, teamwork, empathy, and attention to detail
• A mix of clinical skills and behavioral traits that show the candidate could mesh well with your current staff

Potential follow-up questions:

• Do you have any previous nursing leadership experience?
• Describe a time when you disagreed with a coworker. How did you handle the situation?

3. How do you build rapport and trust with your patients?

Oncology nursing is unique because many patients require periodic care on a weekly or monthly basis. It’s essential to welcome patients to your facility at the start of their therapy sessions, as their attendance and satisfaction scores may depend on how they feel treated by your staff.

What to listen for:

• Prioritization of patient comfort, dignity, and respect
• Thorough understanding of the tenants of person-centered care

Potential follow-up questions:

• Treating pain is a common duty of oncology nurses. What are some ways you relieve pain or discomfort in your patients?
• Have you ever had a patient who refused treatment? How did you handle the situation?

4. How do you tailor patient education to address each individual’s needs?

As patient teaching is essential to providing safe oncological care, this is one of the most frequently asked oncology nurse interview questions. Answers may provide insight into a candidate’s ability to “meet patients where they’re at” and can highlight their assessment skills, cultural competence, and bedside manner.

What to listen for:

• Understanding of various teaching approaches, including written communication, verbal communication, and hands-on demonstration
• Ability to cater teaching to each patient’s age, culture, primary language, and education level

Potential follow-up questions:

• Do you have experience working with patients whose first language isn’t English? How would you go about ensuring their understanding?
• Explain how you would use the teach-back method to describe how to care for a mastectomy incision.

5. Describe a time when you had to make a difficult decision under pressure.

Nursing is fast-paced, so it’s important that your nurse candidate is able to keep their cool even during an emergency. This is a great way to assess if the interviewee has the prioritization and decision-making experience necessary for success.

What to listen for:

• Ability to remain calm and composed, even in times of stress
• Use of multidisciplinary teamwork to work through complex or challenging situations

Potential follow-up questions:

• How would you go about alerting the medical team to a critical change in a patient’s status?
• What has been your proudest moment as a nurse?

6. Have you ever made a mistake on the job? How did you work to resolve the issue?

Mistakes happen, even for careful and competent staff members. Answers to oncology nurse interview questions like this one should focus more on what the candidate did to correct the mistake and limit harm, rather than lingering on the mistake itself or blaming the patient or a coworker.

What to listen for:

• Early notification of the problem to the attending doctor and senior unit management
• Prioritization of patient safety over protecting pride or self-interest

Potential follow-up questions:

• Have you ever been a part of a shared governance committee or nursing research team?
• How do you support your coworkers when they’re having a busy or tough shift?

7. Oncology nursing can be stressful. How do you find peace during a busy or upsetting shift?

Oncology nursing, like other specialities, can be emotionally draining. With nurse burnout at an all-time high and employee retention being a consistent challenge, it’s important that facility leaders ascertain a candidate’s ability to manage the stress and emotional difficulties that come with providing compassionate care.

What to listen for:

• Understanding of the importance of self-care
• Familiarity with healthy coping mechanisms, both on the job and on days off

Potential follow-up questions:

• What does work-life balance mean to you?
• Do you have any more questions for me today before we finish up?

Find the Qualified Healthcare Professionals You Need

Crafting tailored oncology nurse interview questions is a great way to ensure that you’re hiring a top tier candidate, but sometimes the most challenging part of the process is finding high-quality candidates to apply. Posting your vacancies on our healthcare hiring board can help you reach over 1 million qualified professionals who are ready to work.