7 Key Psychiatric Nurse Interview Questions to Ask

Psychiatric nurses are trained to deliver care to patients with various mental health conditions, such as anxiety, depression, substance abuse disorder, and schizophrenia. Beyond understanding how to carry out typical nursing duties like medication administration, these nurses must be strong advocates, listeners, and mediators. So asking the right psychiatric nurse interview questions is crucial for hiring someone who can handle the intricacies of this specialty.

To help you hire the best person for your team, we’ll outline seven of the top interview questions for psychiatric nurses and how to evaluate your candidate’s answers. Narrow down your pool of potential candidates to interview by preparing a well-written job description. You can also explore current psychiatric nurse job openings to figure out what top traits other facilities are looking for. We’ve provided a psychiatric nurse evaluation form to help you choose the right candidate for the role.

Interview Questions for a Psychiatric Nurse

Psychiatric nursing requires a deep level of empathy and understanding. Mental health conditions cannot be treated the same way as physical ailments, so these nurses must have knowledge of the unique treatment modalities needed to support their patients. The following seven questions can help you find a candidate who embodies these essential qualities.

1. Why do you want to be a psychiatric nurse?

Starting off with a classic “why do you want to be a mental health nurse” interview question is a great, open-ended way to let your candidate introduce who they are and discuss their career journey. Psychiatric nursing is a rewarding yet emotionally taxing specialty, so it’s important to identify candidates who are genuine and intentional about why they chose this path.

What to listen for:

• Clear passion and interest in working in the mental health field
• Desire to make a difference in the lives of patients struggling with mental illness

Potential follow-up questions:

• What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced as a psychiatric nurse?
• Can you describe your experience working with individuals with psychiatric conditions?

2. What steps do you take to build rapport with patients?

Building rapport with patients is a fundamental part of providing high quality care in a mental health setting. So, it’s important to ask psychiatric nurse interview questions that assess a candidate’s ability to foster a safe relationship and encourage patients to communicate their feelings.

What to listen for:

• Knowledge of how to employ strong therapeutic communication
• Ability to meet patients where they are, with understanding and encouragement

Potential follow-up questions:

• How do you ensure patient privacy and confidentiality in a psychiatric setting?
• How do you incorporate therapeutic communication into your care?

3. How do you assess a patient’s risk of self-harm or harm to others?

Working in a psychiatric setting can sometimes pose potential dangers to both staff and patients. Asking psychiatric nurse interview questions like this will ensure that candidates are aware of these risks and familiar with common protocols that help keep everyone safe.

What to listen for:

• Understanding of key assessment questions to ask and signs to look for
• Knowledge of which types of situations may warrant further intervention

Potential follow-up questions:

• Can you describe your experience with crisis intervention and de-escalation?
• What would you do if you suspected abuse or neglect in a patient’s home environment?

4. How do you keep up with policies and legislation that impact mental health care delivery?

There are many unique legal and ethical considerations that nurses must make when working in mental health care. Common issues such as involuntary admissions and legal guardianship can affect psychiatric patients of all ages, which is why it’s so important to incorporate regulatory compliance into both your adult and pediatric mental health nurse interview questions.

What to listen for:

• Understanding of reputable and relevant journals or policy platforms
• Eagerness to engage in professional development and continuous learning

Potential follow-up questions:

• How do you keep up with new advancements in psychiatric nursing?
• What steps do you take to uphold the dignity of patients in a psychiatric setting?

5. Describe a situation where you had to work with a difficult patient and how you handled it.

This is one of the best psychiatric nurse interview questions, and answers can really clue you into how candidates respond to real-world scenarios while demonstrating their interpersonal skills. Psychiatric nurses may commonly encounter patients who are not cooperative, but their ability to remain respectful, calm, and collected is crucial.

What to listen for:

• Understanding of evidence-based techniques that help calm patients down
• Awareness and ability to empathize with where the patient may be coming from

Potential follow-up questions:

• How do you deal with emotionally heavy situations in your daily work?
• What measures do you take to protect your own boundaries in a psychiatric setting?

6. How do you account for cultural differences when educating patients about mental health care?

Culture plays a large role in how patients and families perceive mental health conditions and care. Thus, psychiatric nurses must understand how to deliver culturally competent care that reduces barriers and allows diverse patients to get the care they need.

What to listen for:

• Understanding of how culture can impact perspectives on mental health
• Ability to adapt communication and education to remain culturally sensitive

Potential follow-up questions:

• What questions would you ask patients to assess cultural factors that may impact their care?
• What are some key measures you take to deliver patient-centered care?

7. How do you advocate for your patients’ needs to the rest of the healthcare team?

Psychiatric patients can be placed in many vulnerable situations, and it’s a nurse’s duty to protect their rights and needs. This question assesses a candidate’s ability to advocate for their patients as well as how they approach communication with other team members.

What to listen for:

• Ability to put the patient’s needs first, even in difficult situations
• Understanding of how to communicate respectfully, assertively, and professionally

Potential follow-up questions:

• How do you collaborate with the rest of the psychiatric team to create a care plan?
• Tell me about a time you had a disagreement with another team member and how you handled it.

Find the Right Candidates to Interview

Wondering where to find candidates who can answer your psychiatric nurse interview questions with ease? IntelyCare can connect you with the right people faster. Post to our job board today and get access to a nationwide network of nurses seeking work in all types of settings.