The Best Peer Interview Questions for Nursing Roles

Collaboration is an integral part of nursing, and it’s crucial to evaluate a job candidate’s ability to be a team player when hiring for your facility. One way to do this is by having candidates answer a round of peer interview questions. Nursing professionals who are already working on your unit can help evaluate each candidate, making the vetting process more comprehensive.

If you’re looking to recruit the best nursing professionals for your team, you might consider conducting peer interviews during your next hiring cycle. In this article, we’ll discuss how and why peer interview questions are used and provide sample questions that your staff can ask to various types of nursing candidates.

What Are Peer Interviews in Nursing?

A peer interview, or panel interview, involves a group of current nursing staff interviewing a candidate during the hiring process. Each staff member on the panel can ask a variety of behavioral, skill-based, or situational questions to assess whether a candidate would be a good fit for their team.

The staff on a panel are typically in a role that’s similar to what the candidate is being evaluated for. For example, if a candidate is a registered nurse (RN), they might meet with two to five other RNs or licensed practical/vocational nurses (LPNs/LVNs) who would all take turns asking peer interview questions. Nursing assistants can also be interviewed by a mix of RNs, LPNs, or other aides they’d be working closely with on the floor.

How Do Peer Interviews Strengthen the Hiring Process?

Nursing staff have a strong sense of their unit’s workflow, so they can provide valuable insight into how well a candidate might mesh with the current team. They know what type of people that they want to work with, and peer interviews enable them to assess whether candidates would strengthen or weaken the dynamics on the floor.

Peer interviews also give candidates the chance to learn more about the culture of your unit. If a top candidate has a positive experience during their peer interview, this might influence them to accept your job offer over others.

When Should Peer Interview Questions Be Used?

Fundamentally, peer interview questions are used when a manager wants a wider range of opinions on a candidate. However, these questions aren’t meant to replace traditional clinical nurse interview questions that are asked by the manager. Instead, the manager will schedule a peer interview if they like a candidate during their one-on-one and want them to meet other potential coworkers.

Peer Interview Nursing Questions by Role

If you’re planning to utilize peer interview questions, nursing professionals on your panels should be prepared to ask a wide variety of questions. It’s a good idea to encourage your panel to ask follow up questions as well. One of the added benefits of a peer interview format is that it can often spark insightful discussions that can go deeper into learnings and best practices, revealing much more about the candidates you’re interviewing.

Below, we’ve provided examples of some of the best peer interview questions for each of the following roles:

• Nursing assistants
• Licensed practical/vocational nurses (LPNs/LVNs)
• Registered nurses (RNs)

As we break down sample questions by role, keep in mind that these questions can also be tailored for peer interviews across all levels of nursing. When preparing staff to conduct interviews, remind them to ask anything that will help evaluate the professional qualities that they personally value.

Peer Interview Questions: Nursing Assistants

How do you advocate for your patient’s needs to your supervising nurse?

Nursing assistants have many bedside duties that require them to spend the most time with patients. Because of this, they may observe things that are missed by other members of the care team. This question assesses a candidate’s commitment to advocating for their patients needs and their professionalism when it comes to relaying issues up the chain of command.

What are some strategies you use to manage care for multiple patients at a time?

It’s not uncommon for an entire unit to have only one or two nursing assistants working each shift. This question allows teams to evaluate whether candidates can handle this type of workload and stay on task to ensure that workflow isn’t significantly disrupted.

Peer Interview Questions: LPNs/LVNs

What would you do if an RN asked you to do something outside your scope of practice?

Staying within the LPN/LVN scope of practice is crucial for protecting the safety of patients. This question evaluates a candidate’s ability to speak up for both themselves and their patients. Answers can also give insight to how candidates would handle potential team-based conflicts and their understanding of how to communicate assertively but respectfully.

What type of new skills are you interested in developing?

LVNs/LPNs can expand their scope of practice through additional training and certification. This question assesses whether candidates have a positive attitude toward professional development. If they have a clear drive to deliver better patient care, this can help boost the overall culture and morale of the team.

Peer Interview Questions: RNs

What do you like most about being a nurse?

This question allows staff to get a broader sense of who a candidate is as a person and their values. It’s open-ended enough for candidates to take the question in any direction that they want, and also clue your staff into whether they might bring a positive or negative energy to the team.

What are some key measures you take to support other staff on the floor?

In addition to delivering patient care, RNs have the responsibility of supervising LPNs/LVNs and nursing assistants. This question evaluates their willingness to support their peers and how they’d shape clinical leadership to strengthen team dynamics.

Find Top Candidates for Your Team to Interview

Struggling to bring in candidates who can answer your team’s peer interview questions? Nursing leaders can get help through IntelyCare’s nursing-only job board. Post your opening today and get access to a nationwide network of qualified nursing professionals who are ready to work.