Questions You Should Be Asking During New Graduate RN interviews

March 21, 2020



Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening Sunshine!

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Continuing with my current trend, I have compiled all of the interview questions I have asked unit managers during my new graduate interviews. I think some of the best advice I've ever received  in regards to job interviews was "never leave an interview without asking a few questions." This is your chance to interview them. Your chance to learn more and put them in the "hot seat":

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Too often we get asked, "Why do you want to work here?/why should we hire you?" Now's your chance to ask them "Why should I even take a job here?"


  • May I tour the unit/shadow on the unit?
  • What is a typical nurse to patient ratio? How often do you abide by that?
  • What is the exact length of residency?
  • How will this unit foster my growth as a new graduate nurse?
  • How often are opportunities for advancement available? (Ex. Becoming a charge nurse, nurse manager)
  • Are individual mentoring relationships available for new nurses?
  • What charting system does this hospital use?
  • What areas of improvement are you currently working on in regards to patient safety?
  • In what ways does this unit/hospital assist nurses experiencing burnout?
  • In your opinion what are the best attributes of this hospital's culture?
  • How do you evaluate progress or success in this position?
  • How would you describe your management style?
  • What are the biggest challenges you face working here?
  • What have been some of the biggest struggles you have seen with new graduate nurses on this unit?
  • Are there any opportunities to join shared governance?
  • What opportunities exist for continued education? How often are these classes offered? (Ex. Classes for certifications, becoming a "superuser", becoming a safety coach, etc.)


I highlighted my "go-to" heavy-hitting questions in red!

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Some of these questions may naturally be answered throughout the duration of the interview. Going into the interview I would pick about 3-7 of these to ask - that way if any of your questions happen to get answered, you're not scrambling for backup.

I hope you found this helpful and I am rooting for you! Let me know if you have any questions down below in the comments section and feel free to share this post with a friend.

Continue to crush all your goals and interviews! Wishing you all the best in everything that you do!


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