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Director of Nursing Interview Questions

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Whether you are preparing to interview a candidate or applying for a job, review our list of top Director of Nursing interview questions and answers.

  1. What makes you qualified for the director of nursing role at our hospital? See answer
  2. How would you react to a dispute involving other nurses? See answer
  3. How would you manage newly recruited nurses? See answer
  4. What improvements would you make to our current lobby to ensure patients are comfortable as they wait? See answer
  5. Can you tell us about your experience as a nurse? See answer
  6. Tell us about a time you disagreed with someone who had higher authority. How did you handle it? See answer
  7. What do you look for when hiring new nurses? See answer
  8. How would you ensure we keep all patient documents confidential? See answer
  9. What team-building methods do you use to ensure your team works as a unit?
  10. How would you collect feedback on your nurses’ performance from patients?
  11. If you have a conflict with a doctor in the hospital, how will you handle it?
  12. How would you evaluate the nurses who work for you?
  13. Can you tell us about an innovative idea you’ve had that improved efficiency?
  14. How would you ensure that the nursing department stays within its budget?
  15. How would you handle a patient that isn’t satisfied by the services of one of your nurses?
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Hire your next Director of Nursing today.

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Hire your next Director of Nursing today.

Post a job
Our mission

Indeed’s Employer Resource Library helps businesses grow and manage their workforce. With over 15,000 articles in 6 languages, we offer tactical advice, how-tos and best practices to help businesses hire and retain great employees.

Read our editorial guidelines

15 Director of Nursing Interview Questions and Answers

What makes you qualified for the director of nursing role at our hospital?

This question can inform you of the applicant's level of education and other relevant qualifications. The position may require applicants to have specific academic credentials pertinent to the job. What to look for in an answer:

  • A degree in the medical field
  • The amount of time they've served as director of nursing
  • Knowledge of the legal policies and regulations

Example:

“I have a bachelor's degree in nursing and health administration from Brookside University. I worked as a nurse for two years at Avenue Hospital, and the management later promoted me to director of nursing, a position I held for three years. My experience in the role also taught me about all the job's legal policies and regulations"

How would you react to a dispute involving other nurses?

This question helps you gauge how the applicant handles conflict in the workplace. Tension may arise in the hospital due to a dispute involving the nurses. Asking this question helps you assess how the director of nursing will handle this situation should it arise. What to look for in an answer:

  • A logical procedure
  • Leadership qualities
  • Composure while resolving the situation

Example:

“I'd first request the disputing nurses to come to my office. I'd then ask them the reason behind their disagreement. After listening to both sides, I'd recommend solutions based on what I heard. If the problem persisted, I'd take disciplinary action based on hospital regulations."

How would you manage newly recruited nurses?

This question will inform you on how the applicant handles changes in the work environment. New nurses may need help dispensing their duties during the first few weeks as they familiarise themselves with the workplace. Therefore, it would be wise to hire someone who will handle the recruits well. An excellent answer demonstrates:

  • A friendly demeanour
  • Delegation of the new nurses' supervision.
  • Willingness to assist the recruits in case of a problem

Example:

“I'd first meet the newly recruited nurses and ensure they feel welcome at the hospital. The next step would be to show them around the hospital and answer their questions. I'd then assign them to more experienced nurses who would supervise them for the next few weeks.”

What team-building methods would you use to ensure your team works as a unit?

This question allows you to know more about the applicant's leadership skills. The director of nursing role may at times require the applicant to encourage nurses to work together. What to look for in an answer:

  • Innovative ideas
  • Ability to lead nurses during the exercise
  • Their involvement in the exercise 

Example:

“I'd organise retreats every three months and ensure all nurses get to attend them. During these retreats, they'd take part in games where they'd have to solve problems in teams. In these activities, nurses need to work together, which would strengthen their workplace relationships."

How would you collect feedback on your nurses' performance from patients?

This question can give you insight into how the applicant plans to get feedback from patients. Feedback is crucial, as it helps you know what needs to be improved in the hospital. What to look for in an answer:

  • Understanding of the importance of feedback
  • A logical procedure to collect feedback
  • Constant encouragement to patients to give their feedback

Example:

"Feedback from patients is crucial to the hospital's operations. Therefore, I'd provide the reception desk with small questionnaires to hand out to patients when they check out of the hospital. The patients can leave comments on how they were treated by nurses during their time at the hospital.”

If you have a conflict with a doctor in the hospital, how would you handle it?

This question lets you know how the applicant handles conflict with those in a different department within the same organisation. Doctors and nurses work together but have different roles. It's crucial to resolve any disputes that may arise between employees. What to look for in an answer:

  • Conflict resolution skills
  • Respect for the other profession 
  • Responds calmly and respectfully 

Example:

“I'd calmly listen to the doctor's concerns and write them down. I'd then think of all workable solutions to the problem and present them to the doctor. We could then discuss it calmly and come up with a solution that would work for both of us."

How would you evaluate the nurses who work for you?

The director of nursing may need to evaluate the performance of nurses regularly. This question informs you of the applicant's evaluation skills. A suitable candidate should have the necessary skills to evaluate nurses effectively. What to look for in an answer:

  • Evaluation skills
  • Ensures the evaluation process is fair and timely
  • Experience in evaluating nurses

Example:

“In my last job as a nursing director, I evaluated all the nurses every six months. The first step was to refer to patients' feedback. I then checked in with the rest of the staff and to discover how the nurses treated them. I also looked for critics and areas where each one needed to improve. I then wrote a report with all the information from my evaluation process and made it available to the nurses and the administration.”

What improvements would you make to our current lobby to ensure patients are comfortable as they wait?

This question will help you assess the applicant's knowledge of the current condition of the hospital. You can learn whether they've done their research on the hospital and familiarised themselves with the facility. What to look for in an answer:

  • Knowledge of the hospital's lobby and facilities
  • Innovative ideas on what could improve
  • Confidence while answering

Example:

"I've been to the hospital's lobby and I saw that the magazines offered are slightly old. Therefore, I'd suggest subscribing to more current magazines and possibly adding two new television screens so the patients can keep themselves entertained as they wait.”

Can you tell us about your experience as a nurse?

This question reveals how long the applicant has worked as a nurse and their level of experience. The director of nursing role may require a candidate to have essential nursing skills in addition to managerial skills. What to look for in an answer:

  • How long they've worked as a nurse
  • Whether they specialised in a specific field or have vast experience
  • Where they worked as a nurse

Example:

“I last worked as a nurse at Avenue Hospital two years ago before I ventured into the executive department. I worked with all patients ranging from those with cancer to those sick with malaria. I treated all my patients well and performed my duties beyond expectations.” 

Tell us about a time you disagreed with someone who had higher authority. How did you handle it?

This question informs you of the applicant's respect for authority and how they handle conflicts. An excellent candidate would respect the chain of command and try to resolve the conflict respectfully. A satisfactory answer shows:

  • Conflict resolution skills
  • A calm and respectful tone
  • A straightforward procedure

Example:

“In my previous job, I disagreed with an executive manager over a budget issue. I reviewed the budget and removed a few items and submitted it back to them. The executive manager was happy with the revised budget.”

Can you tell us about an innovative idea you've had that improved efficiency?

This question tests the candidate's creative thinking skills. The director of nursing role may require a creative candidate who can develop innovative ideas to handle problems in the hospital. An excellent answer shows:

  • Innovation
  • The applicant's adaptability 
  • Confidence

Example:

“In the previous hospital where I worked, there was a slight delay in the handling of emergencies when the hospital was overcrowded. So I came up with a system that provided the assistance of two nurses to ensure any emergencies that arose would have personnel on standby who could attend to them.”

How would you ensure that the nursing department operates within its budget?

This question tests the applicant's budgeting and organisational skills. The director of nursing might be in charge of the nursing department's budget. A suitable candidate will have experience planning and implementing a budget. What to look for in an answer:

  • Prioritization and organisational skills
  • Creativity
  • Decision-making skills

Example:

“I'd make a list of all the essentials and give them priority on the budget. I'd then eliminate all the areas where money is potentially wasted, come up with ways to save money, and also have some reserved to use during emergencies.”

What do you look for when hiring new nurses?

The director of nursing may have to interview and hire new nurses. This question lets you gauge the applicant's ability to judge character and evaluate new employees. What to look for in an answer:

  • Decision-making skills
  • Research skills
  • Assertiveness

Example:

“I'll first do my research on the applicants before they come for the interview. I'd then look for applicants who can work well under pressure and eliminate anyone I see as a poor fit for the hospital.”

How would you handle a patient who isn't satisfied with the services of one of your nurses?

This question lets you assess the applicant's interpersonal skills. What to look for in an answer:

  • Customer service skills
  • Conflict resolution
  • Excellent communication skills

Example:

“I'd first hear the patient's grievances and take note of them. Then, I'd inform the nurse of the complaints and listen to their side of the story. I'd then ensure the nurse apologises to the patient if needed.”

How would you ensure we keep all patient documents confidential?

The director of nursing role may involve ensuring all patient documents are kept confidential. This question tests their knowledge of regulations regarding patient data and whether they adhere to privacy rules. What to look for in an answer:

  • Adherence to data protection and privacy regulations
  • organisational skills
  • Knowledge of data protection regulations

Example:

“I'll ensure I keep all the physical documents in my office and always lock it when I'm absent. I'll also ensure that the documents on my computer are safe by instructing the IT department to build a firewall around my department's computer's network.”

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