Ace Your Job Interview: 9 Stress Management Tips for Nurses

No matter how much you believe you’re perfect for a nursing role, you’ll most likely need to convince an interview panel that you’re as skilled as you think you are. Unfortunately, the interview process is often what many healthcare professionals find the most stressful, and it can lead to them being less confident and decisive than they could be.

Certainly, there are ways you can prepare for job interview, which includes researching the hospital or clinic, practising common nursing interview questions (including clinical scenarios), and thinking about what questions you want to ask about patient ratios, professional development opportunities, and workplace culture.

However, learning to manage your anxiety and nerves is as important as any other part of the interview preparation. If you’re too stressed, you won’t be able to demonstrate your clinical competencies effectively. Here are proven ways to manage stress during your nursing interview.

Job Interview Tips

Arrive Early And Take Some Time

One of the things you’ll always be told is not to be late for the interview. This not only looks unprofessional, but it will also mean you arrive flustered and stressed—not the impression you want to make when discussing patient care responsibilities.

What you need to do is ensure you know exactly where the hospital or clinic is located and that you’re there in plenty of time for your interview. However, you don’t want to go straight in. Instead, find somewhere you can sit outside to relax and settle your mind. The fresh air will do you a lot of good at calming you down and clearing your head before discussing your nursing experience.

Prepare For Any Eventuality

Many healthcare professionals get the most stress from doing something wrong and being embarrassed either before or during the interview. To try and overcome this, you need to prepare as best you can for potential challenges.

If you’re having a telephone or video interview (increasingly common for initial screenings), try to ensure you won’t be disturbed and that your mobile phone or laptop has enough charge. If you’re not at home, make sure you have your charger or a charging pack with you.

Use Mobile Apps for Relaxation

Mobile phones are now invaluable pieces of technology that most healthcare professionals rely on daily. They’re also most likely the one thing you’ll have with you before your interview. For that reason, you can use your phone to access one of the many relaxation apps available on Android and Apple.

Try using a breathing or meditation app on the morning of your interview and perhaps on the way there. Alternatively, if you don’t want to use relaxation apps, you can use any app that helps you unwind and take your mind off the upcoming interview.

Motivate Yourself with Positive Self-Talk

Although you might think talking to yourself isn’t a good idea, studies have shown it’s actually a brilliant way to motivate yourself. You need to tell yourself things that will boost your confidence, such as “I’m a skilled nurse,” “I can excel in this ICU role,” or “My patient care experience speaks for itself.” The trick is to say these things out loud so you can hear them.

Talking out loud is also a great way to practise answering nursing interview questions. Although you may have practised clinical scenarios in your mind, saying them out loud will help when you come to discuss patient care examples in the interview. It will also help you remember what you said if you’re asked similar questions.

Take Time To Think About Clinical Scenarios

When you’re asked about a clinical situation or patient care scenario in the interview, it can be easy to start talking immediately to try to seem confident. However, you need to give yourself time to compose yourself and think of the comprehensive answer you want to give.

It might sound frightening to pause initially, but the interview panel will understand you’re thinking through the clinical scenario and will allow you time. Taking a moment will also allow you to properly consider the entire question instead of thinking about your answer before they’ve finished. This can lead you to miss part of the clinical scenario and not give an adequate response.

Stay Hydrated

Nerves and extensive talking about your nursing experience can both cause you to get a dry throat. For this reason, you shouldn’t feel awkward asking for some water at the beginning if none is provided. You should also bring your own water bottle just in case—most hospitals and clinics will have water available, but it’s better to be prepared.

Taking a sip of water can also give you valuable thinking time after a question, allowing you to develop a strong answer about your clinical experience or patient care approach.

Practise Your Breathing Techniques

When you get anxious, your breathing can become shallow or you might hyperventilate—something you’d recognise in patients experiencing anxiety. To prevent this happening to you, try to control your breathing and become aware of how quickly you take breaths. There are apps that can help you count and control your breathing, so you should practise these before the interview so you can use the technique on the day.

The brilliant thing about learning this skill is that it can be used in many other stressful situations, both in your nursing career and personal life.

Use Your Adrenaline Positively

High levels of adrenaline are closely linked with nervousness; however, it can also be a sign of immense excitement about a new nursing opportunity. If you’re feeling on edge and under stress, try to use it positively and turn it into exciting energy about the potential role.

By using this technique, you can still get the energised feeling of adrenaline, but you can channel it in a way that will help you perform better when discussing your clinical expertise.

Don’t Forget To Smile

When you smile, it conveys to others that you’re happy and confident, even if you aren’t feeling that way inside. This is particularly important in healthcare roles where your demeanour affects patient care. Even if you have to fake the smile initially, it can also help you feel better about yourself, so there’s no harm in giving it a try.

Your Next Career Move Awaits

Being interviewed for a new nursing position is stressful, especially if it’s a role you’ve always dreamed of—whether that’s working in a cutting-edge ICU in Sydney, a busy theatre department in Melbourne, or a specialist midwifery unit in Auckland.

Ready to take the next step in your healthcare career? At IHR Group, we’ve successfully placed hundreds of nurses across Australia and New Zealand. Our team understands the unique challenges healthcare professionals face during interviews, and we’re here to support you every step of the way.

From ICU specialists in Sydney to midwives in Melbourne, from theatre nurses in Perth to emergency department professionals in Adelaide, we match exceptional healthcare professionals with their ideal roles. We handle everything from initial applications to final placement, ensuring you’re fully prepared and confident for every interview.

Browse our latest nursing opportunities or contact us at +61 (0)2 9231 8481 to discuss your career goals. With over 12 years of experience in healthcare recruitment, we’re here to help you land that dream nursing role.

New positions are posted regularly across all specialties including ICU, theatre, emergency, cardiac, oncology, and midwifery roles throughout Australia and New Zealand.