As a school nurse, you will be responsible for the well-being of students so you will be scrutinized quite deeply when appearing in a School Nurse interview.
Not only will you be judged on your nursing knowledge but you will also be tested on how you handle yourself in an environment that has children at its core.
But there isn’t anything to worry about if you know your work. If you have been interviewed for a school nurse position previously, you will know what to expect in a subsequent interview.
Keeping in mind that your job as a school nurse is to strengthen and facilitate the educational process by protecting students’ health status, you will be able to answer even the toughest of questions posed to you.
Since your major focus as a school nurse will be to prevent illnesses and the early detection of diseases or disabilities, you will mostly be tested on these aspects during your interview.
Interviewers will concentrate on determining how you conduct yourself with students and how much you know about disabilities and diseases associated with the student group that you are responsible for.
Here are some questions (with appropriate answers) that you might be asked at an interview for the position of a school nurse:
School Nurse Interview Questions and Answers
1. What do you believe is the prime function of a school nurse?
A school nurse needs to be available and on-call for any emergency that may transpire with a student. It is her responsibility to identify health problems and take measures to overcome them on an immediate basis.
2. Why should we hire you as a school nurse?
You require a well-qualified and certified nursing professional with experience in school nursing. I fulfill all of the above requirements and additionally offer excellent skills in the early detection and correction of health-related problems.
3. Explain the job description of a school nurse?
A school nurse is responsible for providing first aid emergency response to injury cases, obtaining a health history, and screening for visual and auditory deficits. Assisting in physical examinations conducted at school and developing and implementing a health education plan.
4. Name some personality traits a nurse must have?
Compassion, good communication skills, and patience are some traits a school nurse must possess.
5. What can a school nurse do to prevent the spread of various diseases among children?
Vigilant inspection and early identification of symptoms of an epidemic are very crucial to preventing the spread of diseases. A school nurse can detect such cases early and recommend immediate quarantine for the affected children and carriers of the disease.
6. Do you have any experience in dealing with special needs children?
Yes, during the past 5 years I have dealt with many special needs cases in various schools.
7. What do HIPPA and FERPA stand for and what are these?
HIPPA and FERPA are acts applicable to nursing and medicine practice in the USA. These acts define some governing laws every medical professional is required to follow. HIPPA stands for the Health Insurance Privacy and Portability Act and FERPA Stands for the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act
8. What do you find most rewarding about this profession?
I believe the satisfaction that comes from knowing one is able to help others, especially children is the most rewarding aspect of this position.
9. What are some challenges a school nurse faces?
One of the biggest challenges faced by a school nurse is that advanced medical facility is not available at most schools. Accidents and cases come in that sometimes need stitching or intensive care. The other big challenge is to identify a genuine case and distinguish it from students merely trying to avoid a certain class by calling in sick.
10. How would you handle an accident/injury case that requires extensive medical attention?
I would immediately provide first aid and if the child needs further medical attention or hospitalization I would call for an ambulance, inform the school supervisor and the child’s parents, and will transfer the child.
11. How do you manage health assessments?
The first and foremost thing I do is to obtain students’ health and developmental history. Then I move on to looking for deficits such as vision and hearing problems and growth issues. Once I have all these on paper, I observe students for developmental and health patterns which eventually lead to the diagnosis.
12. What would be your first thought in the event of a major injury involving a student?
There are many considerations where injuries are concerned so I cannot pinpoint one thought at this crucial time. I would look for blood loss and attempt to manage it immediately and then move on to checking vitals. Once I know what the situation requires, I make decisions about whether I need to discharge the student or send him to the hospital.
13. Do you have any experience in handling students’ emotional disturbances? How do these affect students in school?
I have been trained in providing counseling to students who have emotional issues. Talking to them through traumas and helping them adjust to school life is very important. Emotionally disturbed students just cannot handle the pressure of modern education.