Authors

  1. Sutherland, Kathryn DNP, MAOM, RN
  2. Knapp, Miranda DNP, APRN, AGCNS-BC, CNE, EBP-C

Article Content

Interviews are a necessary requirement for entry into nursing practice. However, nursing students often lack formalized experience with interview processes. Senior nursing faculty prepare nursing students for clinical entry and professional development. Furthermore, with the rapidly changing health care field, in-person interviews have largely been eliminated, resulting in a reliance on online conferencing platforms for conducting remote interviews. Therefore, nurse faculty have initiated online mock interviews to help prepare students for entry into the professional environment. In the transition to practice course, students complete a 4-step process for mock interviews. Step 1 requires students to create a professional resume, LinkedIn profile, and craft 2 anticipatory questions for the interviewer. The student initiates contact with an assigned faculty member via a professional email to establish the interview date and time and to share their resume and LinkedIn profile for step 2. In step 3, the interview is held via an online conferencing platform where students are evaluated on their professional appearance, interview preparation level, communication techniques, interests, and personal qualities. Students provide an evaluation of the process through a reflection summary for the final step. The reflection allows students to identify strengths from the interview and methods for improvement in future interviews. Student feedback on the mock interviews has been positive including comments that the process decreased stress, increased confidence and critical thinking, improved technology and communication skills, and prepared students for their future career transition.