A traditional job interview gives you a snapshot of the candidate’s qualifications, experience, and personal impression, but it stops short of showing what matters most: performance.
Some applicants who do not shine in an office interview may show their worth on the nursing floor, demonstrating skills and talent to meet patients’ needs and work cooperatively on your team. On the other hand, others who interview well may not measure up in practice.
Working interviews in nursing are performance-based, showing you how candidates respond professionally in a stressful healthcare environment. Instead of making a selection based on resumes and conversational skills, a growing number of healthcare managers and DONs are turning to more practical methods, where the applicants demonstrate their nursing or healthcare skills.
Nursa takes this a step further by allowing you to “test drive” a nurse by having them work a full shift alongside your team, providing an opportunity for a working interview.
Let’s explore what a practical working interview means and how this can revolutionize your healthcare recruitment practices and strategies.
Understanding working interviews in nursing
Although both types of interviews aim to assess a candidate’s fit, they do so in very different ways—let’s break down the main distinctions.
What is a practical working interview vs a traditional interview?
These two kinds of job interviews vary in focus, setting, and time.
Traditional interviews
- Focus: Experience, education, values
- Setting: Office, or virtual meeting
- Time: 30 to 60 minutes
Working interviews
- Focus: Skills, cultural fit, personal interaction with patients, and team
- Setting: Includes tasks in a real or simulated work environment
- Time: One hour to a full shift for the applicant, with observation by various individuals.
In a practical setting, you can observe how a nurse handles pressure, communicates with patients, and integrates into the existing team dynamic. For instance, a nurse might perform certain procedures or engage in role-playing scenarios designed to assess their capabilities.
A traditional interview ends with an evaluation based on responses, while a working interview directly observes performance, often influencing quicker assessments and hiring decisions.
What is the meaning of a working interview in nursing?
It’s a hands-on trial in which a candidate demonstrates clinical skills—like triage or medication administration—while the employer or team observes their approach and teamwork.
Both real-world performance and simulations have value, but you may wonder, what is an example of a working interview in healthcare?
An example of a working interview in nursing is a candidate completing hands-on patient care while being observed by staff for skill and teamwork. Both the facility and the candidate benefit from this approach, allowing candidates to demonstrate their skills and get to know the team and the organization first-hand.
Performance in the real work environment is more authentic and may reveal unexpected strengths or weaknesses. A simulation allows you to create a situation that tests specific skills, and sometimes more complex problems that may not come up on every shift.
An example of an area where you may prefer a simulation is clinical decision-making. Candidates gather, interpret, and evaluate patient data in real-time and make evidence-based decisions about clinical interventions without risking patient safety. For instance, managing airway emergencies or administering intravenous fluids under changing vitals can be simulated to see how a clinician responds under pressure.
Does a working interview mean a clinician is hired?
Not necessarily. A working interview is a chance for both parties to assess compatibility. If everything goes well, then a job offer may follow. However, if the fit isn’t right, the facility can move on without making a long-term commitment.
Is a shadow interview a working interview?
A shadow interview and a working interview can overlap, but they’re not the same.
In a shadow interview, the candidate primarily observes current staff and the flow of a shift, sometimes performing minor tasks under supervision.
This process gives the applicant insight into daily operations and workplace culture, while a full working interview focuses more on hands-on performance and skill evaluation.
The Nursa advantage: A true “test drive”
Using Nursa for a “test drive” means candidates pick up one (or several) full PRN shifts within your facility. You see them at work, a more authentic context for evaluation as you observe how they manage their responsibilities, handle difficult situations or patients, communicate with patients and colleagues, and handle stress. This is not a simulation or a demonstration—it is genuine work on a PRN shift, and can be an excellent working interview or a test drive.
Learn more about healthcare executives’ opinions on contract workers.
Why working interviews work in healthcare
The nursing industry faces high turnover and a growing demand for skilled professionals.
Turnover doesn’t just leave a gap on the schedule—it carries a heavy price tag. Facilities lose the investment already made in training and onboarding while also absorbing the added costs of recruiting, credentialing, and orienting a replacement.
Success in recruitment depends not just on finding candidates with the right qualifications, but also on finding those who thrive within your facility’s culture.
Working interviews and Nursa’s innovative approach offer invaluable insight into a candidate’s true fit.
Working interview nursing scenarios: What happens in practice?
What does a working interview look like? Here are three hypothetical scenarios of working interviews in nursing.
Hospital
Sarah, an experienced registered nurse, applies for a position in a busy medical-surgical unit. The hospital runs her through the initial screening, and the hospital schedules a working interview.
During a four-hour shift, she shadows a charge nurse and performs some tasks. Sarah checks vital signs, updates charts in the EHR system, and communicates with patients under supervision. The team observes her ability to prioritize tasks, maintain infection control protocols, and interact respectfully with patients and staff.
At the end of the shift, the nurse manager asks for feedback from the team before making a hiring decision.
Long-term care
Maria, a chief nursing officer (CNO) at a long-term care facility, has an unexpected opening. One of her best licensed practical nurses just announced her retirement, and Maria needs to fill the position with a qualified nurse who fits the team's culture.
She decides to conduct a working interview for a promising candidate with a paid trial shift. This allows her to assess their clinical skills, bedside manner, and team dynamics in a real-world setting. However, the process is cumbersome. For just one trial shift, her team has to handle extensive paperwork, verify the candidate's license and credentials, and run a background check—all for someone who might not even be the right fit. It's a significant administrative burden for a single "test drive."
Instead of starting this lengthy process, Maria has an idea. She frequently uses the Nursa platform to cover call-outs and fill scheduling gaps. She realizes that every shift worked by a PRN clinician is, in essence, a working interview, but without any of the administrative hassle.
Maria checks her "Favorites" list in her Nursa account and sees that Glenn, a trusted LPN, is already scheduled for the night shift.
Here’s how Nursa has already streamlined the process for her:
- Vetting is complete: Glenn’s license, credentials, and background check are already compiled by Nursa and available on Glenn's Clinician Profile.
- Proven performance: He isn't a stranger. Maria knows from his previous shifts that he's dependable, hardworking, and already familiar with the facility's policies, procedures and patient population.
- Team culture: The permanent staff already knows and trusts Glenn because he regularly picks up shifts, ensuring a smooth integration.
Rather than arranging a one-off trial shift with a new candidate, Maria has a pool of clinicians she has already seen in action. She approaches Glenn at the end of his shift and offers him the permanent position. By using Nursa, Maria transformed a series of PRN shifts into an extended, successful working interview, saving time and ensuring she hired a proven, high-quality nurse.
Outpatient clinic
Lamar applies for a nursing role in an outpatient orthopedic clinic. The clinic arranges a two-hour working interview where he helps prepare exam rooms, reviews patient charts, and assists with simple wound care.
Staff members observe how well James follows instructions, uses proper hand hygiene, and interacts with patients. They also note his ability to stay calm in a fast-paced setting. This practical experience gives James a sense of the clinic’s workflow while giving the employer a view of his ability to perform the job.
Whether you need nurses for a long-term care facility, a hospital, or another healthcare organization, you can use working interviews to observe skills and capabilities, or try out PRN nurses through Nursa for a few shifts to find the right one.
Skilled nursing facility
Jordan, a certified nursing assistant (CNA), is being considered by the director of nursing (DON) for ongoing weekend support at a skilled nursing facility. Instead of a traditional interview, the DON uses the Nursa platform to post a paid four-hour per diem “working interview” shift for Jordan.
Jordan signs up for a clinician account, uploads his CNA certification for verification, completes his credentials list, and submits the required background check information. Once cleared, he finds the posted PRN shift, requests it, and messages the DON directly through the app.
During the shift, Jordan assists residents with daily living activities, updates charts, and collaborates with the permanent staff. The team takes note of his ability to follow protocols, communicate effectively, and adapt quickly to their workflow. Afterward, the nurse manager and staff review the feedback to decide whether to extend him an offer for a permanent role on their team.
Working interview healthcare questions to ask candidates
A working interview may also include a question-and-answer session to address issues that may not come up in the practical, hands-on activities or simulation.
- How do you prioritize care tasks during a busy shift?
- Can you describe a time you had to manage a difficult or hostile patient or family member?
- Describe a time you were under a lot of pressure. How did you handle the situation?
- Describe how you handle criticism from supervisors or colleagues.
- Have you ever witnessed a breach of patient confidentiality? How did you respond?
- Describe a time you had to adapt to a significant change at work. How did you cope?
- What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses as a nurse?
- What was the most rewarding experience in your nursing career so far?
These questions probe technical and interpersonal competencies critical for nursing success. For a comprehensive assessment, they can be paired with observation of real tasks in a working interview.
Harnessing the power of Nursa
Nursa’s software platform simplifies scheduling and managing working interviews, enhancing your healthcare recruitment process in the following ways:
- Automatically runs license verification and background checks for all PRN shift candidates.
- Instantly post your PRN shifts live on the platform.
- Provides customizable screening lists to filter candidates via license type, unit type, and shift.
- Connects you with vetted PRN candidates who have the right qualifications.
- Integrates with your existing operations management tools for easy adoption.
- Provides fast billing via ACH, credit card, or bank transfer, plus detailed access to invoices, credits, and shift history.
You post your vacant shifts, quickly review the clinicians, make the selection, and see their performance during the shift. This is a working interview and more.
It’s a complete transformation of how you approach healthcare talent acquisition.
In addition to the opportunity to “try before you hire”, the benefits of Nursa for your facility offer flexibility, last-minute shift coverage, and reduced reliance on staff overtime.
Embrace working interviews for effective hiring
By allowing candidates to prove their skills and performance in real-world scenarios, facilities can make better-informed hiring choices that benefit both the organization and the staff.
Are you ready to transform your nurse recruitment process? Explore Nursa's tools for scheduling and tracking working interviews.
It’s time to test drive your next hire—post a per diem shift with Nursa.
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