Certified Nursing Assistant Interview Questions and Answers

By Catherine Bynes on Mon, Jul 9, 2012

Congratulations! Now that you have become a certified nursing
assistant (CNA), you are ready to find employment. You will want to be well
prepared for your nursing interview questions so that you can get hold of a great
job.
Improve your chances of having a successful interview by considering these
questions you might be asked by the employer:
1. Can you tell me a little bit about yourself?
Do not just rattle off your educational and school history but rather discuss how
your experiences will make you a great CNA.
You can reply by saying, I get along with people very well. This has made me a
team player at all jobs I have had. In my previous employment as a sales associate,
I got along well with the public and went out of my way to help both customers and
co-workers. I am thrilled to have an opportunity to apply my people skills and caring
attitude to a job as a CNA and hope to make all patients feel a little more at home
and very well cared for. Having worked two jobs while also completing my CNA
training, I know I have the ability to work long hours and multitask without losing
my energy or positive attitude.
2. Why do you want to work as a CNA?
Provide an answer showing your passion to work in the health care field but with
your own personal touch. Say something like, I have known since I was a child that
I wanted to work in a job where I could truly help others and know that I want to
enter the health care industry in some way. When I was in high school, my
grandmother became too ill for us to care for her on our own. My family hired a
home health agency to provide nursing care for her. Now my grandmother is
doing very well and I truly believe a lot of that is because she had such wonderful
nurses. I decided to become a CNA because I would like to help others the way
those lovely ladies helped my own grandmother.
3. Why did you leave your last job?
You do not want to say, I hated that job and could not leave it fast enough. Even if
you had bad experiences, look for a positive spin: I learned a lot about myself in
my previous job and part of what I learned is that my talents and skills can better
serve your health care facility and the people I will work with each day. I know I will

continue to grow as a person and as a nursing assistant if I work for you.

4. Where do you want to be 5 years from now?
You do not want to say that you no longer want to be working there but you also
need to show you are a motivated individual with goals. If you want to grow in your
career, you could say, I hope to gain a few years of solid experience working as an
assistant before pursuing a licensed practical nursing (LPN) degree. I know I can
learn a lot working for this hospital which has a reputation of providing outstanding
care to patients. Sometime down the road, I hope to work as an LPN or maybe even
an RN for this facility.
5. What are some positive personality traits that will help you in your
job?
Instead of saying something generic like, I am a great communicator or I pay close
attention to detail, provide a personal story. I have always been the type person
to go the extra mile in everything I do in life. I give it 110%. When I was completing
my training course, I was working with a patient I had gotten to know well. Her
conversations with me one morning were nothing like we had before. I just had a
feeling something wasnt right even though she looked well and her vitals were fine.
Even so, I talked to my supervisor to let her know something was wrong. The doctor
was called and it turned out the patient was ill that day. Since I had always taken
time to really talk to and understand my patients, I was able to help when she was
not well.
These are just some of the interview questions you might encounter on your way to
become a practicing certified nursing assistant. Just be truthful and stay
grounded on the reasons you applied for the job in the first place. You'll do great!
A CNA (certified nursing assistant) is a person who has received training to help
patients under the close supervision of a licensed practical nurse or a registered
nurse. Just after qualifying the competency exam, you will want to do the best
preparations for the interview, in order to get hold of your dream job. You can
expect standard as well as industry specific questions from the interviewer. During
interview, the interviewer judges your knowledge and skills by asking questions on
different aspects like about your training, weakness, strength, your experience with
the previous employer, your future goals, etc. Listed below are a few questions
which you may come across in an interview.
1. Why have you chosen nursing assistant as a career?
2.

Here the interviewer wants to know how determined you are to work in this field
and whether or not you have a clear picture of all the challenges that are associated
with the job. Tell them about the qualities and skills you have that will help you
perform well in the job.
2. Tell us more about yourself.
Many interviewees make the mistake of giving a chronological history of their
studies and work. Instead of this you should focus more on your strengths and how
they affect your role as nursing assistant. Your aim, at this point, is to portray a
positive picture of yourself by highlighting a few moments from past experiences.
Just fill your information and find the nearest school in your state.
3. What challenges have you faced as a CNA and how did you overcome
them?
The interviewer wants to determine how you deal with various challenges
associated with the job. Tell them about any past experience that you faced in your
pervious job as a CNA.
4. What would you do if a patient falls?
Patients (especially the elderly) do fall down and as a nursing assistant it is your
responsibility to help them and assess the situation to determine whether or not to
call for help.
5. What would you do if a patient is agitated and refuses care?
This question will help the interviewer determine how you handle stressful
situations. Asking for help from a stranger can be very difficult for many people and
so they may resist help and become uncooperative, while others may refuse to
follow the instructions. In such a case, the nursing assistant has to be persuasive
and remain calm at the same time. Tell the interviewer of similar past experience
and how you used cajoling methods to help your patient.
6. What motivates you?
While answering this question, you must remember to draw attention to your
positive characteristics by giving the interviewer some examples.
7. What would you do if your superior asks you to do a task that is
uncomfortable for you to perform?
Being a nursing assistant, you have to follow the orders of your superiors as quickly
as possible in emergency situations.

8. What would you do if you notice a superior or a colleague is not doing

his/her job properly?
Many a times, people abuse the patients and do not do what is expected of them.
As a nursing assistant, your first priority is patient. Therefore, if you notice anything
wrong, you first have to find out if any harm was caused to the patient and then act
accordingly. The interviewer needs to know whether or not you have the patients
interest at heart.
9. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
This is a tricky question, especially when it comes to stating your weaknesses. So be
careful what you say. Your aim, when answering this question, is to put a positive
twist on a negative point, but your answer must not be banal. Answer by giving the
interviewer an example of a past experience where you learned how to overcome
your weaknesses.
Just fill your information and find the nearest school in your state.
10. Where do you see yourself five years down the line?
The interviewer will try to determine how serious you are about working for their
organization. Therefore, you should not answer by saying something like at your
position/designation. Your aim is to show them how motivated you are, so answer
by saying, I hope to gain experience from your reputable organization so that I can
further pursue my goal of becoming a LPN at your firm.
11. Why do you want to leave your current job/ why did you leave your last
job?
Do not badmouth your previous employer. Instead, say something like, I have
learnt a lot from my previous job and now looking for a more challenging job that
will enable me to use my knowledge and experience to help patients.
12. What are your salary expectations?
A very tricky question because if you tell your expected salary figures you will most
definitely lose out. Therefore, instead of saying, I was paid $40,000 in my previous
job and so I expect something close to $45,000; say something like, I would like to
be paid the applicable salary, based on my previous work experience.
13. What would you do if a dementia patient tells you that he or she can
see something in their room, which is actually not there?
The best answer to this would be, I would go along with what the patient is saying.
If the patient is disturbed I would calm them down and then I would speak to my
supervisor.

14. Did you undertake any training in the specialized field?

If you received any special training in your previous job this would be the right time
to mention it, as CNAs can specialize in different areas such as working with the
elderly people, terminally ill, in-patient services or even in the accident and
emergency ward at a hospital.
15. Why should I recruit you for this position?
The best way to answer this question is to recapitulate your qualifications and
experience. Do not forget to mention what makes you different from the
competition.
16. How will you keep yourself emotionally stable while dealing with the
patients?
When you spend time with people, you tend to get emotionally attached to them,
which is fine till you part. You can answer something like, during my training and
also in my previous job I have learnt how to detach myself from my patients.
17. What would you do when you are done with all your tasks, but have a
few minutes spare before completing your shift?
You can answer this question like this- Ill review the files of the patients so as to
refresh their treatment plans in my mind. This will also help me explain the things to
the nurse aide who is going to resume the duty for the next shift.
18. Tell me about the moment when you were most satisfied with your job.
While answering this question you must keep in mind that you are here to prove
that you are the right person for this job. Therefore, grab this opportunity and share
with them your interests and enthusiasm about the same.
19. What are the 2 things that you like and dislike about being a CNA?
While answering this question pay more attention to the positive aspects of the job
and even when you mention the negative ones, do it in a positive manner.
Just fill your information and find the nearest school in your state.

CLICK HERE FOR LOCAL OR ONLINE SCHOOLS!

20. Why do you want to work with our organization?

Research about the company before the interview, as it will help you answer this
better. Many candidates would answer by saying something like, its always been
my dream to work for your organization. Although there is nothing wrong with the
answer, but it sounds clich. You should, therefore, say something like, your
organization has a good reputation and I would feel proud to be part of a team that
aims to help others.
These are just a few samples of questions which you may encounter during an
interview. Remain truthful and use common sense to answer all the questions put
forward. Remember you must portray that you have a passion and desire to help
others. Apart from answering the questions properly, you must present yourself in a
professional manner. You need to dress properly, arrive on time and answer the
questions confidently.

Tell us about yourself.

Bad answer:
I graduated four years ago from the University of Michigan, with a Bachelors in
Economics but I decided that wasnt the right path for me. So I switched gears and
got my first job, working as a secretary for a hospital. Then I went on to work in a
dental office. After that, I took a few months off to travel. Finally, I came back and
worked in a hospital environment again. And now, here I am, looking for a more
challenging health care role.
Instead of giving a chronological work history, focus on your strengths and
how they pertain to the role. If possible, illustrate with examples.
Good answer:
Im really energetic, and a great communicator. Working in the medical field for
two years helped me build confidence, and taught me the importance of patient
care. Ive also got a track record of success. In my last role, I juggled a variety of
patient loads, assisted in a charity fundraiser, and became an advocate for senior

patients. Because of this, the hospital is launching a new educational program to

teach nurses how to better care for elderly patients.

1. Why do you want to work in this industry?

Bad answer:
I love to talk medical jargon. Even as a kid, I spent hours flipping through medical
dictionaries and pretending I was a nurse.
Dont just say you like it. Anyone can do that. Focus instead on your
history with that particular industry, and if you can, tell a success story.
Good answer:
Ive always loved nursing, but my interest in health care really started when I
volunteered at a homeless shelter in college. Seeing so many people without care
inspired me to pursue a career devoted to caring for others. I kept going back and
volunteering, which got me hooked. It was great to be able to contribute positively
to society that then led me to a field I feel so passionate about.
4. Why are you leaving your current role?
Bad answer:
I cant stand my boss, or the work Im doing.
Again, stay away from badmouthing your job or employer. Focus on the
positive.
Good answer:
Ive learned a lot from my current role, but now Im looking for a new challenge in
nursing, to broaden my horizons and to gain a new skill-set all of which, I see the
potential for in this job.
5. Where do you see yourself in five years?
Bad answer:
Relaxing on a beach in Maui, or Doing your job.
Theres really no right answer to this question, but the interviewer wants
to know that youre ambitious, career-oriented, and committed to a future
with the hospital. So instead of sharing your dream for early retirement,
or trying to be funny, give them an answer that illustrates your drive and
commitment.
Good answer:

In five years Id like to have an even better understanding of this industry. Also, I
really love working with people. Ultimately, Id like to be in some type of managerial
role at this hospital, where I can use my people skills and nursing knowledge to
benefit the nurses working for me, and the patients and hospital as a whole."
6. Whats your greatest weakness?
Bad answer:
I work too hard, or for the comedian, Blondes.
This question is a great opportunity to put a positive spin on something
negative, but you dont want your answer to be clich joking or not.
Instead, try to use a real example of a weakness you have learned to
overcome as a nurse.
Good answer:
Ive never been very comfortable with speaking up which as you know, can be a
hindrance in nursing. Realizing this was a problem, I asked my previous employer if I
could enroll in a speech workshop. He said yes. I took the class, and was able to
overcome my lifelong fear. Since then, Ive made great strides in sticking up for my
patients, communicating with doctors, and just being a better nurse. I still 8. Why
should I hire you?
Bad answer:
Im the best candidate for the role.
A good answer will reiterate your qualifications, and will highlight what
makes you unique.
Good answer:
Ive been a Nurse Practitioner for the past ten years my boss has said time and
time again that without me, the hospital would fall apart. Ive also taken the time to
educate myself on some of the latest industry issues I regularly use (but didnt
really understand the ins and outs of). Whats good enough for most people is never
really good enough for me.
dont love it, but no one else can tell!
. What is your greatest failure, and what did you learn from it?
Bad answer:
I never finished my masters in nursing and everything thats happened since has
taught me that giving up, just because the going gets tough, is a huge mistake.
You dont want to actually highlight a major regret especially one that
exposes an overall dissatisfaction with your life. Instead, focus on a

smaller, but significant, mishap, and how it has made you a better nurse.
Good answer:
When I was in college, I took an art class to supplement my curriculum. I didnt
take it very seriously, and assumed that, compared to my biology classes, it would
be a walk in the park. My failing grades at midterm showed me otherwise. Id even
jeopardized my scholarship status. I knew I had to get my act together. I spent the
rest of the semester making up for it, ended up getting a decent grade in the class. I
learned that no matter what Im doing, I should strive to do it to the best of my
ability. Otherwise, its not worth doing at all.
14. What motivates you?
Bad answer:
"Doing a good job and being rewarded for it.
Its not that this answer is wrong its just that it wastes an opportunity.
This question is practically begging you to highlight your positive
attributes. So dont give a vague, generic response it tells them very
little about you. Instead, try and use this question as an opportunity to
give the interviewer some insight into your character, and use examples
where possible.
Good answer:
Ive always been motivated by the challenge of a tough patient. In my last role, I
came across a particular patient who refused a handful of nurses before he was
assigned to me. I was able to find something we had in common, which calmed him
down. After the patient saw me make an effort to better understand his situation, he
became much more agreeable to my aid. I love facing and overcoming challenges
on such a personal level.
PSYCHIATRIC NURSING ASSISTANT I
GENERAL DESCRIPTION

PSYCHIATRIC NURSING ASSISTANT I

GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Performs entry-level to routine (journey-level) habilitative and rehabilitative patient
care services work. Work involves providing health and personal care services to
patients; observing, reporting, and documenting patient conditions and behaviors; and
intervening in medical and/or psychiatric emergencies. Works under moderate
supervision, with limited latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment.

EXAMPLES OF WORK PERFORMED

Provides health, personal, and emergency care services to patients.
Observes, reports, and documents patient conditions and behaviors.
Observes patients for signs and symptoms of disease, injury, reactions to medications,
or other conditions that warrant medical intervention.
Maintains direct and ongoing therapeutic interactions with patients to promote living
and social skills.
Monitors patients and environment to provide for individual safety and health.
Administers first aid to patients as appropriate.
Intervenes in psychiatric emergencies using approved techniques, including
prevention and management of aggressive behavior (PMAB) and/or the application of
restraint or seclusion.
May escort patients off grounds to activities or appointments.
Performs related work as assigned.
GENERAL QUALIFICATION GUIDELINES
Experience and Education
Experience in direct patient care work. Graduation from a standard senior high school
or equivalent is generally preferred. Experience and education may be substituted for
one another.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Knowledge of patient care techniques and of treatment, therapy, and developmental
programs.
Ability to provide patient care, to administer first aid or cardiopulmonary resuscitation
(CPR), to conduct PMAB, and to communicate effectively.

Psychiatric Nursing Assistant Job Description Example

By Team | July 15, 2015
0 Comment

Psychiatric Nursing Assistants provide assistance to nurses who work with mentally
challenged people. Image source: bls.gov
Psychiatric Nursing Assistant Job Description Example
What Does a Psychiatric Nursing Assistant Do?
A psychiatric nursing assistant someone who performs a series of rehabilitative
health care activities by administering personal care to mentally challenged
patients under the supervision of a nurse or psychiatrist.
His/her job description entails paying close attention to patients and observing their
mannerism and actions in order to checkmate deteriorating conditions and harmful
behaviors in line with the psychiatric medical ethics.
The assistant is always available to support the nurse or psychiatrist in handling
patients illnesses and emergency cases in the clinic.
The job of nursing assistants in psychiatric clinics is a sensitive one; therefore, an
assistant will have to work under the supervision of the clinics nurse. He/she will
take instructions from the nurse and attend to patients based on prescription.
His/her duties also include assisting patients to perform basic living activities,
guiding them in social activities to improve their mental health and restore their
sanity.
The nurse assistant also helps in administering ongoing therapeutic treatment to
patients to improve their behavioral pattern. To carry out this function well, he/she
will judiciously stick to patients treatment plan, ensuring that treatment routines
are done diligently and at the appropriate time.

Psychiatric Nursing Assistant Job Description Example

Here is an example of the job description for the position of psychiatric nursing
assistant, showing major duties, tasks, roles, and responsibilities of the post.

Carry out checkups on patients; look out for new developments and inform
the professional medical staff in charge of patients treatment of observations
so that treatment can be commended quickly to avoid deteriorating health
conditions

Keep records of patients information, including their eating habits, actions,

and moods, as part of the requirements for treatment, as well as for future
reference

Watch patients closely to keep them away from restricted areas, and to
prevent them from causing harm to themselves or to other people, as
directed by the nurse

Maintain good working relationship with the medical team, which consists of
nurses, psychiatrists, social workers, and psychologists

Assist in restraining patients who are acting out of control by employing

caution and tactics to calm them down

Ensure that patients are kept clean by bathing, brushing, grooming, and
dressing them up, as well as taking the time to show them how to do these
things until they are capable of doing them by themselves

Help in serving meals to patients and ensure that they are well fed by either
feeding them or persuading them to eat, and then administer their drugs to
them under close supervision to ensure that the drugs are taken

Assist patients to get used to their treatment routine to prevent resistance in

receiving medication

Assist in collecting patients specimen, such as blood, urine, and feces, for
laboratory testing and diagnoses

Keep patients company by engaging them in recreational activities, such as

sports, cards and other games to pass time and exercise their mental
capacity

Keep in touch with family members of patients or those who brought them in;
giving them updates of patients health condition, and contacting them in an
emergency situation to get their opinion on decisions to be taken

Carry patients around for treatment

Inspect treatment tools and facilities to ensure they are in good condition for
achieving maximum results, and inform management of malfunctioning
instruments for repair or replacement

Psychiatric Nursing Assistant Resume Preparation

The employment experience section of a resume for the job of nurse assistant,
psychiatric, can be made with information from the job description sample provided
above, with some adjustments to tally with the exact experience of the individual.
Requirements Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities for the Psychiatric
Nursing Assistant Post

Possess the ability to solve problems: This is important in handling patient

related issues in the best possible way to make them calm

Physical capability: Due to the nature of psychiatric patients, the assistant

must be strong enough to withstand disturbances from patients and be able
to restrain them when necessary

Ability to exhibit patience: A great deal of patience is needed in dealing with

mentally challenged people because they are not in the right frame of mind