15 Nurse’s Aide Interview Questions [Updated 2025]

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Whether you are preparing to interview a candidate or applying for a job, review our list of top Nurse’s Aide interview questions and answers.

Have you dealt with patients who you suspected were dealing with abuse? How did you handle it? See answer
What would you do if a patient refused treatment or care? See answer
How do you handle difficult patients? See answer
Have you ever had to console a patient? If so, what did you do? See answer
How do you handle conflict with nurses or doctors? See answer
How do you stay up-to-date with your education? See answer
When working with a number of patients, how do you decide which one to attend to first? See answer
Do you prefer to work independently or on a team? See answer
Why did you pursue a career as a nurse’s aide?
Do you want to continue as a nurse’s aide long-term?
What’s the first thing you do when you enter a patient’s room?
What do you think the day-to-day duties of a nurse’s aide are?
What is the most challenging encounter you’ve had with a patient or team member and how did you handle it?
What strengths do you have that help you as a nurse’s aide?
Have you ever had a patient that wasn’t happy with your care? If so, what did you do?

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Hire your next Nurse’s Aide today.

Hire your next Nurse’s Aide today.

Our mission

Indeed’s Employer Resource Library helps businesses grow and manage their workforce. With over 15,000 articles in 6 languages, we offer tactical advice, how-tos and best practices to help businesses hire and retain great employees.

Read our editorial guidelines

15 Nurse’s Aide Interview Questions and Answers

Why did you pursue a career as a nurse's aide?

The aim of this question is to gauge how passionate the candidate is about their career and to ensure they are committed to their patients. What to look for in a successful answer:

Passion for healthcare
Commitment to their career
Understanding of the role

Here's an example of a strong answer:

Example:

"I wanted to become a nurse's aide because I love taking care of people. I grew up helping my parents take care of my younger siblings and really enjoyed doing it. That, combined with my desire to pursue a career where I could give back to the community in some way led me to become a nurse's aide."

Do you want to continue as a nurse's aide long-term?

The aim of this question is to determine whether the candidate would be a good fit for the company long-term. What to look for in a successful answer:

Clear career path
Understanding their role and where it can take them
Willingness to stay with one company long-term

Here's an example of a strong answer:

Example:

"I really enjoy the work I do and find it fulfilling. I have a good work-life balance and I'm constantly learning more about the healthcare industry and the best ways to take care of patients. So, I'm happy being a nurse's aide long term."

Have you dealt with patients who you suspected were dealing with abuse? How did you handle it?

The aim of this question is to gauge whether the candidate knows how to identify signs of abuse.They should also understand the severity of abuse accusations and how to handle them. What to look for in a successful answer:

Ability to recognize abuse
Willingness to report observations or accusations of abuse
Commitment to patient safety and upholding the law

Here's an example of a strong answer:

Example:

"If I noticed signs of potential abuse on a patient, such as bruises or scratches, I would bring it up to my superiors. I have also had patients report abuse from particular staff members, which I was legally and ethically required to report to my supervisor as well."

What would you do if a patient refused treatment or care?

The aim of this question is to assess the candidate's conflict resolution and communication skills when talking to patients about their care. What to look for in a successful answer:

Strong interpersonaland communication skills
Compassion and empathy for patients
Good decision-making skills

Here's an example of a strong answer:

Example:

"If a patient refused treatment or care, I would talk to them and find out why. The patient may be hesitant because they don't understand the treatment or they don't trust their care team. Talking them through the process and building a trusting relationship usually helps encourage patients to accept the treatment and care offered."

What's the first thing you do when you enter a patient's room?

The aim of this question is to assess the candidate's personality and treatment of patients, as it's important for a nurse's aide to be friendly and respectful. What to look for in a successful answer:

Strong interpersonal skills
Empathy for patients
Willingness to be patient and make

Here's an example of a strong answer:

Example:

"Before entering a patient's room, I always knock to let them know I'm there. When I enter, I introduce myself if we haven't met before. If we have, I greet the patient by asking how they are feeling or if they need anything before I administer care."

What do you think the day-to-day duties of a nurse's aide are?

The aim of this question is to gauge the candidate's understanding of the role. What to look for in a successful answer:

Knowledge of the role and its day-to-day activities
Possession of technical nursing skills and language
Willingness to complete the necessary tasks

Here's an example of a strong answer:

Example:

"In my previous role as a nurse's aide, my day-to-day duties were never the same, as I had a variety of patients with different needs every day. I spent a lot of time checking patients' vital signs and recording them for their physician. I would also feed, bathe and dress patients that needed assistance."

How do you handle difficult patients?

The aim of this question is to gauge the candidate's interpersonal skills and ability to resolve conflicts calmly. What to look for in a successful answer:

Great communication skills
Independent conflict resolution skills
Experience treating difficult patients

Here's an example of a strong answer:

Example:

"Patients can sometimes become difficult for a number of reasons, such as disorientation or pain. When I have a difficult patient, I ensure I don't get defensive as I don't want to upset them further. I then try to talk to them to see what's wrong and solve the problem if I can. If I can't, sometimes listening is all the patient needs."

Have you ever had to console a patient? If so, what did you do?

The aim of this question is to assess the candidate's willingness to go above and beyond for their patients. What to look for in a successful answer:

Strong interpersonal skills
Empathy towards patients
Understanding that their role goes beyond physical care

Here's an example of a strong answer:

Example:

"A lot of patients I treat do not have family members or friends, which can be upsetting when you are sick. One patient that stood out to me was receiving palliative care, and no one visited her for weeks, making her very upset. I made a point to visit her as much as possible and bring activities she enjoyed, such as crosswords, that we could do together. She seemed to enjoy the company and brightened up a lot."

How do you handle conflict with nurses or doctors?

The aim of this question is to gauge the candidate's conflict resolution skills, especially with colleagues. What to look for in a successful answer:

Great communication skills
Ability to resolve conflicts professionally
Able to work with other nurses and doctors on a team

Here's an example of a strong answer:

Example:

"In my previous role, I had one disagreement with a nurse. We were discussing a patient, and she insisted the patient was ready to go home. As I had just checked in on the patient, I knew they weren't ready. We went back and forth for a while, but I stood my ground as I knew the patient wasn't ready. In the end, the nurse realized she was thinking of another patient and apologized."

How do you stay up-to-date with your education?

The aim of this question is to assess the candidate's educational background and whether it remains current. What to look for in a successful answer:

Relevant certification
Technical knowledge of the role
Willingness to continue learning

Here's an example of a strong answer:

Example:

"I have a certification that allows me to practice as a nurse's aide from the Canadian Nurses Association. Every five years, I renew this certification by rewriting a certification exam which helps me keep up-to-date with the necessary education. I just renewed my certification last year."

What is the most challenging encounter you've had with a patient or team member and how did you handle it?

The aim of this question is to analyze the candidate's problem-solving skills and the ability to overcome common challenges in the workplace. What to look for in a successful answer:

Strong problem-solving skills
Willingness to overcome challenges that nurse's aides face
Ability to work under pressure in stressful situations

Here's an example of a strong answer:

Example:

"I had a patient get physically abusive with me when trying to administer medication. The situation caught me off-guard, but I was able to call for help from another nurse and we had to physically restrain the patient. When the patient was more coherent, I talked to them about what happened and they explained that the medication was making them groggy and disoriented, so we changed it."

When working with a number of patients, how do you decide which one to attend to first?

The aim of this question is to gauge the candidate's organizational and time-management skills to attend to patients with the greatest needs. What to look for in a successful answer:

Great time-management skills
Ability to prioritize patients who require immediate care
Willingness to adapt quickly to new situations

Here's an example of a strong answer:

Example:

"At the beginning of my shift, I ask the nurses for any updates on my patients for the day. I then make a list of all the patients I need to see and the type of care they require. I prioritize patients on my list by their need for immediate care. If one patient needs their medicine at a certain time, for example, I will complete that task before giving another patient a bath, which is not as time-sensitive."

What strengths do you have that help you as a nurse's aide?

The aim of this question is to learn more about the candidate and the skills or strengths they offer to see if they fit your needs. What to look for in a successful answer:

Understanding of the role
Possession of relevant skills for a nurse's aide
Similarities between the strengths you require to the one's the candidate offer

Here's an example of a strong answer:

Example:

"As I have been working as a nurse's aide for five years, I have developed a lot of technical knowledge and techniques to do my job efficiently. I have always loved talking to people and building connections with them, which has helped a lot in my career as it makes patients feel more comfortable."

Have you ever had a patient that wasn't happy with your care? If so, what did you do?

The aim of this question is to gauge the candidate's experience and ability to administer the proper care to any patient. What to look for in a successful answer:

Experience working with patients
Strong interpersonal and communication skills
Ability to resolve conflicts independently

Here's an example of a strong answer:

Example:

"I had a patient complain to my supervisor that I was denying them a particular type of food they wanted. My supervisor approached me for an explanation and I told him that the patient's speech-language pathologist ordered a liquid diet, so I was not giving the patient solid food. My supervisor and I approached the patient together and explained why they couldn't have solid food at the moment and agreed to reevaluate the diagnosis the next week."

Do you prefer to work independently or on a team?

The aim of this question is to gauge whether the candidate is willing to work with a team of nurses and doctors to treat patients efficiently. What to look for in a successful answer:

Willingness to work on a team
Experience working with other nurses or doctors
Strong interpersonal skills

Here's an example of a strong answer:

Example:

"I am a flexible person and happy to workindependently or on a team. However, I enjoy working on a team more because it gives me greater insight into different perspectives and different ways of treating patients. This helps me come up with solutions to help patients I might not have thought of myself."

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