10 Most Common Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Interview Questions + Answers

Written By: Kasee Wiesen DNP, APRN, FNP-C

Interviews can be intimidating for pediatric nurse practitioners—I know they have been for me as an FNP! They are often associated with stress, especially around which questions will be asked and how to answer them best.

I strongly recommend you prepare to help ease some of the stress surrounding the interview. This includes practicing answers to common questions and preparing questions you want to ask the interviewer. So, what are the most common pediatric nurse practitioner interview questions? Throughout this article, I will discuss the ten most common pediatric nurse practitioner interview questions and sample answers for each question.


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WHAT IS THE MAIN PURPOSE OF PEDIATRIC NURSE PRACTITIONER JOB INTERVIEW QUESTIONS?

The primary purpose of the pediatric nurse practitioner interview questions is to ensure you are the best fit for the job. The questions will help the employer get to know you, your personality, your experience as a pediatric nurse practitioner, and your leadership skills. The PNP interview questions are not meant to trip you up but instead see your readiness level for the job, including your knowledge of caring for pediatric patients and how you will fit with the other staff, including the management team, other physicians, advanced practice providers, and clinical staff.

ARE PEDIATRIC NURSE PRACTITIONER JOB INTERVIEW QUESTIONS HARD TO ANSWER?

Pediatric nurse practitioner interview questions can be challenging. Some of the questions you may have encountered in previous interviews, while others may be specific to your role as a pediatric nurse practitioner.

To be successful or not feel as overwhelmed with the interview questions—be sure to prepare! Research the most common pediatric nurse practitioner questions and practice answering them before the interview. I don’t recommend writing down your answers or bringing notes of how you would respond to the specific questions. Instead, practice saying your response to common pediatric nurse practitioner interview questions aloud or complete mock interviews with friends and families to better prepare you for the interview.

WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON PEDIATRIC NURSE PRACTITIONER INTERVIEW QUESTIONS?

Below you will find a list of the 10 most common pediatric nurse practitioner interview questions specific to a pediatric nurse practitioner job interview—you may note that some PNP interview questions are more broad while others are very specific to possible encounters with patients and their families.

QUESTION #1: Why did you choose pediatrics as your NP specialty?

What the Interviewer Really wants to Know:

The Interviewer wants to know why you chose pediatrics for your nurse practitioner specialty—and it is essential, to be honest!

Sample Answer:

After graduating from nursing school, I started working at the local pediatric hospital on their medical-surgical floor. Here, I flourished and developed a true passion for pediatrics. I knew I wanted to attend NP school but wasn't sure which specialty I would pursue. I then had a child of my own, and my daughter primarily sees the nurse practitioner at her pediatrician's office—I loved the relationship I formed with her and valued the education and care she provided. At this time, I realized THIS is what I want to do. I knew I wanted to care for children and loved the relationships formed in the primary care setting—leading me to pursue the specialty of primary care pediatrics.

QUESTION #2: Can you describe a time that you disagreed with a colleague. How did you handle the situation?

What the Interviewer Really wants to Know:

You likely disagreed with a colleague at some point in your career. This is a prevalent pediatric nurse practitioner interview question and will provide insight into how you communicate and handle conflict and your leadership skills.

Sample Answer:

I have experienced disagreements with colleagues throughout my career. Most of these conflicts can be solved with prompt communication. An example I experienced was actually with an old unit manager. Changes were being made in the unit and only communicated to some staff. This was a big issue as it led to patient safety concerns.

Once I realized what was happening, I scheduled a meeting with the unit manager to discuss my concerns. I was calm in my discussion and clearly stated my concerns. My unit manager was very receptive, and we then formulated a plan to improve communication. She sent weekly emails that provided information regarding any changes made on the unit that week, along with patient compliments or any other information she needed to share. She also started posting updates on a board in the breakroom.

These two simple steps improved communication throughout the unit, improving patient care and staff satisfaction.

QUESTION #3: As a pediatric nurse practitioner, what will you bring to this practice?

What the Interviewer Really wants to Know:

They want to know about you and if you would be a good fit with the practice. They want to know more about your skills and personality and the positive traits you will bring to the practice.

Sample Answer:

I have a lot to bring to this practice. I have been a pediatric nurse practitioner for two years, providing me with a lot of experience performing assessments on kids of all ages. I also have experience communicating and educating parents and understand the importance of developing a trusting relationship with the parents to ensure the child receives the appropriate care.

I am a team player and believe in the importance of solid communication between the provider and nursing staff when providing care. I will also bring a positive attitude and fun to the workplace and aid staff and patients wanting to come to our clinic for either work or care of their child.

QUESTION #4: How would you manage a situation when the parent wants to veer from the recommended immunization schedule?

What the Interviewer Really wants to Know:

The Interviewer wants to know how flexible you are as a provider and how you interact and communicate with parents.

Sample Answer:

I will say I have encountered this many times in my career as a nurse practitioner. You can provide an example of a response: I recommend vaccinating, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Still, I understand if you wish to veer from this schedule slightly to decrease the number of vaccines received at a time. Let’s develop a plan now and schedule future appointments to ensure we are prepared for Kindergarten when the time comes.

QUESTION #5: Tell me how you would handle a parent who is demanding an antibiotic for a viral illness.

What the Interviewer Really wants to Know:

This PNP interview question provides much information to the Interviewer—including if you practice evidence-based medicine and follow the medication guidelines. The Interviewer wants to know how you will respond to a parent questioning your assessment and diagnosis—and the patient education you will provide the parent.

Sample Answer:

After completing my assessment, I do not see any evidence of a bacterial infection requiring antibiotics. Instead, it looks viral now, and treating viral illnesses does not include antibiotics. I recommend supportive home care, including Tylenol and ibuprofen, rest, and hydration as needed. There are signs and symptoms to watch for that indicate a worsening condition—and I will also provide a list of them. Do you have any questions?

QUESTION #6: What is your experience as a pediatric nurse practitioner? What skills do you have experience with?

What the Interviewer Really wants to Know:

The Interviewer wants to know if you have previous experience as a pediatric nurse practitioner—you can also provide your experience as a pediatric nurse. Regarding skills, the Interviewer wants to know your comfort level with various NP skills such as interpreting x-rays, suturing, and performing an incision and drainage.

Sample Answer:

I have three years of experience as a pediatric nurse practitioner in a same-day clinic. This environment allowed me to care for patients with many problems, including acute illnesses such as strep throat or upper respiratory infections, wound care, rashes, and hurt limbs such as an ankle or wrist. While working in this environment, I gained experience interpreting x-rays to assess for broken bones and routinely performed wound closures with either sutures or steri-strips.

When responding to this question, tailor your skills to those required or beneficial to the job you are applying for.

QUESTION #7: What are your strengths and weaknesses?

What the Interviewer Really wants to Know:

The Interviewer wants to know your strengths and weaknesses as a pediatric nurse practitioner. Strengths are easy to develop—but weaknesses can be more challenging. You don’t want to provide a weakness that will make you look like a poor employee or a negative trait that may be more difficult to change. Instead, give a weakness you have and steps on how you can work to turn it into a positive quality.

Sample Answer:

I have many strengths, including a positive attitude, strong communication skills, and an excellent work ethic. A weakness of mine is my lack of experience as a pediatric nurse practitioner. While I have eight years of nursing experience, with the last three on a pediatric med surg floor, I do not have experience as a pediatric nurse practitioner. With my education and experience as a pediatric nurse, accompanied with time, I will be an excellent pediatric nurse practitioner.

QUESTION #8: What are your goals as a pediatric nurse practitioner?

What the Interviewer Really wants to Know:

This is another way to ask: Where do you see yourself in 2, 5, or 10 years? They want to know how you plan to grow as a nurse practitioner and assess the longevity you plan with the practice.

Sample Answer:

I have a lot of goals as a pediatric nurse practitioner, including attending an in-person conference every year to help build on my knowledge and ensure I am practicing evidence-based medicine. I also plan to return to school in the next 2-3 years to complete my DNP—which will allow me to also teach for a DNP program which is a dream of mine. My five-year goal is to teach for a DNP program part-time and practice as an NP part-time. Working as a pediatric NP and an educator will balance my career well, leading to greater job satisfaction.

QUESTION #9: Do you have experience with telemedicine?

What the Interviewer Really wants to Know:

Telemedicine has been around for a while; however, since the pandemic started in 2020, telemedicine has been more widely utilized in healthcare delivery. The Interviewer wants to know if you have experience with telemedicine when caring for a pediatric patient. They want to see if you have experience diagnosing common pediatric complaints such as acute sinusitis or a rash using telehealth. Also, do you have experience completing medication checks, such as evaluating the effectiveness of ADHD medications in the pediatric population via telehealth? Lastly, they may be assessing your interest level in using this platform when providing care.

Sample Answer:

Answer honestly—do you have experience with telemedicine when delivering care to the pediatric patient? If you answer yes, you could respond to this question by stating—Yes, I do. I utilized telemedicine when caring for patients in my previous role. I diagnosed acute problems such as acute sinusitis and rashes, completed medication checks, and diagnosed and treated various mental health problems, including depression and anxiety.

If you do not have the experience, you could respond—No, I do not have experience with telemedicine, but I would be excited to learn and incorporate this into my daily practice.

QUESTION #10: What three skills do you feel are most important to have as a pediatric nurse practitioner?

What the Interviewer Really wants to Know:

The Interviewer wants to know what skills you feel are vital to success as a pediatric nurse practitioner. This can help the Interviewer gauge what you believe is most important when caring for pediatric patients and their families.

Sample Answer:

Many skills are needed to be a successful pediatric nurse practitioner, and the three skills that are most important to have include patience, respect, and honesty. Patience is vital as it is needed when providing care to pediatrics—depending on the child, your assessment may take longer or more time may be required to answer parent questions. Respect is important as your patient and family must know they are respected—this also goes for co-workers. Lastly, honesty is needed—you must be honest with your patients and their family when providing diagnoses and treatment plans. Being honest will help open up the line of communication, improving the patient/provider relationship, and is ultimately the foundation of a trusting relationship.

MY FINAL THOUGHTS

Interviews for the pediatric nurse practitioner can be both challenging and stressful. A lot is on the line when applying for your dream job as a pediatric nurse practitioner. Before the interview, you often wonder, what are the most common pediatric nurse practitioner interview questions? But, after reading the article above, I hope you feel more confident going into your interview—preparation is vital to success and landing the job. I trust you feel more comfortable with the 10 most common pediatric nurse practitioner interview questions and sample answers I provided—and tailor these answers to be specific to you, your experiences, and your career goals.