7 Essential Infusion Nurse Interview Questions to Ask

Infusion nurses, sometimes known as IV nurses, are responsible for administering intravenous medications, fluids, and blood products. These RNs ensure patient safety by performing thorough physical assessments, monitoring for adverse infusion reactions, and educating patients and their family members on proper IV line maintenance.

If you’re looking to hire an IV nurse, developing high-quality infusion nurse interview questions can help you pick a candidate with the required skills and clinical expertise. In this article, we’ll review seven questions that are frequently asked during infusion nurse interviews and describe answers to listen for that can predict a candidate’s success.

Before starting the hiring process, it’s important to get insight into the infusion nurse job market. Construct a thorough and inviting infusion nurse job description by researching competitive salaries, benefits packages, and schedule requirements on our nursing professional job board.

Use our free, downloadable candidate evaluation form below to stay organized during your next round of interviews.

7 Interview Questions to Ask Infusion Nurses

After you’ve done the background work, it’s time to start crafting your infusion nurse interview questions. This is your opportunity to gain insight into a nurse’s motivations, behaviors, and clinical experience, helping you hire the best possible candidate. Here are some example questions to get your team started.

1. How did you get interested in infusion nursing?

Starting out your interview with this introductory question can give you insight into a candidate’s personal and professional background. Why are they passionate about caring for patients? What motivates and drives them to perform at work? Begin the interview on a casual note and get to know the nurse candidate before moving on to more complex questions.

What to listen for:

• Personal experiences that inspired the candidate to pursue infusion nursing
• Alignment with your facility’s mission and values

Potential follow-up questions:

• What qualities do you think every infusion nurse should have?
• What’s your favorite and least favorite part about working in this specialty?

2. How does your nursing experience prepare you for this role?

You’ve probably read about your interviewee’s clinical experience in their job application, but directly asking them about their previous positions can help you better understand whether they’d be a good fit for your team.

What to listen for:

• Indication that the candidate has researched your facility and patient population
• Understanding of the IV nurse role and ability to articulate how past experiences have equipped them with necessary skills

Potential follow-up questions:

• What unique strengths do you bring to our team?
• What new skills are you looking to learn on the job?

3. How do you provide comfort to patients who are in pain?

Infusion nurses often treat oncology and hospice patients who suffer from acute or chronic pain. Knowing the signs of pain and understanding how to provide care to patients who are struggling is crucial to exceptional care.

What to listen for:

• Sound process for assessing pain scores and safely administering pain medications
• Understanding of how to apply appropriate non-pharmacologic pain reduction techniques (deep breathing and distraction)

Potential follow-up questions:

• How do you address concerns about opioid dependence?
• What are the key components of a comprehensive pain assessment?

4. Imagine that after starting an infusion, a patient complained of itching and shortness of breath. What would you do next?

Now is an appropriate time to start asking critical thinking infusion nurse interview questions such as this. Asking how a nurse would handle realistic case scenarios can help you see how well they think on the spot.

What to listen for:

• Understanding of symptoms that indicate an adverse infusion reaction (e.g., hives, redness, itching, shortness of breath)
• Appropriate process of stopping the infusion, notifying team members, and putting an ice pack at the IV site

Potential follow-up questions:

• How would you document an adverse event?
• What steps would you take to monitor the patient after stopping the infusion?

5. Tell me about a time when you had to advocate for a patient.

Standing up for a patient’s rights requires compassion, empathy, and respect. It’s important for healthcare facilities to hire staff who not only provide great care, but also understand the wants and needs of the individuals they serve. Advocating for patients requires strong communication and problem-solving skills — knowing a nurse is able to carry out this duty ensures patient needs will be met.

What to listen for:

• Confidence in speaking up when a patient’s cultures or values are compromised
• Willingness to educate patients who may not understand the risks involved in a treatment or procedure

Potential follow-up questions:

• How do you work to deliver culturally competent care for your patients?
• Tell me about a time that you had to make a difficult decision about a patient’s care plan.

6. How do you incorporate infection prevention practices into your clinical practice?

This nursing specialty requires precision, focus, and attention to detail to prevent central line associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) and medication infiltration. It’s important to ask infusion nurse interview questions that touch on this subject to gain insight into a nurse’s clinical competence and familiarity with appropriate care guidelines.

After a nurse responds, you can describe a few of your organization’s unique infection prevention practices. Assessing their excitement and passion for learning can help you predict how well a nurse will orient to your team’s practices.

What to listen for:

• Understanding of standard precautions and evidence-based infection control practices
• Commitment to keeping patients safe and upholding the highest care standards

Potential follow-up questions:

• How do you educate patients and families about preventing infection around the IV site?
• What would you do if you noticed a colleague wasn’t following proper hand hygiene practices?

7. Working as a nurse at our facility can be busy and fast-paced. How do you rest and recover between shifts?

The risk of burnout is high for all nursing specialties, which often makes a significant impact on employee satisfaction and retention. It’s important to ask about a candidate’s work-life balance to ensure they’ll be able to handle the stresses of the job.

After an interviewee responds to this question, you can discuss the ways your organization supports nurses. Mention company benefits like paid time off and free employee counseling services to demonstrate your willingness to create a healthy work environment.

What to listen for:

• Healthy self-care activities (e.g., running, yoga, meditation)
• Hobbies and personal passions that motivate the candidate outside of work

Potential follow-up questions:

• Tell me about a time you had to prioritize your own well-being during a difficult situation.
• Do you have any other questions for me?

Quickly Find Infusion Nurses Who Are Ready to Work

You’ve written great infusion nurse interview questions, but sometimes finding qualified nurses to apply for your position can be the toughest part of the hiring process. Need a hand? Discover how IntelyCare can help you reach a nationwide network of nursing professionals today.