Top 7 Doula Interview Questions to Ask

Doulas specialize in providing emotional and physical support to pregnant and laboring patients. They’re valuable additions to care teams, ensuring that patients have a smoother experience with childbirth and empowering them to make informed decisions. If you’re looking to hire one, asking thoughtful doula interview questions can help identify candidates with the compassion and interpersonal skills needed to carry out this role.

During the hiring process, the interview is an opportunity for you to learn more about a candidate beyond their qualifications on paper. In this article, we’ll outline seven essential questions to ask your doula candidate so that you can identify the best fit for your particular team. Looking for applicants to interview? Create a well-written job description to start building a strong talent pool.

Below you’ll also find a free, downloadable doula candidate evaluation form to help support an organized and fair hiring decision.

7 Interview Questions for a Doula

As you prepare (and customize) your questions to ask doula interview candidates, it’s important to remember that doula training and credentialing processes often differ significantly from those of traditional clinicians. So, they’re likely to bring a very different perspective to the care team.

Fundamentally, you want to hire someone who is empathetic, knowledgeable about the birthing process, and a strong communicator. To identify those traits within the job interview for a doula, questions must be tailored to their unique practice and pathway to employment. Here are seven targeted questions to ask a doula that can establish whether a candidate is a good fit for your organization.

1. How have your past experiences prepared you to be a doula?

Asking doula interview questions like this is a great way to get an elevator pitch of a candidate’s experiences and how they relate to the position. A candidate’s resume may not fully show how they’re prepared to take on the role, so this gives them an opportunity to walk through their career journey in a more personal way.

What to listen for:

• Past experiences in emotionally supportive or educational roles
• Understanding of what qualities and skills translate well to the role of a doula

Potential follow-up questions:

• What is your favorite thing about being a doula?
• Tell me about a time you helped someone through a difficult situation.

2. If you were looking for a doula, what qualities would you want them to have?

This question allows you to assess whether candidates can empathize with the needs of patients and understand what makes a good doula. The qualities they discuss will likely be ones that they channel into their own practice, which can also give you an idea of their work style.

What to listen for:

• Ability to understand the patient’s perspective and potential needs
• Emphasis on key qualities such as empathy, trustworthiness, and patience

Potential follow-up questions:

• How do you bring these qualities into your own work as a doula?
• How would you describe your communication style as a doula?

3. How do you keep up with the latest evidence-based practices in childbirth and postpartum care?

While doulas aren’t qualified to give medical care or advice, keeping up with evidence-based practices is still crucial for effective navigation of the birthing process. It also ensures their ability to provide accurate information when answering patient and family (like a partner or husband) questions. For doulas to be truly effective at their jobs, though, they must have a firm grasp of their scope of practice limitations, including when it comes to patient and family education.

What to listen for:

• Understanding of reputable resources and research to draw practices from
• Proactive approach to staying informed and engaging in continuous learning

Potential follow-up questions:

• Can you share an example of an evidence-based practice you’ve recently integrated into your work?
• What are some go-to resources you recommend to patients who need more information about prenatal and postnatal care?

4. What’s your process for building rapport with patients?

Whether you’re hiring for labor and delivery, antepartum, or postpartum, doula interview questions should always touch on building rapport. Patients need to feel comfortable around their doulas in order to communicate their needs. This question assesses a candidate’s approach to establishing relationships with patients and building the trust needed to deliver effective services.

What to listen for:

• Understanding of how to create a safe, supportive, and inclusive environment
• Ability to personalize strategies that fit each patient’s needs and preferences

Potential follow-up questions:

• What challenges have you faced when trying to establish trust with patients?
• Can you tell me about a particularly difficult time you had building rapport with a patient? How did you overcome the situation?

5. As a doula, it’s important to take a family-centered approach to providing services. How do you ensure that both the patient and their partner feel supported?

A good doula will understand how to address a patient’s needs while also considering their partner’s role in care and parenthood. This question evaluates whether a candidate can strike this balance and holistically consider a family’s needs.

What to listen for:

• Understanding of how to foster shared decision-making between a patient and their partner
• Ability to maintain focus on the patient’s needs while still respecting their partner’s role

Potential follow-up questions:

• How would you handle a situation in which the patient and their partner have different expectations?
• What social and cultural factors do you consider when helping families create a birthing plan?

6. What would you do if a patient asked you a medical question that you weren’t qualified to answer?

Doulas must avoid overstepping their duties since this can potentially endanger patients and lead to legal repercussions. Scope of practice should be addressed in at least one of your birthing (or postpartum) doula interview questions, and answers should reflect a candidate’s understanding of their role and responsibilities.

What to listen for:

• Acknowledgement of the importance of staying within scope of practice guidelines
• Understanding of how to connect patients with appropriate care providers when necessary

Potential follow-up questions:

• Can you give me some examples of frequently asked questions for doulas, and how you navigate those answers as a non-clinician?
• Walk me through your process of collaborating and consulting with a patient’s care team.

7. How do you balance providing recommendations with respecting patient autonomy?

A good doula will understand the importance of engaging patients in their care. Some patients may require more guidance than others. Other patients may just want emotional support when making big care decisions. This question assesses whether candidates can meet patients where they are and respect their personal preferences.

What to listen for:

• Understanding of how to offer guidance without taking away a patient’s agency
• Ability to communicate ideas and recommendations in a neutral, informative way

Potential follow-up questions:

• How would you handle a situation in which a patient disagreed with your recommendation?
• Tell me about a time you had to adapt your approach to match a patient’s preferences.

Find the Right Candidates Faster

The hiring process can be long and tiring, but we’re here to help ensure that the right people are answering your doula interview questions. Discover how you can reach a nationwide network of healthcare professionals and start collecting high-quality applications today.