Top 7 PACU Nurse Interview Questions to Ask

Post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) nurses, also known as recovery nurses, care for patients immediately after surgery. They monitor vital signs, treat pain, and assess for post-operative health complications. More than 51 million surgeries are completed each year in the U.S., putting PACU nurses in high demand. If you need to hire one of these RNs, asking well-written PACU nurse interview questions can help you choose the best candidate for the job.

In this article, we’ll walk you through seven questions that are frequently asked during PACU nurse interviews. We’ll also outline great responses to listen for and provide you with a list of follow-up questions you can ask to clarify a nurse’s answer.

Before starting the hiring process, it’s helpful to get insight into the recovery nurse job market. Referencing our PACU nurse job board can help you research competitive salaries, benefits packages, and scheduling options to offer prospective candidates in your PACU nurse job description.

Once you’ve received enough applications, you’ll be ready to begin interviewing candidates. The following candidate evaluation form can help you keep track of each nurse’s responses.

7 Interview Questions for PACU Nurses

Once you’ve enticed nurses with your job description, it’s time to write your PACU nurse interview questions. Use this as an opportunity to gain insight into a candidate’s motivations, behaviors, and clinical experience.

Incorporating a variety of PACU nursing scenarios, in addition to behavioral interview questions, can give you a well-rounded picture of each nurse candidate. Here are seven recovery nurse interview questions — and answers to listen for — to get you and your hiring team started.

1. What made you interested in PACU nursing?

Start the interview with an introductory question to get a better understanding of a nurse’s personal and professional background. Many PACU nurses have previous experience in emergency or intensive care settings. While you may be familiar with this information from a candidate’s resume or cover letter, directly asking PACU nurse interview questions like this one can help you see their ability to professionally communicate.

What to listen for:

• Shows a genuine interest in providing post-operative patient care at your facility
• Demonstrates values that align with your team’s mission and goals

Potential follow-up questions:

• What PACU patient populations have you worked with in the past?
• How does your experience prepare you for this particular role?

2. Describe three elements of a high-performing PACU team.

Great teamwork is essential in all healthcare specialties. PACU staff need to be able to delegate, communicate, and establish clear roles to provide safe and appropriate post-operative care. Knowing that a nurse has the skills and experience required to contribute to your clinical team gets you one step closer to choosing the right candidate.

What to listen for:

• Understands the importance of strong leadership, clear communication, and collaboration when working with other clinicians
• Lists strong teamwork qualities like adaptability, flexibility, reliability, and integrity

Potential follow-up questions:

• What skills and attributes do you bring to a team?
• Have you ever been a part of a dysfunctional team? How did you work through the challenges?

3. How do you take care of patients who are in pain after surgery?

Now that you’ve gotten to know the candidate, it’s time to get into some PACU interview scenario questions to see how well they can think on the spot. Recovery nurses need to be able to assess for, identify, and treat acute and chronic pain in their surgical patients. Asking this question can let you know whether they have the necessary experience to care for your patient population.

What to listen for:

• Utilizes a variety of medications and non-pharmacological pain relief strategies to manage discomfort.
• Understands the importance of using the appropriate pain scale when assessing for post-operative pain

Potential follow-up questions:

• If a patient was still suffering after you provided them with pain medication, what would be your next steps?
• What non-pharmacological strategies have you used to treat postoperative nausea and vomiting?

4. Tell me about a time that you were able to provide comfort to an anxious patient or family member.

Being in the hospital can be stressful for patients and their loved ones. PACU nurses who take the time to relieve a patient’s fears help to make the entire surgical experience more positive. Empathetic, patient, and compassionate nurses can help your team improve patient satisfaction and engagement scores — these are the clinicians you want on your team.

What to listen for:

• Reviews the patient’s plan of care thoroughly to help them prepare for the next stage of their health journey
• Demonstrates active listening and allows ample time for questions

Potential follow-up questions:

• What would you do if a family member’s anxiety spiraled into aggression? How would you keep your coworkers and patients safe?
• How do you cope with your own stresses and anxieties when providing patient care? What techniques do you use to find peace when things get tough?

5. How would you provide discharge instructions to a patient who is unwilling to follow the recommended treatment plan?

PACU nurses are required to provide discharge teaching everyday. This responsibility becomes complicated if a patient refuses to accept the instructions or doesn’t want to complete the rehabilitation necessary for optimal outcomes.

Understanding why patients are noncompliant with medical guidance is the first step to improving patient outcomes. Strong and compassionate nurses know that there are many barriers to following a healthcare treatment plan and are able to approach these hesitant patients with patience and respect.

What to listen for:

• Shows empathy and understanding when caring for patients who may need extra teaching and guidance
• Prioritizes patient understanding and engagement over completing their nursing task list

Potential follow-up questions:

• How do you tailor discharge teaching to meet individual patient needs?
• What techniques do you use to provide culturally competent care?

6. Do you have any nursing leadership experience?

Nurses who step up for leadership roles are dedicated to improving the patient experience and encouraging clinical excellence. Their efforts often boost employee retention and improve patient health outcomes, making them incredibly valuable to the facilities they work for.

When asking your PACU nurse interview questions, it’s important to remember that leadership experience isn’t limited to bedside nursing. Many RNs started their careers as medical assistants, LVNs, or CNAs. Make sure you don’t exclude these candidates, as they may demonstrate the ambition and drive you’re looking for.

What to listen for:

• Previous experience spearheading PACU research projects and quality improvement initiatives
• Demonstrates excitement at the opportunity to grow as a leader in your organization

Potential follow-up questions:

• Have you ever participated in any PACU quality improvement or evidence-based practice initiatives?
• Do you have any experience precepting new graduates or experienced staff? What do you think makes a good preceptor?

7. What excites you most about joining our team?

Ending with this PACU nurse interview question shows candidates that you want to get to know them as a full person, not just for their nursing knowledge or bedside expertise. Encourage them to have a bit of fun in answering, and share ways your facility promotes work-life balance for your employees.

After asking your final question, it can be helpful to listen to clarifying questions a candidate may ask as the interviewee. Nurses who ask targeted questions during an interview show their excitement and interest in the position and demonstrate that they’ve done their research on your facility. A nurse who has invested significant time and effort into securing the position is more likely to stay with your company for a longer period of time.

What to listen for:

• Understands the duties and expectations of the role
• Shows genuine excitement at the opportunity to join your team

Potential follow-up questions:

• Working in our PACU can be tough. How do you plan to rest and recover on days off?
• Do you have any other questions for me before we finish up?

We Can Help You Hire the PACU Professionals You Need

With these PACU nurse interview questions, you’re well on your way to hiring an exceptional employee, but the first step is knowing where to find them. By posting your position on our nursing job board, you can quickly reach highly qualified nurses who are actively looking for work.