​After your resume and skills checklist have checked out, the next step in getting a travel nursing assignment is the phone screen.

In this post, we’ll cover some of the common interview questions you’ll hear, along with the types of answers employers are looking for. We’ve also included some questions that you should ask during the interview.

Questions they’ll ask you

Do you have experience in the specialty you’re applying for?

You can expect several of the interview questions to focus on your skills and experience, particularly with the specialty you have applied for. Interviewers will touch on the experience you mentioned in your resume, and ask you questions about areas in which they think are your strengths and weaknesses.

Are you willing to float to units and facilities that match your experience?

For a Travel Nurse, interview questions about floating are very common. You can expect to be asked to float no matter which facility you apply for. It’s one of the challenges of travel nursing. Your interviewer may ask some questions about your comfort level with floating to other units with which you have experience. Flexibility with floating is a key to getting hired as a Travel Nurse.

Can you cover shifts on holidays?

Travel Nurses are also expected to have flexibility with shifts. Your interviewer may ask about your willingness to fill in where needed, and that includes holidays. The more flexible you are, the better a candidate you’ll be. That said, one of the benefits of travel nursing is that many times you’ll end up on a desirable shift, simply because that’s where the demand is.

What is your computer charting experience?

Charting differs from facility to facility. Your interviewer will likely ask how much experience you have with charting on a computer. They’ll also be interested in which electronic charting system you have experience with. Experience with their system is ideal for a facility, because it means they won’t have to spend time training you on it.

Questions you should ask them

We try to give you as much information about a job as possible before you interview. However, you should ask the following questions to learn more about the position you’re applying for.

What is the nurse-to-patient ratio for this position?

It’s very important to know the workload you’ll experience at a job before you start. Some assignments will have higher nurse-to-patient ratios than others. You have to know your limits so you don’t take on a job that will overwhelm you. During the interview, ask about the ratio on units that you’ll be expected to work on.

What does the typical orientation look like?

Most travel nursing assignments come with some orientation. This allows you to better understand the facility, the unit and how you’re expected to fit into the team. However, at some facilities, you’ll barely get any orientation. Ideally, you should have an 8-12 hour orientation shift that includes training and shadowing.

What is the required uniform?

Each facility is a little different, and taking this job may require you to buy some new scrubs. The interview is a good time to find this out.

Let your fellow Travel Nurses know what questions you were asked.

What we’ve mentioned above are just a handful of the Travel Nurse interview questions we’ve heard about. In the comments, let your fellow Nurses know about your experience with interviews.