20 North York General Hospital Interview Questions and Answers

North York General Hospital (NYGH) is one of Canada’s leading community academic hospitals. They are dedicated to providing the best possible patient care, teaching and research in a respectful and supportive environment.

If you’re applying for a job at North York General Hospital, you can expect to be asked a variety of questions about your qualifications, work history, and availability. In this guide, we’ve assembled a list of North York General Hospital interview questions and answers to help you prepare for your interview.

North York General Hospital Interview Process

The interview process at North York General Hospital can vary depending on the position you are applying for. However, most interviews will be conducted by a panel of interviewers, and will last around 30-45 minutes. Questions will mostly be scenario-based, in order to assess your clinical judgement.

1. What is your experience in a hospital setting?

This question is a great way for the interviewer to learn more about your experience and how it relates to this specific role. When answering, be sure to include details that show you are qualified for the job.

Example: “I have worked in a hospital setting for five years now. I started as an assistant nurse where I was responsible for helping nurses with their patients. After two years of working there, I moved up to being a registered nurse where I had full responsibility over my patients. Throughout these experiences, I learned what it takes to work well in a team while also managing my own responsibilities.”

2. Why do you want to work at North York General Hospital?

Employers ask this question to learn more about your intentions for applying. They want to know that you are passionate about the role and excited to work at their organization. Before your interview, research North York General Hospital to find out what makes it unique. Use this information to answer this question by describing why you would enjoy working there.

Example: “I applied to work at North York General Hospital because I am passionate about helping others. When I was researching hospitals in the area, I found that North York General Hospital has a great reputation for providing excellent care. I also love how diverse the hospital is, as I think it’s important to provide care to everyone who needs it. I feel like I could really make a difference here.”

3. Tell me about a time when you had to deal with an angry patient, how did you handle it?

This question can help the interviewer determine how you handle stressful situations and whether or not you have experience in conflict resolution. When answering this question, it can be helpful to mention a specific situation where you helped resolve an issue with a patient and what steps you took to do so.

Example: “I once had a patient who was upset because they were waiting for their appointment longer than expected. I listened to them calmly and explained that there was a medical emergency that caused the delay. The patient understood and apologized for raising their voice. We then discussed some of the ways we could make future appointments more efficient.”

4. How would you rate your communication skills?

This question is an opportunity to show the interviewer that you can communicate effectively with your colleagues and patients. When answering this question, it can be helpful to provide a specific example of how you used your communication skills to help solve a problem or achieve a goal.

Example: “I would rate my communication skills as excellent. In my previous role, I was often the first person nurses would go to when they had questions about patient care. I always made sure to take the time to thoroughly answer their questions so they could accurately perform their duties. This helped me build strong relationships with my coworkers and ensure our patients received quality care.”

5. Have you ever worked as part of a team?

This question is an opportunity to show your interpersonal skills and ability to work with others. When answering this question, it can be helpful to mention a specific time when you worked as part of a team to accomplish something important.

Example: “Yes, I have worked as part of a team in my previous role at the local hospital. My department was tasked with finding ways to reduce our costs while maintaining quality care for patients. We met regularly to discuss ideas and eventually came up with several cost-saving measures that were implemented throughout the hospital.”

6. Do you have any experience working in the emergency room?

The interviewer may ask this question to learn more about your experience level and how you would fit in with the current team. If you have worked in an emergency room before, share some of your responsibilities and what made them challenging. If you haven’t worked in an emergency room, you can talk about a time when you had to work under pressure or solve a problem quickly.

Example: “I’ve never worked in an emergency room before, but I do have experience working in urgent care centers. In my last position, I was responsible for triaging patients as soon as they arrived at the center. This helped me develop skills like prioritizing tasks and making quick decisions based on patient symptoms.”

7. Describe a time where you provided excellent customer service.

Customer service is an important skill for healthcare professionals to have. Employers ask this question to see if you can apply your customer service skills in a medical setting. Use examples from previous jobs or describe how you would provide excellent customer service to patients and their families.

Example: “I once had a patient who was very nervous about his upcoming surgery. He asked me many questions, which I answered as best as I could. After our conversation, he seemed much more at ease. I also offered him my cell phone number so that he could call me with any other questions before the surgery. This helped put his mind at ease and made him feel comfortable enough to go through with the procedure.”

8. Are you comfortable handling blood and other bodily fluids?

This question is a way for the interviewer to assess your comfort level with working in an environment that involves blood and other bodily fluids. It’s important to be honest about your experience, but it’s also helpful to highlight any training you’ve had or steps you take to ensure you’re prepared to handle these situations.

Example: “I have worked in healthcare for five years now, so I’m quite comfortable handling blood and other bodily fluids. However, I do understand how important it is to maintain my composure when dealing with patients who are experiencing pain or discomfort. In fact, I recently took a course on deescalation techniques to help me better manage challenging patient interactions.”

9. What do you think are the most important qualities for someone who works in healthcare?

This question is an opportunity to show the interviewer that you have a strong understanding of what it takes to be successful in healthcare. When answering this question, consider highlighting qualities such as empathy, compassion and patience.

Example: “I think one of the most important qualities for someone who works in healthcare is empathy. It’s crucial to understand how patients feel when they’re going through something difficult, so I always try to put myself in their shoes. Another quality I believe is essential is patience. Working with people who are often in pain or experiencing challenging situations requires a lot of patience, so I make sure to take deep breaths and remain calm during these times.”

10. How well do you work under pressure?

Working in a hospital setting can be stressful, and employers ask this question to make sure you have the ability to work under pressure. When answering this question, it’s important to show that you are able to stay calm when things get hectic. Try to give an example of a time where you worked under pressure and succeeded.

Example: “I am someone who thrives under pressure. In my last job as a nurse, I was working with one other nurse on a busy night shift. We had several patients who were all experiencing emergencies at once. While I assisted with some procedures, I also helped triage patients so we could figure out which ones needed care first. By staying calm and prioritizing our tasks, we were able to help everyone before the end of our shift.”

11. Can you tell me about a time when you were on a project that was not going well? How did you manage it?

This question is a great way to see how you respond to challenges. It’s important that you show your interviewer that you can handle difficult situations and learn from them.

Example: “I was once on a project where we were trying to create a new software program for the hospital. We had been working on it for months, but there were still many bugs in the system. I knew that if we didn’t get everything fixed soon, our deadline would be missed. So, I called a meeting with my team members and asked what they thought the problem was. After some discussion, we realized that one of the programmers hadn’t followed directions correctly. Once we figured out the issue, we were able to fix it and meet our deadline.”

12. What do you know about our organization?

This question is a great way for employers to see how much research you’ve done on their organization. They want to know that you’re genuinely interested in working for them and have taken the time to learn about what they do, who they are and what makes them unique.

Example: “I’m very excited to be interviewing with North York General Hospital because I’ve heard so many wonderful things about it. I did some research online and read through your annual reports. It seems like an amazing place to work, and I can tell from your mission statement that you really care about your patients. I think my skills would fit well here.”

13. What is your experience with medical software such as Epic?

North York General Hospital uses Epic, a medical software system that helps with patient care and billing. This question is your chance to show the interviewer you have experience using this type of software. If you don’t have direct experience, you can talk about how you’ve used similar systems in the past.

Example: “I haven’t worked directly with Epic before, but I am familiar with other medical software such as Cerner and McKesson. These systems are very similar to Epic, so I feel confident that I could learn it quickly if hired.”

14. What is your leadership style?

This question can help the interviewer determine if you would be a good fit for their leadership team. Leadership styles vary, and it’s important to understand what your potential employer is looking for in a leader before answering this question. Consider asking about the expectations of the role before giving an answer.

Example: “I believe that effective leaders are those who have strong communication skills and are able to motivate others. I am always willing to listen to my staff members’ ideas and opinions, and I try to make sure everyone feels comfortable sharing them with me. I also like to delegate tasks so that employees feel confident in their abilities and know they’re capable of handling more responsibilities as time goes on.”

15. What is your availability?

Employers ask this question to make sure you are available for the job. They want someone who is willing to work overtime and weekends if needed. When answering, be honest about your availability. If you have a busy schedule, let them know that you would only be able to work part-time or on certain days of the week.

Example: “I am currently working full-time as an ER nurse at St. Mary’s Hospital. I am open to working part-time at North York General Hospital, but my availability would depend on the hours you need filled. I can work any day of the week, including nights and weekends.”

16. What are some ways that you can help us improve our services?

This question can help the interviewer determine your ability to think critically and offer solutions. It’s important to highlight your problem-solving skills, communication abilities and willingness to collaborate with others when answering this question.

Example: “I noticed that there are no scheduled breaks for nurses during their shifts. I believe it would be beneficial to implement a 15-minute break every four hours so that they can get some food or water and take care of any personal needs. This could also give them time to check in on patients and provide updates to other members of the team. Another idea is to allow nurses to work overtime if they’re willing to do so because sometimes we have more patients than staff.”

17. What is your preferred method of communicating with coworkers?

This question can help the interviewer determine how you will fit in with their team. It is important to be honest about your preferred method of communication, but it is also helpful to mention that you are willing to try new methods if necessary.

Example: “I prefer to communicate through email because I find it easy to reference later and keep track of conversations. However, I am always open to trying new ways of communicating, such as instant messaging or group texting. I understand that different teams have different preferences for communication, so I would be happy to adapt my style to work well with others.”

18. Have you taken any courses related to this job?

Employers ask this question to see if you are committed to your career and have a desire to learn more about the industry. They want to know that you will continue to grow professionally, even after you start working for them. When answering this question, make sure to mention any relevant courses or certifications you may have.

Example: “I took an online course on medical coding last year. It was challenging but I learned so much from it. I am hoping to take another coding class in the fall because I would like to get my certification. I also plan on taking a nursing assistant course next month.”

19. What is your biggest weakness?

Employers ask this question to learn more about your personality and how you might fit in with their team. They want to know that you are self-aware, so it’s important to answer honestly. When answering this question, try to think of a weakness that is not too serious or something that would be harmful to the job.

Example: “My biggest weakness is my perfectionism. I always strive for excellence, which can sometimes lead me to work longer hours than necessary. In the past, I’ve had to remind myself that no one is perfect and striving for excellence is good enough.”

20. Why should we hire you?

Employers ask this question to learn more about your qualifications and how you can benefit their organization. Before your interview, make a list of all the skills and experiences that relate to the job description. Use these skills and experiences to explain why you are the best candidate for the position.

Example: “I am an excellent communicator who is always willing to help others. I have experience working in a fast-paced environment where I had to multitask and prioritize my work. These skills helped me excel at my previous job, and I believe they will be beneficial here as well. My communication skills also allow me to collaborate with other team members and provide feedback on patient care.”