The staff nurse employment interview: predicting performance outcomes. Part II

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Healthcare Management
• Human Resources

Background:

• Healthcare organizations must base employment decisions on applicant qualifications per the Employment Standards Act of Ontario.
• Reliable and valid employment interviews are crucial for effective hiring in healthcare.
• Existing interview processes may lack standardized tools for assessing nursing candidates.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a semi-structured interview tool for staff nurse selection.
• To identify interview questions with content and predictive validity for nursing roles.
• To enhance the objectivity and effectiveness of employment interviews in acute-care settings.

Main Methods:

• A semi-structured interview tool was created for staff nurses on a medical unit.
• Content validity was assessed by comparing interview questions to job analysis and Standards of Practice.
• Predictive validity was determined by correlating interview scores with performance outcomes one year later.

Main Results:

• Of 25 questions, five demonstrated content validity and a statistically significant relationship with future job performance.
• These five questions focused on holistic care, patient coping assessment, teaching, collaboration, and problem-solving.
• Total interview scores predicted overall competency in job performance.

Conclusions:

• A structured staff nurse employment interview questionnaire was developed based on validated questions.
• The validated interview tool can improve the selection process for nursing staff.
• This approach supports evidence-based hiring practices in healthcare organizations.