Common nurse interview questions

Nurse interview questions and answers

Questions marked STAR want a real example: the situation, your task, the action you took and the result. For the others, follow the steps. Keep each answer to about two minutes.

1. 1

   Motivation

   Why do you want to work on this ward?

   What they want to hear

   That you know what the ward does, its patients, acuity and pace, and that your experience and interests fit it. Not just that you need a post.

   Avoid

   Saying it is close to home or that any ward would do. General praise for the NHS with nothing about this team.

   How to answer

   Start with

   What draws you to this specialty, for example the variety of acute medicine or getting to know patients on a long-stay unit.

   Then

   Link it to a placement or post where you cared for similar patients, and what you learned there.

   Finish with

   Something specific about this ward or trust, such as its preceptorship programme or a service it has recently started.

2. 2

   Values

   Which of the 6Cs matters most to you, and why?

   What they want to hear

   That you know the 6Cs (care, compassion, competence, communication, courage and commitment) and can show one of them in action, rather than recite the list.

   Avoid

   Listing all six with no example, or picking one and dismissing the others as less important.

   How to answer

   Name one

   For example courage, and say in a sentence what it means on a ward: speaking up when something is not right.

   Give an example

   Stopping a colleague, politely, before a medicine was given without checking the patient’s allergy band.

   Finish with

   Why it matters for patients, and how the other Cs depend on it.

3. 3

   ClinicalSTAR

   Tell us about a time you recognised a patient was deteriorating.

   What they want to hear

   Early recognition, clear escalation using NEWS2 and SBAR, and that you stayed with the patient and documented what happened.

   Avoid

   A story where you waited to see if things improved, or where the escalation is vague. Leave out anything that could identify the patient.

   An example answer, with STAR

   Situation

   On a night shift, a post-operative patient’s NEWS2 score rose and he became newly confused.

   Task

   He was in your bay, and he needed a medical review quickly.

   Action

   You repeated his observations, escalated to the doctor using SBAR, started the sepsis screen, increased his observations and kept him and his family informed.

   Result

   He was reviewed promptly, started treatment and recovered. You documented everything and shared the learning at the safety huddle.

4. 4

   Scenario

   What would you do if you discovered a colleague had made a medication error?

   What they want to hear

   Patient safety first, honesty and openness with the patient, following local policy, and a supportive rather than blaming attitude to your colleague.

   Avoid

   Saying you would sort it out quietly, or report it before checking on the patient.

   How to answer

   First

   Check the patient: assess them, take observations and tell the nurse in charge and the doctor.

   Then

   Make sure the error is reported on the incident system, the patient is told openly, in line with the duty of candour, and the records are accurate.

   Finish with

   Supporting your colleague and learning from it, for example through a reflection and a look at how it happened.

5. 5

   Pressure

   How do you prioritise your patients on a busy shift?

   What they want to hear

   A clear method: the sickest patients and time-critical care first, and safe delegation or asking for help when there is too much to do.

   Avoid

   Saying you never feel stretched, or that you simply work faster. Don’t skip how you kept patients safe when there was too much to do.

   How to answer

   Start with

   How you plan at handover: who is most unwell, who is going to theatre or home, which medicines are time-critical.

   Then

   How you re-prioritise when something changes, and what you delegate to healthcare assistants or raise with the nurse in charge.

   Give an example

   A shift with two admissions and a deteriorating patient, and how you made sure nothing safety-critical was missed.

6. 6

   CommunicationSTAR

   Tell us about a time you dealt with an upset or angry relative.

   What they want to hear

   Calm, compassionate communication: listening, honesty about what you can do, and involving the right people.

   Avoid

   Blaming colleagues or the system in front of the family, or a story where you simply passed them on to someone else.

   An example answer, with STAR

   Situation

   A daughter was upset that her father’s discharge had been delayed again and nobody had told her why.

   Task

   You needed to calm the situation and get her accurate information.

   Action

   You took her somewhere private, listened without interrupting, apologised for the poor communication, checked the reason with the discharge team and agreed when she would hear next.

   Result

   She thanked you, the discharge went ahead safely, and the ward began phoning families after the morning board round.

7. 7

   Safeguarding

   What would you do if you had a safeguarding concern about a patient?

   What they want to hear

   That you recognise signs of abuse or neglect, act promptly, follow the trust’s safeguarding policy and record facts rather than opinions.

   Avoid

   Investigating it yourself, confronting the person you suspect or promising confidentiality.

   How to answer

   First

   Make sure the patient is safe now, and listen if they tell you something, without promising to keep it secret.

   Then

   Report it to the nurse in charge and the safeguarding team, following the trust’s policy, the same day.

   Finish with

   Recording what you saw and heard factually, in the patient’s own words where you can, and following it up.

8. 8

   ReflectionSTAR

   Tell us about a mistake you made and what you learned from it.

   What they want to hear

   Honesty, insight and a real change in your practice. Nurses reflect for revalidation, so the panel expects you to be comfortable with it.

   Avoid

   A mistake that caused serious harm with no clear learning, or a "mistake" that is really a boast, such as caring too much.

   An example answer, with STAR

   Situation

   Early in your career, you missed recording a patient’s fluid intake during a busy late shift.

   Task

   The patient was on a fluid restriction, so the chart mattered for her care.

   Action

   You told the nurse in charge as soon as you realised, recorded what you could accurately, and flagged it at handover.

   Result

   No harm came to the patient. You now check charts at set points in every shift, and you wrote a reflection on it for your portfolio.

9. 9

   Development

   How do you keep your practice up to date?

   What they want to hear

   Ongoing learning beyond mandatory training: revalidation, courses, guidance and learning from colleagues.

   Avoid

   Relying on mandatory training alone, or not knowing your revalidation date.

   How to answer

   Start with

   Your revalidation: practice hours, CPD, reflections and feedback, and when you are next due.

   Then

   A recent example, such as an IV therapy course, a guideline you read or a teaching session on the ward.

   Finish with

   What you want to learn next, and how this post would help.

10. 10

    TeamworkSTAR

    Tell us about a time you worked with the multidisciplinary team.

    What they want to hear

    That you communicate well with doctors, therapists, pharmacists and social workers, and that you speak up for your patient.

    Avoid

    Making it all about your own role, or describing a disagreement in which you criticise another profession.

    An example answer, with STAR

    Situation

    A frail patient wanted to go home, but the physiotherapist was worried about the stairs at her house.

    Task

    You needed to help plan a safe discharge that respected her wishes.

    Action

    You raised it at the board round, arranged a joint assessment with the occupational therapist, and kept her family and the community team updated.

    Result

    She went home with a stair rail and a package of care in place, and her family said they felt involved throughout.

11. 11

    LeadershipSTAR

    Tell us about a time you supported a student nurse or new colleague.

    What they want to hear

    That you can teach, give feedback and act as a practice supervisor, and that you see learners as part of the team.

    Avoid

    Saying students slow you down, or that you have never had time to teach.

    An example answer, with STAR

    Situation

    A second-year student on her first acute placement was anxious about giving medicines.

    Task

    As her practice supervisor, you wanted to build her confidence safely.

    Action

    You talked through the checks on each drug round, let her lead under close supervision and gave short feedback at the end of each shift.

    Result

    By the end of the placement she ran the round for her bay with you checking, and her practice assessor signed off that proficiency.

12. 12

    Wellbeing

    How do you look after your own wellbeing after a difficult shift?

    What they want to hear

    That you understand nursing is emotionally demanding, and that you have healthy ways to cope and know where to get support.

    Avoid

    Saying nothing affects you, or giving an answer with no way of getting support.

    How to answer

    Start with

    An honest line about the hard side of the job, such as caring for a patient at the end of life.

    Then

    What helps you: a debrief with the team, talking to a colleague, rest and time away from work.

    Finish with

    That you know where to find support, such as clinical supervision or the trust’s staff wellbeing service, and that you look out for colleagues too.