Nursing interview questions
Nursing interviews combine values-based questions with clinical scenarios. Prepare examples that show safe practice, compassion and clear communication.
Practise this questionWhat to expect
Nursing interviews often include questions about your motivation, values-based questions about how you treat patients and colleagues, and scenario questions about what you would do in a clinical situation. Some also include a numeracy or written assessment.
In the NHS, many trusts use values-based recruitment, drawing on the NHS Constitution and their own trust values. Read the job advert, the person specification and the trust’s values, and prepare an example that shows each one.
Questions nursing panels ask
Why do you want to be a nurse?
Give a personal, specific reason and connect it to what you have learned on placement or in care work.
Describe a time you showed compassion to a patient.
Choose a moment where you noticed what a patient needed beyond the task, and explain what you did and the difference it made. Protect confidentiality.
Practise this questionWhat would you do if you saw a colleague doing something unsafe?
Make clear that patient safety comes first: you would act to keep the patient safe, raise it promptly and escalate or report through the correct channels.
How do you prioritise when you have several patients?
Describe how you judge urgency, use tools such as early warning scores where they apply, and ask for help when you need it.
Tell me about a time you worked in a multidisciplinary team.
Make your role clear and show how you communicated with other professionals for the patient’s benefit.
How do you look after your own wellbeing?
Give a genuine answer. Employers want to know you recognise the demands of the job and have ways to manage them.
What would you do if a patient’s family was unhappy with their care?
Show that you would listen, acknowledge their concerns, explain what you can and involve the nurse in charge when needed.
Answering scenario questions
Follow the policies you have been taught on placement or in practice. If you are unsure of a local procedure, say what you would check and who you would ask.
- Keep the patient safe first.
Start with your immediate priority, such as assessing the patient or calling for help.
- Use a structured approach.
Where it fits, mention the frameworks you use in practice, such as an ABCDE assessment, or SBAR when you hand over or escalate.
- Escalate appropriately.
Say who you would inform and when. Knowing the limits of your role is part of a safe answer.
- Document and follow up.
Finish with recording what happened and any reporting your trust requires.
Compassion beyond the task
On a placement on an older people’s ward, I was caring for a patient who had stopped eating much and seemed withdrawn. While I was helping at lunch, I asked about her family and learned she was worried about her husband, who was at home on his own. I let my practice supervisor know, and the team arranged for the discharge coordinator to talk to her about support for him. Over the next few days she began eating more and chatting with staff. I learned that sometimes the most important part of care is giving someone time to tell you what is worrying them.
The speaker notices a need beyond the task, acts within their role by involving their supervisor and the team, and reflects on what they learned. No identifying details are shared.
Same question. Your story.Speak calmly and in order
Nurses spend much of the day explaining, reassuring and handing over. Interviewers may notice whether your answers are calm, ordered and easy to follow. Record your scenario answers and listen for whether the steps come across in a clear sequence.
Common questions
What are the NHS values?
The NHS Constitution sets out six values: working together for patients; respect and dignity; commitment to quality of care; compassion; improving lives; and everyone counts. Many trusts also have their own values, so check the trust’s website and the job advert.
Can I use examples from student placements?
Yes. Newly qualified nurses are expected to draw on placement experience. Make your own role clear and protect patient confidentiality.
How should I prepare for clinical questions?
Revise the frameworks you use in practice, such as ABCDE assessment and SBAR, and think through common situations in the area you are applying to. Practise explaining your steps aloud, in order.
Further reading
Check your interview invitation for the instructions that apply to you.
Practise for your role.
Add your CV and the job description to get five questions written for you, then answer them out loud.