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Nurse interview questions

A nursing interview tests judgment and calm more than knowledge, which your diploma already shows. Expect situations: a patient getting worse, a disagreement with a doctor, a shift with too few staff.

Questions to expect

  1. Tell me about a time a patient's condition changed quickly.

    What they listen for

    What you noticed, what you did in order, who you called and what you told them. Clear and without drama.

  2. How do you prioritise when you have too many patients?

    What they listen for

    A rule based on risk, and how you ask for help before it is too late.

  3. Describe a disagreement with a doctor or a colleague about care.

    What they listen for

    That you spoke up for the patient, with facts, and through the right channel.

  4. Tell me about a difficult family.

    What they listen for

    Listening first, clear limits, and what calmed the situation.

  5. Have you ever made an error or nearly made one? What did you do?

    What they listen for

    That you reported it at once. Hiding nothing is the right answer here.

One answer, before and after

Tell me about a time a patient's condition changed quickly.

You said

One night a patient really wasn't well, he was breathing badly and I could see something was wrong. I was quite worried. I called the doctor and we looked after him, and fortunately in the end he was fine.

Try

On a night shift, a patient two days after surgery became confused and his breathing rate rose to 28. I checked his saturation, 88 %, sat him up, started oxygen as the protocol allows, and called the on-call doctor with those figures. He was treated for a pulmonary embolism within the hour.

What you observed, what you did, and what you reported, in order.

What a report scores for this role

Clinical judgment
You say what you observed and why it worried you.
Communication
You report a situation in a few ordered sentences.
Composure
You describe pressure without being carried away by it.

Examples: each report picks the competencies that fit the role and the interview.

Rehearse this interview out loud

Reading these questions is a start. Saying your answers to someone who follows up is the rehearsal.

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