What will I be asked during my interview?

During your digital interview, you’ll be asked a number of practice-related questions which will be evaluated by a qualified member of the Pulse Nursing Clinical Team. 

In order to help prepare for your interview, we’ve compiled the below advice on areas we may ask you about, what we’re looking for in your answers and recommended topics to read up on beforehand.

All our interviews are different depending on the clinical area you’re applying for, however, in all interviews we will ask you about:

• Your qualifications
• Your current or most recent clinical role
• The ward/unit or area you work in, the number of patients you care for and shifts patterns
• The type of conditions you care for (e.g. medical, surgical or psychiatric)
• Your scope of practice and clinical competencies
• Your understanding of data protection and patient/client confidentiality

We’ll also ask you specific questions in relation to the common conditions and complications you may encounter in your specialised clinical area. Some examples include:

• Seizure and head injury management in the general setting.
• Sepsis recognition and management in all settings.
• Management of challenges to your clinical practice or challenging others in all settings.
• Safe guarding – recognising the signs, referral process and appropriate actions in all settings.
• Recognising the deteriorating patient, potential causes and appropriate management in the acute setting.
• Recognising the signs and the management of sepsis in all settings.
• Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) recognition and management in the acute setting.
• Recognising and management of ventilator, intubation and weaning complications in the critical setting.
• Management of diabetic complications in the paediatric setting.
• Management and recognising the signs of the aggressive patient in the mental health setting.
• Levels of observation in the mental health setting.
• Understanding and purpose of the WHO surgical checklist

During your interview we would expect you to demonstrate:

• Knowledge of key clinical tasks/roles, such as:
  • Documentation
  • Clinical environment checks
  • Medication management
  • Clinical handover
  • Vital signs
• Evidence of current evidence-based practice
• A professional manner and practice in line with regulatory bodies, such as the NMC.

Recommended topics to read up on before your interview include:

• Sepsis and sepsis management - “Sepsis 6”
• Data protection and patient confidentiality
• Safeguarding
• The 6 C’s of Nursing
• Duty of Candour
• WHO surgical checklist
• The role and expectations of an agency healthcare worker
• Clinical competencies and the agency healthcare worker
• Basic life support
• Relevant NICE guidelines in relation to your clinical field

If you’d like to discuss your upcoming interview further with a member of the team, call us on 0333 577 3410 or email us at join-nursing@pulsejobs.com.