Are you looking to get into a Band 5 Nurse post? Being called to interview and wondering what questions they might ask? Unsure how to answer successfully.

For all Band 5 posts, you will be required to take part in a formal interview.

Your interview is likely to take place in front of a panel of at least two members and will typically follow a blended format. This means you can expect a mix of question types, including competency-based ones. Make sure to prepare real-life examples that demonstrate your compassion, professionalism, and commitment to delivering safe, evidence-informed patient care.

Key Areas Band 5 Interview Questions Will Explore

• Demonstrating how you provide safe, compassionate, and patient-centred care
• Key skills and experience relevant to Band 5
• Responding to clinical scenarios, including assessments and observations
• Communicating clearly and effectively with patients, colleagues, and multidisciplinary teams
• Managing your workload efficiently while working under appropriate supervision
• Showing commitment to ongoing learning, development, and reflective practice
• Knowledge of NHS topics and issues

Band 5 Nurse Interview Questions

Here are some common Band 5 interview questions exploring your experience, motivation, ability to manage a busy shift and provide excellent and safe care.

How would you answer: (Go here to get answers)

• What skills or training have you undertaken recently, and how have you applied them in your practice?
• What motivates you to work in this area of nursing, and what do you hope to achieve in this role?
• What motivated you to choose nursing as your career?
• What skills do you use when you have an exceptionally busy ward. Give us as recent example.
• What do you know about the sepsis six bundle? Talk us through a recent example of when you cared for a patient with sepsis.
• What guidelines and procedures would you follow regarding urinary catheter maintenance in order to prevent urinary tract infection (UTI)?
• How would you recognise and respond to a patient showing signs of sepsis?
• A patient’s condition deteriorates suddenly—what immediate actions would you take?
• Give an example of a time when you found it difficult to communicate with a patient. What was the outcome?
• How would you manage multiple tasks to complete during a shift. How would you prioritise your workload?

Knowledge of NHS topics and issues: The may also ask you a question related to one the NHS key issues or hot topics. Safeguarding, Duty of Candour, Staffing Challenges etc are all potential questions.

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Nursing Band 5 Interview Tests

Keep in mind that you may also be required to take part in online tests specifically:

Literacy Tests: These may be based on a patient scenario and you will be asked to document the actions you would take.

Numeracy Tests: At Band 5 numeracy tests usually involve drugs calculations. The questions are generally relatively straightforward and may ask you to convert or calculate quantities or work out how long it takes for a drug to deliver.

Sample Answers to Band 5 Interview Questions

Here is a Band 5 interview question which is competency based along with a short sample STAR answers to help guide you.

Tell us about a time when you showed true compassion when dealing with a patient.

You may be tested with scenario-based questions such as this which relates to compassion. Choose a recent example which shows your ability to bring compassion when providing care to your patients. Use the STAR formula to structure your answers in a concise manner so as to clearly demonstrate the competency you are being asked about.

Situation: During a busy morning shift on a medical ward, I had several patients needing medication, one requiring wound care, a discharge to prepare, and new admissions arriving.

Task: I needed to ensure safe, timely care for all patients while managing competing priorities under pressure.

Action: I started by reviewing the handover notes and assessing which tasks were most urgent, such as time-critical medications and any unstable patients. I used a prioritisation tool based on clinical need and time sensitivity. I communicated with my team and delegated tasks where appropriate—for example, asking a colleague to assist with routine obs while I handled medications and discharge paperwork. I remained flexible, re-evaluating my plan when admissions arrived or patient needs changed.

Result: All essential tasks were completed within the shift. The discharge went smoothly, and I ensured that the new patients were settled in safely. My mentor commended my ability to stay organised and calm under pressure, and I learned the importance of teamwork and real-time prioritisation.

In your interview, you will be required to give a longer answer, click here to get sample STAR answers you can use for inspiration.

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