Have you got a Nursing Interview coming up during 2025? Looking for interview questions and answers for Nursing Band 5,6,7,8? Well, you have come to the right place.
I have recruited for many nursing and healthcare positions in the UK both in the NHS and in the private sector. I have created interviews for jobs ranging from healthcare and nursing assistants, staff nurses at all grades, practice nurses, district and community nurses and nurse team leaders and managers.
I am aware that for many nurses, the interview can be a daunting prospect and in fact, the fear of interviews puts many off moving to a different trust or applying for a new job. Sadly, they miss out on potentially great promotions, increased salary, and more interesting roles and this need not be the case.
This detailed article includes a guide to the types of interview questions for Bands 5, 6, 7 and 8 and I detail what to expect in NHS nursing job interviews this year.
In this article:
- Nursing Interview Questions General and NHS Hot Topics
- Nursing Band 5 Interview Questions and Answers
- Nursing Band 6 Interview Questions and Answers
- Nursing Band 7 Interview Questions and Answers
- Nursing Band 8 Interview Questions and Answers
- How to Answer Your Nursing Interview Questions Successfully
- Answer Any Nursing Interview Question With 100% Confidence
Nursing Interview Questions, General and NHS Hot Topics
Before delving into the questions you may be asked at Band level let’s look at some of the typical and common nursing interview questions asked in the NHS.
Most interviews will combine a range of question types including traditional and competency-based in the form of a blended interview. These will explore your skills, qualifications and experience. In addition, some questions may explore your understanding of NHS hot topics and issues with the healthcare sector. Here are the key areas to prepare for.
NHS Values Based Interview Questions
Within the NHS there are six core values that all staff must adhere to. These are:
- Working Together for Patients
- Respect and Dignity
- Commitment to Quality of Care
- Compassion
- Improving Lives
- Everyone Counts
You will be asked questions exploring your knowledge and experience of working with these values. For example here are some typical values based interview questions:
- Healthcare often requires multidisciplinary teamwork. Give an example of a time when you worked collaboratively with other healthcare professionals to improve patient outcomes. How did you ensure effective communication and teamwork? Working Together (Get answers)
- Talk us through a challenging patient scenario you managed and how the outcome helped with your development as a nurse. Improving Lives (Get answers)
- Tell us about a situation where you identified a potential improvement in patient care within your department. What steps did you take to implement this change, and what were the outcomes? Commitment to Quality of Care (Get answers)
You will find these values based questions on both the application and in the interview. To answer successfully, use the STAR formula detailing a recent and relevant example.
NHS Core Competencies and Behaviours
The person specification will outline the essential criteria required and these competency-based interview questions will be designed to see whether you have the key skills and aptitudes required. Expect questions exploring the following:
- Communication
- Leadership
- Developing Self and Others (Personal and People Development)
- Health, Safety and Security
- Changing and Improving (Service Improvement)
- Equality and Diversity
- Decision Making and Problem Solving
- Quality Care
- Teamwork
NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework (KSF)
You will be required to meet the requirements of the KSF and questions will be directed towards the key elements.
Nursing Clinical Interview Questions
While clinical skills are normally explored via written tests, you may find you are asked some clinical questions during the formal interview too. These may be hypothetical or direct. Here are some examples:
- On your rounds you notice that one of the newer staff nurses in your change has incorrectly administered medication to the patient. What action would you take? (Get answers)
- What do you know about the sepsis six bundle? Talk us through a recent example of when you cared for a patient with sepsis. (Get answers)
- Your patient has ulcerative colitis and last had pain medication 6 hours ago. You have an order for morphine, 1mg every 4 hours. However your patient seems comfortable. What do you do? (Get answers)
As mentioned, generally clinical questions are covered in some form of pre-interview test. Having said that, they may put you on the spot in the interview. However, we find that most candidates answer these clinical questions competently as they will relate to the day to day care being provided.
Nursing Professional Values and Ethical Questions
Expect interview questions exploring your ability to adhere to the the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) Code of conduct. These can be in the form of scenario based or competency-based questions and to prepare you should download and read the updated code which is available from the NMC website.
Previous Experience
The interviewer will ask questions based on your experience as shown on your CV. For example, interview questions for Band 6 and above will explore your ability to manage a team, delegate tasks and take on greater responsibility.
Nursing Training and Qualifications (CPD)
In this category you should expect interview questions exploring your understanding of governance, clinical effectiveness, NHS and Trust targets as well as your ability to keep your skills and knowledge up to date.
Personality, Motivation and Coping Skills
These questions test your reasons for applying or choosing your area of specialisation and how well you deal with difficult situations such as the death of one of your patients.
Current NHS Hot Topics
The following areas are key right now and you should expect questions exploring your understanding and your ability to apply guidelines in your daily practice:
- Infection Prevention and Control
- Duty of Candour
- Mental Health Services
- Health and Safety
- Equality and Diversity
- Safeguarding
- And many more
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Nursing Band 5 Interview Questions and Answers
Having completed the relevant Nursing qualifications and registered with the NMC you can now apply for nursing posts at Band 5. These are usually within one of four areas: adult nursing, child nursing, mental health or learning disabilities and of course within these areas there are a range of specialties.
Examples of Nursing Band 5 job titles include:
- Staff Nurse Band 5
- Community Nurse Band 5
- Registered Nurse Band 5
- Staff nurse – Endoscopy Band 5
- Neonatal Staff Nurse Band 5
- Staff Nurse, Band 5 A&E
Nursing Band 5 interview – what to expect
Once you have passed the initial shortlisting, you should receive an update and an invitation to interview.
You will take part in a formal interview, which may take place the same day or at a later date agreed by you. Your interview will most likely be in front of a panel, with a minimum of 2 people.
Expect a blended interview with a combination of questions including:
- Previous experience, skills and training
- Motivation and reasons for applying
- Clinical, ethical and scenario based
- Competency based
- Values based
- Knowledge of NHS topics and issues
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.
For example, here are some typical numeracy-based Nursing Band 5 interview questions:
Question 1: How long would it take for a litre of IV fluids to deliver at a rate of 150ml/hr?
Answer: 6.66 hours or 6 hrs and 40 minutes.
Question 2: If you had 0.85ml of medicine in one syringe, 5.36ml of medicine in another syringe and 8.02ml of medicine in another syringe how many ml of medicine will you have in total?
Answer: 14.23ml.
Question 3: Your patient weights 68.5kg and is prescribed Dopamine at 0.2mg/kg/day. What is the total amount of dopamine they will need?
Answer: 13.7mg.
Nursing Band 5 sample interview questions
- What personal qualities do you bring which makes you an effective Band 5 nurse? (Get answers)
- Give us an example of a skill you have acquired recently which will be of use within this Band 5 post. (Get answers)
- Can you briefly talk me through your understanding of Safeguarding in a Nursing environment. (Get answers)
- Describe a time when you felt you gave optimum care to your patient. What did you do that made the experience so good for your patient? (Get answers)
- You have made a mistake when treating a patient. What do you do? (Get answers)
- Give us a recent example which shows your ability to effectively communicate challenging information to a patient or their family. (Get answers)
- What guidelines and procedures would you follow regarding urinary catheter maintenance in order to prevent urinary tract infection (UTI)? (Get answers)
How to answer two common Nursing Band 5 questions
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.
What is your understanding of the 6Cs in nursing?
When being interviewed at this level, you need to demonstrate your knowledge of the 6Cs of nursing. These are care, compassion, courage, communication, commitment, and competence. Refer back to these in your answers where appropriate. They may ask a more general question such as ‘Which of the 6Cs do you deem is most important?’ A good answer would give equal importance to all however share an example of when you demonstrated the 6Cs in your work to bring context and experience.
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Nursing Band 6 Interview Questions and Answers
For those wishing to progress up to Band 6 there are many opportunities. Your role will be more specialised and you may choose to apply for a post in a specific area or practice.
Examples of Nursing Band 6 job titles include:
- Senior or Specialist Staff Nurse
- Ward or Deputy Manager
- Specialist Nurse Practitioner
- Team Leader
- Posts may be in areas such as within Theatre, ICU, District Nursing or Paediatrics
Getting that step up to Band 6 will require not just the right experience and skills, you will also need to show in your application and interview that you are ready to make this move.
On average, I would expect to see that you have completed sufficient time within Band 5, that you have gathered key skills both clinical and softer such as the ability to communicate effectively with patients and others.
Ideally, I would advise at least 12 to 18 months in a previous role before applying to Band 6. In addition, I would expect to see that you have completed recent and relevant specialist training connected with the area you are keen to enter.
Nursing Band 6 interview – what to expect
For senior posts at Band 6 your interview will be more in-depth with questions exploring not just your ability to give great patient care but also to lead a team and manage resources.
As you are progressing into a Band 6 post, they will be interested in exploring your ability to support the senior team, to work as a team player and to lead junior nurses and trainees.
They will test your ability to competently manage the ward. You will need to prepare examples of tasks where you have shown leadership, initiative and excellent decision making, not just in terms of clinical situations but also when dealing with colleagues or with patients and their families.
Interview questions for Nursing Band 6 posts will assess your ability to lead and mentor and carry out associated duties such as:
- Recruiting and developing nursing staff
- Overseeing induction and training programmes
- Implementing staff development initiatives
- Carrying out appraisals
- Dealing with disciplinary and performance issues
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Nursing Band 6 interview presentation
Depending on the role you may be asked to give a presentation. This can range from 10 -20 minutes and you may be asked questions afterwards.
You will be told the topic in advance, however common themes include:
- What are the key differences between senior Band 5 and Band 6, and how would you measure your success in these key areas?
- As a Band 6 nurse, how would you promote teamwork and feelings of pride? Give examples of how you have done this in your current role.
- Give a short presentation about yourself and why you are suitable for this Band 6 post.
Nursing Band 6 sample interview questions
In addition to the question types mentioned above you should expect many of your Band 6 interview questions to be competency and behavioural based asking for specific examples or scenarios. Here is a sample of common Band 6 interview questions – how would you answer?
- What have you learned in the past 12 months which makes you a suitable candidate for this Band 6 position? (Get answers)
- Walk us through your recent career and highlight relevant training and experience which will be useful to you in this Band 6 post. (Get answers)
- Talk us through an example which demonstrates your ability to deal effectively with emergency situations. (Get answers)
- Describe a time when you used your communication skills to improve the care of one of your patients. (Get answers)
- Describe for us a time when you used your leadership skills to resolve a difficult patient situation. (Get answers)
- Tell us about a change you made to your working practices in order to improve patient safety. (Get answers)
- How would you go about ensuring that you improve the quality of the care you give to your patients? (Get answers)
- Tell us about a decision you made recently which had a positive effect on your patient’s care. (Get answers)
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How to answer two common Nursing Band 6 questions
The “Tell me about yourself” question in a Nursing Band 6 interview
This is a very common question at all nursing interviews and having a strong, well structured answer that clearly outlines your experience, skills and abilities is essential. We have a recommended framework to use which is simple to follow and allows you to demonstrate these aspects of your career to their best potential.
Avoid general statements and fix everything in specific examples and stories from your experience when answering the question. Ensure this experience is relevant to the nursing speciality you are applying to. Include your career motivations and objectives too.
Keep focused when answering this question about yourself including how your character helps you to be the best nurse possible. Be honest and transparent about your nursing experience in its challenging moments and how you have risen to these times.
How do you expect proposed changes will impact on your ability to provide quality care?
Remember there may be questions certainly from Band 6 and above regarding NHS Hot Topics, for example, mental health issues, funding, the Charlie Gard case.
Less likely, you may even be asked about older issues and how they continue affecting your daily care such as the Francis report. So while rare it is worth spending a little time on these hot topics even those which now seem out of date but may still be part of your nursing protocols.
You must keep your knowledge and skills up to date and you will be asked questions related to the 6Cs and NHS Hot Topics.
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Nursing Band 7 Interview Questions and Answers
Nursing is a unique profession and the level of responsibility taken on by a senior nurse is often under-estimated. At Band 7, the interview questions will be different to those at lower bands, reflecting these higher-level responsibilities and greater degree of accountability.
Nursing Band 7 job titles include:
- Lead Nurse Band 7
- Ward Manager Band 7
- Senior Nurse Practitioner Band 7
- Clinical Specialist Band 7
At Band 7, you will be expected to take on the responsibilities of advanced leadership. For example, when taking on a Ward Manager post, you will be expected to show an ability to manage teams, to liaise with other senior administrative colleagues as well as clinical professionals.
Nursing Band 7 sample interview questions and answers
Here is a small sample of Band 7 interview questions with a short answer guide. How would you answer?
What management experience do you have for a Band 7 Nurse?
When applying for the post, you will be given a list of competencies you will be expected to fulfil in this nursing Band 7 role. Be sure to cite specific examples of experience that relate to these criteria. (Get fully personalised answers)
What have you done to improve your knowledge in the last year?
When you reach a position of leadership, it is easy to become complacent about your skill levels. If this question is asked, your employer shows that they understand constant, positive self-improvement is a necessary quality in a nurse. Demonstrate how you take on additional learning to ensure you stay up to date and your reasons for particular areas of study. Your goal in your answer is to prove that you are self-sufficient, motivated and aware of latest clinical and managerial challenges and solutions. (Get fully personalised answers)
Moving up to a Band 7 post can highlight gaps in ability. What would you need to improve on to take on the role successfully?
This question is asking about a potential competency gap and you must be careful with your answer not to share a significant weakness. Point to something you are aware of relating to your experience or skills and detail how you have taken steps to improve or close this gap. You might link this answer with the previous in detailing your CPD. (Get fully personalised answers)
Why have you decided to apply for this specific position, and what value can you offer?
Remember, the step up from Band 6 to Band 7 can be substantial, and your new role will include different areas of responsibility to those previously covered. Therefore, the employer is trying to gauge if you understand what is expected of you and how you can fulfil these additional areas of responsibility. Talk about your career motivations and reflect in this your understanding of what you will be doing. (Get fully personalised answers)
Provide an example of when you have had to convince a challenging service partner to accept your point of view or recommendation and describe how you influenced them.
When you reach this level in Nursing, you will be responsible to some degree for clinical and operational delivery. This means you will be part of negotiations with others who will have competing needs, values, or ideas. You will need to use phrases such as active listening, seeking compromise, empathising, and generating buy-in. (Get fully personalised answers)
How have you dealt with the under-performance of another staff member?
The answer to this question depends on whether the under-performance is clinical or whether it is to do with teamwork and general competencies. If lapses in clinical knowledge are serious, then you are compelled to explore formal disciplinary procedures. If the under-performance supports the team, it might be better to talk about support and mentorship to evolve them as a professional. (Get fully personalised answers)
Provide an example where you successfully led a project or programme.
While at Band 6, you might not have had extensive leadership or management experience, you are likely to have taken on some responsibility for projects or programmes. Prepare examples about how you performed in these tasks, methodologies used, challenges and outcomes and how you will apply what you learnt in this Band 7 post. (Get fully personalised answers)
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Nursing Band 8 Interview Questions and Answers
Moving to a Band 8 post is an exciting opportunity and you will need to show that you are ready to take on the extra responsibilities. You may still carry out some nursing duties, but you are more likely to manage a large team of staff.
Your management skills at this level are essential to your success, and the bigger the team, the more this will be reflected in your salary.
Nursing Band 8 sample interview questions and answers
Here is a small sample of generic Band 8 interview questions. Your answers will need to reflect the greater level of responsibility you are taking on with detailed explanations of actions taken.
What type of leader are you and how would you demonstrate effective leadership?
As a nurse at Band 8, leadership plays a critical role in not only managing teams and departments but also in shaping patient care and health outcomes. At this level, you are expected to possess a refined set of leadership skills that can inspire, influence, and drive both clinical excellence and operational efficiency. You should also give a clearly defined description of your version of effective leadership, focused on applying exceptional standards for which you are a positive role model. (Get fully personalised answers)
When did something not go your way and how did you handle the situation?
The interviewer is basically asking if you are aware of how difficult a Band 8 job is going to be. It is a challenging role, and they want you to enter the position with your eyes wide open, fully prepared. How you react in difficult situations will be essential, understanding that you put the both the patient and organisation as a whole before your own needs and opinions. You may want to reference the NHS values; offer a specific example of when these were challenged and how you delivered a successful outcome. (Get fully personalised answers)
How would you demonstrate the NHS values in this Band 8 position?
Within a leadership role in the NHS, you are expected to uphold the core values of the service and your Trust. How you do this is going to define how successful you are as a Band 8 Nurse. Start by naming the values to show how you know them, and then give specific examples of how you have and/or will promote these values. (Get fully personalised answers)
What would you do to improve the service we provide for patients?
You will have influence over decision making in the Trust and so will be expected to show some strategic thinking. Consider what improvements you would make and why. How you would deliver these changes for the Trust you are applying to, making sure you consider implementation and impact. (Get fully personalised answers)
What are the principles of change management in the NHS?
Change management within the NHS is crucial because of the constant evolution in clinical practices, technology, and healthcare policies. Effective change management ensures that transitions are smooth, efficient, and beneficial to both the providers and the recipients of healthcare services. When answering, include the key principles of Stakeholder Engagement, the use of clear communication and a commitment to maintain patient safety and care when delivering change. (Get fully personalised answers)
What are the most important characteristics needed for this Band 8 position?
For a Band 8 nursing position in the NHS, which typically involves senior management or advanced clinical responsibilities, several key characteristics are crucial for success. These not only encompass clinical competence but also leadership, strategic thinking, and a deep commitment to patient care. Talk through the key characteristics required in the role and outline your previous and proven experience. (Get fully personalised answers)
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How to Answer Your Nursing Interview Questions Successfully
In Nursing, as in most professions, proper preparation is vital to getting the job. Here are some top tips to help you answer your nursing interview questions successfully.
Know the Trust, Department, Hospital
Online research of the Trust or Hospital will reveal its values and mission. In addition, there may also be issues that they are looking to overcome and this can help shape your answers especially for the more senior posts.
Review the job description and person specification
This is key and you must study this in depth and be familiar with the core responsibilities. These can include planning the delivery of patient care and taking responsibility for implementing and evaluating that care, using an appropriate nursing model. You will also be required to provide advice and support to patients, staff and junior colleagues. Communication is key and you will be expected to develop communication networks throughout the multidisciplinary team.
Refresh your nursing career to date and be clear about your goals
In advance of the interview, review your CV, the areas you have worked and what you have learnt. Refresh your memory of challenging patient scenarios and for senior posts, examples of when you have shown leadership and delivery.
Know yourself, understand your own abilities and what you bring
The interview panel will be keen to see that you can fulfil the requirements as outlined in the job description. They will be looking for someone who can bring the skills required and perform excellently. Drawing upon your past experience is key, so prepare and rehearse examples to scenario and competency based questions. These will be situations where you have shown an ability to communicate, to listen, to provide great care, to lead and inspire.
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