Registered Nurse Interview Questions

1.1NMC Code of conduct - the standards of conduct, performance, and ethics for nurses

1.2The nursing process - assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation

1.3Duty of candour - the professional obligation to be open and honest with patients

1.4Reflective practice - how nurses use reflection to develop their professional practice

2.1Systematic patient assessment - head-to-toe assessment, NEWS2, and escalation

2.2History taking - gathering a comprehensive clinical history from patients and relatives

2.3Clinical decision-making - the process of assessing, interpreting, and acting on clinical information

2.4Recognising deterioration - early warning signs, escalation protocols, and calling for help

3.1Medication administration - the five rights, safe administration, and error prevention

3.2Wound assessment and management - wound classification, dressings, and promoting healing

3.3IV therapy - cannulation, IV fluids, and managing IV drug administration safely

3.4Catheterisation, nasogastric tubes, and other invasive procedures - technique, complications, and documentation

4.1Standard precautions - hand hygiene, PPE, and the fundamental practices that prevent infection spread

4.2Aseptic non-touch technique - the principles and practice of ANTT in clinical procedures

4.3Isolation and barrier nursing - when and how to isolate patients and manage infectious conditions

4.4Healthcare-associated infections - MRSA, Clostridioides difficile, and prevention strategies

5.1Pharmacology fundamentals - drug actions, interactions, and adverse effects nurses must know

5.2Safe medication administration - checking, double-checking, and the processes that prevent harm

5.3Controlled drug management - the legal requirements, storage, and administration of CDs

5.4High-risk medications - insulin, anticoagulants, opioids, and the special precautions required

6.1Falls prevention - risk assessment, care planning, and the environment changes that reduce falls

6.2Pressure ulcer prevention - risk assessment, repositioning, and skin care for at-risk patients

6.3Patient identification - the processes that prevent wrong-patient errors

6.4Incident reporting and duty of candour - how nurses report near misses and communicate with patients about errors

7.1Therapeutic communication - how nurses build trust and rapport with patients and families

7.2Breaking bad news - the communication skills required for sensitive conversations

7.3Caring for patients with communication difficulties - dementia, learning disability, language barriers

7.4Shared decision-making - involving patients in decisions about their own care

8.1Acute care fundamentals - the clinical knowledge required in an acute hospital setting

8.2Long-term conditions - managing chronic disease, patient education, and self-management support

8.3Mental health awareness - recognising mental health needs and caring for patients with mental illness

8.4Palliative and end-of-life care - the nurse role in providing comfort and support at end of life

9.1Nursing leadership - taking charge of a shift, supervising students, and the progression to senior practice

9.2Supervision and mentorship - the experienced nurse role in developing students and new staff

9.3Continuing professional development - revalidation, learning from practice, and CPD portfolio

9.4Career pathways in nursing - specialist practice, advanced practice, management, and education routes

10.1Clinical questions - assessment, medication safety, infection control, and deteriorating patient management

10.2Values and professionalism questions - NMC Code, duty of candour, and professional boundaries

10.3Scenario questions - managing a clinical emergency, a medication error, or a challenging patient

10.4Salary negotiation, evaluating a clinical environment, and questions that reveal the staffing culture and development opportunities in the role