Clarity

Recruitment

Interview Preparation
To make sure you are feeling confident and prepared for your interview,
Clarity has created this interview tips sheet, please feel free to reach out
to me if you would like to do a mock interview or practice.

Before Any Interview You Should

Check out who is interviewing you via Linkedin
Practise what questions they may ask and how you would answer (see below)
Study the job spec, go through it in detail
Study the company background
Feel free to bring your notes

Tips
Think of key situations in your training/work where you showed or displayed patient
centred care, verbal and non verbal communication, leadership skills, conflict resolution,
dealing with a mistake, time management and delegation
Patient safety is the most important element of nursing and make sure to explain your
understanding of patient safety and steps you would take in each situation.
Research the hospital/institution and its values and how you display these in your work.
Show your understanding of the job description.
Show your understanding of issues facing HSE today.
Show your understanding of the 6 Cs of nursing and have an example from work/training
that demonstrates your understanding of these.
Have questions prepared to ask the panel

The Company
Ensure to spend some time investigating the company/facility that will be interviewing you
We will always add the organisation details and website on emails
Study the company background, any news on their website or upcoming events

Past Experience
Tell me about your experience?
What are your current day-to-day duties?
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
Why are you leaving your current employment?
Tell us a time when you had a conflict within the team?
Have you ever had any disagreement with management?
What are your best achievements in life?

Open-Ended Questions
Why do you want this role?
What interests you about this role?
Do you know much about this role?
Do you know much about our organisation?
What can you bring to our organisation?
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Recruitment

Communication Questions
Do you work well with other people?
How would you describe yourself?
How was it like working for your superior?

Situational Questions
Explain to me a time when you made an error and what was done about it?
What difficulties did you face in the past?
What would you do if both a doctor and patient were calling you at the same time?
How do you recognise a deteriorating patient? -Think of using both clinical observation and
INEWS(Irish National Early Warning Score) to recognise the degree of clinical deterioration
How would you manage sepsis in a deteriorating patient? -Think National Clinical
Guidelines for Sepsis Management in an adult.
How would you communicate concerns of a deteriorating patient to a clinician? -Think
ISBAR tool of communication
How do you assess pain in a patient? -Think of different pain tools used. They may ask you
for what pain tool you would use for non-verbal patients, children, infants, depending on
the specific patients they may have.
How do you manage pain in patients? -Think of pain assessment, using both
pharmacological and non-pharmacological pain interventions, reassessment after
interventions

The Generalities
Always speak clear, concise and to the point
Do not hesitate to ask to repeat the question if you didn’t understand it the first time. It is
more beneficial to do so instead of guessing what you were asked and risk providing a
weak or irrelevant response.
Use the STAR method to structure your answer.
The Situation was ... where the Task was... ; to do so I had to take these Actions in order to
get these Results.

NMBI 5 Domains of Practice

Professional and Ethical Practice

1. Please summarise your CV and what do you think your key attributes are that make you
suitable for this position?
2. Explain your knowledge of scope of practice
3. Explain what you would do if you witnessed nursing practice not as per protocol or
evidence based practice.
4. What would you do if a consultant asked you to do something outside your scope of
practice
5. You notice you have made a drug error. What do you do in this situation?

Holistic Approaches to Care and the Integration of Knowledge

1. What is patient centred care and give examples of how you have provided that care in your
practice. Explain understanding of outcomes based care
2. Could you tell me how you assess pain, identify a tool you are familiar with to measure
pain and how you would plan to care for a patient with pain.
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Recruitment

3. Explain a time where you were taking care of a deteriorating

patient or emergency situation and what steps did you take?
What was your role and the outcome?

Interpersonal Relationships
1. Outline your understanding of the skills used when working with
the MDT. Provide an example and what skills do you think you bring to
the team.
2. Have you ever had a conflict with a co-worker? How was it resolved? How
would you resolve conflict?
3. What actions do you take in a stressful situation?
4. Give some examples of problem solving skills

Organisation and Management of Care

1. Tell me about a time when you had to delegate care or take a leadership role
2. Explain how you would manage a patient with complex health needs ie a stroke patient
who is deteriorating and unable to verbally communicate
3. Explain a time where a patient refused treatment, what was your role and what did you
do?

Personal and Professional Development

1. What interests you about working in this post? What do you hope to get out of this
experience?
2. How do you keep your nursing practise up to date and how do you ensure your own
professional development in your practice?
3. Can you give me an example of when you had to take a leadership role?
4. Where do you see yourself in three years? Do you have a vision for health care for the
future?

The Essentials
Be punctual...
... but don’t arrive too early! Try to arrive 10-15 min before.
Smile
A light, relaxed smile helps put others at ease and conveys a sense of calm, control and
even confidence.
Dress appropriately
You should choose clothes that make you feel comfortable and confident. Don’t put
wear too many accessories nor too much perfume .

Remember: The interviewer wants you to succeed as much as you do! Good luck!

(01) 567 3123

www.clarityrecruitment.ie