Interview questions
Registered Nurse Interview Questions
18 registered nurse interview questions on clinical judgement, prioritising, safety, delegation and teamwork, with what good answers include.
What's here
18 Registered Nurse interview questions, grouped into 4 areas: clinical judgement and prioritisation, patient safety and medicines, communication, delegation and teamwork and professionalism and situational questions. Each one comes with why it is worth asking and what a strong answer contains, so the same question can be scored the same way by different interviewers.
- Verify licence or registration status before the interview so the conversation can focus on practice.
- Use scenarios from your own unit, such as a typical deterioration or a busy admission, to test judgement in context.
- Score honesty about errors highly; a nurse who would hide a mistake is a safety risk.
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Preparing for this interview yourself? Practise it free →Registered nurses assess patients, plan and give care, administer medicines and treatments, work with doctors and other professionals, and teach patients and families how to manage their conditions. In the US, RNs graduate from an approved nursing programme and pass a licensing exam; in the UK, nurses are regulated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). These questions test clinical judgement, safety, communication and teamwork. They are general and should be adapted to the specialty and setting. Interviewers can use the 'what to look for' notes as a scoring guide; candidates can use them to prepare.
Clinical Judgement and Prioritisation
How the candidate assesses patients and decides what matters most.
- 1
You start a shift with several patients. How do you prioritise your care?
Why ask it
Prioritisation is a daily core skill.What to look for
A quick assessment of all patients at handover, prioritising airway, breathing and circulation and unstable patients first, then time-critical medicines and treatments, using a structured approach, and reassessing through the shift. - 2
Tell me about a time you noticed a patient deteriorating. What did you do?
Why ask it
Recognising and escalating deterioration saves lives.What to look for
Specific signs they noticed, using the early warning system in place, escalating promptly to the doctor or rapid response team, clear structured communication, and documenting. Trusting their instincts when something felt wrong. - 3
How do you communicate an urgent concern to a doctor?
Why ask it
Clear escalation prevents delays.What to look for
A structured format such as SBAR (situation, background, assessment, recommendation), relevant observations ready, a clear request, and escalating further if the response is not adequate. - 4
How do you develop and update a patient's care plan?
Why ask it
Care planning is a defined RN responsibility.What to look for
Assessment, setting goals with the patient, planned interventions, evaluating progress and adjusting the plan, and involving the wider team and the patient's family where appropriate.
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Patient Safety and Medicines
Safety habits that protect patients and nurses.
- 5
Walk me through how you safely administer medication.
Why ask it
Medication errors are a major safety risk.What to look for
Checking the prescription, patient identity, allergies, drug, dose, route and time, understanding why the patient is receiving it, monitoring for effects, documenting, and following local policy for high-risk drugs and double checks. - 6
What would you do if you made a medication error?
Why ask it
Tests honesty and safety culture.What to look for
Assessing and monitoring the patient, informing the nurse in charge and doctor immediately, following incident reporting procedures, being open with the patient, and reflecting on what to change. No covering up. - 7
How do you reduce the risk of falls, pressure injuries and infections on your unit?
Why ask it
Preventable harm is a key quality measure.What to look for
Risk assessments on admission and as condition changes, prevention measures (repositioning, mobility aids, hand hygiene, line care), patient education and team communication. - 8
A doctor prescribes a dose you believe is wrong. What do you do?
Why ask it
Nurses are a key safety check.What to look for
Not giving it, checking references or with a pharmacist, raising it with the prescriber, escalating if not resolved, and documenting. Respectful but firm.
Communication, Delegation and Teamwork
Nursing is a team activity across shifts and professions.
- 9
How do you delegate tasks to nursing assistants or other support staff?
Why ask it
RNs remain accountable for delegated care.What to look for
Matching tasks to the person's training and role, clear instructions, checking understanding, following up, and keeping assessment and tasks outside the assistant's scope with the RN. - 10
What makes a good shift handover?
Why ask it
Poor handovers cause errors.What to look for
A structured format, patient-by-patient key issues, pending tasks and results, risks and changes in condition, and the chance to ask questions. Bedside handover where the setting supports it. - 11
How do you teach a patient to manage their condition at home?
Why ask it
Patient education is a core RN duty.What to look for
Assessing what they already know, plain language, teach-back to check understanding, written information, involving family, and arranging follow-up. - 12
Tell me about a conflict with a colleague and how you resolved it.
Why ask it
Teamwork under pressure matters for patient safety.What to look for
Addressing it privately and early, focusing on patient care rather than personalities, listening, finding a solution, and involving the nurse manager only if needed. - 13
How do you support a patient's family who are upset or angry?
Why ask it
Family communication takes skill and time.What to look for
Listening, acknowledging feelings, giving information within confidentiality rules, involving the doctor or manager when needed, and following up on promises.
Professionalism and Situational Questions
Values, wellbeing and judgement in difficult situations.
- 14
Why did you choose nursing, and why this specialty?
Why ask it
Motivation predicts fit and retention.What to look for
A genuine reason with a specific experience, and a clear link to the specialty and the unit. - 15
Your unit is short-staffed and you feel the workload is unsafe. What do you do?
Why ask it
Tests how the candidate raises safety concerns.What to look for
Prioritising care, asking for help, telling the nurse in charge, documenting and using the organisation's procedure for raising staffing concerns. Not silently cutting corners. - 16
How do you manage stress and avoid burnout?
Why ask it
Nursing is demanding; resilience matters.What to look for
Realistic strategies: breaks, peer support, debriefs after difficult events, boundaries outside work and asking for help when needed. - 17
How do you keep your clinical knowledge up to date?
Why ask it
Practice and evidence change.What to look for
Continuing education, unit training, reading guidelines, learning from colleagues, and meeting any continuing education requirements set by their regulator or state board. - 18
A patient refuses a treatment the team believes they need. What do you do?
Why ask it
Tests respect for autonomy and communication.What to look for
Exploring the reasons, making sure they understand the risks, informing the doctor, respecting the decision of a patient with capacity, documenting, and following local policy if capacity is in doubt.
Running the interview well
- 1Verify licence or registration status before the interview so the conversation can focus on practice.
- 2Use scenarios from your own unit, such as a typical deterioration or a busy admission, to test judgement in context.
- 3Score honesty about errors highly; a nurse who would hide a mistake is a safety risk.
- 4Ask how they escalate and how they would respond if the first escalation is ignored.
- 5Check delegation: an RN must understand what can and cannot be passed to support staff in your setting.
- 6Include a senior nurse from the unit on the panel to judge clinical answers.
- 7Be honest about staffing, shift patterns and support for new nurses, which helps retention.
- 8For newly qualified nurses, focus on safety habits, learning and teamwork rather than years of experience.
Common questions
What questions are asked in a registered nurse interview?
Expect questions on prioritising patients, recognising deterioration, escalating to doctors, safe medication administration, handling errors, delegation, handover, patient education, conflict with colleagues, and why you chose nursing and this specialty.
How do I answer clinical scenario questions in a nursing interview?
Use a structure: assess the patient (often starting with airway, breathing and circulation), act on immediate risks, escalate using SBAR, document, and reassess. Mention safety and patient involvement throughout.
How do you become a registered nurse in the US?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics says RNs usually earn a bachelor's degree in nursing, an associate degree in nursing or a diploma from an approved programme, and must pass a licensing exam. In the US that exam is the NCLEX, from NCSBN, whose Next Generation version was designed to better measure clinical judgement and decision making. Each state also sets its own licensing requirements.
Who regulates registered nurses in the UK?
The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is the independent regulator for nurses and midwives across the UK, and for nursing associates in England.
How do I answer 'Tell me about a time you made a mistake'?
Choose a real, minor example, explain how you made the patient safe, who you told, how you reported it and what you changed in your practice afterwards. Honesty and learning are what interviewers want to hear.
What should I ask at the end of a nursing interview?
Ask about orientation or preceptorship, typical nurse-to-patient assignments, how the unit supports continuing education, and how the team handles busy shifts.
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