NHS Band 6 nurse interview questions — with sample-answer guidance

The biggest change from Band 5. Panels want to hear how you keep the whole ward safe through other people, not how you would do every task yourself.

• 1. What does a Band 6 role mean to you, and how is it different from Band 5?

  What to demonstrate: Shows you understand the step up described in the job description: coordinating the shift, supervising and supporting others, handling escalations and concerns, and contributing to standards and improvement. Give an example of already doing part of it, such as taking charge with support or supervising students.

• 2. Tell me about a time you were in charge of a shift. What did you prioritise?

  What to demonstrate: A real, anonymised shift. Safety first: deteriorating and high-risk patients, then staffing and skill mix, then flow. Explain how you delegated, kept an overview, checked in with the team and escalated to the site or bed team when needed.

• 3. How do you allocate patients and delegate on a short-staffed shift?

  What to demonstrate: Match patient acuity to each person's competence and keep registered oversight where it is needed. Under the NMC Code you stay accountable for the decision to delegate. Raise unsafe staffing through the local process rather than absorbing it silently.

• 4. Two patients deteriorate at the same time and the ward is full. What do you do?

  What to demonstrate: Call for help early through the local escalation pathway, put a competent nurse with each patient, and keep an overview rather than disappearing into one task. Use NEWS2 and SBAR, and escalate to the site team if the ward cannot cope safely.

• 5. How do you handle conflict between two members of your team?

  What to demonstrate: Address it early and in private, listen to both, keep the focus on behaviour and patient care rather than personalities, agree next steps and follow up. Involve the ward manager and the relevant policy if it continues or involves bullying.

• 6. A Band 5 nurse is repeatedly late giving medications. How do you approach it?

  What to demonstrate: Start with patient safety and the facts. Have a supportive private conversation to find the cause, such as workload, competence or health, agree a plan with support, and document it. Escalate to the ward manager if it continues or if a patient came to harm.

Band 6 nurses usually support newly registered nurses, students and healthcare assistants. Panels listen for structure, honest feedback and early escalation.

• 1. How would you support a newly registered nurse through preceptorship?

  What to demonstrate: Preceptorship is a structured period of support for newly registered nurses, described in the NMC's principles and NHS England's national framework for nursing. Mention regular protected time, clear goals and feedback, building confidence step by step, and spotting and escalating struggle early.

• 2. What is the difference between a practice supervisor and a practice assessor?

  What to demonstrate: Under the NMC standards for student supervision and assessment, practice supervisors support and guide students day to day and give feedback; practice assessors make the assessment decisions, informed by that feedback, and are normally a different person. Describe how you have supported students.

• 3. Tell me about a time you gave difficult feedback to a colleague.

  What to demonstrate: Timely, private and specific, about behaviour and its effect on patients rather than about the person. Agree a plan, follow up, and say what changed afterwards.

• 4. How do you keep your own practice, and the team's, up to date?

  What to demonstrate: NMC revalidation every three years for yourself, with CPD and reflection. Then how you share learning with the team: safety huddles, short teaching sessions, link-nurse roles and learning from incidents.

• 5. How would you support a colleague who is struggling with stress?

  What to demonstrate: Notice the early signs, make time to talk privately, signpost to occupational health and wellbeing support, adjust the workload where you can, and escalate if patient safety is affected.

As the senior nurse on shift you are often the first person to respond. Panels want safety first, openness and learning rather than blame.

• 1. Tell me about an incident you reported and what happened next.

  What to demonstrate: Make the patient safe first, report it on the trust's incident system and be open with the patient or family. In England, NHS organisations respond to incidents under the Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF) and record them through NHS England's Learning from Patient Safety Events service, often via a local system such as Datix. Finish with what you and the team learned.

• 2. A relative stops you on the ward to complain about their mother's care. What do you do?

  What to demonstrate: Move somewhere private, listen, acknowledge and apologise for their experience without blaming colleagues, and try to resolve it on the ward. Explain how to make a formal complaint or contact PALS if they want to, document the conversation and tell the ward manager.

• 3. What would you do if you saw a colleague put a patient at risk?

  What to demonstrate: Act at once to keep the patient safe. The NMC Code says to raise concerns immediately if someone is at risk. Speak to the colleague where appropriate, escalate through your line manager and the trust's process, and use the Freedom to Speak Up guardian if you are not heard.

• 4. What does the duty of candour mean when you are leading a shift?

  What to demonstrate: Every nurse has a professional duty to be open and honest when something goes wrong; organisations also have a statutory duty for notifiable incidents. As shift lead, make sure the patient or family is told and given an apology, the team is supported and the incident is reported.

• 5. How do you make sure safeguarding concerns are acted on during your shift?

  What to demonstrate: Know the trust's safeguarding policy and how to contact the safeguarding team. Make sure concerns are documented factually and referred on time, support staff who raise them, and follow up rather than assuming someone else has.

• 6. How do you keep infection prevention and control standards high across the ward?

  What to demonstrate: Role-model hand hygiene and IPC practice, challenge lapses respectfully, use audits and feedback, and involve the IPC team early during outbreaks. Escalate isolation and bed pressures through the site team.

Band 6 panels expect you to help raise standards, not only meet them. Small, measured changes beat big promises.

• 1. Why do you want this Band 6 post, and why this trust?

  What to demonstrate: Specific reasons tied to the service, the team and the trust's values, and what you will bring at Band 6, such as experience, a skill or a development goal. Progression alone is a weak answer.

• 2. Tell me about a change you made that improved patient care.

  What to demonstrate: Pick a problem with evidence, such as an audit, incident themes or patient feedback. Involve the team and patients, test the change on a small scale, measure the effect and keep it going. Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles are one common method.

• 3. How would you improve patient experience on this ward?

  What to demonstrate: Start from what patients say, for example the Friends and Family Test, complaints and compliments. Choose one achievable change, involve patients and staff, and measure it. Avoid promising sweeping changes before you know the ward.

• 4. Tell me about a time you challenged practice that did not match NHS values.

  What to demonstrate: A concrete example of a respectful challenge focused on patient dignity and care, with the outcome and what you learned. Shows courage without confrontation.

• 5. How do you balance your own patients with leading the team?

  What to demonstrate: Keep an overview, delegate appropriately, protect time for the team's questions, ask for help early, and recognise when leading the shift has to come first.

• 6. Where do you see yourself developing over the next few years?

  What to demonstrate: An honest answer linked to the role, such as a specialty, leadership, education or research route, and how this post builds towards it.