Please note that we do not allow discussion of specific interview questions or themes on TSR. This is to avoid giving applicants an unfair advantage which undermines the admissions process.Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Interview AdviceInterview FormatsTraditional InterviewsTraditional interviews are one of the older methods of interviewing, however are still in use at many universities, particularly older institutions. This style of interview is less popular due to the time needed to interview many candidates.
Generally, this sort of interview is the most similar to a traditional job interview, and will be a formal interview with yourself and usually 1-3 interviewers. You will be asked a series of questions (be sure to look at the ‘Common Interview Questions’ section below) and will likely be asked some questions relating to your personal statement. It is therefore very important that you have a good read through of your PS prior to interview and know how to expand on the points you have made in it.
Group InterviewsMany universities now incorporate some form of group interview into their admission process. This is one of the interview types which often worries students, particularly those who fear public speaking. This type of interview is particularly useful as it allows the assessors to see how students interact and whether they can work together to form reasoned arguments and opinions.
Generally, you will be given a statement, a picture or a video to discuss. You may be split into small groups or you may be discussing in a larger group of 10-20 people.
Often, interviewers use patient experiences as part of the interview from sites like Care Opinion (
https://www.careopinion.org.uk/). In this sort of situation, you would be asked to watch a video or read a testimonial a patient has written about their care. You should consider the situation described from the perspective of the patient - what is important to them? How might this make them feel? How might this impact on their future healthcare interactions? You should also consider how healthcare services and professionals have contributed to this testimonial. Did they do anything significant? Did they miss something important? What might be the reasons behind any failings? What could be done differently? You should also think about why platforms like this are important for patients and their role in improving care.
Some general advice:
- Do say something. Sitting silently is almost the same as not bothering to attend the interview. You will soon be expected to advocate for patients so you must be able to say something.
- Don’t say too much. Whilst it is important that you have an input in the discussion, it’s also important that you let others be involved. Speaking at every possible opportunity is excessive and not attractive to assessors.
- Do introduce yourself before you speak. Although this is an unusual situation, it is always a good idea to state your name to the group. This also helps the assessors to keep track of who you are.
- Don’t be afraid to (respectfully) disagree. Debate is encouraged in group interviews and there is no reason why you can’t offer a contrasting opinion, as long as this is done sensitively.
- Listen attentively to the person speaking. Be very aware of your body language and what this tells the assessor about your listening skills. Whilst it may be tempting to check out the competition, remain focused on yourself and the person speaking.
Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI)Multiple Mini Interviews are one of the newer formats of interviewing. This style has risen in popularity as it is much harder to prepare for. MMIs may contain elements of traditional and group interviews, and may also include other tasks and activities. Generally, a large group of students can be interviewed at the same time and the applicant will rotate around several ‘stations’, each with a different task and assessor. You would then be marked for each station and your total score would be compared to that of other applicants.
Each university will have very different ways of completing their MMI. Some tasks may include scenario discussions, sorting tasks, ethics questions or video analysis.
Common Interview QuestionsWhilst there are infinite possibilities of questions, there are some questions which repeatedly are asked at nursing and allied health interviews. Some of these are listed below with possible points to consider. It is not advised to prepare answers for these questions, as interviewers will be able to easily tell if you have memorised your response. However, there is certainly some value in thinking about these questions and considering your answers prior to interview.
Generally, you should try to avoid clichéd answers and should always try to expand on your points wherever possible. The interviewers are not looking for one word or one sentence answers. It is of vital importance that you show you can hold a conversation.
- Why do you want to be a nurse?
This is probably the most common interview question. Generally, you will already have discussed this in your personal statement, so you can expand on what you have written there.
- Why have you chosen our university?
Again, this is one of the most common questions which lots of students struggle with. The simple way to answer this is to make sure you have researched the university and know what it is about that particular university which appeals to you (e.g. facilities, lecturers, course content, course structure, campus). This is an ideal opportunity to show why you are passionate about this particular course.
- What is the most important skill for a nurse to possess?
This question (or a variant of it) comes up in most interviews. The most common answer is always ‘communication’. Whilst this is a good answer, it is a good idea to expand on this, potentially looking at a specific aspect of communication, such as empathy or advocacy. You can link to your personal statement to demonstrate how you know this is an important skill.
Literacy and Numeracy TestingMost students fear the maths and literacy testing which is in place at many universities. This forms an important part of the interview as the university require assurance that you can cope with the level of literacy and numeracy required of you as part of the degree. Not all universities require literacy and numeracy testing - some will request copies of your English and Maths GCSE or equivalent, so it's a good idea to check this once you're invited to an interview.
The NMC requires universities to ensure that applicants 'have good command of written and spoken English, including reading and comprehension'. They also 'must ensure that selection and admission criteria include evidence of capacity to develop numeracy skills sufficient to meet the competencies required by the programme'. The easiest way to do this is with formal education (i.e. GCSE or equivalent) in each area, however many students will be resitting this or won't have the qualification at the time of application/interview/offer.
In previous years, all universities would require all students to sit the numeracy and literacy test, but now some are either getting rid of the test altogether or, as above, only testing those who do not yet have GCSE grade C or equivalent. Those without the GCSE or equivalent (e.g. those sitting or resitting in the current year) still need to to do the tests at university so that the university has some assurance that they are at the required level prior to giving out offers. This is so that the universities have the required evidence for the NMC that those being selected are capable of meeting NMC standards.
Unfortunately some students do fail this part of the interview and generally this is either due to lack of practice or failing to ask for additional assistance. Most people forget the basics of mental arithmetic after GCSE level once calculators become the norm, and unfortunately this catches out a lot of applicants. If you do have any sort of additional needs (e.g. dyslexia, learning disabilities) it is strongly recommended that you raise this with the university so that you are afforded the additional time or any other reasonable adjustments necessary.
General Advice – NumeracyGenerally, maths tests will be short tests (15-40 minutes in duration) and will ask around 15-20 questions. These tests are generally below GCSE level, so are relatively simple. You may or may not be allowed a calculator for some of the test, so it is always best to assume you won’t be allowed one when practicing.
You will usually be tested on your basic skills of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. You might also be asked to convert between fractions, decimals and percentages. There may be questions about ratios and you may also be asked some basic conversion questions (millilitres to litres, centimetres to metres etc.). You may be asked to show your working, but generally you will only be marked on your answer.
General Advice – Literacy Literacy testing can vary vastly from university to university. Often, applicants are required to complete a paragraph or short ‘essay’ on a given topic, such as ‘the importance of communication in nursing’. Sometimes, the topic will be more abstract, such as ‘describe your favourite place’.
The admissions tutors are not looking for a fantastic essay – the role of this test is to examine whether you have a good grasp of the English language and can present a coherent piece of writing. Sometimes, the content of the piece of writing is not marked at all, and instead is only marked on spelling, punctuation, grammar and use of tenses. Where possible, try to use a range of tenses. Always read over your writing and make sure it makes sense.
Another type of literacy test is a comprehension test. This is generally a passage of text which you will be required to read and then answer some basic questions on. These may be multiple choice. You might also be asked to write a short paragraph in response to it.
Resources and Practice TestsPlease be aware that tests often change each year, and the format may change. Sample tests are generally not regularly updated, however the tests linked below have all been chosen as they are representative of current tests at UK universities. Not all universities provide example tests and they are not required to do so. These resources are useful to practice with, but you should ensure you follow the advice above to ensure you are prepared for any type of test/questions.
Links to practice tests:
- Anglia Ruskin University numeracy sample test
https://www.anglia.ac.uk/~/media/Files/fhsce/Sample%20numeracy.pdf?la=en- Birkbeck University sample numeracy test
https://www.dcs.bbk.ac.uk/site/assets/files/1041/sample_maths_test.pdf- Birmingham City University sample numeracy and literacy tests with answers
http://www.bcu.ac.uk/nursing-and-midwifery/students/how-to-apply/sample-numeracy-and-literacy-test - Canterbury Christ Church University sample numeracy and literacy test
https://www.canterbury.ac.uk/health-and-wellbeing/interviews/documents/sample-numeracy-and-literacy-test-paper-oct-16.pdf and answers
https://www.canterbury.ac.uk/health-and-wellbeing/interviews/documents/sample-numeracy-test-paper-answers-oct-2016.pdf, sample written exercise
https://www.canterbury.ac.uk/health-and-wellbeing/interviews/documents/sample-written-exercise-for-mental-health-nursing.pdf, written exercise marking sheet
https://www.canterbury.ac.uk/health-and-wellbeing/interviews/documents/written-exercise-score-sheet-mh-nursing.pdf, midwifery reflective activity sample
https://www.canterbury.ac.uk/health-and-wellbeing/interviews/documents/example-of-reflection.pdf - Edge Hill University sample maths and literacy tests (pages 19-24)
https://www.edgehill.ac.uk/admissions/files/2014/04/Nursing.pdf- Keele University sample numeracy and literacy tests
https://www.keele.ac.uk/nursingandmidwifery/undergraduatestudy/frequentlyaskedquestions/sampletests/ - Kings College London sample literacy test
https://www.kcl.ac.uk/nursing/study/applicants/preregistration/selectiondays/Nursing-Midwifery-Literacy-Test-2016-Paper-B-FINAL.pdf - Kingston University sample numeracy and literacy tests
http://www.healthcare.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/numeracy-literacy-tests-bsc-nursing-new.pdf - Liverpool John Moore University sample numeracy test
https://www.ljmu.ac.uk/~/media/files/ljmu/applicant-related-documents/ehc/sample_numeracy_assessment_v2.pdf?la=en - London South Bank University sample literacy test
https://www.lsbu.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/41543/Sample-Literacy-Paper-2015.pdf - Middlesex University London numeracy test
https://www.mdx.ac.uk/_media/document-library/n-o/Preparation-Test-Numeracy-questions.pdf and essay marking criteria
https://www.mdx.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0035/189953/Eassy_Writing_Criteria.pdf- Teeside University sample numeracy test (midwifery only)
https://www.tees.ac.uk/docs/DocRepo/School%20of%20Health%20and%20Social%20Care/Nursing%20numeracy%20test%20sample.doc- University of East Anglia sample numeracy and literacy tests
https://www2.uea.ac.uk/documents/20195/47843/Example+numeracy+%26+literacy+questions+and+guidance.pdf/f632dfbe-61e3-4241-8aae-b7916f4b3222- University of Essex sample tests
https://www.essex.ac.uk/-/media/documents/departments/hsc/lln-interview-test-1,-d-,4-question-paper.docx?la=en and answers
https://www.essex.ac.uk/-/media/documents/departments/hsc/lln-interview-test-1,-d-,4-answer-booklet.docx?la=en- University of Lincoln sample numeracy test
http://www.lincoln.ac.uk/home/media/universityoflincoln/lincolnschoolofhealthandscocialcare/Nursing,-,Example,Numeracy,Test.pdf- University of West London sample literacy test
http://www.uwl.ac.uk/sites/default/files/Academic-schools/College-of-Nursing-Midwifery-and-Healthcare/Web/Application%20forms/sample_selection_day_literacy_test_with_answers.pdfLinks to resources:
- Numeracy training course for healthcare professionals
http://learntech.uwe.ac.uk/numeracy/Default.aspx?pageid=1475- BBC Bitesize
http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/subjects/z38pycw- BBC Skillswise
http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/numbers/fractiondecimalpercentage/- Unit conversions for nurses (Leeds University)
https://www.worc.ac.uk/studyskills/documents/Nursing-unit-conversion_Leeds_University.pdf