Children's Nursing Interview Questions & Answers

← All NHS Nursing and Midwifery interview questions

About this NHS interview question bank

To prepare for a children's nursing NHS interview, expect questions on recognising the deteriorating child, weight-based medication safety, consent and Gillick competence, safeguarding, and how you talk with children of different ages and their families. Build short spoken answers around real moments from your placements or practice, and know the NMC Code, the NHS values and your trust's children's services before you walk in.

This bank contains 40 original practice questions with first-person model answers written for children's nurses applying for Band 5 posts, with a selection pitched at Band 6 and stepping up towards Band 7. It covers paediatric wards, assessment units, community and specialist settings, and each answer is built around a realistic, non-identifying scenario. Every question explains what the panel is really assessing, the points you must hit, the mistakes to avoid and the frameworks worth reading, so you can practise answers that sound like you rather than a textbook.

 

What this question bank covers

• Motivation for children's nursing
• NHS values and family-centred care
• Communicating with children and young people
• Working with parents and carers
• Paediatric early warning scores and the deteriorating child
• Sepsis in children
• Weight-based medication safety
• Gillick competence and consent
• Pain assessment, play and distraction
• Safeguarding children
• Young people's mental health
• Children with complex needs and disabilities
• Transition to adult services
• Confidentiality and parental responsibility
• Incidents, PSIRF and learning
• Leadership at Band 5 and Band 6
• Resilience and wellbeing

 

40 NHS interview questions with full model answers. The first 8 are free to read below. Unlock the remaining 32 for £2.99 (12 months' access).

These are original practice questions written to reflect how NHS interviews are run. They are not leaked or official questions, and Healthcare Interview Prep is independent of the NHS.

 

 

Free NHS interview questions and model answers

 

 

Question 1: Why do you want to be a children's nurse?

Motivation question  ·  Motivation

 

What the interview panel is assessing

The panel wants to hear a genuine, personal reason that goes beyond liking children. They are listening for an understanding that children's nursing means caring for the whole family, and for some realism about the harder side of the job.

 

Model answer

If I'm honest, the moment that settled it for me wasn't a happy one. On my first paediatric placement I looked after a toddler with bronchiolitis whose mum hadn't slept in two nights. The baby needed suction, feeds through a tube and close watching, but what I remember most is that mum couldn't stop apologising for crying. I sat with her for ten minutes at the end of my shift, explained what the numbers on the monitor meant and showed her how she could help with mouth care. When I came back the next morning she was calmer, and she said that conversation was the first time she felt like she was part of her son's care rather than in the way.

That's what drew me in. With children you're never really nursing one person. You're caring for a child who might not be able to tell you how they feel, and for parents who are frightened and know their child better than anyone. I love that the job asks you to read a baby's cry, explain a cannula to a six-year-old with a teddy and then talk to a sixteen-year-old about their own treatment as a near adult, sometimes all in one shift.

I also know it isn't all positive. Children do become very unwell, and safeguarding is part of everyday practice. I've seen how hard that can be, and it hasn't put me off. It's made me want to be the calm, steady nurse a family remembers for the right reasons.

 

Why this answer works

The answer opens with a specific memory rather than a cliche, which makes it believable and memorable. It shows understanding of family-centred care and the range of ages involved, and it acknowledges the emotional reality of the role without sounding put off by it.

 

Key points to include

• A real, specific moment that shaped your choice
• Understanding that you care for the family, not just the child
• Awareness of the range of ages and developmental stages
• Realism about the hard parts, including safeguarding and very sick children
• What kind of nurse you want to be

 

Common mistakes to avoid

• Saying you simply love children or find them easier than adults
• Giving a generic answer that could apply to any nursing field
• Ignoring parents and carers completely
• Sounding unprepared for the emotional side of the work

 

NHS values and standards

Compassion; Working together for patients; Everyone counts; NMC Code: prioritise people

 

Further reading

• NMC Code: Professional standards of practice and behaviour
• NHS Constitution for England
• RCN guidance on family-centred care for children and young people

 

 

Question 2: Which of the NHS values means the most to you in children's nursing, and how have you shown it?

NHS Values question  ·  NHS Values

 

What the interview panel is assessing

The panel is checking that you know the NHS values and can link one of them to real behaviour on a children's ward. They want an example, not a definition, and some sense of why that value matters particularly for children and families.

 

Model answer

The NHS values are working together for patients, respect and dignity, commitment to quality of care, compassion, improving lives, and everyone counts. They all matter, but the one I come back to most in children's nursing is respect and dignity, because children are so easily talked over.

On a surgical placement I looked after a twelve-year-old girl on the morning of her operation. The ward round arrived, and the conversation happened entirely between the surgeon and her dad, standing at the end of the bed. She was sitting there in a gown, clearly anxious, and nobody had looked at her. When they'd finished I asked her quietly whether she'd understood what was going to happen and whether she had any questions of her own. She did. She was worried about whether anyone would see her body in theatre and whether she'd wake up during it. Neither question had come up.

I answered what I could, and I asked the anaesthetist if they could pop back and talk to her directly, which they did. I also asked whether she'd like the curtains drawn while she changed and whether she wanted dad to stay, and she chose for him to wait outside for that part.

It was a small thing, but it reminded me that dignity for a child means being spoken to, having privacy that matches their age, and being given real choices where we can. I try to carry that into every shift, whether I'm talking to a toddler at their eye level or making sure a teenager is offered time without their parents.

 

Why this answer works

The candidate names all six values accurately, then commits to one and shows it in action with a believable ward example. The answer stays child-centred, shows quiet advocacy and escalation to the right professional, and ends with how the learning carries forward.

 

Key points to include

• Know all six NHS values accurately
• Choose one and explain why it matters for children
• Give a specific example of what you did
• Show advocacy for the child's voice
• Link it to how you practise every day

 

Common mistakes to avoid

• Reciting the values without an example
• Getting the values wrong or confusing them with the 6Cs
• Choosing an example where the child is passive and only the parent matters
• Criticising colleagues harshly in the story

 

NHS values and standards

Respect and dignity; Compassion; Working together for patients; NMC Code: prioritise people

 

Further reading

• NHS Constitution for England
• NMC Code
• UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, Article 12 (the child's right to be heard)

 

 

Question 3: How would you prepare a child for a procedure such as a blood test, and how would your approach change with their age?

Communication question  ·  Communicating with children

 

What the interview panel is assessing

The panel wants to see that you understand child development and can adapt your language, timing and use of play. They are also looking for partnership with parents and the play team, and honesty with the child.

 

Model answer

The first thing I'd do is find out a bit about the child before I go in. I'd ask the parents how they usually cope with needles, whether they've had a bad experience before, and what helps them. I'd also check whether numbing cream or cold spray has been prescribed and given in time, and I'd ask the play specialist if they're free, because they're brilliant at this.

With a toddler, explanation is short and close to the event, because they don't have much sense of time and telling them too early just builds worry. I'd get the parent to hold them in a comfortable cuddle position, keep the equipment out of sight until we need it, and use bubbles, a light-up toy or a song as distraction. I'd be honest but simple, something like it'll feel like a tight squeeze and a little scratch, then we're all done.

For a school-age child I'd use play to explain, maybe showing them on a teddy, letting them touch the tourniquet and giving them a job, like choosing which arm or counting with me. Giving some control really helps at that age. I'd never promise it won't hurt.

With a teenager I'd talk to them directly, explain why the test is needed and ask what they'd prefer, whether that's having a parent there, watching or looking away, or listening to music. Some feel embarrassed about being scared, so I'd let them know lots of people find needles hard.

Whatever the age, I'd keep the room calm, avoid holding a child down unless it's clinically essential and agreed in line with the trust's policy on clinical holding, and praise them afterwards, maybe with a sticker or certificate. I'd also document what worked, so the next nurse doesn't start from scratch.

 

Why this answer works

This answer shows a clear grasp of developmental stages and avoids a one-size-fits-all approach. It brings in parents, the play specialist, pharmacological and non-pharmacological pain relief, honesty and the principles around clinical holding, which are all signs of safe, child-centred practice.

 

Key points to include

• Gather information from parents first
• Adapt timing and language to developmental stage
• Use play, distraction and choices; involve play specialists
• Be honest and never promise it won't hurt
• Use topical anaesthetic where prescribed; avoid restrictive holding where possible
• Document what worked

 

Common mistakes to avoid

• Giving one approach for all ages
• Saying you'd tell a child it won't hurt
• Forgetting parents and the play team
• Treating holding a child still as routine rather than a last resort

 

NHS values and standards

Compassion; Respect and dignity; Working together for patients; NMC Code: communicate clearly

 

Further reading

• RCN guidance on restrictive physical intervention and therapeutic holding for children and young people
• NMC Code
• Your trust's procedural pain and clinical holding policy

 

 

Question 4: While doing observations on a four-month-old baby admitted with a feeding problem, you notice a small bruise on the baby's ear. What would you do?

Safeguarding question  ·  Safeguarding children

 

What the interview panel is assessing

The panel is testing whether you recognise that bruising in a non-mobile baby is a significant safeguarding concern, and whether you would act promptly and correctly. They also want to see that you stay professional and calm with the family and do not investigate or accuse.

 

Model answer

The first thing in my head would be that this baby can't roll or crawl yet, so a bruise anywhere is unusual, and the ear is a site that worries me more. Bruising in a non-mobile baby needs to be taken seriously, so I wouldn't dismiss it or wait to see if anyone else noticed.

I'd make sure the baby was safe and comfortable and finish my assessment, looking gently for any other marks without making a big deal of it. If a parent was there and offered an explanation, I'd listen and write down exactly what they said, in their words, but I wouldn't question them as though I was investigating. That isn't my role, and it could make things harder later.

Then I'd tell the nurse in charge straight away and make sure the paediatric doctor knew so the baby could be reviewed by a senior paediatrician. Most trusts have a specific pathway for bruising in non-mobile babies, so I'd follow ours, which usually includes a referral to children's social care and involving the safeguarding team. I'd ask the nurse in charge or the doctor whether any other checks had been arranged, and whether we needed to think about siblings at home.

My documentation would be factual: the size, shape, colour and position of the mark, the time I saw it, who was present, what was said and who I informed. Many trusts use a body map for this.

With the family, I'd stay kind and honest. If a referral is made, parents should usually be told, unless doing so could put the child at risk, and that's a decision for the senior team and safeguarding colleagues. I'd keep caring for the baby and the family as normal, because they're still my patients, and I'd use safeguarding supervision afterwards if I found it difficult.

 

Why this answer works

The answer recognises immediately why this is serious and follows a safe sequence: keep the baby safe, record accurately, escalate to senior paediatric and safeguarding colleagues, and follow local pathways. It avoids the common error of investigating or confronting, and shows compassion towards the family alongside a clear duty to the child.

 

Key points to include

• Bruising in a non-mobile baby is a significant concern
• Do not interrogate or accuse; record any explanation verbatim
• Escalate promptly to the nurse in charge and a senior paediatrician
• Follow the trust's non-mobile bruising pathway and involve the safeguarding team
• Factual documentation, including a body map
• Continue compassionate care for the child and family

 

Common mistakes to avoid

• Assuming there is an innocent explanation and doing nothing
• Asking parents leading or accusatory questions
• Telling parents about a referral yourself without senior and safeguarding advice
• Vague or opinion-based documentation

 

NHS values and standards

Everyone counts; Commitment to quality of care; Compassion; NMC Code: preserve safety

 

Further reading

• Working Together to Safeguard Children (current edition, England)
• Children Act 1989 and Children Act 2004
• NICE guidance on child maltreatment: when to suspect maltreatment in under 18s
• Safeguarding Children and Young People: Roles and Competences for Healthcare Staff (intercollegiate document)
• Your local safeguarding partnership's bruising in non-mobile babies protocol

 

 

Question 5: Medication errors in children can be very serious. How do you keep children safe when giving medicines?

Patient Safety question  ·  Medication safety

 

What the interview panel is assessing

The panel wants to know that you understand why paediatric medication is higher risk, particularly weight-based dosing and the danger of tenfold errors. They are listening for practical safety habits, use of the right references and a willingness to stop and question.

 

Model answer

I think the starting point is accepting that children's medicines carry extra risk. Almost everything is calculated on weight, or sometimes body surface area, doses can be tiny, and a misplaced decimal point can mean a tenfold error that a small body can't cope with. So I try to build safety into every step rather than relying on being careful in the moment.

It starts with an accurate weight. I make sure the child has been weighed in kilograms on admission, not given an estimate from the parents, and that the weight on the chart matches. Then, before I give anything, I check the prescription properly: the right child against their wristband, the drug, the dose per kilogram and whether the total makes sense for that weight, the route, the timing, and allergies. I check the dose against the BNF for Children or our trust's paediatric formulary, and I always look at the maximum dose, because older or heavier children can be prescribed above an adult maximum if someone just multiplies by weight.

I do my own calculation even when the drug has been prepared for me, and I follow the trust's policy on independent second checks, which on most children's wards covers IV medicines and controlled drugs at a minimum. I use oral syringes for oral medicines so nothing can be given through the wrong route, and I'm careful with milligrams and millilitres because liquids come in different strengths.

I try to protect myself from interruptions too, so I'll use the do not disturb tabard if we have one, or simply ask a colleague to wait. And if something doesn't add up, I stop. I've gone back to a prescriber to query a dose before, and it turned out the weight had been entered in pounds rather than kilograms on a referral letter. Questioning it felt awkward at the time, but that's exactly the job. Parents are also part of the safety net, so I tell them what I'm giving and why, and if they say it looks different from usual, I listen.

 

Why this answer works

The answer explains why paediatric dosing is different, then walks through concrete, checkable habits from weighing to administration. Including a brief example of challenging a prescription shows the candidate will speak up, and involving parents reflects family-centred care.

 

Key points to include

• Accurate weight in kilograms, documented and checked
• Calculate and check dose per kilogram and the maximum dose
• Use the BNF for Children or local paediatric formulary
• Independent second checks as per trust policy
• Oral syringes, attention to concentrations and units
• Stop, question and escalate if anything doesn't add up

 

Common mistakes to avoid

• Talking about the general rights of medication without paediatric detail
• Accepting an estimated weight
• Relying entirely on the second checker
• Not mentioning what you'd do if a dose looked wrong

 

NHS values and standards

Commitment to quality of care; Working together for patients; NMC Code: preserve safety

 

Further reading

• NMC Code
• RPS and RCN Professional guidance on the administration of medicines in healthcare settings
• BNF for Children
• Your trust's paediatric medicines policy

 

 

Question 6: A three-year-old's paediatric early warning score has gone up since the last set of observations, but the child is sitting up watching a tablet. What would you do?

Clinical Scenario question  ·  Deteriorating child

 

What the interview panel is assessing

The panel wants to check that you take a rising score seriously even when a child looks well, because children compensate and then can deteriorate quickly. They are looking for a systematic assessment, timely escalation using the escalation plan, and listening to parental concern.

 

Model answer

I'd be careful not to be reassured just because they look settled. Children can compensate really well, keeping their blood pressure up for a long time, and then go downhill quickly. So a rising score is a prompt for me to look properly.

I'd go straight back and repeat the observations myself, making sure I'm using the right age-specific chart. I'd count the respiratory rate for a full minute while they're distracted by the tablet, look at their work of breathing, listen for grunting or noisy breathing, check their oxygen saturations, heart rate, capillary refill and temperature, and look at their colour. I'd check their level of responsiveness. Watching a screen can hide a child who's actually quite flat, so I'd see whether they engage with me in a normal way for a three-year-old. I'd also look at the fluid balance chart to see how much they've had to drink and how many wet nappies or wees there have been.

Then I'd ask the parent. If mum or dad says they're just not themselves, that counts. Parental concern is part of the national PEWS approach in England, and I'd take it seriously.

After that, I'd follow the escalation plan for that score. That usually means telling the nurse in charge and getting a doctor to review within the timeframe set on the chart, and I'd use SBAR so the message is clear: the situation, the background, my assessment including the trend, and what I'm asking for. If I was worried and the response wasn't happening, I'd escalate further, to the registrar or the outreach team, without waiting.

While I'm waiting I'd increase the frequency of observations, keep the child where I can see them, and document clearly. And if things changed suddenly, I wouldn't hesitate to pull the emergency buzzer. I'd also make sure the family knows they can tell us if they're worried at any time, and in England that includes how to ask for an urgent independent review under Martha's Rule where the trust has it in place.

 

Why this answer works

The candidate avoids false reassurance and explains why children compensate, then shows a structured reassessment and clear escalation with SBAR. Including parental concern and family-initiated escalation shows current awareness of how deterioration is spotted in children's services.

 

Key points to include

• Don't be falsely reassured by a child who looks settled
• Repeat observations accurately on the correct age chart
• Assess work of breathing, perfusion, responsiveness and hydration
• Take parental concern seriously
• Escalate per the PEWS escalation plan using SBAR
• Increase monitoring, document, and escalate further if needed

 

Common mistakes to avoid

• Assuming the score is a mistake because the child looks fine
• Re-checking observations but not escalating
• Ignoring parents' views
• Not knowing what to do if the doctor doesn't come

 

NHS values and standards

Commitment to quality of care; Working together for patients; NMC Code: preserve safety

 

Further reading

• National Paediatric Early Warning Score (PEWS) and the System-wide Paediatric Observations Tracking (SPOT) programme, NHS England
• Martha's Rule (NHS England)
• SBAR communication tool
• Your trust's PEWS escalation policy

 

 

Question 7: A 14-year-old wants to make a decision about her own treatment that her parents disagree with. How do you approach consent?

Clinical Scenario question  ·  Consent and Gillick competence

 

What the interview panel is assessing

The panel is checking your understanding of consent law for under-16s and 16 to 17-year-olds, including Gillick competence. They also want to see that you'd keep the young person at the centre, support the family, and involve senior colleagues rather than making complex legal judgements alone.

 

Model answer

I'd start by remembering that a 14-year-old's view really matters, whether or not she can legally consent on her own. My job is to make sure she's heard and that the decision is made properly.

Under 16, a young person can consent to their own treatment if they're Gillick competent, which means they have enough understanding and intelligence to fully grasp what's proposed, including the risks, benefits and alternatives. It's assessed for that specific decision, so she might be competent to agree to one thing but not another. The person proposing the treatment, usually the doctor, would normally assess and document competence, but I can contribute what I've seen of her understanding.

Practically, I'd make time to talk with her on her own, as well as with her parents. I'd ask what she understands, what she's worried about and what she wants. Sometimes disagreements come from fear or missing information rather than a real difference in values, and a calm conversation can bring everyone closer. I'd then speak to the nurse in charge and the consultant, because this needs senior input.

It's worth knowing that the law is more complex when a young person refuses treatment. If a competent under-18 refuses treatment that's needed to prevent serious harm, the position isn't the same as for an adult, and in serious cases it can involve legal advice or the courts. I wouldn't try to decide that myself, I'd make sure the team escalated it and involved the trust's legal advisers if needed.

For 16 and 17-year-olds the Mental Capacity Act applies and they're presumed to have capacity, which is different again. Scotland has its own legislation as well, so I'd always check local guidance.

Throughout, I'd keep her parents involved and supported, because they're scared too, and I'd document conversations clearly, including her views in her own words.

 

Why this answer works

The answer explains Gillick competence correctly and recognises its decision-specific nature, while accurately flagging that refusal by under-18s is legally complex. It shows sensible nursing actions, listening to the young person alone, supporting parents and escalating, without overstating the nurse's role.

 

Key points to include

• Gillick competence is decision-specific and assessed for each decision
• Speak to the young person alone as well as with parents
• Refusal by under-18s is legally complex and needs senior and legal input
• 16 and 17-year-olds are presumed to have capacity under the Mental Capacity Act
• Law differs across UK nations; check local guidance
• Document the young person's views clearly

 

Common mistakes to avoid

• Saying parents always decide for under-16s
• Treating a competent young person's refusal exactly like an adult's
• Confusing Gillick competence with the Fraser guidelines
• Trying to resolve a legal dispute without senior help

 

NHS values and standards

Respect and dignity; Working together for patients; Everyone counts; NMC Code: prioritise people

 

Further reading

• Gillick v West Norfolk and Wisbech AHA (1985) and the Fraser guidelines
• Mental Capacity Act 2005 (applies from age 16)
• Family Law Reform Act 1969
• Age of Legal Capacity (Scotland) Act 1991
• GMC guidance: 0 to 18 years and NMC Code

 

 

Question 8: How do you assess and manage pain in a child who can't tell you how much it hurts?

Clinical Scenario question  ·  Pain assessment

 

What the interview panel is assessing

The panel wants to know that you use validated, age-appropriate pain tools and that you combine them with parental knowledge and your own observation. They are also looking for a mix of medicines and non-drug measures, and for reassessment after you act.

 

Model answer

Children who can't tell us about pain are often the ones whose pain gets underestimated, so I try to be quite deliberate about it.

I'd use a validated tool that fits the child. For babies and pre-verbal children, or children with a learning disability who can't self-report, many wards use a behavioural tool like FLACC, which looks at the face, legs, activity, cry and how easily the child can be consoled. For slightly older children who can point, a faces scale often works. Whatever we use, I'd use it consistently so the scores mean something over time.

Parents are a huge part of it. I'd ask what their child usually does when they're in pain, because one child goes quiet and still while another gets cross and restless. For children with complex needs, there's often a pain profile or hospital passport that describes their usual signs, and that's gold.

I'd also look at the physiology, so a raised heart rate or breathing rate, and things like guarding, not wanting to move or a change in sleep, while remembering these can have other causes.

For management, I'd give prescribed analgesia on time rather than waiting for the child to become distressed, and if it wasn't working I'd go back to the prescriber or the pain team. Alongside that, non-drug measures really help: positioning, a cuddle with a parent, comfort items, sucrose for small babies during procedures if it's in our trust guidance, and distraction, often with support from the play specialist.

Then I'd reassess, usually within the time our policy sets after giving analgesia, and record the score and what we did. A pain score that isn't followed by action or reassessment doesn't help the child.

I remember a baby after surgery who seemed settled until his dad mentioned he normally kicked a lot and was lying unusually still. His FLACC score went up once I looked properly, and after analgesia he was a different baby.

 

Why this answer works

The answer names suitable tools without overclaiming, places parents and hospital passports at the centre, and balances pharmacological and non-pharmacological care. The short example shows how parental insight changed the assessment, and the emphasis on reassessment shows a complete cycle of care.

 

Key points to include

• Use a validated, age-appropriate pain tool consistently
• Ask parents how their child shows pain
• Use hospital passports or pain profiles for children with complex needs
• Combine timely analgesia with non-drug measures and play
• Escalate to the prescriber or pain team if pain persists
• Reassess and document

 

Common mistakes to avoid

• Relying only on vital signs
• Assuming a quiet child is a comfortable child
• Forgetting reassessment
• Not involving parents

 

NHS values and standards

Compassion; Commitment to quality of care; Working together for patients

 

Further reading

• RCN guidance on the recognition and assessment of acute pain in children
• Association of Paediatric Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland good practice guidance on paediatric pain
• Your trust's paediatric pain policy

 

 

Unlock 32 more NHS interview questions

You have read the free questions. The full bank adds 32 premium questions for this role, each with a model answer, what the panel is assessing, key points and common mistakes.

One-off payment of £2.99 for 12 months' access. No subscription. Use the Unlock button at the top of this page.