Emergency Department Nursing Interview Questions & Answers

← All NHS Nursing and Midwifery interview questions

About this NHS interview question bank

To prepare for an emergency department nursing NHS interview, expect questions on triage, recognising sepsis and the deteriorating patient, prioritising several sick people at once, resus and trauma roles, and how you stay safe and kind with distressed, intoxicated or aggressive patients. Panels also explore safeguarding, mental health presentations, crowding and corridor care, and how you balance time standards against safety. Practise short spoken answers built on real shifts or placements, and know the NMC Code, the NHS values and how your target department is organised.

This bank contains 40 original practice questions with first-person model answers written for emergency department nurses applying for Band 5 posts, with a selection pitched at Band 6 and Band 7 for those stepping up to shift coordination and leadership. It covers triage, majors, minors, resus, the waiting room and corridor care, with each answer 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 walk in sounding like a calm, safe ED nurse rather than someone reciting a textbook.

 

What this question bank covers

• Motivation for emergency nursing
• NHS values in a crowded department
• Triage and Manchester Triage principles
• Sepsis screening and the Sepsis Six
• Recognising deterioration and NEWS2
• Prioritising multiple sick patients
• Resus and major trauma roles
• Chest pain and head injury pathways
• Aggressive and intoxicated patients
• Mental health presentations, capacity and the Mental Health Act
• Safeguarding adults and children
• Domestic abuse
• Frequent attenders
• Corridor care and crowding
• Time standards versus safety
• Handover and SBAR
• Confidentiality and police requests
• Incidents, PSIRF and Duty of Candour
• Band 6 and Band 7 leadership
• Resilience after traumatic shifts

 

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 work as a nurse in the emergency department?

Motivation question  ·  Motivation

 

What the interview panel is assessing

The panel wants a genuine, personal reason that goes beyond liking adrenaline or variety. They are listening for an understanding of what ED nursing really involves, including crowding, distress and long waits, and whether you will stay safe and kind under that pressure.

 

Model answer

I'll be honest, the first time I worked in ED as a student I found it overwhelming. It was a Monday evening, the waiting room was full, there were ambulances queuing outside and I didn't know where to stand. But about two hours in, my mentor took me into a majors cubicle with an older man who'd come in short of breath. She'd spotted at triage that he looked grey and wasn't quite right, even though his first set of observations weren't dramatic. Within twenty minutes he had a diagnosis of sepsis from a chest infection, bloods and cultures were done and antibiotics were running. I watched her do that while also keeping an eye on three other patients, and I remember thinking, that's the nurse I want to be.

What draws me to ED is that first contact. Often we're the first clinicians to see someone on what might be the worst day of their life, and the decisions made in those first minutes really matter. I like that you have to think quickly, use your assessment skills properly and work as part of a team where everyone has a clear role, especially in resus.

I'm also realistic about it. I know the department is often crowded, people wait longer than any of us want, and some patients are frightened, drunk or angry. I've seen nurses caring for people in corridors and how hard that is. It hasn't put me off. If anything, it's made me want to be the nurse who still introduces herself, gets a blanket and checks the observations on the patient in the corridor, because those are the people who are easiest to forget.

Long term I'd like to develop my triage and resus skills, and I'm keen on the competency framework this department uses for new starters.

 

Why this answer works

The answer opens with a vivid, believable memory instead of a cliche about adrenaline. It shows understanding of early recognition and teamwork, and it acknowledges crowding and corridor care honestly, which reassures the panel the candidate knows what they are walking into.

 

Key points to include

• A specific moment that drew you to emergency nursing
• Understanding of the importance of early recognition and first contact
• Realism about crowding, long waits and distressed patients
• Keeping dignity and kindness at the centre
• A sense of how you want to develop in ED

 

Common mistakes to avoid

• Saying you love adrenaline or never knowing what will come through the door
• Giving an answer that would fit any ward
• Sounding unprepared for the pressure and emotional load
• Talking only about resus and ignoring minors, the waiting room and corridors

 

NHS values and standards

Compassion; Commitment to quality of care; Everyone counts; NMC Code: prioritise people

 

Further reading

• NMC Code: Professional standards of practice and behaviour
• NHS Constitution for England
• RCN emergency care resources and competency framework for emergency nursing

 

 

Question 2: Which NHS value is hardest to live up to in a busy emergency department, and how do you try to uphold it?

NHS Values question  ·  NHS Values

 

What the interview panel is assessing

The panel is checking that you know the NHS values and can be honest about the reality of ED pressure. They want to see how a value shows up in small, practical actions on a crowded shift, not a definition.

 

Model answer

The NHS values are working together for patients, respect and dignity, commitment to quality of care, compassion, improving lives, and everyone counts. In ED, I think respect and dignity is the one that's hardest to protect, because the environment works against you. When the department is full, people end up on trolleys in corridors, in chairs in the waiting room for hours, and having conversations about their symptoms where other people can hear.

I remember a woman in her eighties who had been on a trolley in the corridor for most of a night shift after a fall. She'd been incontinent and was too embarrassed to say so. When I noticed, I didn't just pull a screen across, because the screen didn't really hide her. I found a side room that was being cleaned, asked the housekeeper if we could use it for ten minutes, and took her in there with a healthcare assistant to wash and change her properly. Then I got her a cup of tea and a pillow that wasn't a folded blanket. It took maybe fifteen minutes, which felt like a lot on that shift, but she said it was the first time she'd felt like a person since she arrived.

Day to day, it's the small things. I introduce myself by name, I ask people what they'd like to be called, I lower my voice when I'm asking about personal history, and I make sure people in the corridor have a call bell or a way to get our attention. I also flag to the nurse in charge when I think someone in a corridor needs a cubicle more than someone else does, because dignity and safety often go together.

I can't fix crowding on my own, but I can make sure it doesn't change how I treat people.

 

Why this answer works

This answer names the values accurately and then chooses one honestly, which shows insight. The example is concrete and shows initiative within the candidate's scope, and the final point links dignity to safety and escalation rather than accepting poor conditions.

 

Key points to include

• Name the NHS values accurately
• Choose one honestly and explain why ED makes it hard
• Give a specific, practical example
• Show small daily habits that protect dignity
• Link dignity to safety and escalation

 

Common mistakes to avoid

• Reciting all six values with no example
• Pretending crowding does not affect care
• Blaming colleagues or managers for poor conditions
• Choosing a value without explaining why it matters in ED

 

NHS values and standards

Respect and dignity; Compassion; Everyone counts; NMC Code: prioritise people

 

Further reading

• NHS Constitution for England
• NMC Code: Professional standards of practice and behaviour
• RCN guidance on dignity in care

 

 

Question 3: A patient has died in resus after an unsuccessful resuscitation. Their partner has just arrived. How would you support them?

Communication question  ·  Breaking bad news

 

What the interview panel is assessing

The panel wants to see compassion, honesty and good judgement about who should break the news. They are also checking that you understand the practical side, such as a quiet room, viewing the body, and what happens next, including coroner involvement in sudden deaths.

 

Model answer

The first thing I'd do is make sure the partner is taken somewhere private, ideally the relatives' room, rather than left at the reception desk or outside resus. I'd let the nurse in charge and the doctor who led the resuscitation know they've arrived, because news of a death should usually be given by the senior doctor with a nurse present, and I'd want to be that nurse if I'd been involved.

Before we go in, I'd quickly check the facts: the patient's name, what happened, and whether anyone else is coming. Once we're in the room, I'd sit down, introduce myself and ask what they already know. The news needs to be given clearly, using the word died rather than phrases like we lost him, because people in shock can misunderstand. Then I'd stop talking and let them react. Some people cry, some go quiet, some get angry. My job in that moment is to stay with them.

I looked after a family in this situation on a placement. The wife kept asking whether he'd been in pain. The doctor answered honestly, and I followed up later by explaining what the room looked like and offering for her to see him. We'd already removed what we could, covered the lines that had to stay because it was a coroner's case, and made him look as peaceful as possible. I went in with her and stayed by the door.

After that I'd make sure they aren't left alone, ask if they'd like us to call anyone or contact the chaplaincy, explain gently what happens next, including that the coroner may need to be informed for a sudden death, and give them the bereavement office details. I'd document what was said and who was present. And afterwards I'd make sure I check in with myself and the team, because those shifts stay with you.

 

Why this answer works

The answer is practical and kind, and it shows the candidate knows their role alongside the senior doctor. It includes clear language about death, viewing the body, coroner's processes and bereavement support, and it ends with team wellbeing, which panels value in ED.

 

Key points to include

• Private space and not leaving the relative alone
• Senior doctor with nurse present for breaking news
• Clear language and space to react
• Preparing for and supporting viewing of the body
• Coroner involvement, bereavement services and documentation

 

Common mistakes to avoid

• Breaking the news alone in a corridor or at the desk
• Using euphemisms that cause confusion
• Rushing the family because the department is busy
• Removing lines or tubes without checking if it is a coroner's case

 

NHS values and standards

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

 

Further reading

• NMC Code: Professional standards of practice and behaviour
• Resuscitation Council UK guidance on relatives and resuscitation
• Local trust bereavement and coroner referral policies
• Guidance on care after death from the Royal College of Nursing and Hospice UK

 

 

Question 4: While you are triaging a woman with a wrist injury, you notice bruises of different ages on her arms. Her partner is with her and keeps answering for her. What would you do?

Safeguarding question  ·  Domestic abuse

 

What the interview panel is assessing

The panel wants to know you can recognise possible domestic abuse and create a safe opportunity to ask without putting the patient at greater risk. They are looking for awareness of safe enquiry, risk assessment, children in the household and local referral routes.

 

Model answer

My first concern would be her safety, so I wouldn't say anything about the bruises in front of her partner. That could put her at much greater risk once she leaves. I'd carry on with the triage normally, then find a natural reason to see her alone. In most departments that's built into practice, for example taking her to the toilet for a urine sample, going for an X-ray, or simply saying that our policy is to see every patient on their own for part of the assessment. Many EDs also have discreet ways to ask, like a sign in the toilets.

Once she's alone, I'd ask directly but gently. Something like, I noticed some bruises on your arms. Sometimes injuries like this happen because someone is hurting you. Is anyone at home hurting you or making you feel afraid? Then I'd give her time. If she said no, I'd respect that, document what I'd seen factually and make sure she knows where to get help, so she can come back to it when she's ready.

If she disclosed, I'd believe her, thank her for telling me, and ask whether she feels safe to go home. I'd use our risk assessment tool, which in many trusts is the DASH checklist, and involve the nurse in charge and our safeguarding team or hospital independent domestic violence adviser if we have one. High-risk cases can go to a MARAC. I'd ask about children in the house, because if there are children, I'd have a duty to make a children's safeguarding referral too.

With an adult who has capacity, I'd work with her and respect her choices, but I'd explain honestly that if there's a serious risk to her life or to children, I might need to share information without her agreement. I'd write clear, factual notes with body map documentation and make sure nothing sensitive is in a discharge letter that could go to a shared address.

 

Why this answer works

This answer puts safety first and shows a realistic way to separate the patient from the partner. It covers safe enquiry, risk assessment, MARAC, children in the household and the limits of confidentiality, which are the core elements of domestic abuse practice in ED.

 

Key points to include

• Do not raise concerns in front of the partner
• Create a safe, routine way to see her alone
• Ask directly and sensitively, then listen
• Use a recognised risk assessment and involve safeguarding or an IDVA
• Consider children in the household and document factually

 

Common mistakes to avoid

• Confronting the partner or asking in front of them
• Ignoring the bruises because she came in for her wrist
• Promising complete confidentiality
• Forgetting about children or other dependants at home

 

NHS values and standards

Compassion; Everyone counts; Respect and dignity; NMC Code: preserve safety

 

Further reading

• Domestic Abuse Act 2021
• Care Act 2014 (safeguarding adults)
• NICE guidance on domestic violence and abuse
• Working Together to Safeguard Children
• Local trust domestic abuse and MARAC procedures

 

 

Question 5: Talk us through how you would triage a patient arriving at the emergency department.

Clinical Scenario question  ·  Triage

 

What the interview panel is assessing

The panel is testing whether you understand the purpose of triage, which is to set clinical priority rather than diagnose, and whether you can apply a structured system such as Manchester Triage safely. They also want to see that you know triage is not a one-off decision and that you would re-assess and escalate.

 

Model answer

For me, triage is about answering one question quickly and safely: how soon does this person need to be seen, and where is the safest place for them to wait? It's not about making a diagnosis. Most departments I know use the Manchester Triage System or something based on it, where you choose the flowchart that best fits the presenting complaint, then work down the discriminators, things like life threat, haemorrhage, pain, conscious level, temperature and how acute the problem is. The first discriminator that applies gives you the priority, from red for immediate through to blue for non-urgent.

In practice, the first few seconds matter. Before I sit down with someone, I'm already looking at them. Are they talking in full sentences, what colour are they, are they sweating, are they holding their chest? If someone looks peri-arrest, triage stops and they go straight to resus.

Then I take a short focused history, a full set of observations including a NEWS2 score, a pain score and, where the presentation needs it, a blood glucose, an ECG for chest pain, or a sepsis screen if they look unwell with a possible infection. I'll ask about allergies, medication, especially anticoagulants, and whether they are pregnant if relevant. I also keep safeguarding in mind, like who's with them, and whether there are children at home.

Once I've allocated a category, I document it clearly, start anything in my scope that's covered by our triage protocols, such as analgesia or X-ray requests, and tell the patient how long they might wait and to come and find us if they feel worse.

The bit I always stress is that triage is only a snapshot. If someone is waiting a long time, they need repeat observations, and if anything changes, I re-triage and escalate. Trusting my gut matters too. If someone looks wrong but scores low, I'll upgrade them and get a second opinion.

 

Why this answer works

This answer explains the purpose of triage clearly and describes Manchester Triage principles accurately without inventing figures. It covers the end-of-bed look, observations, red flags, protocols and safety-netting, and it emphasises re-assessment, which is where many waiting room risks arise.

 

Key points to include

• Triage sets priority, not diagnosis
• Structured system such as Manchester Triage with flowcharts and discriminators
• First impression and immediate escalation if peri-arrest
• Observations, NEWS2, pain score, ECG, glucose or sepsis screen as indicated
• Re-assessment, re-triage and safety-netting while waiting

 

Common mistakes to avoid

• Trying to diagnose rather than prioritise
• Treating triage as a one-off decision
• Ignoring gut feeling when observations look normal
• Forgetting medication history such as anticoagulants

 

NHS values and standards

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

 

Further reading

• Manchester Triage System (local trust training)
• Royal College of Emergency Medicine and RCN triage position statements
• NEWS2 guidance from the Royal College of Physicians
• Local trust triage and waiting room policies

 

 

Question 6: Tell us about a time you made a mistake or were involved in a near miss. What did you do and what did you learn?

Patient Safety question  ·  Mistakes and learning

 

What the interview panel is assessing

The panel wants honesty, ownership and evidence that you put the patient first when something goes wrong. They are also checking you understand incident reporting, Duty of Candour and how learning changes your practice.

 

Model answer

As a newly qualified nurse in ED, I nearly gave a dose of IV paracetamol to a patient who had already had oral paracetamol at triage about an hour earlier. It was a busy evening in majors, the patient had been moved from the waiting room into a cubicle, and the doctor had prescribed IV paracetamol on the electronic system. I'd drawn it up and was about to check the patient's identity when the healthcare assistant mentioned they'd seen a triage nurse give tablets earlier.

I stopped, went back to the record and found the oral dose had been documented in the triage notes but not on the drug chart, because it had been given under a patient group direction and recorded in a different place. Nothing was given, so the patient wasn't harmed, but it would have been a double dose in a short period.

I told the nurse in charge straight away, and we let the doctor know so the prescription could be adjusted. I completed an incident report as a near miss, because I felt it was a system issue that could easily happen again. I also explained to the patient what had happened, that they hadn't received any extra medicine and that we'd caught it before it was given. They were actually reassuring about it.

What I learned was that I'd relied too much on the drug chart and hadn't checked the whole record, including triage, before giving a medicine. Now I always check for anything given at triage or by the ambulance crew before I give analgesia. The incident review led to the department changing how PGD doses at triage are recorded so they show on the main medication record, and it was shared at the safety huddle. I was nervous about reporting it, but seeing it lead to a change taught me that reporting is how we keep people safe.

 

Why this answer works

The candidate gives a realistic ED-specific near miss, takes ownership and shows openness with the patient. They describe reporting it and a system-level learning, which reflects a just culture and PSIRF thinking rather than blame.

 

Key points to include

• Choose a real, proportionate example
• Patient safety first and escalate immediately
• Report through the incident system and be open with the patient
• Personal learning and a change in practice
• System learning shared with the team

 

Common mistakes to avoid

• Claiming you have never made a mistake
• Choosing an example so serious it raises concerns without showing learning
• Blaming others or the system without taking ownership
• Leaving out what you would do differently

 

NHS values and standards

Commitment to quality of care; Improving lives; NMC Code: preserve safety and practise effectively; Duty of Candour

 

Further reading

• NMC Code: Professional standards of practice and behaviour
• NMC and GMC guidance on the professional duty of candour
• Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF)
• NMC standards for medicines management and local trust medicines policy

 

 

Question 7: A patient in the waiting room tells you they feel awful. They have a temperature, a fast heart rate and seem confused. What would you do?

Clinical Scenario question  ·  Sepsis recognition

 

What the interview panel is assessing

The panel is testing whether you recognise possible sepsis quickly and act with urgency. They want to hear a structured assessment, use of NEWS2 and a sepsis screening tool, immediate escalation, and knowledge of the Sepsis Six principles without overstepping your scope.

 

Model answer

This would set off alarm bells immediately. New confusion with a fever and a fast heart rate makes me think sepsis until proven otherwise, and someone like that shouldn't be sitting in the waiting room. I'd move them straight into majors or resus, depending on how they look, and I'd let the nurse in charge know as I'm doing it.

Then I'd do a quick ABCDE assessment and a full set of observations, including blood pressure, respiratory rate, oxygen saturations, conscious level using ACVPU and temperature, and work out their NEWS2. New confusion on its own scores highly, so I'd expect the score to be raised. I'd complete our sepsis screening tool, look for a likely source, check a blood glucose, and ask about things that increase risk, like chemotherapy, recent surgery, diabetes or immunosuppression.

If the screen is positive for high risk, I'd get a doctor to review them urgently, ideally in minutes, and I'd use SBAR to make it clear. For example: I'm worried this patient has sepsis. They're newly confused, NEWS2 is high, heart rate and respiratory rate are raised and blood pressure is on the low side. I need you to see them now.

While I'm waiting, I'd start what's within my competency and our local protocol. That's often the elements of the Sepsis Six, which are giving oxygen if needed to reach target saturations, taking blood cultures before antibiotics, measuring lactate and other bloods, starting IV fluids and antibiotics as prescribed, and monitoring urine output. Many departments aim for antibiotics within an hour for high-risk sepsis, but I'd follow our current trust pathway.

I'd repeat observations frequently, document times clearly, and if they deteriorated I'd escalate to resus or the outreach team. Afterwards I'd want to look at why a patient like this was in the waiting room, because that's a safety issue we can learn from.

 

Why this answer works

This answer shows urgency, structured assessment and correct use of NEWS2 and sepsis screening. It lists the Sepsis Six principles accurately, stays within nursing scope, uses SBAR for escalation and avoids quoting thresholds the candidate cannot be sure of.

 

Key points to include

• Treat new confusion with fever and tachycardia as possible sepsis
• Move the patient out of the waiting room and alert the nurse in charge
• ABCDE, NEWS2 and a sepsis screening tool
• Urgent senior review using SBAR
• Sepsis Six elements within competency and local pathway, with close monitoring

 

Common mistakes to avoid

• Leaving the patient in the waiting room to wait their turn
• Quoting thresholds or timings you are not sure about
• Giving antibiotics before blood cultures without good reason
• Not escalating clearly or relying on the doctor to notice

 

NHS values and standards

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

 

Further reading

• NICE guideline on suspected sepsis: recognition, diagnosis and early management
• NEWS2 guidance from the Royal College of Physicians
• UK Sepsis Trust: Sepsis Six
• Local trust sepsis screening tool and pathway

 

 

Question 8: You are looking after four patients in majors. One is in severe pain, one's NEWS2 has just risen, one wants to self-discharge and one needs a toilet. How do you prioritise?

Clinical Scenario question  ·  Prioritisation

 

What the interview panel is assessing

The panel wants to see clear clinical reasoning under pressure and how you use the team. They are looking for an ABCDE-based approach to risk, delegation, escalation and keeping everyone safe rather than doing tasks in the order they arrive.

 

Model answer

I'd start with the patient whose NEWS2 has just gone up, because that's the person who could be deteriorating and their problem is the one most likely to be life threatening. I'd go and look at them, check their airway, breathing and circulation, repeat the observations myself, and escalate to the doctor or nurse in charge based on the score and how they look. If they're very unwell, I'd ask for help straight away rather than trying to hold everything.

While I'm going to that patient, I'd use the team. I'd ask the healthcare assistant to help the patient who needs the toilet, because that's important for their dignity and for falls risk, but it doesn't need my registration. If I don't have a healthcare assistant, I'd ask the patient to give me a couple of minutes and explain why, rather than ignoring them.

For the patient in severe pain, I'd check whether they have analgesia prescribed or whether I can give something under a PGD. If not, I'd ask the doctor at the same time as I escalate the deteriorating patient. Pain isn't something that should wait, and severe pain can also be a sign of something serious, like an abdomen getting worse, so I'd reassess it rather than just treat it.

The patient who wants to self-discharge is also a risk. I'd go and speak to them as soon as I can, listen to why they want to leave, and ask them to wait for a doctor to talk through the risks. If I had any doubts about their capacity, I'd tell the nurse in charge and not just let them walk out.

I'd keep the nurse in charge updated throughout. Prioritising in ED isn't just about the order you do things in; it's about knowing when you need more hands and asking for them early.

 

Why this answer works

This answer uses risk and ABCDE to decide priority, delegates appropriately and escalates early. It treats the self-discharging patient as a genuine risk and includes capacity, and it shows the candidate understands that asking for help is a strength.

 

Key points to include

• Prioritise the potentially deteriorating patient first
• Delegate tasks that don't need a registered nurse
• Ask about analgesia and reassess severe pain
• Treat self-discharge as a risk and consider capacity
• Keep the nurse in charge informed and ask for help early

 

Common mistakes to avoid

• Doing tasks in the order they come in
• Trying to do everything alone without delegating
• Dismissing the toileting request as not important
• Letting the patient self-discharge without escalating

 

NHS values and standards

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

 

Further reading

• NMC Code: Professional standards of practice and behaviour
• NEWS2 guidance from the Royal College of Physicians
• Mental Capacity Act 2005 Code of Practice
• Local trust self-discharge and escalation policies

 

 

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.