NHS Interview Questions: Care

What "Care" means in the NHS

The Six Cs framework, introduced through the NHS Compassion in Practice strategy, defines care as the core business of nursing and midwifery. Care is described as our core business and that of our organisations; the care we deliver helps the individual person and improves the health of the whole community. In practice, care means assessing, planning, delivering and evaluating individualised nursing care that is responsive to the person's changing needs. It involves technical competence, meaning performing procedures correctly and safely, and it involves relational skills: building therapeutic relationships, actively listening and treating each patient as a whole person rather than a collection of symptoms. For nursing interview purposes, care encompasses both the science and the art of nursing.

Example interview questions

NHS panels come at this value from a few different angles. Bring one real shift, one real patient, one thing you actually did.

• What does care mean to you as a nurse and how do you demonstrate it in practice?
• Tell me about a time you provided care that you felt truly made a difference to a patient's experience.
• How do you ensure that the care you provide is individualised to each patient's needs?
• Describe a situation where the care needs of a patient changed rapidly and how you responded.
• How do you maintain high standards of care when the ward is very busy and resources are stretched?

A strong example answer

For me, care is both the foundation and the purpose of nursing. During my second-year placement on a care of the elderly ward, I was assigned to look after a woman in her late seventies who had been admitted with a urinary tract infection. She was medically stable but increasingly confused and distressed, calling out frequently for her daughter.

I made time at the start of each shift to sit with her, introduce myself and orientate her to where she was. I noticed from her notes and from speaking with her family that she had been a keen gardener before her cognitive decline, so I brought in a small potted herb from the nurses' station and encouraged her to touch and smell it during agitated episodes. This simple sensory intervention, alongside consistent reassurance and a regular routine, visibly reduced her distress over several days.

I documented my observations and the positive response to the sensory approach in her care plan so that all staff could continue it consistently. By the end of her admission, she was significantly calmer and her family commented that they felt the team had genuinely understood her as a person.

This experience confirmed for me that individualised care, meaning attending to who a person is and not only what is wrong with them, is what nursing is fundamentally about.

Evidence you can draw on

On a values question, a named example beats a good intention every single time.

• Clinical placements during training where you delivered direct patient care and can describe specific examples of assessment, planning and delivery.
• Healthcare assistant, support worker or care home experience that gave you hands-on care responsibilities.
• Voluntary work with vulnerable populations, including elderly, disabled or mentally ill people, that developed your relational and observational skills.
• Personal caring experience for a family member that gave you insight into the patient and carer perspective.
• Any role where you took responsibility for another person's wellbeing and adapted your approach to their individual needs.

Tips for a strong answer

Say your example out loud before the panel. Sounding rehearsed is fine. Sounding vague is what costs you.

• Do not define care too narrowly. Panels want to hear that you hold it as both a technical and a relational concept.
• Use one real patient rather than talking in the abstract. Specificity is what makes an answer sound lived rather than learned.
• Show that you documented and communicated your approach so the whole team could continue it, not just you on your shift.
• Demonstrate that you know what the NMC Code requires around safe and effective care delivery.

Frequently asked questions

What are the Six Cs of nursing?

The Six Cs of nursing are Care, Compassion, Competence, Communication, Courage and Commitment. They were developed by NHS England through the Compassion in Practice strategy and set out the values and behaviours expected of all nursing and midwifery staff.

How do the Six Cs differ from the NHS Constitution values?

The NHS Constitution values apply to all NHS staff. The Six Cs were developed specifically for nursing and midwifery and sit alongside the Constitution values. There is significant overlap, since compassion appears in both frameworks, but the Six Cs place particular emphasis on clinical care, professional standards and the nurse-patient relationship.

What does the NMC Code say about care?

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) Code requires registered nurses and midwives to prioritise people, practise effectively, preserve safety and promote professionalism and trust. Safe, compassionate care that is responsive to individual needs is central to all four of these obligations.