Supported living nurses play a vital role in helping elderly and disabled people to maintain a good quality of life and enjoy as much independence as possible. With an ageing population in Britain, the number of opportunities in this sector is on the increase. This article is designed to make things easier for candidates uncertain about interviewing for them.
General interview tips
Most problems with interviews stem from two things - lack of confidence and lack of preparation. Working on the latter can help with the former. Cramming doesn’t work for most people and can make nerves worse, so it is better to take a few days before the interview to read over the original job advert and read up on the hiring organisation.
It is also useful to read journals and the relevant sections of newspapers to be able to respond to any topical questions that may come up.
The night before the interview, the best thing to do is get a good night’s sleep. Arriving slightly early for the interview, clean and alert and smartly dressed, is always important in making a good impression, as are eye contact, a firm handshake and a readiness to engage.
Further information for supported living nurses
Rather than simply appearing clean-cut and businesslike, a candidate for a supported living nurse job needs to come across as practical and show the energy and resourcefulness necessary to take on what can be a demanding role.
Questions will often focus on experiences during previous jobs or training that might illustrate these qualities. Candidates can expect to be asked about how they have dealt with withdrawn patients, aggressive patients and patients suffering from dementia.
It is important to demonstrate strong communication skills and show awareness of techniques that can be employed in these situations, such as using stimulus objects to coax a patient into a conversation.
The candidate’s ability to work with other supportive agents, such as physiotherapists and social workers, will also be under scrutiny. Questions are likely to be asked about the structure of past working environments and the candidate’s ability to work with limited supervision. There will usually be questions about complex ethical situations, designed in part to find out if the candidate understands when and how to go about seeking advice from superiors.
Candidates without much work experience should be ready to talk about placement experience and about voluntary work, which can be just as significant as paid work if it demonstrates the candidate’s ability to connect effectively and interact respectfully with elderly or disabled people.
Supported living nurse interview questions
What experience do you have of providing personal care?
In tackling a question such as this at the interview, it is important to take the opportunity to go beyond the simple facts presented on the CV, which the interviewers should have available to them. It is certainly necessary to be consistent with the CV, but any experience of personal care that has come from undocumented occasions, such as with family members or friends, can also be used in the answer to this question. Any experience gained while studying for qualifications can also be included.
How do you approach helping patients with memory difficulties to manage household tasks?
Although this is a specific question, it can also be seen as an opportunity to highlight personal attributes that are important for a supported living nurse. Specific instances of situations from personal experience are extremely useful. However, it is useful to expand on the bare facts of a situation to describe what skills and personality traits support a positive approach to active care and effective communication skills in challenging situations.
How would you approach encouraging a patient who lacked the confidence to undertake recommended activities?
The underlying factor behind this question is the interviewer’s wish to find out more about the candidate’s interpersonal communication skills and skills of persuasion. Even if the candidate has not had this specific experience, an answer can be built around the professional attitudes and skills that have been practically demonstrated in another, different, situation.
How do you approach discussions with worried family members?
The ability to communicate with understanding, empathy, and clarity is important in many aspects of nursing work. This question is probing the attitudes of the candidate to professional and appropriate communication with people from outside the nursing environment. Focus on what can be said and how such communication is best approached, remaining positive about your skills and giving real-life examples where possible.
How do you manage work-related stress?
The interviewer wants to know if the job candidate can cope effectively in difficult circumstances while still having a primary focus on patient care and professional skills. Remain positive in the answer to questions such as this, emphasising how the work can continue to be done efficiently and professionally.
General interview questions
Where do you hope to be in five years’ time?
There are several aspects to this question, such as how the current job vacancy fits in with a candidate’s long-term plans and how ambitious the candidate is for the future. Consider this question before the interview, bearing in mind the current job opening and the chances of promotion within the employing organisation.
Why does working for this organisation appeal to you?
Research on the employing organisation is vital ahead of the interview. It is only with knowledge of the organisation that an effective answer to a question such as this can be crafted. Pick out an element of the job description, the company history, or the organisation’s achievements, for example, to frame an argument about how your particular skills can be used to benefit in the job role.
What do you see as your strengths and weaknesses?
Although this is a frequently asked interview question, the careful candidate is likely to frame the answer differently for each interview. This depends on the details of the job role and the employer. It can pay to emphasise skills that feature in the job description for the supported living nurse. It can also be beneficial to frame weaknesses as challenges that have been overcome through some positive personal quality. For further assistance in preparing for interviews in the field of supported living nursing, the staff at Randstad have access to plenty of resources and experience.
