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- "Tell us about yourself"
- "How would you handle a deteriorating patient?"
- "What would you do if a doctor gave you an order you thought was wrong?"
- "How do you prevent infections on your ward?"
- "Tell us about a time you worked under pressure"
- "How do you handle a difficult patient or relative?"
- "What do you know about patient confidentiality and consent?"
- "Why should we hire you?"
- What should you bring to a nursing interview?
Nursing interviews in Kenya, whether at a county public service board, a mission hospital or a private hospital, follow a familiar pattern. The panel wants to know that you are safe, that you can work in a team under pressure, and that you understand your professional and ethical duties. Here are the questions you are most likely to face.
"Tell us about yourself"
Keep it to about a minute and make it professional: your qualification and NCK registration, your current or most recent role, the areas you have worked in, and why you want this post. For example: "I am a KRCHN nurse with four years in medical and surgical wards at a level 5 hospital, the last two on the acute medical ward. I want to move into critical care, and your hospital's ICU training programme is why I applied."
"How would you handle a deteriorating patient?"
This tests clinical safety. Walk through a structured approach: recognise the signs, assess using a recognised method such as ABCDE, start immediate care within your scope, call for help early, escalate to the clinician on duty with clear information, and document everything. Panels want to hear that you would escalate rather than wait.
"What would you do if a doctor gave you an order you thought was wrong?"
This tests professional judgement and courage. The right answer is that you would not carry out an order you believed was unsafe. You would clarify it with the prescriber, explain your concern politely, escalate to the nurse in charge if it was not resolved, and document the conversation.
"How do you prevent infections on your ward?"
Show that you know the basics and practise them: hand hygiene at the right moments, aseptic technique, safe sharps and waste handling, correct use of personal protective equipment, and isolation where needed. If you have taken part in an infection prevention audit or committee, mention it with a result.
"Tell us about a time you worked under pressure"
Use a real example, structured with the STAR method: the situation, your task, the action you took and the result. A busy night with a short-staffed ward, a mass casualty event or a sudden emergency all work well. Our guide to the STAR method shows how to prepare.
"How do you handle a difficult patient or relative?"
Panels want empathy and professionalism. Explain that you would listen, stay calm, acknowledge the person's concern, explain what you can do, and involve a senior colleague if needed, always protecting patient confidentiality.
"What do you know about patient confidentiality and consent?"
Explain that patient information is shared only with those involved in their care or with consent, that you do not discuss patients in public or on social media, and that procedures need informed consent appropriate to the patient's capacity.
"Why should we hire you?"
Bring together your strongest points in two or three sentences: your clinical experience, a skill the post needs, and a quality the panel has seen in your answers. Be specific and confident without exaggerating.
What should you bring to a nursing interview?
- Your original certificates and copies, including your NCK registration certificate and current practising licence.
- Your national ID and any clearances the advert asked for.
- A printed copy of your CV. If yours needs work, use the free CV builder.
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