INTERVIEW PREPARATION

UK CARE SECTOR
Preparation is the first essential step towards a successful interview, read below for
some items that you need to think about, and if you are a nurse please make sure you
also read the attached NMC code of conduct document.

What they want to see during the interview:

THAT YOU ARE A CARING, KIND PERSON WITH A PASSION FOR ELDERLY PEOPLE
THAT YOU REALLY WANT THIS POST
THAT YOU WILL BE COMMITTED AND LOYAL TO THE EMPLOYER
THAT YOU ARE KEEN TO LEARN AND IMPROVE YOUR SKILLS IN THE UK

Tips
1. Make sure you get the name of the interviewer and greet them friendly using
their first name something like Hello Carol & Susan, THANK YOU FOR SEEING
ME TODAY or I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THIS INTERVIEW

2. Try to smile and relax THROUGHOUT your interview

3. Sit upright AND look the interviewers straight in the eyes, it is important that
your show them that your are enthusiastic and excited about the opportunity.

4. If you dont understand ask them to PLEASE REPEAT THE QUESTION

5. Be honest and truthful

6. Dont answer questions with a "yes" or "no". Expand and explain whenever
possible giving details about yourself and your experience, which relate to the
position.

7. You must at no point say sorry my english is not good rather say something
positive, like
I am still busy improving my English and I practice every day. I know in the UK I
will improve my English even more!

Be prepared to answer questions such as:

1. Why do you want to come and work in the UK?
2. Can you tell me about yourself
1. Do you know what a Care home is?
2. What do you feel are the main responsibilities in this job (as a Registered Nurse
in a Care home)
3. What qualities are essential for an RGN in an elderly care setting?
4. Do you know what types of ABUSE?
5. Do you know what a pressure ulcer is and how many types are there?
6. Explain what you know about Diabetes? Types, treatment and prevention
7. A Relative comes to you and makes a complaint about their mothers care,
explain to me what you do?
 8. How can you ensure a high standard of Care IS delivered
9. Explain to me how you would administer medications safely?
10. How would you lead your team as you shall be working with unqualified
CARE Assistances?
11. How do you keep up-to-date with changes in nursing guidelines and other
healthcare approaches?
12. What are the signs and symptoms of a heart attack?
13. What is an anticoagulant and when would it be used
14. Give a specific example of a time when you knew you did a good job as a
nurse.
15. What would you do if you gave a resident the wrong medication?
16. What changes in behaviour might be associated with a resident becoming
depressed and what interventions would you put in place?
17. What would you do if one of the residents went missing in your shift?
18. What are the main challenges in caring for someone who is elderly frail or
has dementia
19. How would you handle a resident who has been having persistent falls?

Research and Useful Information to know before your Interview

1. NMC Code of Conduct

http://www.nmc-uk.org/Publications/Standards/The-code/Introduction/

2. Pressure Ulcers
http://www.thinkpressurecare.co.uk/media/3236/pressure_ulcer_classification.pd
f
http://www.ehow.com/about_5431923_types-pressure-ulcers.html

3. Diabetes
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes-and-the-elderly.html

4. Administrating of medication
http://www.standards4care.com/CorePoliciesandProcedures/MedicationPolicy/tab
id/1081/Default.aspx
http://www.socialcareassociation.co.uk/Portals/0/Public%20Docs/Medication
%20Administration%20in%20Social%20Care.pdf

5. Types of Abuse
http://www.helpguide.org/mental/elder_abuse_physical_emotional_sexual_negle
ct.htm

6. Asthma
http://www.asthmahelpline.com/elderly-asthma.htm

7. Alzheimer and Dementia

http://www.helpguide.org/elder/alzheimers_dementias_types.htm

8. Moving and Handling techniques

http://www.hse.gov.uk/healthservices/moving-handling.htm
STANDARDS OF CARE IN A CARE HOME
CARE HOMES IN THE UK ARE REGULATED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF ELDERLY
RESIDENTS

THEY ARE REGULARY INSPECTED TO MAKE SURE THE STANDARD OF CARE ARE
MAINTAINED AND THAT THE RESIDENTS BASIC NEEDS ARE MET

Personal Hygiene

For some elderly nursing home residents, standards of personal hygiene are difficult
to maintain without assistance from staff. Without external help, residents are
left to shift for themselves for a clean change of clothes or even such basics as
oral hygiene. Victims of nursing home neglect may not receive the help they
need with bathing, grooming, and general cleanliness, and the signs of their
abuse become telling with time.

Basic Needs

Though families often decide nursing homes are the best place for their elderly loved
ones to receive care, nursing home neglect may take the form of a failure to provide
basic needs. Food and water are the building blocks of life, but an unsettlingly
common problem for victims of nursing home neglect is dehydration and malnutrition.
A safe and clean environment is exceptionally important for less mobile elderly
people, and failure to provide one can also be considered neglect.

Medical Neglect

As with basic needs, most families assume that a nursing home will provide the
necessary medical care for their loved ones. This is not always the case. Pressure
sores, or bedsores, are a major problem in nursing homes and result from remaining in
a seated or reclined position for a great length of time; they must be dealt with in a
timely manner to preserve patient health. Untreated cuts, too, must be dealt with
quickly to prevent systemic infection in elderly, immune-compromised patients.
Neglecting hygiene and physical exercise exacerbates the problem and can be a
telling sign of abuse. Additionally, many elderly people need medicine to survive,
including diabetics who need insulin. In countless cases nursing homes skimp on
treatments or fail to treat entirely.

Emotional Neglect

One of the most difficult types of nursing home neglect to identify does not manifest
itself in obvious physical signs. Emotional neglect can be as devastating as any
physical abuse but can be much more subtle in its onset and manifestation.
Overburdened staff can often let the stress of their everyday tasks prevent friendly
interaction with residents. Elderly people are susceptible to depression and may
retreat to their rooms, withdraw from social activities, and be in dire need of
emotional support and connection. Without a concerted effort of the part of nursing
home staff, emotional neglect can take a terrible toll on the residents who so need
human connection.

Communication is a key to uncovering nursing home neglect; however, oftentimes the

elderly are unable to express to loved ones or authorities what is happening to them.
In certain cases, it is because the victim feels unable to convey that abuse is
happening. While at times this can be a result of shame or embarrassment, other
times the silence that ensues after abuse takes the even more sinister form of a
physical or emotional threat that keeps an elderly victim silent. Victims of nursing
home neglect and nursing home abuse often perceive no way out of the situation at
hand and, without guaranteed protection that whistle-blowing will not lead to more
abuse, are unwilling to come forward. Elderly victims of nursing home neglect or
nursing home abuse may feel they have little recourse and few legal rights or options
available to them.

Ending Neglect

In order to eradicate nursing home neglect and other forms of nursing home abuse, it
is vital that effective communication take place to facilitate a clear understanding of
the nature of the neglect. Once this step has been taken, legal options become more
readily available to victims, and the sources of the abuse can be dealt with.

No matter what the cause of nursing home neglect, it is always unacceptable. By

educating nursing home staff, elderly residents, and residents' families on the
different types of neglect and abuse in nursing homes, the causes of the abuse may
start to be discovered and eradicated.

For further reading:

www.nursing-standard.co.uk - this is the Royal College of Nursing Website and

discusses the role of a nurse in the UK as well as a lot of other helpful information.
www.doh.gov.uk - the Department of Health website and is very useful.
www.nmc-uk.org - the Nursing and Midwifery Council website.

http://www.hkfsd.gov.hk/eng/source/safety/Basic_Law_in_Caring_Elderly_Patience_
%20and_%20Respect.html

http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndG
uidance/DH_4005819