Essential preparation for your online interview: MNSW Nursing and Social Work
This page gives you all the information you need for preparation for your online interview for MNSW Nursing and Social Work. It is essential that you read all of the sections carefully. If you think you may be entitled to a reasonable adjustment to be able to perform at your best during your interview please let us know in advance by contacting [email protected].
Welcome
Congratulations on being offered an interview. You’re one step closer to expanding your opportunities at Edge Hill University. Our selection process is designed to identify students who have the necessary competencies that align with the regulatory bodies for this course – Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and Social Work England (SWE). We’ve brought together a dedicated webpage so you can understand what to expect as part of your interview process. Please read all the sections carefully. We know that you may feel nervous about your interview, but it’s not designed to trip you up, we’re looking for you to demonstrate and tell us more about the attributes and skills you’ve outlined in your personal statement
“After reading through my interview guidance I felt better prepared and on the day the staff were really good at putting my nerves at ease.”
Laurey (MNSW Children’s Nursing and Social Work student)
Important information – preparation
- Your interview will be conducted remotely using the Microsoft Teams App. If you do not already have Microsoft Teams, you can download this online. Download from the App Store here or Download from Google Play here.
- Please familiarise yourself with Microsoft Teams before your online interview. There are useful guides on YouTube to assist you.
- You’ll need to confirm that you’ll attend your interview via UCAS Hub, where you’ll be able to see the date of your interview.
- On UCAS Hub you will see that your default interview start time is 9am. You will be required to prepare and submit a short written task by 9.30am on the day of your interview. Please keep the rest of this day clear until you receive your specific interview time slot.
- Your specific interview time slot and your individual link to join your online interview will be sent via email shortly before the day of your interview. Please contact [email protected] if you do not receive your time slot and link.
- Th short written task will be sent to you at 9am on the day of your interview via the email address that you applied directly to Edge Hill University with. You will need to complete and return the task before 9.30am. You will receive receipt of your task on submission.
- Please contact [email protected] if you do not receive your written task by 9am.
- We recommend using a PC or laptop for your online interview and please check your camera and microphone are working prior to the interview.
- You will need your original photographic ID (i.e. current valid passport or photo-card driving licence). If you do not have suitable ID on the day, you may not be able to take part in the online interview and will have to have your online interview rescheduled for an alternative date. If you have any questions about your ID please contact our Admissions Team via email to [email protected] before your online interview.
Course specific preparation
Before you access your online interview it is important that you have:
- Watched this short service user/carer story video clip called Lily’s story. You’ll be asked about this during your interview. Failure to watch this video will prevent your interview taking place.
- Considered the NHS Professionals 6 C’s in relation to our pre interview video ‘Lily’s story’.
- Researched and read about the role of the Nurse and Social Worker
- As a nursing student you’ll need to comply with the NMC code of conduct, we recommend reviewing this in preparation.
- As a Social Work student you must meet a range of Social Work England Professional Standards and professional capabilities (Professional Capabilities Framework (PCF), originally developed by the Social Work Reform Board, now managed and delivered by BASW).
- Researched NHS England’s Leading Change, Adding Value It contains 10 commitments which you are advised to read.
- Researched and read the values enshrined within the NHS Constitution which was developed by patients, public and staff to inspire passion in the NHS and guide it into the 21st century. The NHS values provide common ground for cooperation to achieve shared aspirations and can be found in section two of the document.
It’s also essential that you have thought about and can clearly explain the following before your interview.
- Why you wish to enter a career in Nursing and Social Work?
- How can you demonstrate professional awareness and commitment to a future career in Nursing and Social Work?
- You have considered the academic and professional challenges of the course and have a basic understanding of the theoretical experience gained during the course and how that will enable practical experience.
- You’ve read all the information on these preparation pages and made a note of any questions that you want to ask at the end of your online interview.
On the day of your online interview
- You should allow up to 45 minutes for your online interview.
- You will be given your written task at 9am. You’ll have until 9.30am to complete the task. Failure to complete and return the written task at 9.30am on the day of interview will prevent your interview taking place. If you do not receive the written task at 9am please check your junk folder. Please contact [email protected] if you do not receive your written task by 9am.
- Please aim to log onto your device approximately 15 minutes before the scheduled time of your online interview and be ready to join the meeting by clicking the ‘join now’ button approximately 5 minutes before.
- Whilst your online interview is taking place, please ensure that you have no one else present in the room with you – this will allow you to focus fully on the online interview without distraction.
- You will be interviewed by a small panel, which is likely to include a member of academic staff alongside representatives from outside the University such as carers, service-users, practitioners and employers. Your interview will take around 45 minutes and you will be asked a number of questions relating to yourself and your chosen career pathway.
- You will be asked to confirm that you have watched the relevant service user video.
- Do remember that an interview is a two way process and that you should treat the interview as an opportunity to ask tutors questions. It is important that you make the right choice of programme. Your undergraduate programme will be intensive and challenging, but ultimately enjoyable and rewarding.
What to have with you on the day
Top tip from the selection panel
“We recommend that you create a distraction free environment and we find that candidates who are dressed in professional attire are in a better headspace for their online interview” – Tracey Barnes (Recruitment and Selection lead)
What we’re looking for
You will be interviewed to see whether you:
- possess the personal, intellectual and presentational qualities suitable to become a Nurse/Social Worker
- hold values that are aligned to the NHS constitution
- have the ability to accomplish the academic and professional requirements of the programme
- display an understanding of the challenges of studying at university
- meet the standards required for entry to the programme applied for
- display a commitment to developing subject knowledge, skills and understanding through self directed learning.
- display a commitment to becoming a competent safe and compassionate professional
- communicate clearly in written and spoken Standard English (to be tested through interview and written task)
Our selection criteria
Throughout your interview you will be expected to have a focus on integrated Nursing and Social Work practice. You can expect that the interview will assess all of the following areas:
- Intellectual ability and personal and presentational qualities
- Demonstration that you have an enthusiasm for Nursing and Social Work and would be likely to adopt a positive approach to work.
Particular qualities we will be looking for include:
- confidence
- clear speech
- positive demeanour
- the capacity to be an effective member of a team
- good communication skills
- enthusiasm
- an ability to get on with people
- a caring and compassionate attitude
- a genuine liking for and understanding of caring for sick patients
- an ability to analyse questions and issues
- an ability to give clear, thoughtful answers to questions.
1. Professional awareness and a commitment to a future career in:
2. Academic awareness
Success on this course depends on you being able to commit to the academic and professional challenges required and for this reason you should be able to clearly demonstrate an understanding of the academic challenges of this course and how you will, for example, ensure that competing priorities are managed effectively.
3. Professional Record Standards Body (PRSB)
There is a requirement for all successful applicants to provide evidence that those who are entering into their chosen profession meet the appropriate PRSB requirements for safe and effective practice. Therefore, all successful applicants will be asked to declare that they are of ‘good health and good character’. This will be obtained via completion of relevant DBS checks and satisfactory Occupational Health clearance to the programme induction period.
4. Practice Learning Travel
Travel arrangements to and from practice experiences/placements are the sole responsibility of the student. We aim to allocate practice experiences/placements located and accessible within a reasonable timeframe which, under normal travel conditions, may require a journey of up to 2 hours each way from your base of study.
5. Disclosure of previous study on a professional programme or registration with a professional regulatory body
At every interview all candidates will be asked whether they have previously commenced study on a health or social care professional programme or been subject to withdrawal from that programme for any reason. And if they have previously been registered with a health and social care regulatory body such as the NMC, HCPC or other.