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.

Important information

• There will be no requirement for you to attend the University at this time – your online interview will be conducted remotely using Microsoft Teams.
• If you haven’t already done so, you will need to download Microsoft Teams to your chosen device.
• You should be able to view the date of your interview, on UCAS Hub.

UCAS Hub

• 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 10am 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.
• We recommend using a PC or laptop for your online interview and please check your camera and microphone are working prior to the interview.
• The short, written task will be sent to you, by email, at 9am. You will have until 10am to complete the task and return it, by email, to the tutor who will be interviewing you. Please contact [email protected] if you do not receive your written task by 9am.
• You need to confirm that you will attend your interview via UCAS Hub.
• You should allow up to 45 minutes for your online interview.

Things to do before your online interview

It is essential that you have:

• downloaded Microsoft Teams on your chosen device, you should download it and familiarise yourself with it before the day of your online interview.
  • Download from the App Store here
  • Download from Google Play here.

• watched this short service user/carer story video clip called Allen’s story. You will be asked about this during your interview. 
• researched and read about the role of the Nurse and Social Worker
• thought about and can explain why you wish to enter a career in Nursing and Social Work
• professional awareness and commitment to a future career in Nursing and Social Work
• considered the amount of studying that will be involved in the programme
• read all the information on these preparation pages and made a note of the items you need to have with you and any questions that you want to ask during your online interview

You may find the following websites useful in helping you to prepare:

• Basic English skills
• NHS Careers website

Declaration of Suitability Form

Please complete this document here: declaration of Suitability for Social Work. You will be asked to submit this during your interview.

Your online interview

• Please click the link to your interview 5 minutes before the scheduled time of your online interview.
  
• 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 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 30 minutes and you will be asked a number of questions relating to yourself and your chosen career pathway.

Disclosure of Disability

At every interview all candidates (whether or not they have made a disclosure of disability on their application) will be asked if there is anything they would like to tell the interviewer about the potential impact on study or practice placement of any long-term health condition, impairment, mental health support requirement and/or SpLD (e.g. Dyslexia, Dyspraxia).

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 i.e. the NMC, HCPC or other.

Practice Learning: Travel

Travel arrangements to and from practice experiences/placements are the sole responsibility of the student. We aim to allocate practice experiences located and accessible within a reasonable timeframe which, under normal travel conditions, may require a journey of up to 2 hours each way.

What we are looking for

The programme you have applied for is regulated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and the Social Work England (SWE).

The NMC sets out clear standards of proficiency for those wishing to complete a programme leading to application to join the NMC Register of professionals.

In order to complete the programme and receive a recognised social work qualification and become eligible to apply for registration as a social worker, you must meet a range of SWE Professional Standards and professional capabilities (Professional Capabilities Framework (PCF), originally developed by the Social Work Reform Board, now managed and delivered by BASW)

• For further information visit the NMC website
• For further information visit the SWE website
• For further information visit the BASW website

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 demands 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
• display a commitment to becoming a competent professional
• communicate clearly in written and spoken Standard English (to be tested through interview and written task)

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.

Professional awareness and commitment to a future career in Nursing

It is essential that you have a good understanding of the knowledge, concept and skills of the subject area and the capacity to articulate your understanding.  If you have planned to gain experience after the interview you should let your interviewers know.

You should have some knowledge and understanding of the 6 C’s and their application to the nursing profession. These are:

1. Compassion
2. Competence
3. Communication
4. Courage
5. Commitment
6. Care

As you have applied for a programme of study which adheres closely to the six core NHS values you are strongly advised to read around the core values of:

• Respect and Dignity
• Compassion
• Commitment to quality of care
• Improving Lives
• Working Together for Patients
• Everyone Counts

The values enshrined within the NHS Constitution were 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 2.

In Addition, Leading Change, Adding Value is a national framework launched in 2016 for all nursing, midwifery and care staff in England, wherever you work and whatever role you might have. It contains 10 commitments for nurses and you are advised to read this document which can be found online.

Professional awareness and a commitment to a future career in Social Work

It is essential that you have a good understanding of the knowledge, concept and skills of the subject area and the capacity to articulate your understanding.  If you have planned to gain experience after the interview you should let your interviewers know.

These qualities are based around the British Association of Social Workers Professional Capabilities Framework, which sets out a number of areas that social work professionals need, to evidence proficiency in different levels throughout their careers – including at the point of entry to a programme of social work education.  There are 9 areas or ‘domains’:

• professionalism
• values and ethics
• diversity
• rights
• justice and economic wellbeing
• knowledge
• critical reflection and analysis
• interventions and skills
• contexts and organisations
• leadership.

Information about this can be found online.

Academic awareness

Success on this course depends on you being able to commit to academic and professional demands and for this reason you should be able to demonstrate clearly an understanding of the academic rigours of this course and how you will ensure assessment deadlines are met.

Interviewers will expect candidates to have a basic understanding of the theoretical experience that will be gained during this programme and how that might enable your practice experience to develop.

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.

English

The ability to communicate clearly in spoken Standard English and the ability to write and understand written English. This will be tested on the day through the interview and written task.