How to Screen Registered Nurse CVs

Screen registered nurse CVs against the role: required registration and specialism, red flags to check, and nursing interview questions.

Nursing CVs must clear non-negotiables first — current registration, right-to-practise, and the specialism the role needs. After that, screen for setting fit (acute, community, theatre) and evidence of safe, patient-centred practice.

What to look for:

Current, valid registration with the relevant body.

Specialism and setting matching the role (e.g. ICU, paediatrics).

Evidence of revalidation and continuing professional development.

Safeguarding and clinical-governance awareness.

Red flags to probe:

Registration status unclear or lapsed.

Unexplained gaps in clinical practice.

Setting mismatch with no transferable evidence.

Clinical practice

Describe a time you escalated a deteriorating patient. What did you do?

How do you prioritise care during a short-staffed shift?

Governance

Tell me about a safeguarding concern you raised.

How do you keep your practice current between revalidations?

What must I verify on a nursing CV first?
Current registration and right-to-practise are non-negotiable — confirm them before assessing specialism and setting fit.

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