Care Assistant interview

[bibbidybob]

I have an interview this week for a job as a care assistant in a local residential home. I have been a sahm for 15 years and have never worked in care work or with the elderly.

Anyone have any idea what they might ask?

I wouldn't imagine lack of experience will be a barrier, as most care homes are desperate for staff. I don't know what questions they will ask, but I hope the most important thing they will want to establish is that you have the right attitude for the job.

You will be required to do personal care for some residents (changing pads, wiping bottoms, washing, cleaning dentures etc., and you need to be able to assist residents while helping them to retain their dignity in what can, for obvious reasons, be very undignified and distressing circumstances for them.

You need to demonstrate empathy, and awareness that each elderly person is still an individual who has lived a full life, the same as you and me, and doesn't need to be spoken down to. You will have the ability to remain patient and attentive in sometimes trying circumstances and treat the residents as you would want your own grandparents to be treated.

If you can hold on to all those standards whilst carrying out what can be a very taxing job, I think you will make a lovely carer, and get a lot of satisfaction from the job. Good luck, op!

Everything above poster said

They will ask some questions about personal care to check that you're aware of what the job involves. As a sahm you should have experience dealing with bodily fluids you can talk about!

You might be asked questions along the lines of what you'd do if you were asked to use a piece of equipment (eg hoist) that you're not trained on. The correct answer is to be safe and not do it. Any answer of "wing it and hope for the best" is very wrong.

Thank you for that info. I've got 4 dc and I'm patient and caring.
What do you call the residents collectively...clients or residents etc? It's a fairly small private residential rest home.

Residents, usually. Good luck!

They might also ask about duty of candour - your responsibility to do the right thing, and be honest when things go wrong. So this might be a question about how you've pushed a resident out of bed accidentally whilst trying to change them. The resident has severe dementia and so can't tell anyone, and nobody else was around to see. What do you do?

Terminology is usually residents for a care home setting, or client for a home carer. But as long as you're respectful then at an interview it won't matter - you'll have an induction if you're successful where they'll go over any specific terminology.

That was just a sample scenario to show what the question might be. Obviously you wouldn't be changing a patient alone and without using bed sides etc if necessary so it wouldn't happen, but they want to know that you can be trusted to do the right thing and report anyway.

They might ask you what you would do if you witnessed a member of staff abusing, being rude or rough with a resident. What would you do if a resident refused any help. What would you do if you were asked to do something you weren't trained to do. What would you do if you found a resident looking unwell or not responsive. Ask them about training before and after you've started, will you have a mentor, will you be supernumary for a day or two when you first start. Have you looked them up on the cqc website. Good luck with your interview, everything crossed.

When I did a similar interview for NHS I got asked what I would do if I saw an exchange of money between a patient and nurse . I remember saying I’d ask the nurse as could be to place in ward safe - and if I wasn’t sure I’d just refer to nurse in charge .

Also asked to prioritise tasks - eg A needs toilet , B needs pain killers , C’s relative wants an update and D is asking for a glass of water . Had to justify why that order - and if I could see circumstances where that order might need changed or what I could do to prevent C waiting ages etc .

Also asked how I would deal with anger and criticism on all parts - how to be diplomatic with relatives , friends if needed and how to respond to a complaint properly . Thankfully most of the time when you’re low down it’s just ‘refer to manager’ !!

This is all fab thank you. I have looked them up and read through the report from last year. All good.

All these ideas make me panic slightly, but I know I can do this. I had looked into training to be a nurse about 10 years ago, but it would have been impossible with the dc and dh working erratic hours. They've already told me the shift I need to do and it works well for our family.

Maybe if you have any experience of relatives with dementia or similar you could mention that . I remember wittering in about my poor great gran who was given bloody awful care, and what I’d learnt from that .

Read up on the 5 key areas that the Care Quality Commission (CQC) ask. The CQC assess care homes to see if they are fit to provide care.
www.cqc.org.uk/sites/default/files/20180628%20Healthcare%20services%20KLOEs%20prompts%20and%20characteristics%20showing%20changes%20FINAL.pdf
Good luck!

Have you got any qualifications such as GCSEs?

I once got a job with no experience in a local residential home on the basis of my cv which showed my GCSE's, I also dressed smartly & showed lots of interest in the job.

Most homes should offer qualifications you can do on the job such as the Care Certificate so it may be worth showing an interest in that.

You could also go on the skills for care website as it has lots of information. Specifically the care certificate like tierra said. You can have a read through the workbooks to give you some guidance.

Yep got GCSEs, A levels and a degree, but don't seem to be able retain information when I read through stuff today...that's what's making panic.
The CQC report did mention they do the Care Certificate, so I'll have a read through some of that info tomorrow when the dc are at school.

Some carehomes offer a CHAPS course which I think is a nvq level 4, are you interested in advancing your career in care and health when you've got some experience behind you.

Expect the standard "why do you want to work here?" question. Talk about both why you want to be a carer and why this company/care home (e.g. do they have a mission statement about the way they put patients first) it's fine to mention practical stuff like easy commute and fits in with childcare but you should also show a desire to do the job (sounds like you have that from your posts on here so you'll be fine)

Also might be worth preparing for an open "tell me about yourself" question as this one often throws people and they end mumbling something about their hobbies. Consider a chronological answer that tells briefly your story to this point, or do a 'three strengths' type answer that shows how you would be suitable. "I'm friendly and warm when talking to people, patient when difficulties arise and willing to learn" type thing

There are bound to be questions on safeguarding as PP have said. You could look on glass door for any questions that company (or similar ones) has asked before

Good luck!

Confidentiality, would you disclose information to your neighbour about a resident for example?

Safeguarding, different types of abuse, physical, emotional, sexual, financial etc and what you would do if you suspected something or found bruises on a resident.

Flexibility to do shift work, including weekends and nights.

Willingness to undertake training eg nvq

Prevention of falls, importance of correct manual handling, potential issues with feeding, basic knowledge of medical issues such as stroke, dementia and how these can affect them.

Above all a willingness to learn, be part of a team, know when to escalate things to your team leader (abuse, Deteriorating health) and see the importance of treating residents as you would want your own parents / grandparents to be treated.

Be yourself (don't make to much of your degree etc) and I'm sure you'll be fine. Good luck!

Oh no I don't intend on mentioning my degree as it's totally irrelevant to care work. I'm getting myself into a bit of a state as I haven't had an interview in about 22 years!

I'm going to make a list of main points to remember now. Thank you all so much.

One more question....I only found out about this interview a couple of days ago. It's tomorrow. I'd ordered various pairs of black trousers as I have nothing suitable in my wardrobe.
2 pairs are a disaster - too big round waist and then narrow on the ankle. 1 pair look ok - not exactly flattering and I can't imagine I'd wear them again. The black jeans look the best - they are a deep black. Are black jeans a complete no no?

Just a few questions to prepare (they may not ask but may ask something similar):

-Firstly about your availability,
-What makes a good carer/why would you like to work as a carer?

• what revelant experience do you have?
• why do you want to work for that ?company (Not just as a carer in general)
• what skills do you have which would make you a good carer?

Good luck.
And don't worry. You have had lots of experience as a mother - caring for others, ensuring basic needs are met, observing wellbeing, providing comfort, entertainment, carrying out domestic tasks, organising, basic stock checks, time management and prioritising tasks. Lots of things!
I hope you do well. Also, be confident. You have a lot to give and they are in a position where they would most likely be very lucky to have you!!

How did it go?

It's been delayed 🙄 Waiting for an email to reschedule. I was all psyched up, but received an email on Monday afternoon apologising that the woman who would be doing the interview had had to go home and wouldn't be back for a few days.

Yesterday interview was rearranged for today and I'm currently panicking and can't seem to remember anything I've read/thought about. It's not until lunchtime....wish it was now to get it over. I haven't told dh or any of the dc as I didn't want them to talk about it and make me more nervous!