A care worker situational judgement test presents realistic visits to clients and asks candidates to rank possible actions from most to least appropriate. This guide explains what the Viewpoint Residential & Home Care SJT measures, how its linked format works, a generic example, the research behind it, and how care providers can use the results.

Why empathy matters in care

Care workers often spend time alone with older or vulnerable clients in their own homes or in residential settings. Clients who trust their carer are more likely to say when something is wrong, accept help and feel respected. Building that trust depends on communication and empathy as much as on practical skill.

The Viewpoint Residential & Home Care SJT was developed from published research on empathy and rapport [1]. It measures:

• Communication skills

• Empathic sensitivity

• Desire to understand

• Empathic judgement

How the format works

Candidates work through 16 linked steps across visits to 4 elderly clients, ranking 4 possible actions at each step. Because the steps are linked, each visit develops as it would in real life. Three reports come as standard, including an Interview Report.

A worked example

The following is a generic illustration written for this article, not an item from the Viewpoint test.

You arrive for a morning visit. The client, who usually chats happily, is quiet and says she doesn't want breakfast today. Four possible actions are:

• A. Make breakfast anyway and encourage her to eat.

• B. Sit with her, say you've noticed she seems quieter than usual, and gently ask how she's feeling.

• C. Note it in the care record and move on to the next task.

• D. Tell her she needs to eat to keep her strength up.

Most experienced carers would rank B first: it notices the change, shows respect and invites her to talk. C is sensible and should happen, but on its own it misses the chance to understand what is going on. A and D both put the task before the person, and D in particular may feel like a telling-off, so it would usually be ranked last.

What research says

Norfolk, Birdi and Walsh set out a model in which empathy builds rapport through understanding a person's perspective and communicating that understanding [1]. The Residential & Home Care SJT applies that model to care settings. More broadly, meta-analysis shows that SJTs predict job performance, especially when they are designed around clearly defined interpersonal skills [2].

Using a care worker SJT well

For care providers, use the SJT early in recruitment to give consistent evidence about interpersonal judgement, including for applicants with no previous care experience. Interpret results in bands from Very Low to Very High and use the Interview Report questions to explore them. Combine the SJT with interviews, references and the checks required for care roles.

For candidates, think about what would help each client feel heard, safe and respected. Read all four actions before ranking, because the order of all of them matters.

See the Residential & Home Care SJT page, our guide to the Nurse SJT, or all our situational judgement tests.

Frequently asked questions

How long does the care SJT take?

It is untimed. There are 16 linked steps across visits to 4 clients.

Do I need care experience?

No. It measures empathy and interpersonal judgement, not care qualifications.

How do I answer?

At each step you rank 4 actions from most to least appropriate.

Is it suitable for residential and home care?

Yes. It is designed for both settings.

References

1. Norfolk, T., Birdi, K. & Walsh, D. (2007). The role of empathy in establishing rapport in the consultation: a new model. Medical Education, 41(7), 690–697.
2. Christian, M. S., Edwards, B. D. & Bradley, J. C. (2010). Situational judgment tests: constructs assessed and a meta-analysis of their criterion-related validities. Personnel Psychology, 63(1), 83–117.