In the healthcare services industry there are many emotions in a day. Have your emotions ever been in the way of your productivity?

How to Answer
1st Answer Example
2nd Answer Example
Community Answers

The interviewer wants to know if you consider yourself to be an emotionally driven person. Talk to the interviewer about your emotions and if they have ever affected your productivity at work.

Keep in mind - almost everyone is an emotional creature to some degree, but there are other ways that you can describe yourself that have a more positive connotation. If you are passionate, you could choose to refer to yourself as:

- Expressive
- Communicative
- Open
- Unreserved

"Everyone is emotional to a certain degree, and I would consider myself kind-hearted and open. A career in healthcare can be emotional at times; however, I choose to focus on the positives. For instance, - if we are close to losing a patient, I will focus on positive memories rather than the illness. This mindset has consistently allowed me to continue with a productive shift, no matter the emotions that come my way. "

"This is a great question. I think the right answer is, 'of course, but not for long'! We've all had those severe cases. A child dies, or you have to give someone a cancer diagnosis. It's professional to take a few minutes after an encounter like that and let those emotions come and go. I cope with these emotions by telling myself that it's not my story, its the patient's story. I think it's okay to be moved by someone else's experience, but I don't need to make it mine."

Anonymous Answer

"I would say there have been times when emotions have been high while I have been in the clinical setting, but it has never gotten in the way of my productivity. I'm an empathetic person, so I do feel for my patients and I think it is OK if something is emotionally challenging for me, as long as I can continue to work and provide my best care."

Nazish's Feedback

You're off to a great start! Starting off with a strong "No," to this question, then going on to explain, would be very powerful. Your explanation is great, but you are essentially saying that your emotions have not gotten in the way of productivity, which is what they want to hear, so it'll go a long way to just say "No."

Thank you!

"No, my emotions have not gotten in the way of my productivity. When working in a clinical setting, it's expected that emotions can stir up, due to the personal nature of work and the connections we make with our patients. More so, I am an empathetic person, which causes me to connect even deeper with the patients I come across. Some days, I am more affected than others, but have never let that affect the quality of my work. I find a healthy balance between feeling the emotions that come with this job yet still doing my job effectively."