In the healthcare profession, many days will be emotionally draining. Have your emotions ever interfered with your ability to perform your job?

Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
Focus Your Answer On
1st Answer Example
2nd Answer Example

Talk to the interviewer about your emotions and if they have ever affected your productivity at work. The interviewer wants to know if you consider yourself to be an emotionally driven person. Remember that almost everyone is an emotional creature to some degree, and the interviewer understands this. It is okay to have feelings and compassion, but the interviewer wants to know that you do not let your emotions interfere with your work.

Focus on describing how you keep your composure while dealing with an emotionally charged situation. As a healthcare professional, you must keep your emotions in check even when you feel like breaking down.

"Everyone is emotional to a certain degree, and I consider myself an emotional person. A healthcare career can sometimes be emotional; however, I 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. Never in my career have I let my feelings interfere with my work."

"This is a great question. I consider myself a compassionate and emotional person, but I have never let my emotions interfere with my ability to perform my job. We've all had those severe cases. A child dies, or you have to give someone a cancer diagnosis. I think it is 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; it's 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."