How to Answer: Have you ever had an aggressive patient attack you at work? If so, how did you handle the situation?
Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Mayo Clinic job interview.
2. Have you ever had an aggressive patient attack you at work? If so, how did you handle the situation?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
Working in behavioral health, you may encounter patients who become aggressive. The interviewer wants to hear if you were ever attacked at work and, if so, how you handled the situation. They want to understand how you deal with conflict and use your communication skills to diffuse the situation. Of course, you want to follow company protocols while doing so.
Written by Krista Wenz on June 13th, 2022
Focus Your Answer On
If you have encountered a situation with an aggressive patient, describe what happened and how you successfully handled the patient while protecting yourself and others. If a patient has not attacked you, focus on explaining what you would do based on your training and experience. The main goal is to show that you can remain calm and professional when encountering an aggressive situation.
Written by Krista Wenz on June 13th, 2022
Answer Example
"Yes, I had an aggressive patient attack me from behind when I entered her room to check on her. I was working in a locked psychiatric facility with many aggressive patients. Our protocol was to protect ourselves while keeping the patient from being harmed. We had a call button we pushed to alert staff that there was a situation. I was able to restrain the patient's hands until help arrived, so she did not hurt either one of us. After that incident, the protocols changed, and we only entered a patient's room with two or more staff members present."
Written by Krista Wenz on June 13th, 2022
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