Practice 50 Mayo Clinic RN interview questions covering patient-centered care, teamwork, and clinical excellence.
Question 18 of 50
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Jaymie Payne is passionate about talent acquistion and has nine years of experience in corporate and healthcare recruitment.
"As a new grad, I realize I may encounter a situation where I'm asked to perform a task I don't know how to do. I would first be honest that I don't have the experience or training to complete the task, but I would be willing to learn! I would ask if there was a colleague or supervisor to assist me. If it was an admin task, I would see if I could self-help and research how-to online through an article or video. I would never attempt something I didn't feel comfortable with my abilities to do so, especially if it could endanger a patient."

Jaymie Payne is passionate about talent acquistion and has nine years of experience in corporate and healthcare recruitment.
"Occasionally, there may be an admin task I'm unsure how to complete because of new technology or a change in the process. In these cases, I would approach the trainer or a peer I knew to be strong in this area and ask if I could shadow them or if they could take a minute to talk me through the step. I'm a quick learner, so once I'm shown something once, I usually catch on quickly and won't need additional support. If someone asked me to provide a treatment I didn't know how to do, I would never guess at it or "wing it" because that could cause serious harm to a patient. I would be honest and ask for assistance or additional training."

Jaymie Payne is passionate about talent acquistion and has nine years of experience in corporate and healthcare recruitment.
This question is less about your actual skill set and more about your attitude and approach when faced with a situation like this. In your answer, demonstrate a positive attitude and willingness to learn, your ability to self-help, acknowledge and speak up when you need help or are uncertain about something, and your ability to problem-solve or seek guidance from another team member. It's also beneficial to reiterate that you would never attempt something you weren't trained to do that could jeopardize the safety of a patient.

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