"In my most recent position, we had a consistent problem with employees arriving late for their shifts or calling in sick at the very last moment. Rather than the typical documenting and reprimanding style that management usually takes, I decided to track the results of an accountability reward system. For 180 days, I rewarded my employees for coming to work 10 minutes early. Also, I added a bonus for every month with zero sick days. Ultimately, we awarded those with perfect attendance a 600 bonus. The bonus' cost us less money, in the end, than the cost of lowered productivity due to absent employees. The program was successful, and upper management chose to keep it implemented for another six months. We will re-assess in December, but it seems to be working very well."

"I worked in a clinic where the primary population was low income. We had a lot of concerns with patients not showing up for appointments when expected. The staff wanted to start double-booking patient time slots. Instead, I got permission to spend a day in a highly-rated clinic serving the same population. Instead of scheduling, they had these 'drop-in mornings' with a common waiting room. I took these methods and incorporated them into our setting. We did that twice weekly, and it completely solved our scheduling problem."

Healthcare professionals who possess critical thinking and problem-solving skills are essential to the healthcare industry. The interviewer wants to hear an example of solving a workplace problem to determine if you have strong problem-solving skills. Focus on giving a good workplace example that highlights your skills.