The Ottawa Hospital Mock Interview
Practice 30 The Ottawa Hospital interview questions covering clinical excellence, patient-centered care, and bilingual communication.
Question 3 of 30
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
Example Answer
Example Answer 2
Community Answers
Rachelle Enns is an interview coach and job search expert. She works with candidates to perform their best in employment, medical, and post-secondary admission interviews.
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
Rachelle Enns is an interview coach and job search expert. She works with candidates to perform their best in employment, medical, and post-secondary admission interviews.
"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. "
Rachelle Enns is an interview coach and job search expert. She works with candidates to perform their best in employment, medical, and post-secondary admission interviews.
"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."
Interview Coach
Jaymie
A real coach, not AI. I read every answer myself and write back with personalized feedback.
Typically responds within 24 hours.
0 - Character Count
Anonymous Answer
I would say yes, it had occurred to me when I first started working in this field, because every day we encounter the same or different clients with different stories/situations, sometimes those situations might have driven my emotions up or down. I'd like to focus on the positive aspects of people/things and always remind myself of my responsibilities. For example, when my client exhibited SIB to a point where it was uncontrollable, after the incident I would likely take a break, think about the good memories/interactions I had with this client, and remind myself that this is why I am here, I am here to help my client. This way I can stay professional.
Cindy's Feedback
Good! Acknowledging that emotions are a real factor in your work is important, but talking about coping strategies is just as important. You've done both in this answer, so nice work!
Unlock All 30 The Ottawa Hospital Questions
Prepare for Canada's leading academic health science center interview expectations.
Get StartedJump to Question