Has there ever been a time that you had a disagreement with a coworker, and if so, how was it resolved?
"I am usually a very soft-spoken person and strive to be the 'peacekeeper.' I can't recall any specific incident of a disagreement."
"I think the most common disagreement between myself and others have involved our personal feelings about how healthcare should be carried out. However, I have learned, as have most of the people that I have worked with, that while our opinions are important, plans of care are designated by strict guidelines and with the input of everyone on the care team as well as the patient. Learning to respect those guidelines and patient wishes usually resolve issues that arise."
Any time you work with someone else, there is a chance of having a disagreement about something at one time or another. The interviewer knows this. It's human nature for people to have their own opinions. What is important to the interviewer in this question is whether or not you are willing to compromise and work through difficult situations with your co-workers. Being unwilling to compromise or find alternative solutions to a dispute can affect everyone on the team, even if it is indirectly. Sharing a personal experience is OK, but do not embellish it to 'be the hero.'
"I believe if we think about it, each of us could remember at least one disagreement with a friend or co-worker. Although I consider myself to be pretty easy-going, I am also very passionate about my patients and the care that they receive. I have been aware of disagreements between other co-workers, but really like to think of myself as more of a peacekeeper. I feel like professional people should be able to discuss things logically and come to an agreement that is satisfactory for everyone involved."
Community answers are written by other candidates practicing this set. Reading how others frame the same question is one of the fastest ways to sharpen your own.
Anonymous Answer
Once we were looking for a co-worker who happened to be Med RA that night, and I found him hiding in a darkened office that had no cameras in it. I just confronted him about it and asked him to please make himself more available when not doing medication-related tasks because we needed his help at the main desk when it wasn't med time.
Kristine's Feedback
Great start. It's possible the interviewer will not know what Med RA means, so go ahead and define it. The word "confronted" may have a bit of a hostile or aggressive undertone, so you may want to choose different wording. Since you're telling a story here, use the STAR response method, and elaborate on the result. How did your co-worker respond? Did you repeat the same behavior in the future?
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