Addiction Nurse Mock Interview
Excel in 40 Addiction Nurse interview questions covering trauma-informed care, relapse prevention, and crisis intervention.
Question 12 of 40
If, during shift change, the nurse you are replacing told you to expect the narcotics count to be off because it was off when she began her shift, how would you handle the situation?
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Heather Douglass has over 20 years of experience as a Career Coach, Recruiter, and HR Specialist. Much of her experience is as a Technical Recruiter in the healthcare industry.
State and federal guidelines mandate accurate record keeping of medications. No matter where you work as a nurse, part of the daily routine includes narcotics counts at the beginning and ending of each shift. The interviewer wants to know that you understand the importance of accurate record keeping and that you will handle any discrepancies within the legal guidelines.
Heather Douglass has over 20 years of experience as a Career Coach, Recruiter, and HR Specialist. Much of her experience is as a Technical Recruiter in the healthcare industry.
"If I were taking over a shift and the nurse who worked before me told me about a discrepancy between the narcotics count book and the actual medications on hand, I would first ask her if we can do another count to verify the discrepancy. If the count does reflect that medications are missing, I would immediately report this to my supervisor. This is not about getting someone into trouble, but about being accountable for the safety and well being of my patients, myself, and the other staff. Medication errors are sometimes made, but it is my responsibility to make sure I notify the appropriate people (my supervisor) to determine where the error occurred and to make sure it doesn't happen again."
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.
"Any time the count of medications does not match the record book, I would report the incident to my supervisor. While errors do occur, unfortunately, there could be other reasons for inaccurate counts. It is my responsibility to notify a supervisor. This puts the situation in the hands of someone with authority and protects me from any liability related to missing medications."
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.
"As a medical professional, I'm trusted with confidential information each day. I handle and respect the information and provide details to providers on a need to know the basis for further treatment."
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Anonymous Answer
I would ask the nurse if it reported to the pharmacy and supervisor. I would also contact them to have the situation corrected immediately.
Rachelle's Feedback
Your answer shows that you are very thorough in your approach. Excellent response.
Anonymous Answer
I would first ask the nurse for us to do a recount to verify if there is any discrepancy with the narcotic count. If there is a discrepancy, I would immediately report it to my supervisor and assist in rectifying the situation.
Amanda's Feedback
Well done! Confirming the count is the right first step. Following through to report the issue also demonstrates to the interviewer that you're honest and work with integrity, which are characteristics valued by virtually all employers.
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