Would people say that you are compassionate?
"As a clinical nurse specialist, I show compassion to my patients but also their family members. I want everyone to know they are good care with me, and when my compassion overflows to the family, everyone feels more at ease."
"Yes, my patients and colleagues have often commented on my level of compassion. It is easy to become hardened after many years working in the medical field; however, I choose to smile during the day, encourage my patients with kind words, and remark when I notice a big improvement in their mobility or health."
Do you encourage others, show kindness and respect to others? Then you are a compassionate person! One of the best qualities to have as a CNS is to be kind and caring. It's important to let the interviewer know that your compassion isn't turned on and off like a switch. Your kindness spills into your daily routine and to those around you. Show the interviewer that you are a genuine and caring person in your personal life as well as at work by sharing a quick, and applicable, story.
"A family member of mine was struggling with addiction. I spent a lot of time hearing their story, their fears, and how they got into this situation, to begin with. I feel like they confided in me because they were ready to take that step to help themselves. I was able to reach out and help them find a recovery program. I visited as often as I was allowed, encouraged them to continue the fight, and shared their enthusiasm."
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
Yes, my patients and colleagues have often commented on my level of compassion. It is easy to become hardened after long service in the medical field; however, I choose to smile during the day and care for my patients with kind words. As a result, I have noticed a remarkable change in their health.
Rachelle's Feedback
It's a great idea to include a patient story at the end! If you'd like to return to this question with your story example, I can provide more feedback :)
"Yes, my patients and colleagues have often commented on my level of compassion. It is easy to become hardened after serving in the medical field for an extended time. However, I choose to smile during the day and offer my patients kind words. I have noticed a remarkable change in their health and their impression of our services through these actions. One example of my compassionate nature was when...(give a brief story-based example using STAR)."
