How would you handle a member of the care team who clearly wasn't pulling their weight on the team?

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In your dental residency, you will work with a diverse team of individuals as part of the larger care team. This could include faculty dentists, fellow residents, receptionists, dental assistants, and hygienists. Because the dentist is responsible for the overall care of the patient, your interviewers will expect you to be willing and ready to take charge and be responsible for the patient care work of all staff who come in contact with your patients.

Consider what is best for the patient in the end. If the team member's lack of care puts a patient at risk, talk about how you would have an immediate conversation with the employee. If the person was having an off day, talk about how your ability to build a good rapport with your entire care team would enable you to have a professional, caring, and frank conversation with any member of your care team in this situation.

"I pride myself on my ability to build respect and trust with all staff that I work with. This includes everyone on the team, from the receptionists to the hygienists. This trust and respect enable me to have a clear and respectful conversation with any staff member that isn't pulling their weight. I would end my conversation on a positive note by telling them that I believe in them. If the situation put the health of a patient at risk, I wouldn't hesitate to escalate it to the manager or supervisor of that staff member."

Anonymous Answer

"I would go and talk clearly with that team member and address my observations about their reactions because our main focus is the patient's health and well-being. However, if the team member has a day off, me and my team will take full responsibility for our patients but a mentor or supervisor must be informed about the incident."

Jaymie's Feedback

Approaching the person directly and having an honest conversation is a good strategy! Be sure to mention remaining objective and factual and providing the person with examples versus telling them how you feel they are performing. Communication and interpersonal skills are gauged in this question, and small details such as these are impactful.