As an entry-level nurse, tell me how you will handle situations where more experienced nurses on your team may not be very welcoming or helpful to you.
On nursing teams, it is not uncommon for entry-level nurses to feel unwelcome and to feel the more senior nurses are not helpful to them. This is something administrators are well aware of; unfortunately, it is a complicated situation. Entry-level nurses must be aware of the dynamics they may face with more senior nurses. The interviewer asks this question to get an idea of how aware the candidate is of such dynamics and how they will respond. To effectively answer this question, you should indicate that you are aware of these dynamics. Rather than telling the interviewer you would attempt to change the dynamic, you should say you would not get caught up in interpersonal conflicts and instead wait until you are welcomed by the other members of the team. A more successful answer to this question would include a specific example of how you handled a similar situation in your career where you were not initially welcomed.
"This would be a tough situation, but I know it often happens in the nursing field. While I was in school for my RN, I heard many stories from fellow students who were already working as LPNs and had previously been in similar situations when they first started working in the nursing field. Because I was made aware of these circumstances early on while I was in nursing school, I have been preparing myself for quite some time. I hope I will luck out and join a very welcoming and helpful team. If not, I will not take it personally and will take it all in stride. The challenges I face in this circumstance will make me a stronger nurse, and I will remember that, even on the toughest days."
"Since my cousin is an administrator, she has warned me about the environments entry-level nurses often find themselves in, so I know what I may be facing. However, I have faced similar situations as an accountant in my first job in shared services. I was not in an entry-level position, but instead a manager; however, I felt singled out every day as all the other managers on staff were unwelcoming, unhelpful, and seemed unhappy that I was there. I'm not going to lie, the situation was uncomfortable at first, but I had a job to do, and that was most important. Instead of getting caught up in unnecessary dramatics, I waited it out and eventually was welcomed in. I imagine it will be a similar situation as an entry-level nurse, and I plan on taking a similar approach."
"The unit where I worked as a student nurse extern was welcoming to both students and new graduate nurses. I hope to find myself in a unit like that. However, if some of the nurses on my unit aren't welcoming to me, I'll be able to deal with it. In any new job, one way to get others to warm up to you is to be helpful. I will work hard to take care of my patients and make myself available to my coworkers to help with patient turning, assisting with bedside procedures, and anything else I can. It can be uncomfortable to be the 'new kid' in any job, but I get along easily with most people, and showing that you want to be useful to your coworkers usually goes a long way."
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
I will try not to take it personally because you never know what someone else is going through or dealing with. I will communicate with the nurse about why they may feel a certain way and try to figure out a way we can work together better as a team in order to provide the most quality patient care possible.
Marcie's Feedback
It's great that you begin your answer by saying that you'll strive not to take it personally. Being able to work with difficult colleagues is something that you'll inevitably need to do as a nurse, and the interviewer will be happy to hear that you have thick skin and can let things roll off your back. However, it sounds like you'll also look to confront the situation so that it doesn't fester or get worse. Nice! You might also emphasize that when you discuss the issue with them you'll focus on being a good listener and understanding their perspective but that you'll also be assertive and set boundaries if necessary.
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