How would you respond if a patient or their family member yelled at you?
As a nurse, patients or family members may yell at you. Generally, it will not be because of something you did but because they are uninformed, scared, or in pain. While attending nursing school, you were taught to remain calm, actively listen to your patient, stand up for yourself while remaining professional (if being verbally abused), and put yourself in your patient's shoes. You were also taught that it is best to recognize the warning signs that a patient or family member is about to lose their cool and diffuse the situation before it gets to that point.
If you are yelled at, ask your patient to tell you what they need or how you can solve the problem. They will generally calm down when you show them you are paying attention and empathetic to their needs.
The interviewers would like to gain insight into your communication and problem-solving skills and see if you can handle this situation calmly and professionally. Describe how you would speak to a patient or family member if they yelled at you using the techniques mentioned or how you have been taught to respond in nursing school.
"If a patient or family member yelled at me, I would want to see why they were upset and resolve the issue. I would calmly ask them why they were yelling at me. Once I understand why they are yelling at me, I can decide how to address their concern and make them happy. If they were yelling at me because of a medical condition or mental health issue, I would address their concerns. In my short time as a nurse, I have found that people want to be heard and understood and have their concerns addressed. It's about remaining calm and professional while diffusing the situation and making the patient or family member happy."
"I realize that it is common for people to take their anger out on someone near them when they are afraid, frustrated, or in pain. If a patient or their family member yelled at me, I would calmly ask why they were yelling at me. Once I understand what is wrong, I can then work to resolve the issue. I have found that when I remain calm and professional, my attitude usually rubs off on the upset person, and they generally calm down pretty quickly."
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 would calmly ask them why they were yelling/becoming angry at me in a professional manner. I can then decide how to address their concern and resolve the situation. While being a student nurse, I have found that people want to be heard and understood and have their concerns addressed. It's about remaining calm and professional while diffusing the situation and making the patient or family member feel reassured. If they continued to be aggressive or angry, I would escalate this to my SCN or contact security as I need to preserve safety in the workplace and document everything after or datix the incident if needed.
Jaymie's Feedback
Perfect! This response demonstrates you can think critically when under pressure and not lose your cool.
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