Have you ever dealt with an aggressive or combative patient? How did you respond?
Unfortunately, it's likely that you have or will encounter an aggressive or combative patient in your career, and this can present a challenge to providing care or treatment. In your response, demonstrate that you do not take it personally and you understand that aggressive or combative behaviour likely stems from a medical or mental health issue or a combination of them both. The interviewer wants to know that, when faced with this type of situation, you will be able to maintain your composure and handle the incident professionally. Give an example of a time you dealt with this situation, and if you have not, describe the steps you would take if faced with this situation.
"I never experienced an aggressive or combative patient during my time in clinicals. I think it's first important to understand the types of patients that you work with and to be aware of health issues that may cause a person to act out. For example, do they have a mental health disorder, documented patterns of aggression, or do they perhaps suffer from confusion or a type of dementia? If you are aware of this information before caring for a patient, you can take steps to be proactive or be on alert. If it's unexpected, you may want to understand if they are having a reaction of some type, perhaps a negative side effect to a new medication, so it's important to seek treatment for them immediately. If a patient were to get physical with me, I would immediately alert my supervisor and find another staff member to assist me, as well as document the incident."
"Most of my background includes experience working with those with developmental and cognitive disabilities. Because of this, I have experienced many times when a patient has been combative, and I have been slapped and even had my hair pulled. It's important that as a nurse, you don't take these types of behaviours personally, that you do everything possible to reduce the risk of this occurring, and you take precautions to protect yourself at all times. This includes being alert, never letting your guard down, and knowing the warning signs of an agitated patient, and knowing when to give them space or how to de-escalate the situation. Never put yourself in a situation where you're confined in close quarters with a patient who has these tendencies or put yourself in a situation where they have access to sharp items that could cause you harm."
