Tell me about a time you had to de-escalate a situation with a patient or patient's family member who was upset at clinical staff.
As a nurse, you will often come in contact with friends and family members of patients. They may have questions about their loved one's treatment plan or concerns about the medications they are being given, and they may come to you for answers. Often, a family member may become agitated or frustrated, so it's crucial to demonstrate that you can handle these situations with compassion and professionalism. Give an example of a time you dealt with a problematic family member of a patient and describe the situation and how you resolved the conflict.
"During clinicals, I had an elderly patient who refused to work with me or allow me to provide any care or treatment. When I first entered his room, he told me he did not want a student with no experience to take his vitals. I respectfully acknowledged his concerns and reassured him that I had thorough oversight and supervision present, but he still refused. I did not take it personally and asked him if he would mind if I shadowed the lead nurse to continue learning and observing, to which he agreed. I did this for a few weeks. Then one afternoon, this patient had a medical emergency, and I was the first to respond. He was choking and turning blue, and I had no time to find the nurse he preferred. I took action and began performing the Heimlich manoeuvre, to which he responded and was able to expel his lodged food. Afterward, he was thankful for my help and apologized for not allowing me to participate in his care previously. Initially, it was a negative experience that turned positive. I'm glad I could demonstrate my abilities and genuine care for him."
"When I worked at a local physician's office, we had a patient walk in and demand to be seen. This person was not a patient of ours, and our clinic was already overbooked that day. The front staff had let the person know that we could not take walk-in patients and that he would have to call our main office to register as a new patient, then they would schedule him for an appointment. He was very upset and yelling at our receptionist in front of a room full of patients. I came to the front desk and asked him to step out into the hallway with me. I first made sure he wasn't having a medical emergency, as even if he is not our patient, it's my duty to help someone who is facing a critical medical situation like chest pain. He actually had a toothache and wanted something for the pain. I reiterated what our front staff had told him and explained that we had an obligation to treat our current patient load and respect the time of them and the physicians so they could provide adequate care to those already waiting. I provided him with a list of walk-in clinics in the area as well as an emergent care dentist's office. In this situation, it was important to remove him from the main office where he was causing a scene while also trying to provide him alternate solutions so he could get the care he needed."
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