How to Answer: Working as a midwife can be emotionally draining. How do you keep your emotions from interfering with your work?
Advice and answer examples written specifically for a NHS Band 7 Midwife job interview.
2. Working as a midwife can be emotionally draining. How do you keep your emotions from interfering with your work?
What You Need to Know
While working as a midwife will generally be exciting and joyous, there will be times that you will have an emotionally draining shift. You may discover that a patient has miscarried, cannot have children, develops a pregnancy-induced medical condition, has a distressed fetus, or delivers a stillborn baby. Any one of these situations can cause a compassionate, caring midwife to become emotional. However, as a health and care professional, you must be able to keep your emotions from interfering with your work. Let the interviewers know how you manage stress on your days off to help you handle these challenging situations.
Written by Krista Wenz on March 12th, 2023
Answer Example
"It is hard not to feel emotional when losing a patient, their baby, or having to deliver bad news, but I knew it was part of the job going in. I keep my emotions from affecting my work by talking with my colleagues or husband if something bothers me and taking care of myself away from work. I like to run, which helps clear my mind when feeling emotional. I also think of the good things about my patients and their pregnancy or those diagnosed with a life-changing condition and do not focus on the sad part. It's easy to keep my emotions from interfering with my work when I know I must be strong for my patients and their families."
Written by Krista Wenz on March 12th, 2023