NICU Nurse Mock Interview
Master 35 NICU Nurse interview questions covering critical care scenarios, family communication, and clinical judgment.
Question 33 of 35
What are some action steps you could take to alleviate stress for a patient's family in our NICU?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
Example Answer
How to Answer
Entry Level
Community Answers
Dianne Barnard is a Registered Nurse and former nursing instructor. She is also board certified in Psychiatric Nursing and Holistic Nursing Critical Care.
Families coping with a new loved one in NICU care are scared, stressed, and experiencing feelings they've never felt before. The NICU nursing team is often relied upon to help turn a very sad situation into a potentially positive one for both the patient and their family. In proposing a question like this during your interview, your interviewer needs to be assured that you are aware that some of your duties as a NICU nurse on their team include consoling and making the families of patients feel at home and at ease.
Dianne Barnard is a Registered Nurse and former nursing instructor. She is also board certified in Psychiatric Nursing and Holistic Nursing Critical Care.
"Having never experienced what the parents of your patients are feeling when their child is in neonatal intensive care, I can't imagine the roller coaster of emotions that they are going through. I would see my role as being an extended part of their family that is the ultimate caregiver. I would encourage parents to take walks away from the unit to eat, get some fresh air, and call family members to update them. I would continually reiterate that their child is in the best care possible. I would always be there to answer questions they may have and wouldn't hesitate to connect a new family on the unit to one that has been there for some time to talk and connect."
Ryan Brunner has over ten years of experience recruiting, interviewing, and hiring candidates in the healthcare, public service, and private manufacturing/distribution industries.
One of your main goals as you answer this question is to show how you can humanize the experience for families by letting them know that they are seen and valued. You want to reiterate that you would check in with them every so often and do little things like remind them where the cafeteria is. There really is nothing you can do to lessen their internal stress and grief, but you can encourage them to stick to a daily routine and take a walk away from the NICU while assuring them that their child is in the best care possible. For families that are on an extended stay, you can help encourage parents that going back to work is healthy.
Jaymie Payne is passionate about talent acquistion and has nine years of experience in corporate and healthcare recruitment.
"Communication is incredibly important. Families are often apprehensive, nervous, or scared when their baby is in the hospital, so making sure I communicate with them regularly and give them time to ask questions goes a long way. I make sure they understand the issues at hand, the treatment plan, and potential outcomes both good and bad, and help them level set expectations. I also make sure they are comfortable, whether that is getting them something to drink or an extra pillow or blanket as they wait helps them feel cared for and helps them relax. Reassurance is also helpful in calming them and alleviating stress. I make sure they know their child is in good hands and we're going to do absolutely everything we can to help them get better."
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