Talk about a situation where you had to deal with a patient or family member that was upset. How did you handle that situation?

How to Answer
Entry Level Example
Answer Example
Experienced Example

Nurse practitioners sometimes have to manage a patient or a family member that are upset with their situation or care. By asking this question, your interviewer is looking to hear that you have the ability to handle these situations when they inevitably occur with ease. As you think of a time when you had to handle an upset patient or family member, make sure that your example allows you to clearly point out the entire situation, what your action was, and what the eventual result was. Try to ensure that your example proves your ability to stay calm, cool, and collected and shows a positive outcome for all involved.

"During one of my clinical rotations in a busy urban emergency department, we had a patient come in that was heavily intoxicated and had been roughed up pretty badly. During our care of him, he suddenly had an attitude turn for the worse and became violent. I learned so much watching my preceptor try to calm the patient down and then eventually swiftly call security. I felt very fortunate that she acted quickly and kept us all safe and well that evening."

"Last year, I was consulting a patient who had learned that their insurance would not cover a procedure that the patient wanted and we were recommending. During my time with them, the patient became very upset with my organization and me and got to the point where they were yelling loudly and blurting some expletives. While letting the patient vent, I clearly explained that we did not have the power to change what their insurance would and would not cover. To help them out to the best of my ability, I recommended to the patient that they talk to one of our financial counselors that can walk them through payment options. At their next appointment in two weeks, the patient was thrilled that they could work out a payment plan for the procedure, and we proceeded with scheduling it. Looking back at this situation, I know that hearing them out and then providing a solution was key to providing the best possible outcome to the patient."

"In my years working in a pain clinic and primary care, I've surely dealt with some upset patients. Last year, a patient became very upset when I refused to prescribe an opioid pain medication to them. After I checked in the state-controlled substance database, I saw that an additional prescription wasn't necessary. The patient became very verbally upset and began pacing in the room. Having been formally trained in how to react to these situations, I remained calm and explained to them when and where they had their last prescription filled and let them when we would be able to fill their next prescription. Calmly, I then asked if they would like to talk to someone about any potential dependency on the drug. While she declined that, it was still enough to calm her down and finish her appointment."