Describe your typical relationship with physicians you work with.
As a nurse, you have a working relationship with several physicians. This question will enable you to showcase your relationship with the physicians that you have worked with and what your communication style is. As a nurse, building trust with physicians is important as well so some examples of how you've built that trust can be beneficial.
"During my career, I've taken great pride in being able to communicate and relate to the physicians that I have worked with. Together, we ultimately work as a team to provide the best care that we can for each patient and our working relationship is key in accomplishing this goal."
"During my clinical rotations, I had the chance to work with and relate to many different physicians. By getting to work with and learn from so many different physicians, I obtained a much greater understanding for what they are looking for in a great nurse and how I can better work with them to treat our patients. At first, I was intimidated by the fact I'd be working directly with a doctor, but after communicating and working with them, I look forward to building more of these relationships with my first employer as a nurse."
"In my time as a dialysis nurse, I have worked with many Nephrologists in direct patient care. As the first contact with the patient, it was my duty to communicate any changes in patient conditions to the Nephrologist and I never hesitated to so. Over my career, I took great pride to get to know how each physician prefers my communication and working style to be with them and I was able to tailor my approach for specific physicians that had particular preferences."
"I pride myself in the fact that I am able to develop and maintain very professional relationships with the physicians I work with. As I nurse, I am part of the care team, but I look to the physicians I work with for orders and for guidance. While there are times that I must bring various things to their attention and ask questions in a professional manner, I do not blatantly challenge the decisions physicians have made like I have seen some of my nursing colleagues do in the past. Also, when it comes to dealing with difficult physician personalities, I never take any difficult encounters personally. I recognize that physicians are typically under a significant amount of pressure and stress and if their emotions run high because of this, I do not need to add stress to their lives by complicating the situation."
"Throughout my career, I have had the opportunity to work with many physicians with varying personalities. I have always communicated in a clear, friendly, and professional manner. I believe we are both part of the same healthcare team and ultimately we are here to help the patients return to a state of health. I always want to ensure I am doing my part to make that happen and for me, it begins with having clear communication with the physician."
Community answers are written by other candidates practicing this set. Reading how others frame the same question is one of the fastest ways to sharpen your own.
Anonymous Answer
As a nursing student, I have had the opportunity to work with many physicians in my clinical settings. The physicians I've communicated with have always been helpful, encouraging, and understanding.
Rachelle's Feedback
It sounds as though you've had many harmonious workplace relationships. Way to go!
Anonymous Answer
My typical relationship with physicians has always been professional and cordial with the patient's care being a priority. It is important to maintain a good relationship with physicians as we are both integral to good patient care.
Rachelle's Feedback
This answer is a good start! Are there any specific actions you take to achieve this type of relationship? For instance, can you further unpack the ways you act professionally/cordially? If you have an example of a time when you built and maintained a great relationship in the workplace, this is a good opportunity to provide a specific story-based example.
Anonymous Answer
I have always had a good communicative, professional yet friendly relationship with the physicians I work with. During my rotation term and as a staff nurse I received positive feedback of being reliable and hardworking. I was easily approachable for requests of tasks to be done and never hesitated to escalate to them when need be which they always appreciated and acted on.
Jaymie's Feedback
Well done! Sharing feedback from previous colleagues or managers is impactful.
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