How to Answer: Talk about a time you had to communicate a complicated medical issue to a patient or their family. How did you go about relaying the message?
Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Nursing job interview.
10. Talk about a time you had to communicate a complicated medical issue to a patient or their family. How did you go about relaying the message?
How to Answer
Years of nursing school and clinical experience give nurses a lot of medical knowledge. But to most patients and family members on a clinical visit or hospital stay, medical terminology is like a foreign language. Because of this, nurses need to have conversations with patients in a manner that the patient and/or family will understand and be able to make informed decisions if needed.
Written by Elisabeth Walter
1st Entry Level Example
"During my clinical rotations as a pediatric nurse, we had a young girl come in with severe pain in her ear and head. After my initial check on her, I noticed she had some severe congestion in her ear and nasal cavities likely causing the pain. Prior to the doctor coming in and noticing she was very nervous, I used the metaphor that her ears and nose were like a cave and bad monsters had gotten into the cave. I explained to her that the doctor needed to look at the monsters to be able to give her the right medicine to get rid of the monsters in the cave and clear the way again. With that said, she was in a giggling mood and sat nicely for the doctor to fully check her out."
Written by Ryan Brunner
1st Experienced Example
"As an emergency nurse, we had a young patient come in one day that had been a passenger in a bad car accident. Due to the injuries that he sustained, he was left with a leg that was badly broken and bleeding badly as well. Upon initial triage, the doctor thought there would be a chance the young patient would lose his leg to amputation to save his life if the surgery didn't go as planned. The boy's father was in the accident as well and was being treated and the mother showed up to the ER shortly after they arrived at our facility and she was obviously in a panicked state. Knowing that we would be rushing her son to surgery, I calmly sat with her in the waiting room to explain the injuries to his leg and that the bleeding was very bad. Rather than using medical terms, I simplified the conversation to her level of knowledge so that she understood the importance of the surgery and what could happen if the surgeon wasn't able to stop the bleeding. By having an understanding of the situation, the mother was able to calm down and think clearly."
Written by Elisabeth Walter
2nd Experienced Example
"In my time as a rehabilitation nurse, I worked with patients that spanned a wide array of physical ailments. When it came to working with patients with joint issues, my team obviously knew the medical terminology for the femur, tibia, ulna, radius and so forth. When talking about specific bones, joints and muscles with patients, I always made sure to point out where each was on their body and talked about how each part functions. Using this method, patients were better able to understand how their body worked and why their rehab processes were important to their overall health."
Written by Ryan Brunner
3rd Experienced Example
"Working in the emergency department, I encounter patients with a variety of conditions, some very simple, and some very complicated and sometimes life-threatening. Not too long ago, we had a young patient come in with a minor blunt facial injury, but soon after she arrived bacteria from the wound perforated the sinus cavity, which was punctured, and spread into the patient's brain. The patient went from arriving needing stitches and an X-ray to being in a life-threatening situation that required a transfer to intensive care. This was a lot for the child's family members to take in, so after the physician gave them a broad overview of what happened, I sat with the family and went over their child's condition again, in less technical terms, and took time to answer their questions. This helped the family understand what was happening, as they were very confused and shocked by the situation."
Written by Kelly Burlison on March 17th, 2019
4th Experienced Example
"I once had a patient who had multiple pulmonary embolisms and had to be started on an IV drip. The physician came in and explained to the patient the imaging results using medical terms. I could tell when the physician left that the patient and spouse were overwhelmed with the information and were not completely sure what all the words meant. I then took the time to sit with them and explain to them essentially what the doctor just had but without the use of medical terms. Instead, I provided all the information and education to them in laymen's terms. This helped them both to understand what the imaging showed and what the next steps would be in the treatment process. They were very grateful for the additional time spent and education given to them."
Written by Tabitha Cumpian on January 31st, 2023
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About the Author
I began my healthcare career when I was a sophomore in high school and became an STNA (state-tested nursing assistant) at a local long-term care facility. I then went on to work as a nursing assistant at a local hospital and home healthcare agency. During that time, I pursued my Bachelor's in Business Administration: Human Resource Management and transitioned to working for one of the largest long-term care and post-acute rehab companies in the country. I supported the talent acquisition function, and in the span of 8 years, I screened and interviewed over 1,500 nurse aides, LPNs, and RNs.
I hold a very special place in my heart for nurses, as it's often a thankless and tiresome job. Not everyone is cut out to be a nurse, and I have great respect and admiration for those that choose this career path. As a content writer and interview coach for MockQuestions, my goal is to help you prepare and succeed in your upcoming interview. This article offers interview tips and advice along with 50 practice interview questions and answer examples to help you better understand what to expect and prepare for interview day! Wishing you the best of luck!
Learn more about Jaymie Payne