How do you respond to an emergency situation at work?

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Depending on the situation, you will want to respond quickly and make yourself available to assist the doctor in any way you can. Be aware of the surroundings and also observe the patient. Your best response will be one where you are sensitive to the situation by listening closely to the doctor and nurses involved. There may not be anything you can do to help, but if you get in the way, you could definitely create more problems. Ask what you can do and pay attention. If you need to step aside, be respectful and understanding.

"That really depends on the situation. I always try to remember to remain as calm as possible and report to my designated area as quickly as possible and follow emergency protocol."

"If an emergency were to arise, I would wait patiently for the doctors orders and assist her or him in whatever she or he needs. If there is an immediate danger to a patient or someone in my care, I would make sure to offer assistance to get them to safety."

"There can be any number of emergency situations in a healthcare facility, so how I would respond would be dependent upon what type of emergency it is. First and foremost is the safety of patients and employees. I would make sure no one is in immediate danger and follow any emergency protocol, per facility instructions."

Anonymous Answer

"This depends on what the emergency is. I would follow the protocol based on the emergency and act calmly. If I could do something in my field of practice in an emergency that needed immediate attention, then I would do so at that time."

Rachelle's Feedback

Perfect response! The interviewer will be looking for an answer that refers to your ability to remain calm while recalling your training.

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Anonymous Answer

"I would assess the situation. Remove the patient from any immediate danger. Notify the physician and follow any orders that the physician has."

Lauren's Feedback

Great response. It is helpful for the interviewer that you are proactive versus reactive in times of crisis.

"In a crisis situation, I remain calm and proactive. I would assess the situation quickly to remove myself and the patient from any immediate danger, and notify the physician and follow necessary protocols."

Anonymous Answer

"It depends on what the emergency situation is. Regardless of what the situation is I remain calm and listen closely to those around me for directions. I assess the situation to make sure staff and patients are not in immediate danger and then follow the hospital's emergency protocols for the specific emergency. It is important to be able to respond quickly in situations like these but not to get too worked up as that will just cause more panic. An example of how I respond to emergency situations is I was working the COVID unit one shift and a nurse yelled that a patient was desatting and that she needed a nonrebreather mask. I quickly ran to the supply room and grabbed her a nonrebreather. She stated that this wasn't working and that someone needed to call rapid response. Another nurse standing there called a rapid response. I brought the crash cart near the room and waited for further directions from the nurse. She directed me to grab more supplies which I quickly did. During the rapid response I stayed close to the room to see if they needed me to get anything else and I also answered call lights for the other patients on the unit. By responding quickly, remaining calm, and listening to directions allowed the team to work more efficiently. The patient unfortunately was intubated and placed on a ventilator and transferred to the COVID ICU."

Cindy's Feedback

Good. You have a lot of experience to draw on.

How to Answer: How do you respond to an emergency situation at work?

Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Pediatric Nurse job interview.

2. How do you respond to an emergency situation at work?

How to Answer

Written by Heather Douglass on November 21st, 2018

Entry Level

"That really depends on the situation. I always try to remember to remain as calm as possible and report to my designated area as quickly as possible and follow emergency protocol."

Written by Darby Faubion