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Situational Nursing Mock Interview

To help you prepare for your nursing interview, here are 50 situational nursing interview questions and answer examples.

Situational Nursing was updated by on May 30th, 2023. Learn more here.

Question 33 of 50

During your shift in the ER, a patient presents with bruising from a fall. Her male companion answers questions for her, and she barely gives eye contact. What do you do in this situation to get the patient to answer independently?

Sometimes a domestic abuse victim's only connection to help might be a trip to the ER or urgent care. All patients should be screened for abuse whether man, woman, or child. A nurse needs to know the warning signs and learn how to assess and ask effective questions. The nurse needs to learn how to optimize the interview and assessment so that the patient (man, woman, or child) can express themselves in a safe space. In the above scenario, the nurse needs to separate the woman safely from the man, so that she can ask if the woman feels safe and assess her for abuse.
It may be difficult to separate the individual from the companion, but it's best they be separated, as the potential abuse victim may not speak openly in front of the abuser.

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How to Answer: During your shift in the ER, a patient presents with bruising from a fall. Her male companion answers questions for her, and she barely gives eye contact. What do you do in this situation to get the patient to answer independently?

Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Situational Nursing job interview.

  • 33. During your shift in the ER, a patient presents with bruising from a fall. Her male companion answers questions for her, and she barely gives eye contact. What do you do in this situation to get the patient to answer independently?

      How to Answer

      Sometimes a domestic abuse victim's only connection to help might be a trip to the ER or urgent care. All patients should be screened for abuse whether man, woman, or child. A nurse needs to know the warning signs and learn how to assess and ask effective questions. The nurse needs to learn how to optimize the interview and assessment so that the patient (man, woman, or child) can express themselves in a safe space. In the above scenario, the nurse needs to separate the woman safely from the man, so that she can ask if the woman feels safe and assess her for abuse.
      It may be difficult to separate the individual from the companion, but it's best they be separated, as the potential abuse victim may not speak openly in front of the abuser.

      Written by Dianne Barnard on March 9th, 2021

      1st Answer Example

      "I would need to separate the potential abuse victim from the abuser, though I understand that it may be difficult. I could ask him to leave the room for the assessment and if he balked, I would probably take her to the bathroom for a urine sample to ask her questions. I would be careful not to judge or prejudge the situation, but I would do what I needed to do to assess the potential abuse victim thoroughly. I definitely would seek guidance from my shift leadership."

      Written by Dianne Barnard on March 9th, 2021

      2nd Answer Example

      "It's possible that this patient is the victim of abuse. In order to make sure the patient can give honest answers about what caused her injury, I would ask the companion to leave the room so I can complete my assessment. If the companion refuses, I can explain that I need to get a urine sample from the patient and escort the patient to the bathroom so that we can talk privately. If the patient or companion refuses this as well, I would talk to my charge nurse about what other actions I can take."

      Written by Kate Buckley on January 10th, 2023

      Anonymous Interview Answers with Professional Feedback

      Anonymous Answer

      "I would separate the patient from the boyfriend. If the boyfriend is tough to separate often I'd be like let me take you to the women's bathroom we need a sample. Ask if she feels safe at home, we had these SMART cards we could give women that were super non-descript looked like a gift card but had a helpline phone number. Let her know we are here to help her and it's a safe space."

      Cindy's Feedback

      Good. Again, context would help. What is your theory about the situation that makes your actions understandable?
  • About the Author

    I began my career in emergency medical services (EMS) over 30 years ago, working as a Firefighter-Paramedic, EMS Captain, Mental Health Technician, ER Technician, EMT and Paramedic Adjunct Instructor, and EMS Educator. During my career, I had the privilege of serving on over one thousand interview panels to help various organizations choose the right candidate for the job.

    I have created curricula and training materials to prepare candidates for interviews and held mock interview courses for all types of healthcare professionals. My interview experience includes hiring emergency medical technicians, paramedics, firefighters, nurses, medical assistants, home health aides, and physician assistants.

    As a coach and contributor for MockQuestions, I am excited to help you navigate your upcoming nursing interview. While these situational questions assess your critical thinking and communication skills, interviewers also ask these questions to gain insight into your personality to determine if you will be a good fit with the company culture. Remember to be relaxed and be your authentic self. Best of luck in nailing your interview!

    Learn more about Krista Wenz