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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 21 of 50

Everyone on your unit is busy and you requested that your unit's nursing assistants bathe one of your patients earlier today. The patient has yet to be bathed and she is upset about it. Tell me how you proceed.

Inpatient nursing is very much a team effort, and while nursing assistants and care partners are typically available to assist with tasks such as bathing patients, they are sometimes at capacity and are unable to take on all the requests. In these situations, it is a requirement of all members of the care team, including nurses, to care for the patient, and this includes changing, bathing, or otherwise cleaning them. To effectively answer this question, the candidate should indicate that they would take initiative and bathe the patient rather than allowing the patient to wait even longer and become even more upset. A more successful answer to this question would include a specific example from the candidate's nursing career where they provided similar care for a patient when nursing assistants were unavailable.

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How to Answer: Everyone on your unit is busy and you requested that your unit's nursing assistants bathe one of your patients earlier today. The patient has yet to be bathed and she is upset about it. Tell me how you proceed.

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

  • 21. Everyone on your unit is busy and you requested that your unit's nursing assistants bathe one of your patients earlier today. The patient has yet to be bathed and she is upset about it. Tell me how you proceed.

      How to Answer

      Inpatient nursing is very much a team effort, and while nursing assistants and care partners are typically available to assist with tasks such as bathing patients, they are sometimes at capacity and are unable to take on all the requests. In these situations, it is a requirement of all members of the care team, including nurses, to care for the patient, and this includes changing, bathing, or otherwise cleaning them. To effectively answer this question, the candidate should indicate that they would take initiative and bathe the patient rather than allowing the patient to wait even longer and become even more upset. A more successful answer to this question would include a specific example from the candidate's nursing career where they provided similar care for a patient when nursing assistants were unavailable.

      Written by Kelly Burlison on June 3rd, 2019

      1st Answer Example

      "In this situation, it sounds like the nursing assistants are very busy and are unable to get to the request put in for the patient. So, I would cancel the request I previously sent to the nursing assistants and bathe the patient myself. Not only would this help my patient feel more comfortable, it would help my nursing assistant team members out as well because it would be one less thing they would need to do. I know I am a nurse, but I do not feel I am above doing things like changing and bathing patients. To me, these tasks are part of providing adequate care to my patients, and I will always do what is needed."

      Written by Kelly Burlison on June 3rd, 2019

      2nd Answer Example

      "If the patient had not yet had her bath, I would apologize and let her know I would help her with her bath right away. Then I would set up the bath and assist my patient. Having the help of a nursing assistant is so useful, but sometimes a nursing assistant gets too busy with other tasks to complete every request. Helping my patient with her bath is a great time to assess her skin and any lines, wounds, or surgical sites. It's also a time I can get to know the patient better, reiterate any teaching we're working on, and find out if there are other needs she has."

      Written by Kate Buckley on January 10th, 2023

      Anonymous Interview Answers with Professional Feedback

      Anonymous Answer

      "You would apologize to this patient and either offer to bathe her yourself or go find the assistant and get a definite time she will be back to bathe this patient."

      Chad's Feedback

      Excellent! Apologizing to the patient is a great first step and a great indication of your bedside manner. It is also clear from your response that you recognize inpatient nursing is a team effort, and are more than willing to step up and complete unfinished tasks. Rather than indicating you would seek out the nursing assistant, which may result in the patient waiting even longer and becoming even more upset, consider focusing your answer on taking the initiative to bathe the patient yourself.
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    About the Author

    Krista Wenz

    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