How to Answer: How do you handle being asked to do a nursing task you've never completed before?
Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Situational Nursing job interview.
1. How do you handle being asked to do a nursing task you've never completed before?
How to Answer
Most situational interview questions are best answered using the STAR method which involves thinking about the situation, task, action and result and providing solid and thorough answers. This is not the time to say that you would jump in with both feet. The interviewer is not looking for someone who just jumps when someone says jump, but someone willing to jump with confidence and competence. Your job is to provide an answer that illustrates this difference.
Written by Dianne Barnard on March 9th, 2021
1st Answer Example
"I really want to be liked and be a contributing member of the team, but I always stop and do a check-in before enthusiastically saying I'll do something I'm not sure about! I know the basics of nursing skills, so if I can look it up in the policy and procedure manual, such as a simple but different dressing change, I am able to do that independently. If it's totally novel, I will ask for supervision when first performing it so that I always work within the scope of my nursing practice."
Written by Dianne Barnard on March 9th, 2021
2nd Answer Example
"If I'm asked to complete a nursing task I've never done before, I will use our hospital's intranet site to read about the procedure and/or watch a video about completing the procedure. If I feel comfortable doing the task after looking up the instructions, I will do so. If the task is complex or very different from something I've done before, and I don't feel competent to do it without supervision, I will ask for help. I would ask either another floor nurse or the charge nurse to review the steps with me and supervise me while I perform the task. That way, I can make sure that I'm learning about a task that I am responsible for completing while ensuring that my patient receives safe care."
Written by Kate Buckley on January 10th, 2023
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