Situational Nursing Mock Interview
Practice 50 Situational Nursing interview questions covering clinical judgment, patient safety, and critical response scenarios.
Question 29 of 50
How do you handle ethical or philosophical differences with a patient?
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Dianne Barnard is a Registered Nurse and former nursing instructor. She is also board certified in Psychiatric Nursing and Holistic Nursing Critical Care.
Nurses care for all patients, so they must have emotional mastery and cultural competence. It's difficult sometimes to separate our personal preferences and philosophies from our patients and not superimpose our cultural grid on their choices and feel disapproval. It is unprofessional and not optimal patient care to do so. Nurses must remind themselves when they enter the door to a patient's room that they do not need to know the whole story, and they can never know all the nuances that led to the belief or decision they disagree with. They must lead themselves to treat the individual in front of them as a human being who they are there to help, serve, and not to judge.
Dianne Barnard is a Registered Nurse and former nursing instructor. She is also board certified in Psychiatric Nursing and Holistic Nursing Critical Care.
"When I feel judgement or disapproval welling up inside me, I do a quick mental inventory and check-in. It doesn't happen often, but I would not be human if I said it never has or will again. I don't know why the person made the choices they made, or what led up to it. I only know that my job is to help them, and I stay focused on that. I've worked with drug addicts and criminals, but my job is to be kind, provide excellent care, and maybe even learn something from them."
"In two of the hospitals I've worked out, I've taken care of prisoners that are recovering from heart surgery. I've never looked up or asked a patient what crime they are in jail for, but some have volunteered this information to me, and it can be momentarily disconcerting to learn that you're taking care of a person who has committed an assault. However, I know that all patients deserve safe and effective care. I can never know anyone's full story, so regardless of the circumstances, I provide my best care to all patients."
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Anonymous Answer
I would respect my patient's values to prevent ethical conflict since my job is to deliver dignified and patient-focused care. It is a difficult situation, but I need to separate my personal preferences and philosophies from my patients. Judgment is not my job and my patients are human beings and should be treated as they want to be treated for optimal outcomes.
Marcie's Feedback
Excellent! Your sincerity shines through in your response, which the interviewer will appreciate. It is apparent that you want to support your patients however they need and without offending their beliefs. How exactly will you do this, though? Will you prevent yourself from saying anything disagreeable? Will you remain calm and levelheaded? Will you keep your tone of voice quiet? If you can give additional details about how you will remain nonjudgmental, your answer will be even more meaningful and memorable to the interviewer. Great job!
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