How to Answer: How would you handle a patient who is trying to manipulate you in some way or talks about the other shift to you?
Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Situational Nursing job interview.
44. How would you handle a patient who is trying to manipulate you in some way or talks about the other shift to you?
How to Answer
This answer appears easy ,but it's not. Being a new nurse sometimes makes people over eager to please and hearing great things about yourself rarely falls on unappreciative ears. You want to help and be sympathetic, but it's not helpful to engage in any conversation that downgrades your coworkers in any way. Sometimes these conversations are subtle and sometimes they are not. The easiest way to circumvent these situations is to enter each room prepared and with a plan for the visit or encounter and perform that task in a professional and kind manner. If the patient begins to complain about another individual, handle it by stating that you're sorry they had the experience and ask if they'd like for you to get the nursing manager to speak to.
Written by Dianne Barnard on March 9th, 2021
1st Answer Example
"If a patient starts to tell me something, I listen briefly and ask if she would like for me to get my nursing leader. I don't want to shut the patient down if she really had a bad experience, but I don't want to feed into it either and damage their view of my coworker. The best thing I can think of is to hear them out briefly but not agree. I'd say that I'm sorry they had the experience and ask if they would like me to get nursing leadership. Now if it's something horrible, of course I would report it directly, if it was a medical concern. It depends on the situation, but I know not to simply be silent because silence implies consent sometimes, so I would feel the need to say that I hear them, but I'm not the person who has the power to take action on that concern."
Written by Dianne Barnard on March 9th, 2021
2nd Answer Example
"When a patient has a legitimate complaint, I will attempt to rectify their problem myself or bring up their complaint to the charge nurse, the nurse manager, or another person in leadership. However, if a patient seems to be manipulative or complaining to try to start conflict, I usually use reflective listening. So, I reflect their statement back to them neutrally, such as saying, 'I hear you saying you were frustrated that the night shift nurse's aid didn't get you up to the chair at the time you wanted. What are the top 2 priorities I can address during my shift today to make you comfortable?' I don't feed into any negativity about another shift, and I focus on what I can do during my shift If the patient persists in complaining about something that happened earlier, I would offer to bring in my nursing manager."
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