You are caring for a patient on your inpatient unit who is taking a turn for the worse. You decide you need to call the hospitalist physician. Tell me how you will proceed.
Before calling for the assistance of a physician, therapist, or nursing colleague, unless it is a dire emergency, nurses should gather as much pertinent information on the patient as they can so they can effectively and succinctly explain the situation and the needs of the patient. If the nurse does not collect this information in advance of making the call to the physician, the call will likely take additional time as they will have to look the information up and take more of the physician's time. While patients are not typically put at risk in these situations, having the information ready to report during the call assists nurses with building professional relationships with the many professionals the must consult with on a daily basis. The interviewer is asking this question to determine how important the candidate feels it is to collect information before calling the physician. To effectively answer this question, the candidate should indicate that they would collect all pertinent information on the patient, including diagnosis, condition, impression, test results, and vital signs. A more successful answer to this question can include experience from the candidate's nursing career, information the candidate typically relays during such a call, or how the candidate assisted a colleague with such a call.
"This is a very common situation that I find myself in, as I work in the inpatient environment, so I understand that it is important to gather as much information about the patient and the patient's current situation before making the call to the physician. Early in my nursing career, I sometimes would call before I had gathered the necessary information, and when I did so, it was very difficult to communicate the situation to the physician, and sometimes they would become frustrated. Now that I have more experience, I understand the importance of gathering information such as current impression, vital signs, test results, and other pertinent information, so the conversation can be efficient and brief."
"When I call the hospitalist to inform them of a downturn in my patient's condition, I make sure to go over my mental checklist first. Have I gathered all the needed information about the patient's history, current vitals/labs, and changes in condition? If so, I will call, and identify myself and the patient, and then make sure the physician is ready to hear the information I have. One of the first times I needed to call a physician about his patient's change in level of consciousness, I was so anxious that I started talking quickly and forgot to identify myself as the patient's nurse. In trying to get things moving quickly, I actually ended up taking more time than needed, because the physician wasn't clear on who I was. From that point on, I have always taken a breath and made sure to stay calm on calls to physicians."
Community answers are written by other candidates practicing this set. Reading how others frame the same question is one of the fastest ways to sharpen your own.
Anonymous Answer
Before calling the physician it is important to ensure that I have all the information necessary for any questions the physician might ask. Details about the patient's condition throughout the shift and any changes that occurred should be documented. Vital signs and assessment should also be documented and available in case the physician asks.
Chad's Feedback
Good answer! The interviewer will be pleased to hear you recognize the importance of collecting pertinent information before calling the physician. To strengthen this response, be more specific on the types of information you would collect. Consider also including an example from your career when you have made a call in this situation, and what the outcome was, to demonstrate your experience level.
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