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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 31 of 50

Your patient, who has just returned from surgery, now has multiple tubes and lines that you did not insert. You need to administer a drug into her central line, but are having a hard time finding this tube. As you are in a rush, tell me how you proceed.

When returning from the operating room, intensive care unit, or other units of the hospital, a patient may have many more tubes and lines inserted into their body than normal, and at times, it may be difficult for a nurse to differentiate the lines. This is especially the case if the nurse is in a rush. In this scenario, the nurse, in order to administer medication into the patient's central line, they should take time to ensure they have the correct tube. Administering the medication into the incorrect line or into a drain is a medical error that could have negative consequences for the patient. The interviewer is asking this question to determine if the candidate would take the time to confirm that they are using the correct tube to administer the medication in the patient's central line. To effectively answer this question, the patient should indicate that they would carefully ensure that they had the correct tube for the central line before administering the medication. A more successful answer to this question would include a specific example from the candidate's nursing career where they were in a similar situation, and they took time to ensure they were administering a medication in the appropriate line.

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How to Answer: Your patient, who has just returned from surgery, now has multiple tubes and lines that you did not insert. You need to administer a drug into her central line, but are having a hard time finding this tube. As you are in a rush, tell me how you proceed.

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

  • 31. Your patient, who has just returned from surgery, now has multiple tubes and lines that you did not insert. You need to administer a drug into her central line, but are having a hard time finding this tube. As you are in a rush, tell me how you proceed.

      How to Answer

      When returning from the operating room, intensive care unit, or other units of the hospital, a patient may have many more tubes and lines inserted into their body than normal, and at times, it may be difficult for a nurse to differentiate the lines. This is especially the case if the nurse is in a rush. In this scenario, the nurse, in order to administer medication into the patient's central line, they should take time to ensure they have the correct tube. Administering the medication into the incorrect line or into a drain is a medical error that could have negative consequences for the patient. The interviewer is asking this question to determine if the candidate would take the time to confirm that they are using the correct tube to administer the medication in the patient's central line. To effectively answer this question, the patient should indicate that they would carefully ensure that they had the correct tube for the central line before administering the medication. A more successful answer to this question would include a specific example from the candidate's nursing career where they were in a similar situation, and they took time to ensure they were administering a medication in the appropriate line.

      Written by Kelly Burlison on June 3rd, 2019

      1st Answer Example

      "I was in a very similar situation a couple of weeks ago when one of our patients returned from the ICU with a number of new tubes and lines that were all scattered around. When I received an order to flush one of the patient's lines, I had to take time to ensure I had the correct tube, as I did not one to mistakenly flush a drain or flush the wrong line. So, in the case of the patient you just described, even though I am in a rush, I would take the time needed to ensure I was pushing the medication into the patient's central line and not a different tube."

      Written by Kelly Burlison on June 3rd, 2019

      2nd Answer Example

      "In this scenario, I would need to make sure to identify the central line before doing anything else. Being in a rush, it may make me feel stressed to take this time, but administering the medication through an incorrect line could have big consequences.."

      Written by Kate Buckley on January 10th, 2023

      Anonymous Interview Answers with Professional Feedback

      Anonymous Answer

      "No matter how much of a rush I am in, I will take the time to ensure I am flushing the right line. I would ask another nurse for help identifying the line and then proceeding with administering the medication."

      Chad's Feedback

      Excellent! Administering medication into the incorrect line or into a drain could have negative consequences for the patient. Your response shows you are mindful of this and would take the time to carefully ensure you had the correct tube for the central line before administering the medication.
      Show More Answers
  • 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