Interview Question = "Tell me a time when you made a decision under pressure?"

[Matt10:1]

Hello Nurses,

I have a few interviews coming up and I feel I don't have a good enough example for the question:

"Tell me a time when you made a decision under pressure?"

I would love to have feedback or maybe even hear some example of how you might answer this question.

I want to exemplify how I work under pressure and decision making process.I have to keep the response healthcare related. I have no prior healthcare experience except my clinical rotations.

Here is my response as a student nurse:

Situation: Normally, my preceptor checks her insulin 'drive by' style with her co-workers. (its an insulin check where you wave the syringe as you rush past your co-worker saying 2 units and then you fellow nurse says 2 units check!) We have 5 patients and are behind on our med pass. I'm administering the meds and we're trying to work quick. I have insulin ready to admin. I could easily call out the "drive by" I want to be efficient and keep up the pace, but do I call out my preceptor for this untextbook and practice? My preceptor says the decision is up to you, but this is how we do it in the real world.

Action: I consider my patient's medications rights. I consider if my preceptor is testing me. I think about wanting to have a clear conscious about doing things right not learning bad habits. I decide to have the insulin properly checked. So before I draw up the insulin, I ask a fellow nurse to come by the med station to verify the dosage to save time instead of having to hunt a nurse down.

Result: I did everything I can to ensure the safety of my patient and to follow protocol. I have a clear conscious about my work. My preceptor didn't take offense of my choice following the textbook. I learned to put patient safety first and to not develop bad habits. I maintained my integrity as new nurse.

Thank you for all your help!!!

[SoldierNurse22, BSN, RN]

Is the interviewer looking for a situation where you were under pressure from external or internal influences? I ask because it sounds like your preceptor in this story didn't pressure you. Any pressure you felt would've come from within your own perception, and you don't want to tell this story in such a way that your employer wonders if you have to stop and actively decide if correctly checking a med is important to you. Something to consider.

[Matt10:1]

SoldierNurse22,

Thank you! I'm going to have to tune that response because there was never a time I would stop to consider compromising safety. I'm not quite sure as to what type of pressure the interviewer will be looking for, but I think it would sound better if the pressure was external (like for example conflicting needs or opinions). Unfortunately, I haven't been in such a situation as new nurse. Your insight is really appreciated.

[thinwildmercury]

Hi Matt, I'm trying to get some ideas on how to answer questions like this myself :0 One thing I would like to add is it does not have to be healthcare related. If you have ever had a job before, you can use that as an example! It is totally appropriate, unless in the question they specifically state it must be healthcare related :)

[vintagemother, BSN, CNA, LVN, RN]

Id keep my response short and simple. Make sure you only answer the specific question asked.

Maybe I'd give an example of there were multiple call lights ringing while you were assisting a resident (who was a fall risk) to use the toilet and the resident or other staff were telling you to leave the resident to assist with the answering of call lights.

Correct answer: You made the decision to continue to help the resident with toiletting and didn't leave her room until she was in bed, side rails up, bed lowered.

[SHGR, MSN, RN, CNS]

OP, I think you chose a good example, since you had to decide whether to follow the safety check for real or follow the peer pressure. I don't think (as another poster mentioned) that the answer had to be healthcare related. It could be from a previous job, unless the interviewer explicitly stated it had to be from a healthcare setting. They want to know how you really work.

This is a difficult question- behavioral interview questions are nerve-wracking.

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

Were you involved in any situations where you had to prioritize your care from most to least critical? Describe the situation and how you handled this?

Ie: I once had a resident who had a bad fall, someone who asked for pain meds, and someone having a hypoglycemic reaction simultaneously.

[Inori, BSN, RN]

speak from the heart and recall a situation as a student or some other situ where that's exactly what you had to do, make a decision while under pressure. Tell her what happen, plan, solution and result and what you were feeling, how you could have improved, and what was that exp like for you. OK now go do some h.w ah and practice practice:)

[Matt10:1]

I wish my answer could be something other then healthcare related. I got the Stanford new grad interview coming up and it has to be healthcare and answered in under 2 minutes!!