Job Application- Decision making and problem solving abilities

[Blurr2]

Hey everyone,

I am presently searching for a new job and I am having problems answering this question: It asks to share a situation in which my decision making and problem solving abilities were challenged. I have worked in General Medicine floor for around 2years and find that families and other health care professionals are always in a way challenging my decision making!!!

I guess I'm just confused as to what approach to take.

There is the, patient does not look well but Physician thinks he's okay and so you have to look elsewhere for answers or try and convince the physician to have another look. This happened a lot by the way-so it doesn't really stand out to me because it seemed as just part of my job.

2- Being charge nurse despite having such little experience and deciding on what to do when a nurse calls in sick and we are short staffed

3- Patients/families wanting a private room but most already in use because of isolations.

4- Busy nights with 9-10 patients and prioritizing care according to acuity

It is for another medicine floor and I just have a though process blockage right now not knowing what to focus on? Do you think they are looking for health/deteriorating examples, leadership, prioritization. Help!

Thanks!

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

Not to sound aloof, but you just answered the question, IMO.

You have several experiences to go by, you can choose one particular occasion or explain that you are constantly challenged, and how you ate able to still get the job done.

[Bayat]

Turn it into a story using the SAR formula: Situation (or task), Action, Result.

[Student Mom to Three]

To me it kind of sounds like they are asking you for an example of a time you were "thinking outside of the box". One of those times you had to be creative to make something work....

[Blurr2]

Thank you all. These applications keep on getting longer and longer and it's such a letdown when they don't even call you for an interview. *sigh* nursing...