Talking about the Most Difficult Thing about Being a Nurse and How You Handle It

Being a NurseIf we were in a parallel universe or an ideal world, the nursing profession could have been much easier and a lot less difficult. However, we’re not in our dream world and fantasies are unrealistic. We are in a real, changing, and inevitable world where most professions are really difficult to deal with; thus, we have to adjust to it.

 

Along with having difficulties, you must also know how to deal with them. When you’re a nursing professional and looking for a job, you must be ready to answer any question that will be asked of you. One of these could be: What is the most difficult thing about being a nurse, and how do you handle it?

Of course, the first thing you need to remember is to prepare for this question by practicing your answer before the interview. Make sure that you have perfected your answer so that it will be easy for you to explain. Now, here are few suggestions that you can use to respond to the question:

  • “I can’t deny it: Dealing with unhappy patients or those who experience pain is one of the most challenging aspects of being a nurse. When you deal with these kinds of people, a nurse should be sympathetic and compassionate, yet he or she needs to remain strong for them. The nurse has to show them positivity despite the fact that they’re feeling weak and fragile. Show them that the attention belongs to them and only to them, and make sure that you’re listening carefully.”
  • “The fact that the well-being of the patient is in your hands and that his or her comfort and happiness is now on your shoulders is a major responsibility. You have to make your patient feel loved and cared for. Never let them feel like they are being taken for granted no matter who they are or what their condition may be.”
  • “A really difficult thing to deal with is the physicality of the job. That means being on your feet for a 12-hour shift, repositioning patients (which includes lifting them) no matter how heavy or light they are, and getting used to night shift work. All of these can bring pressure and stress. So to deal with it, I make sure that I have my own stress management strategies. I have to ensure that I’m fine despite the pressure of the workload.”

You can also use all three answers and sum them up to produce a more meaningful answer. After all, the combination the mental and emotional stresses can weaken even the strongest nurses.

Remember that when you are answering the interviewer, you need to be confident and show him or her that you’ll be an asset to their hospital/company. Provide a short and simple answer, but make it meaningful and effective. You can provide an example of your past experiences if you want, but make sure that it’s related to the question. Plus, be sure to emphasize the ways you were able to manage it. We know that being a nurse isn’t easy; you need to let the world know that you can handle it.

Read 31021 times Last modified on Monday, 07 March 2016 12:26
Alan Carniol

Alan is the creator of Interview Success Formula, a training program that has helped more than 80,000 job seekers to ace their interviews and land the jobs they deserve. Interviewers love asking curveball questions to weed out job seekers. But the truth is, most of these questions are asking about a few key areas. Learn more about how to outsmart tough interviewers by watching this video.