Tell us about a time when you had to collaborate with a difficult healthcare team member. How did you handle the situation?

I once had to collaborate with a difficult healthcare team member while working in the emergency department. This team member had a reputation for being uncooperative and resistant to collaboration. In this situation, I handled it by first trying to understand the underlying reasons for their behavior. I approached them privately and asked if there was anything specific that was causing the tension. After discussing their concerns, I realized that they were feeling overwhelmed with their workload. I offered to help lighten their load by taking on some of their tasks. Additionally, I suggested implementing regular team meetings to improve communication and address any issues as a group. These meetings provided a safe space for team members to express their concerns and find solutions together. Over time, the difficult team member became more open to collaboration and we were able to work together more effectively.

I encountered a challenging situation when working with a difficult healthcare team member in the emergency department. They had a tendency to be uncooperative and resistant to collaboration, which affected our ability to provide efficient patient care. To address this, I took a proactive approach by first trying to understand the root cause of their behavior. I approached the team member privately and expressed my willingness to listen to their concerns. Through our conversation, I discovered that they were overwhelmed with their workload and felt unsupported. I empathized with their situation and offered my assistance by taking on some of their tasks. This not only lightened their load but also demonstrated my commitment to teamwork and the importance of supporting one another. To further improve collaboration within the team, I suggested implementing regular team meetings to address any issues collectively. These meetings provided a platform for open communication, allowing team members to express their concerns and work towards solutions together. By actively listening, empathizing, and taking tangible steps to support my colleague, I was able to foster a more collaborative and cohesive healthcare team.

The solid answer provides a more comprehensive approach to handling the situation by identifying the root cause of the team member's behavior and taking proactive steps to address it. It also demonstrates strong collaboration skills through the offer of assistance and the suggestion of regular team meetings. However, it could still benefit from providing more specific examples and outcomes of the collaboration efforts.

In my experience as an Emergency Nurse Practitioner, I encountered a difficult healthcare team member who consistently displayed a lack of collaboration and communication skills. This behavior created a challenging work environment and hindered patient care. To address this, I took a multifaceted approach. First, I scheduled a one-on-one meeting with the team member to gain insight into their perspective and concerns. During the meeting, I actively listened and validated their feelings, which helped establish a foundation of trust. I then shared my observations and the impact of their behavior on the team and patient care. Together, we developed a shared understanding of the importance of collaboration and effective communication. To facilitate improvement, I suggested implementing a structured communication process, such as daily huddles and weekly team meetings, to enhance teamwork and address any challenges or conflicts. I also offered to provide additional support and resources, such as sharing best practices or engaging in role-playing exercises, to help develop their collaboration skills. This comprehensive approach resulted in a positive shift in the team member's behavior and improved collaboration within the healthcare team. They became more open to feedback and actively sought opportunities to contribute to the team's success. As a result, patient care and outcomes significantly improved, and the overall work environment became more positive and supportive.

The exceptional answer demonstrates exceptional collaboration skills by taking a proactive and multifaceted approach to addressing the difficult team member's behavior. It includes specific actions taken, such as scheduling a one-on-one meeting, implementing structured communication processes, and offering additional support and resources. The answer also highlights the outcomes of the collaboration efforts, including improved patient care and a positive work environment.