350
Questions
for the
SITUATIONAL
JUDGEMENT
TEST
,Contents
Preface vii
Acknowledgements ix
Editor and Authors xi
An introduction to the situational judgement test xiii
1. Commitment to professionalism 1
Questions 1
Answers 52
2. Coping with pressure 117
Questions 117
Answers 138
3. Effective communication 165
Questions 165
Answers 197
4. Patient focus 235
Questions 235
Answers 268
5. Working effectively as part of a team 309
Questions 309
Answers 334
,1 Commitment to Professionalism
Chapter 1
COMMITMENT TO PROFESSIONALISM
QUESTIONS
1.1 Relationships
You are working as an FY1 on an orthopaedic ward. One of your patients has
been on the ward for two weeks and will be going home in the next couple of
days. One evening the patient asks to speak to you. They tell you that they have
become really fond of you while you have been caring for them and would like
to take you on a date once they are discharged.
Rank in order the following actions in response to this situation (1 = Most
appropriate; 5 = Least appropriate).
A Explain that, while you are flattered by the offer, it is inappropriate for
doctors and patients to pursue relationships.
B Explain that you cannot arrange a date while they are in hospital but swap
numbers and promise to arrange a date once they are discharged.
C Say nothing but avoid the patient from now on.
D Swap numbers and arrange a date for the following week.
E Tell the patient that you do not want to go on a date.
1.2 Police caution
It is the end of your first month working as an FY1, and you go out to celebrate
with a few drinks. When you are walking home, you see a garden gnome in a
neighbour’s garden, and you drunkenly decide it would be a good idea to take
it home as a souvenir of the night. As you are continuing on your way home,
carrying the gnome, a police officer stops you. They have seen you steal the
gnome and decide to issue you with a caution. When you wake up the next day,
you are mortified to realise that you now have a police caution.
Choose the THREE most appropriate actions to take in this situation.
A Contact a lawyer for advice.
B Contact your medical defence union for advice.
C Go to the police station to try and persuade the police to withdraw the caution.
D Notify the General Medical Council (GMC) of your caution immediately.
E Reflect about the incident in your e-portfolio.
F Tell no one and try to forget about the incident since you are so
embarrassed.
G Tell the trust’s foundation programme lead immediately.
H Wait until you are next asked to fill out a criminal records bureau (CRB)
form and declare the caution then.
, 2 Chapter 1: Commitment to Professionalism
1.3 Gifts
You have been caring for an elderly lady for a number of weeks. She is get-
ting better but will need to stay in hospital for a few more days. Her husband
asks to see you. He thanks you for looking after his wife and insists that he
would like to give you a large bouquet of flowers and a bottle of champagne.
Rank in order the following actions in response to this situation (1 = Most
appropriate; 5 = Least appropriate).
A Accept the gift and tell him that you are so grateful that from now on you
will take extra special care of his wife.
B Accept the gift but resolve to put the flowers in the patient waiting
room and give the champagne to charity so as to not feel as if you have
benefitted.
C Decline the gift and explain that you don’t like champagne.
D Explain that a gift is not necessary but thank him and accept the gift.
E Thank the patient but decline the gift and explain that staff are unable to
accept gifts from patients or their family.
1.4 Facebook
You have only been working as an FY1 for a few days. One of your new FY1
colleagues comments to you that they have seen your profile on a social media
website. They mention that many of your recent photographs picture you
appearing extremely drunk, including some in which you are dancing on a
table. They suggest that you remove the pictures as they feel that it is inappro-
priate for a doctor to be seen behaving in this way.
Rank in order the following actions in response to this situation (1 = Most
appropriate; 5 = Least appropriate).
A Delete your social media profile completely and resolve not to use social
media.
B Ignore your colleague’s advice but delete all your colleagues from your
friends list to prevent a similar situation in the future.
C Leave all of your photographs on your profile but ensure that only your
friends, rather than the public, can view your profile.
D Remove all compromising photographs from your profile and ensure that
only your friends, rather than the public, can view your profile.
E Tell the colleague to mind their own business and ignore their advice.
1.5 Documenting
It is your first on-call night shift, and you are asked to see a patient who has
become unwell. They are hypotensive, tachycardic and pyrexial. You examine
the patient but are not sure why they are unwell or how you might manage
them. You therefore write a plan in the notes to discuss with a senior. After
30 minutes, you eventually find a registrar. He tells you that the patient
Questions
for the
SITUATIONAL
JUDGEMENT
TEST
,Contents
Preface vii
Acknowledgements ix
Editor and Authors xi
An introduction to the situational judgement test xiii
1. Commitment to professionalism 1
Questions 1
Answers 52
2. Coping with pressure 117
Questions 117
Answers 138
3. Effective communication 165
Questions 165
Answers 197
4. Patient focus 235
Questions 235
Answers 268
5. Working effectively as part of a team 309
Questions 309
Answers 334
,1 Commitment to Professionalism
Chapter 1
COMMITMENT TO PROFESSIONALISM
QUESTIONS
1.1 Relationships
You are working as an FY1 on an orthopaedic ward. One of your patients has
been on the ward for two weeks and will be going home in the next couple of
days. One evening the patient asks to speak to you. They tell you that they have
become really fond of you while you have been caring for them and would like
to take you on a date once they are discharged.
Rank in order the following actions in response to this situation (1 = Most
appropriate; 5 = Least appropriate).
A Explain that, while you are flattered by the offer, it is inappropriate for
doctors and patients to pursue relationships.
B Explain that you cannot arrange a date while they are in hospital but swap
numbers and promise to arrange a date once they are discharged.
C Say nothing but avoid the patient from now on.
D Swap numbers and arrange a date for the following week.
E Tell the patient that you do not want to go on a date.
1.2 Police caution
It is the end of your first month working as an FY1, and you go out to celebrate
with a few drinks. When you are walking home, you see a garden gnome in a
neighbour’s garden, and you drunkenly decide it would be a good idea to take
it home as a souvenir of the night. As you are continuing on your way home,
carrying the gnome, a police officer stops you. They have seen you steal the
gnome and decide to issue you with a caution. When you wake up the next day,
you are mortified to realise that you now have a police caution.
Choose the THREE most appropriate actions to take in this situation.
A Contact a lawyer for advice.
B Contact your medical defence union for advice.
C Go to the police station to try and persuade the police to withdraw the caution.
D Notify the General Medical Council (GMC) of your caution immediately.
E Reflect about the incident in your e-portfolio.
F Tell no one and try to forget about the incident since you are so
embarrassed.
G Tell the trust’s foundation programme lead immediately.
H Wait until you are next asked to fill out a criminal records bureau (CRB)
form and declare the caution then.
, 2 Chapter 1: Commitment to Professionalism
1.3 Gifts
You have been caring for an elderly lady for a number of weeks. She is get-
ting better but will need to stay in hospital for a few more days. Her husband
asks to see you. He thanks you for looking after his wife and insists that he
would like to give you a large bouquet of flowers and a bottle of champagne.
Rank in order the following actions in response to this situation (1 = Most
appropriate; 5 = Least appropriate).
A Accept the gift and tell him that you are so grateful that from now on you
will take extra special care of his wife.
B Accept the gift but resolve to put the flowers in the patient waiting
room and give the champagne to charity so as to not feel as if you have
benefitted.
C Decline the gift and explain that you don’t like champagne.
D Explain that a gift is not necessary but thank him and accept the gift.
E Thank the patient but decline the gift and explain that staff are unable to
accept gifts from patients or their family.
1.4 Facebook
You have only been working as an FY1 for a few days. One of your new FY1
colleagues comments to you that they have seen your profile on a social media
website. They mention that many of your recent photographs picture you
appearing extremely drunk, including some in which you are dancing on a
table. They suggest that you remove the pictures as they feel that it is inappro-
priate for a doctor to be seen behaving in this way.
Rank in order the following actions in response to this situation (1 = Most
appropriate; 5 = Least appropriate).
A Delete your social media profile completely and resolve not to use social
media.
B Ignore your colleague’s advice but delete all your colleagues from your
friends list to prevent a similar situation in the future.
C Leave all of your photographs on your profile but ensure that only your
friends, rather than the public, can view your profile.
D Remove all compromising photographs from your profile and ensure that
only your friends, rather than the public, can view your profile.
E Tell the colleague to mind their own business and ignore their advice.
1.5 Documenting
It is your first on-call night shift, and you are asked to see a patient who has
become unwell. They are hypotensive, tachycardic and pyrexial. You examine
the patient but are not sure why they are unwell or how you might manage
them. You therefore write a plan in the notes to discuss with a senior. After
30 minutes, you eventually find a registrar. He tells you that the patient
