Maternal Child Health Interview

Interview Question:

Can you describe your experience working with diverse families in a Maternal and Child Health setting?

Candidate's Answer:

Situation - I can, as it is a facet of our job and on which is a large part of what continues to excite me about working as a maternal & child health nurse. Over the almost 10 years working as a Maternal & Child Health Nurse, and Child Health Nurse up on the Gold Coast. I have had the privilege to work with a families spanning many CALD communities, our first nations communities, from poverty stricken up the highest level of wealthy families in Australia, and with parents with little or no education to the again those who have the highest. I think to provide a specific situation and one relevant to Yarra would be working at Abbotsford where the surrounding community is diverse and the intersectionality is high. I see Abbotsford as the centre of that community a life post for many families or well that is what is seems when I happen to work there as many parents drop in when not expecting them.
Task - On one occasion when a family of 4 with newborn, toddler with physical disability, and their parent who obviously tired and stressed but apologetic for turning up well before for their appointment, and which happend to be in my lunch break. In this case I was struck by how massive it would have been to leave the how at any time and amazed that they had even made it in.
Action - I saw this family and though the baby was thriving in his growth there was a lot going on for each individual in this family and each needed support. I was able cover the 2 week KAS requirement though also specifically focus on addressing and planning for further support and assessment of parent conflict concerns, stress relating to the toddlers healthcare needs and support.
Result - The result was that I was able to offer education and reassurance regarding the ares of conflict, gather information about the toddlers specific disability, and involved services, and make a plan with the family to attend for an additional appointment. I also still got to have lunch, just a bit later.

AI Evaluation:

Your answer provides a good framework for addressing the question about your experience with diverse families in a Maternal and Child Health setting. You effectively outline a specific situation, describe your actions, and conclude with the results of your intervention, which is a clear approach often recommended in interview responses.

Here are some strengths in your answer:

1. Diversity Acknowledgment: You recognize the variety of families you’ve worked with, which shows your awareness of cultural and socioeconomic factors impacting health.

2. Specific Example: You provided a concrete example involving a family with unique challenges, illustrating your hands-on experience and ability to handle complex situations.

3. Capacity for Empathy: Your reflection on the family’s stressors demonstrates your empathy and understanding, crucial traits for a Maternal & Child Health Nurse.

However, your answer could be improved in the following ways:

1. Clarity and Brevity: While detailed, your response could benefit from more concise language. Breaking it into shorter sentences would enhance clarity.

2. Direct Impact: Elaborate a bit more on the outcomes of your actions, such as specific improvements in the family's situation following your intervention. This would help illustrate the effectiveness of your approach.

3. Cultural Competence: Consider mentioning any specific strategies you employed to ensure cultural sensitivity when working with diverse families.

Overall, your answer effectively showcases your experience and skills but could be made more succinct while emphasizing outcomes and cultural competence.

Rating: 4/5