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Assessing Empathy with SJTs
Following our journal publication of ‘the role of empathy in establishing rapport’ (Norfolk et al., 2007), we have developed a range of SJTs all designed to assess empathy in roles focused on providing care for others e.g. Residential & Home Care, Social Work, & Nursing.
The Nurse SJT is designed to assess Therapeutic Rapport demonstrated by individuals operating within the context of a hospital.
What’s Therapeutic Rapport?
We’re all familiar with ‘basic’ rapport, where two people feel relaxed in each other’s company, often through discovering shared backgrounds, interests, values or attraction. Therapeutic rapport is different. This involves one person seeking to help the other person in some way (especially as a health professional), and applies in any situation where it’s important to get the individual to relax and trust you, to feel able to speak openly enough about their concerns or problems so you can understand where they’re coming from. You can then tailor your approach appropriately. The deeper the understanding, the greater the chance of you being able to offer appropriate support and guidance. And that is the essence of therapeutic rapport.
The ‘gold standard’ here is empathic understanding, and to achieve this we need a particular set of skills and attributes, all working together:
Overview of the Nurse SJT
Our Nurse SJT presents candidates with a series of scenarios faced during rounds with four patients. For each patient, there are four linked scenarios (i.e., four 'steps' during your visit), and at each step, the candidate is asked to decide how best to respond to the situation presented. In total, there are therefore 16 'steps' to deal with (i.e., 4 steps with each of 4 patients).
Candidates are invited to assume they are working as a locum nurse in a hospital. The shift starts at 7:00am, seeing patients in 4 single-bed side rooms. To help them settle into the new environment they have been allocated around 15 minutes with each of these first 4 patients, before replacing a colleague in a large ward at 8:30am.
The task is to read through each 'step' during the visit to a patient, then rank the possible ‘actions’ listed from 1 – 4, where 1 = Most Appropriate & 4 = Least Appropriate. Each option should be ranked differently (i.e. don't rank two or more options with the same number).
Example of a Nurse SJT Question
Nurse SJT - Sample Reports
On completion of the Nurse SJT, you can download 3 reports as standard:
1. Recruitment Report, where the content is designed for an organisation and supports a recruitment decision. This report provides tests scores, behavioural interpretation, and interview questions.
2. Candidate Report, where the content is designed for a candidate(s) and provides feedback on the test performance. This report provides behavioural interpretation and suggests development goals for improving therapeutic rapport.
3. Interview Report, where the content is designed for conducting a deep-dive interview, utilising the test results. This report provides tests scores, behavioural interpretation, in depth interview questions and detail on how to analyse, interpret and score interview responses.
How to do well in your Nurse SJT
To do well in our Nurse SJT, it is good to implement the following tips:
1. Demonstrate Empathy and Compassionate Care: As a nurse, showing empathy and providing compassionate care to patients is fundamental. In SJT scenarios, choose responses that reflect your ability to understand and empathise with the needs and feelings of individuals, ensuring their comfort, dignity, and overall well-being are prioritised.
2. Highlight Skills in Communication and Patience: Effective communication and patience are essential in nursing, particularly when caring for patients. Opt for SJT responses that showcase your ability to communicate clearly and patiently with patients, especially in situations where they may have difficulty understanding, expressing their needs, or coping with emotional challenges.
3. Display Awareness of Health and Safety Protocols: Adhering to health and safety protocols is critical in nursing care for patients. In the SJT, select responses that demonstrate your knowledge and application of these guidelines, including measures to prevent accidents, address medical needs promptly, and maintain a safe environment for patients.
Free Tests!
Take a free test. On completion you will be able to download a detailed report based on your results. We will not ask you for any personal information to be able to view your report.