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You are a medical student in the Emergency Department. Mr Hughes's 82-year-old father has been waiting four hours on a trolley with hip pain after a fall. Mr Hughes approaches you, shouting that nobody is doing anything. You do not know the details of his father's care, but you can find the nurse in charge. You have 6 minutes.
Say your answer out loud first, then jot down the key points you made. Writing it helps you spot gaps — and it's what the AI feedback reads.
0 words
De-escalation, empathy, honesty about your role, professionalism under pressure and knowing when to involve others.
A structure to build your own answer on — not a script.
Stay calm and safe
Open posture, calm voice, keep a safe distance; introduce yourself and your role honestly.
Listen
Let him speak without interrupting.
Acknowledge and apologise
Name his worry and frustration; apologise for the wait.
Explain honestly
You're a student and don't know the details, but you can get the right person; explain triage briefly.
Act and agree
Offer to fetch the nurse in charge now; commit to coming back by a set time; mention PALS/complaints if he wishes.
A strong but not perfect answer. Read the notes to see why it works — then make your own version with your experiences.
"Hello, my name's Aisha, I'm a medical student working in the department today. I can see you're really upset — can you tell me what's happened?1"
Mr Hughes explains loudly; candidate listens, nodding, without interrupting.
"So your dad fell this morning2, he's in a lot of pain with his hip, and you've been waiting four hours without anyone telling you what's happening. That sounds really frightening, and I'm sorry it's been so long."
Mr Hughes: 'Nobody cares! He's 82!'
"I can hear how worried you are about him. I want to be honest with you — I'm a student3, so I don't know the details of your dad's care and I can't make decisions about it. But I can go and get the nurse in charge right now, so someone who knows his care can talk to you and check his pain."
"The department is very busy today, and people are seen in order of how urgent their condition is — which I know is really frustrating when it's your dad who's in pain."
"Is there anything he needs right now — a drink, a blanket? I'll check with the nurse whether he's allowed anything to eat or drink."
"I'll come back within ten minutes4, either with the nurse or with an update. And if you'd like to raise a concern formally afterwards, the hospital's Patient Advice and Liaison Service can help — I can get you the details."
Real interviews are won and lost here. Answer each one aloud.