HOSPITAL DEPOSITION PREP PACKET
Targeted, clinically grounded deposition questions for nurses, physicians, hospitalists, charge nurses, rapid response teams, and administrators involved in acute‑care cases.
This deposition prep packet provides structured question sets designed to uncover deviations from hospital standards of care, expose system‑level failures, and clarify the responsibilities of each staff member involved in a patient’s care.
Use these questions to prepare for depositions of bedside nurses, charge nurses, hospitalists, specialists, rapid response team members, and hospital administrators.
BEDSIDE NURSE DEPOSITION QUESTIONS
Role & Responsibilities
• Describe your responsibilities for this patient during the relevant shifts.
• How many patients were assigned to you?
• What is the typical nurse‑to‑patient ratio on this unit?
• What training have you received regarding rapid response, sepsis, stroke, and change‑in‑condition protocols?
Interventions & Notifications
• What interventions did you perform?
• When did you notify the provider?
• What information did you communicate?
• Were there any delays in provider response?
Assessment & Monitoring
• What assessments were performed on admission?
• How often were vitals required for this patient?
• Were any vitals missed or delayed?
• Did you notice any changes in condition before the incident?
Documentation
• Did you document assessments and interventions in real time?
• Are there any gaps in the chart?
• Were any late entries made?
CHARGE NURSE DEPOSITION QUESTIONS
Oversight & Staffing
• What were the staffing levels during the relevant period?
• Were there any call‑outs or shortages?
• How do you support bedside nurses during deterioration events?
Change‑in‑Condition Response
• When were you first aware of the patient’s deterioration?
• What actions did you take?
• Did you instruct staff to escalate or call rapid response
Communication
• How do you communicate with providers during emergencies?
• Were there any delays or barriers?
HOSPITALIST / PHYSICIAN DEPOSITION QUESTIONS
Evaluation & Decision‑Making
• When did you first evaluate the patient?
• What was your differential diagnosis?
• What diagnostics did you order, and why?
Escalation
• Did you consider ICU transfer?
• What criteria do you use for escalation?
• Were any delays in escalation documented?
Response to Deterioration
• When were you notified of changes in condition?
• What actions did you take?
• Did you reassess the patient at the bedside?
Communication
• How did you communicate with nursing staff?
• Were your orders clear and timely?
RAPID RESPONSE TEAM DEPOSITION QUESTIONS
Activation & Arrival
• When was the rapid response activated?
• How long did it take to arrive at the bedside?
• What was the patient’s condition on arrival?
Interventions
• What interventions were performed?
• Were additional diagnostics ordered?
• Did you recommend ICU transfer?
Documentation
• Who documented the rapid response event?
• Are there any discrepancies in the timeline?
ADMINISTRATOR / RISK MANAGER QUESTIONS
Policies & Procedures
• What policies applied to this patient’s care?
• Were those policies followed?
• How is staff trained on rapid response and change‑in‑condition protocols
Incident Review
• Was an internal investigation conducted?
• Were any corrective actions implemented?
• Were there prior similar incidents?
Staffing & Systems
• What were the staffing levels during the incident?
• Were there known issues with communication, documentation, or escalation?
THEMES TO ESTABLISH BREACH
Use these question sets to uncover:
• Delayed assessment
• Missed abnormal vital signs
• Delayed provider evaluation
• Delayed diagnostics (labs, imaging, EKG)
• Failure to escalate to rapid response
. Failure to transfer to the ICU
• Medication errors
• Poor interdisciplinary communication
• Documentation gaps or contradictions
• System‑level failures (staffing, training, policies)
These themes help build a clear breach narrative.