CNA - Med Surg & ICU
Posted Sep 9, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Sep 20, 2026
Likely interview questions for this role
Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.
Behavioral
Tell me about a time you noticed something off with a patient during rounding, something that wasn't in your job description to catch, and what you did about it.
whether the candidate proactively observes and escalates rather than just completing assigned tasks
Tell me about a time you had to care for a patient or family member who was scared, angry, or grieving. How did you handle it?
emotional resilience and bedside manner in high-stress moments like ICU or post-mortem care
Tell me about a time your unit was short-staffed or unusually busy. How did you keep up with basic patient needs like call lights and skin checks?
resilience and reliability under a heavy workload typical of med surg and ICU shifts
Have you cared for patients across different age groups, from younger adults to the elderly? How do you adjust your approach based on age?
awareness of age-specific care needs as required by the job standards
Tell me about a time you had to lift or move a patient who was much heavier than you expected, or the equipment wasn't quite right. What did you do?
judgment about safe body mechanics and willingness to ask for help rather than risk injury
Technical
Walk me through how you'd take and document a full set of vitals, including TPRs and I&O, on a patient in the ICU.
basic clinical competency and comfort with routine documentation in the EMR
What's your process for collecting and labeling a urine or sputum specimen so there's no mix-up?
attention to detail on specimen identification, a common source of serious errors
What do you know about maintaining skin integrity, and how would you handle a patient who needs frequent repositioning to prevent breakdown?
practical knowledge of pressure injury prevention, a core CNA responsibility
How do you approach hand hygiene and isolation precautions when moving between patients, especially one who's in isolation?
infection control discipline and consistency, not just knowledge
Situational
Say you're helping an RN with a two-person sliding transfer and you feel the patient starting to shift wrong halfway through, what do you do in that moment.
safety judgment and communication under a physically risky, time-pressured task
How do you decide what to communicate to the RN versus what you can handle yourself when you notice a change in a patient?
understanding of scope of practice and appropriate escalation
You have three patients needing repositioning, a call light going off, and a specimen that needs to go to the lab right now. How do you prioritize?
organizational skill and ability to triage competing demands on a busy unit
This role is night shift, 6:30pm to 7am, three shifts a week with rotating weekends and holidays. How do you know this schedule works for you long term?
realistic commitment to the shift pattern and lower likelihood of early turnover
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As published by Advocate Health.
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