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Nurse Clinician-Palliative Medicine McHenry Full Time Days

Northwestern Medicine · McHenry, IL · Full time · Health Care Provider

Posted Sep 28, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about a time you helped a patient complete advance care planning.

What they are checking: Experience guiding patients through decisions about the care they want.

How do you handle the emotional weight of working with seriously ill patients every day?

What they are checking: Self-care and resilience that make the work sustainable.

Tell me about a time you worked with a team, like social work or chaplaincy, to support a patient.

What they are checking: Interdisciplinary teamwork central to palliative care.

What would you do

A patient at the McHenry Cancer Center calls with uncontrolled pain at home. Walk me through your triage.

What they are checking: Assessing pain remotely and getting the provider to adjust the plan quickly.

A family disagrees about whether to continue treatment. How do you help?

What they are checking: Supporting goals-of-care conversations without taking sides.

A patient tells you they want to stop all treatment. What do you do?

What they are checking: Respecting patient choice and making sure the provider and team know.

About the work

What does palliative care mean to you, and how would you explain it to a patient who thinks it means giving up?

What they are checking: Clear, honest understanding of palliative care that can ease patient and family fears.

How do you assess and manage symptoms like nausea, constipation or shortness of breath in a palliative patient?

What they are checking: Symptom management knowledge at the core of palliative nursing.

How do you teach a family about using opioids safely at home?

What they are checking: Patient education on dosing, side effects and safe storage.

How do you document symptom assessments and phone calls clearly?

What they are checking: Documentation that supports continuity and safe care.

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The full job description

As published by Northwestern Medicine.

**This is a Full Time, salaried position at 40 hours per week located at the McHenry Cancer Center. The schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00a-4:30p.** The Nurse Clinician reflects the mission, vision, and values of NM, adheres to the organization’s Code of Ethics and Corporate Compliance Program, and complies with all relevant policies, procedures, guidelines and all other regulatory and accreditation standards. • The Nurse Clinician will work in a multidisciplinary environment which will require exceptional interpersonal skills, including the ability to establish and maintain effective relationships with patients, physicians, clinical and administrative units. This position will utilize nursing skills to perform patient assessments via phone or in person and implement nursing interventions; as such the ability to use appropriate judgment, independent thinking and creativity when resolving patient care issues. Also responsible for initiating & organizing patient education for the population this unit serves. Responsibilities: • Maintain a safe and clean work environment . Ensure compliance with OSHA regulations. Report deficiencies to supervisor immediately. Assist in rectifying deficiencies as requested. Assume responsibility for and supervision of the appropriate care of medical equipment. • Provide pre-attending care for patients . For each patient, perform a comprehensive assessment of the chief complaint and patient needs utilizing the nursing process. Based on findings, seek solutions and offer opinions to physicians and other health care providers. Document all nursing assessments in the patient’s medical record. Ensure that all documentation is clear, complete and legible. Maintain patient confidentiality at all times. Understand and uphold the protocols and procedures for release of patient/medical information. • Perform routine nursing duties and demonstrate clinical competency . Independently perform routine nursing duties including phlebotomy, medication administration, measurement of vital signs, preparation of lab specimens, etc. Demonstrate clinical competency when performing complex specialty-related procedures, including conscious sedation, chemotherapy administration, inseminations, filling and adjustment of implantable pain pumps and excision and drainage of wounds. • Interpret and define abnormalities detected in tests and procedures, then take appropriate remedial action . Document all interventions in the patient medical record as appropriate. Ensure that all documentation is clear, complete and legible. • Communicate and collaborate with other departments . Communicate and collaborate with other clinical and administrative departments in order to coordinate appropriate patient care, as needed. Communicate with outside agencies or facilities as appropriate. • Triage and prioritize incoming telephone calls . Triage and prioritize incoming telephone calls using clinical assessment skills and service standards. Document all assessments the patient medical record as appropriate. Ensure that all documentation is clear, complete and legible. • Manage urgent/emergent medical situations as appropriate and in accordance with the organization’s protocols for medical emergencies and cardiac arrests. Obtain and/or operate emergency equipment according to relevant standards. • Serve as a resource for staff and physicians for daily problem solving and decision-making . Maintain a consistent alertness to patient care needs and take a proactive approach to address/resolve issues. Delegate appropriate tasks according to Illinois law and organizational protocols to Licensed Practical Nurses and Medical Assistants. • Comply with all existing policies and procedures related to patient care . Make recommendations to management regarding new policies and procedures that may improve the patient experience. Assure that new policies and procedures are implemented in a timely manner. • Initiate and coordinate patient education . Ensure that patients understand educational materials and can exhibit return demonstration when pertinent. Provide teaching to staff on both a formal and informal basis. Participate in community outreach education, patient support groups or specialty-related educational programs offered to hospital and community nurses, as requested. Required: • Graduate from an accredited school of nursing. • Registered Professional Nurse licensure in the State of Illinois. • American Heart Association Basic Life Support CPR certification. • Current experience within past five years or new nursing graduate within past two years. If less than six months experience, approval required from NMG Director of Professional Development. Preferred: • Bachelor’s degree in Nursing preferred (may be required for some roles within Oncology) • 1-2 years’ experience in ambulatory or acute care Northwestern Medicine is an equal opportunity employer (disability, VETS) and does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of age, sex, race, color, religion, national origin, gender identity, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation or any other protected status. Background Check Northwestern Medicine conducts a background check that includes criminal history on newly hired team members and, at times, internal transfers. If you are offered a position with us, you will be required to complete an authorization and disclosure form that gives Northwestern Medicine permission to run the background check. Results are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, and we follow all local, state, and federal laws, including the Illinois Health Care Worker Background Check Act. Artificial Intelligence Disclosure Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used in some portions of the candidate review process for this position, however, all employment decisions will be made by a person. Benefits We offer a wide range of benefits that provide employees with tools and resources to improve their physical, emotional, and financial well-being while providing protection for unexpected life events. Click on or copy and paste URL to your browser to view detailed benefits information NorthwesternMedicine Career Page https://jobs.nm.org/benefits Please refer to the Benefits Eligibility by Employment Classification to determine benefits eligibility for job postings. If sign-on bonus is included in a job posting eligibility is as followed: Internal employees and rehires who left Northwestern Medicine within 1 year are not eligible for the sign-on bonus. Exception : New graduate internal employees seeking their first licensed clinical position as a Registered Nurse at NM may be eligible.

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