Operating Room Registered Nurse
Posted Sep 10, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 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.
About your past
Tell me about a time you caught a near-miss or safety issue during a procedure, like a count discrepancy or a break in sterile technique.
What they are checking: whether they proactively speak up on safety issues even when it slows the room down or creates friction with the surgeon
Tell me about a case where a surgeon or team member disagreed with a decision you made in the room. How did you handle it?
What they are checking: conflict resolution skills and confidence advocating for the patient in a high-hierarchy environment
Tell me about a time your patient became unstable or there was a sudden complication during surgery. What did you do first?
What they are checking: clinical judgment and composure in high-stakes, fast-changing situations
How do you approach mentoring or working alongside newer staff or students, given this is a teaching hospital?
What they are checking: fit for a Magnet teaching environment where experienced nurses are expected to support learners
What would you do
How do you run a surgical time-out, and what do you do if the surgeon wants to skip it or rush through it?
What they are checking: willingness to hold the line on patient safety protocols under pressure from authority figures
You're on call and get pulled in for an emergent trauma case in the middle of the night with a team you don't usually work with. How do you get oriented fast and still deliver safe care?
What they are checking: adaptability and ability to function in a Level I trauma environment with unpredictable staffing
This unit works PM shift with weekends, holidays, and call rotations. How have you managed that kind of schedule, and what would make it work for you here?
What they are checking: realistic buy-in to the actual schedule demands, not just interest in the job title
About the work
Walk me through how you handle the circulating nurse role during a case, from patient arrival in the OR to closing.
What they are checking: whether the candidate actually understands the circulator's scope of responsibility versus scrub role
What's your experience with instrument counts, and can you describe a time a count didn't reconcile and what you did about it?
What they are checking: concrete procedural knowledge of a core patient-safety task, not just familiarity with the concept
How do you keep track of positioning, prepping, and equipment needs for different specialties if you're rotating through varied surgical cases?
What they are checking: breadth of perioperative knowledge across specialties rather than one narrow area
Describe how you'd manage documentation and charting during a fast-moving or emergent case without falling behind.
What they are checking: ability to balance real-time clinical demands with accurate record-keeping required by hospital and regulatory standards
What does evidence-based practice mean to you in the context of the operating room, and can you give an example of applying it?
What they are checking: whether they can connect abstract Magnet-hospital language to a real clinical practice change they've made
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As published by Advocate Health.