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Operating Room Registered Nurse
Posted Jul 29, 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 something went wrong in the OR. What was your part in the response?
What they are checking: Calm, organized action during emergencies like hemorrhage or malignant hyperthermia.
The posting requires ACLS within six months. What is your current status with BLS and ACLS?
What they are checking: Whether they are ready to meet the certifications on the stated timeline.
How do you work with surgical techs and anesthesia to keep room turnover safe and quick?
What they are checking: Teamwork that keeps the schedule moving without cutting safety steps.
Which surgical specialties have you worked in, and which would you need training for?
What they are checking: Honest self-assessment of their OR experience and learning needs.
What would you do
Your sponge or instrument count does not match at closing. What do you do?
What they are checking: Whether they stop the close and follow the retained-item process even under pressure from the surgeon.
A surgeon breaks sterile technique and does not seem to notice. How do you handle it?
What they are checking: Willingness to speak up to a physician in the moment, which protects the patient from infection.
How do you prepare a patient who is very anxious right before surgery?
What they are checking: Compassion and clear communication at a frightening moment for patients.
About the work
Walk me through your role as circulator from the time you meet the patient in pre-op until handoff in PACU.
What they are checking: Whether they understand the full scope of circulating, including advocacy for a patient who is asleep.
How do you run a time-out so it actually catches problems instead of becoming a formality?
What they are checking: Commitment to wrong-site and wrong-patient prevention, which depends on the circulator speaking up.
What do you check when positioning a patient to prevent nerve and skin injury?
What they are checking: Knowledge of pressure points and positioning risks for long cases.
How do you handle specimens to make sure nothing is lost or mislabeled?
What they are checking: Attention to specimen labeling and chain of custody, where an error can mean a missed diagnosis.
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Practice this out loudThe full job description
As published by Southern Illinois Healthcare.
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