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Patient Care Technician Discharge Lounge Nursing Throughput Full Time Days

Northwestern Medicine · Palos Heights, IL · Full time · Health Care Provider

Posted Oct 5, 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 keep a process moving smoothly.

What they are checking: Whether they think about flow and efficiency, which this role depends on.

Tell me about a time you stayed friendly and calm with a stressed person.

What they are checking: Whether they keep a professional and kind manner, which patients notice at discharge.

What would you do

A patient in the lounge is waiting for a ride and getting frustrated. What do you do?

What they are checking: Whether they can keep patients comfortable and informed while they wait.

You notice a patient in the lounge looks pale and short of breath. What do you do?

What they are checking: Whether they recognize a patient may not be safe to leave and alert the RN right away.

How do you communicate with the floor nurses when a patient arrives in the lounge?

What they are checking: Whether they coordinate handoff clearly between units, acting as the liaison the posting describes.

A family member is late and the lounge is closing. What do you do?

What they are checking: Whether they can solve problems and escalate when patients can't leave as planned.

About the work

The discharge lounge helps patients leave the floor faster so new patients can get beds. Why does that matter for the whole hospital?

What they are checking: Whether they understand patient throughput and how freeing beds helps ED and admissions.

What do you check before a patient leaves the lounge?

What they are checking: Whether they confirm items like belongings, paperwork, medications and transportation.

How do you take vital signs and record them accurately?

What they are checking: Whether they do basic tasks carefully, which the posting lists as core duties.

How do you help a patient with mobility issues get into a car safely?

What they are checking: Whether they use safe transfer techniques at discharge.

Practice this interview out loud.

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The full job description

As published by Northwestern Medicine.

See what our staff have to say about working at Northwestern Medicine! It Takes a Team ! The Patient Care Tech 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. Under the supervision of an RN performs basic patient care activities. Responsibilities: • Performs basic nursing care activities as delegated and supervised by an RN, including monitoring vital signs, taking blood glucose measurements, and recording intake and output. • Assists patients with tending to personal care and activities of daily living, including bathing, grooming and eating. • Reports abnormal findings or changes in physical, mental and emotional conditions to nursing staff. • Assists with keeping patient rooms clean and orderly. • Demonstrates flexibility, organization, and multi-tasking. Able to function under stressful situations. • Utilizes critical thinking skills to successfully demonstrate the ability to prioritize and complete unit work quickly as the needs of the unit, patients and staff change. • Serves as liaison between patient care units and all other patient related departments. • Answers telephone, intercom and call lights in a polite manner using appropriate telephone etiquette and communicates information to the appropriate staff/family/patient. • Manages the overall unit workflow in concert with the charge RN and/or assistant manager, on an as needed basis. • Performs pre-census and validates daily admission, discharge and census lists, on an as needed This position is full time, 80 hours per pay period, day shift, Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Required: • High School Diploma or equivalent • Certified Nursing Assistant, Certified Medical Assistant, Emergency Medical Technician, or nursing school students with one semester of clinical completed • American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS) Preferred: • Phlebotomy experience • Graduate of an accredited Nursing Assistant program or Graduate of Phlebotomy course 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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