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This position has closed. Northwestern Medicine removed this listing from their careers page on Oct 5, 2026. The interview prep below is still useful, and there are similar open roles at the bottom of this page.

Patient Care Technician-Stepdown Hp5 Part Time Nights

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

Posted Sep 25, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 5, 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 noticed a patient getting worse before others did.

What they are checking: Attentiveness and willingness to speak up, which can make a big difference on stepdown.

How do you stay focused and safe working part-time nights?

What they are checking: Self-awareness about fatigue and the routines that help them stay sharp overnight.

Tell me about a time you got feedback from a nurse that was hard to hear. What did you do with it?

What they are checking: Openness to correction from the RNs who supervise and delegate their work.

What would you do

You're taking vitals and a patient's oxygen saturation is 86 percent. What do you do?

What they are checking: Recognizing low oxygen as urgent, checking the probe and calling the RN right away.

A patient who just moved down from the ICU seems more confused than at the start of your shift. What do you do?

What they are checking: Noticing changes in mental status and reporting them, since they can be an early sign of trouble.

Your nurse is tied up with a rapid response and other call lights are ringing. How do you handle it?

What they are checking: Managing the unit's workflow and staying calm when the team is stretched.

About the work

Stepdown patients are sicker than med-surg but not quite ICU. What do you think that means for the tech's job?

What they are checking: Understanding that stepdown patients can worsen quickly and need closer watching and faster reporting.

How do you help a patient with lots of lines and monitors get to the bathroom or chair safely?

What they are checking: Safe mobility with equipment attached and knowing when to get a second person.

Walk me through how you check blood glucose and what you do with an abnormal result.

What they are checking: Correct point-of-care technique and prompt reporting of results outside the normal range.

Why does intake and output matter on stepdown, and how do you keep it accurate?

What they are checking: Understanding that fluid balance guides treatment for patients with heart, kidney or breathing problems.

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 basis. This position is part-time, 48 hours per pay period, night shift, 7:00 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. with alternating weekends and holidays. 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.