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Physician Assistant or Acute Care Nurse Practitioner - Cardiothoracic Critical Care Intensive Care Unit (CTICU), Full-time, Rotating

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

Posted Sep 17, 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

These roles involve call and often weekends. Tell me honestly how that fits your life.

What they are checking: Whether they have registered the schedule, which is the most common reason people leave.

Tell me about a time you had to make a clinical decision without being able to reach the physician.

What they are checking: How they behave alone, which is what call actually is.

Tell me about a patient outcome that did not go the way you wanted.

What they are checking: Whether they can talk honestly about a bad outcome, which is what makes a colleague safe.

Tell me about working with a team where the members changed every shift.

What they are checking: Whether they can build working trust quickly, which acute settings require.

What quality improvement work have you been involved in?

What they are checking: The posting asks for it. This checks whether they have done any.

What made you look at this role rather than staying where you are?

What they are checking: Whether the move is toward something or away from something.

What would you do

Walk me through your first fifteen minutes with a patient who has deteriorated since the last check.

What they are checking: Whether they have a structure for an unstable patient rather than improvising.

How do you talk to a family who is frightened and asking for a certainty you cannot give?

What they are checking: Honesty under emotional pressure, without either false comfort or bluntness.

How do you keep your notes current across a busy day of acute patients?

What they are checking: A habit the whole team relies on.

About the work

Tell me about your acute care experience. What is the sickest patient population you have managed?

What they are checking: Whether the acute care scope is real, since these roles carry genuinely unwell patients.

How do you decide a patient needs a higher level of care than where they are now?

What they are checking: Escalation judgment, which is the decision that matters most in acute work.

How do you hand a patient over so nothing is lost between shifts?

What they are checking: Handover discipline, which is where acute care patients are most often harmed.

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The full job description

As published by Northwestern Medicine.

Northwestern Medicine has an exciting opportunity for either a Nurse Practitioner or a Physician Assistant to work in our Cardiothoracic Critical Care Intensive Care Unit (CTICU). Schedule: • Each shift is 13-hours; start end times are 6AM - 7PM, 6PM - 7AM • Weekends and holidays as assigned • Rotating days, nights, and weekends with the option for 100% nights if candidate prefers Clinical Responsibilitie s : • Provide comprehensive, collaborative management of the patient populations within the cardiothoracic intensive care unit (CTICU). Including heart and lung transplants, as well as dual organ transplants. • Develop and implement plans of care in collaboration with critical care and surgical services. • Coordinate with and incorporate consultative services into patient’s plan of care as clinically indicated • Prescribe and manage medications for patient inclusive of vasoactive drugs and antibiotics • Manage ventilatory status and needs of patients in partnership with respiratory therapy • Demonstrate competency to perform and assist with procedures such as central line placement, arterial line insertion, chest tube management, and bronchoscopy • Complete timely and accurate problem-based, system-oriented documentation on patient’s clinical status • Respond to and lead emergency response situations within intensive care unit • Provide education to patient and family throughout clinical course • Oversight and management of cardiac support devices inclusive of intra-aortic balloon pump, impellas, and ECMO • Partner with transplant services to monitor and enact post-transplant protocols inclusive of immunosuppression, invasive rejection monitoring, and discharge planning Essential Functions : Demonstrates clinical expertise and expanded knowledge through patient care activities which may include diagnosis and management of a wide range of health problems. Responsible for health outcome of an assigned patient population. Confers with collaborating physician and other health professionals in area of clinical expertise. Develops appropriate educational systems for patients, families and staff in areas of expertise. Mentors graduate students in aspects of advanced practice and patient care. Actively participates in quality improvement and/or research pertinent to area of expertise. Additional Duties and Responsibilities : Conducts comprehensive appraisals of patients' health status by taking health histories and performing physical examinations in clinical area. Provides direct clinical care to patients. Prescribes/orders medications, therapies; orders/interprets laboratory tests, x-rays and procedures according to clinical privileges. Evaluates patients to determine their need for further health care. Provides comprehensive teaching to patients and families. Documents in the medical record all care and education provided and/or procedures performed for which the Licensed Advanced Practice Provider is responsible. Refers to other disciplines as appropriate. Consultant to other disciplines in areas of expertise. Integrates research based knowledge and clinical expertise in decision making. Exemplifies a professional image in appearance, manner and presentation. Advocate for patients, families, coworkers, and the community. Maintains certifications and continuing education as required for licensure and privileging. Serves as a patient advocate and role model for "Patients First". Participates in unit/departmental/divisional or hospital committees/task forces as appropriate. Provides comprehensive teaching strategies for patients and their families. Develops and participates in programs to meet continuing education needs of staff. Serves as a role model and preceptor to students. Provides formal education to both internal and external groups pertinent to area of specialty. Participates in quality improvement and/or research initiatives for specific patient population as appropriate. Required : • Master’s degree from an accredited school/college of nursing OR master's degree from an accredited Physician Assistant Program • Acute care certification required for APRNs • Current license as a Registered Nurse in the State of Illinois. Current license as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse in the State of Illinois. Certification as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse by a national certifying body as approved by the Illinois Department of Regulation APRN Board. Once licensed may apply for a controlled substance license and DEA number OR Master’s degree from an accredited Physician Assistant Program/Current license as a Physician Assistant in the State of Illinois. Once licensed may apply for a controlled substance license and DEA number • Privileged and credentialed through the NMH Medical Staff Office (MSO) • Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation – BLS, issued by the American Heart Association Preferred : • 2 years of ICU experience 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. Please visit our Benefits section to learn more. Sign-on Bonus Eligibility (if sign-on bonus offered for position): 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 at NM may be eligible depending upon the job family.

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