Jobs › SSM Health

Registered Nurse - Cardiac Stepdown Unit

SSM Health · IL · $31.21–$49.94 an hour · Full time

Posted Aug 27, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

Apply at SSM Health

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 anyone else did.

What they are checking: Whether they trust their assessment and speak up early, which is the purpose of a stepdown unit.

How do you handle a physician who doesn't seem concerned about something you are worried about?

What they are checking: Whether they escalate through the chain of command when they believe a patient is at risk.

What would you do

Your patient on telemetry suddenly goes into a new rhythm. Walk me through what you do.

What they are checking: Whether they assess the patient first, recognize the rhythm and escalate at the right speed.

A heart failure patient has gained three pounds overnight and is more short of breath. What do you do?

What they are checking: Whether they connect weight gain to fluid overload and escalate before the patient gets worse.

You have five patients, and two need you right now. How do you decide who goes first?

What they are checking: Whether they prioritize by clinical urgency and use help from the team instead of trying to do it all.

About the work

How do you care for a patient after a cardiac cath with a femoral access site?

What they are checking: Whether they know to watch for bleeding, hematoma and pulse changes and what to do if they happen.

What do you watch for in a patient on a heparin drip?

What they are checking: Whether they understand lab monitoring, dosing protocols and bleeding risk for a high-alert medication.

How do you teach a heart failure patient to manage at home so they don't come back to the hospital?

What they are checking: Whether their teaching on weights, salt, fluid and medications is practical and checked with teach-back.

What is your experience with cardiac drips like diltiazem or amiodarone?

What they are checking: Whether they can titrate and monitor cardiac medications safely in a stepdown setting.

How do you give a bedside handoff so the next nurse knows exactly what to watch for?

What they are checking: Whether they give organized handoffs that highlight risks rather than just reading off the chart.

Practice this interview out loud.

Offer builds a real interview for this exact role at SSM Health from your resume and this job description, asks the questions one at a time, and tells you what landed. The first one is free.

Practice this out loud

The full job description

As published by SSM Health.

It's more than a career, it's a calling. IL-SSM Health Good Samaritan Hospital - Mount Vernon Worker Type: Regular Pay Range: $31.21 - $49.94 Pay Rate Type: Hourly SSM Health values the skills and talents that each team member brings to our organization. Compensation for this role is based on a variety of components including relevant experience, labor market, and other qualifications. The posted pay range for this position is what SSM Health reasonably expects, in good faith, to offer based on the circumstances at the time of posting. SSM Health may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range as permitted by law. Job Summary: Provides direct nursing care in accordance with established policies, procedures and protocols of the healthcare organization. Job Responsibilities and Requirements: PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES • Uses standards of medical-surgical nursing practice to increase the quality of care and quality of life for the patient, family, and significant other(s) by systematically evaluating the quality and effectiveness of nursing practice. • Establishes effective relationships and serves as an advocate with the patient, family, and significant other(s) to facilitate the development of the care plan unique to the patient’s care needs. • Uses the nursing process to develop and implement the plan of care, collect assessment data for each patient, determine appropriate nursing diagnoses, identify expected patient outcomes, determine the plan of care, implement interventions, and evaluate patient outcomes. • Develops assessment and management strategies based on a consideration of the physical, functional, cultural, social, economic, developmental, spiritual, vocational, and leisure dimensions of human responses to actual and potential health problems. • Demonstrates knowledge of the impact of actual or potential illness and each patient’s physical, functional, cultural, social, economic, developmental, spiritual, vocational, and leisure status. • Utilizes leadership skills by coordinating and collaborating with the patient, family, significant other(s), communities, and members of the inter-professional team in assessing needs, setting goals, planning interventions, providing care, and evaluating outcomes. • Utilizes effective communication to participate with the patient, family, significant other(s), and other health care providers in collaborative decision making that reflects the understanding that care should be culturally sensitive, ethical, legal, holistic, informed, compassionate, and humane, and within the boundaries of available economic resources. • Educates the patient, family, and significant other(s) about measures that promote, maintain, and restore health or promote comfort. • Fosters a healthy work environment within the practice setting and profession by serving as a mentor and role model for nursing colleagues, students, and others. • Applies the existing body of evidence-based practice and scientific knowledge in health care to medical-surgical nursing practice, ensuring that nursing care is delivered based on patient’s age-specific needs and clinical needs as described in the department's Scope of Service. • Works in a constant state of alertness and safe manner. • May perform point of care testing according to policies and procedures. • Performs other duties as assigned. EDUCATION • Graduate of accredited school of nursing or education equivalency for licensing EXPERIENCE • No experience required PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS • Constant use of speech to share information through oral communication. • Constant standing and walking. • Frequent lifting/carrying and pushing/pulling objects weighing 0-25 lbs. • Frequent sitting, reaching and keyboard use/data entry. • Frequent use of vision and depth perception for distances near (20 inches or less) and far (20 feet or more) and to identify and distinguish colors. • Frequent use of smell to detect/recognize odors. • Frequent use of hearing to receive oral communication, distinguish body sounds and/or hear alarms, malfunctioning machinery, etc. • Occasional lifting/carrying and pushing/pulling objects weighing 25-50 lbs. • Occasional lifting/moving of patients. • Occasional bending, stooping, kneeling, squatting, twisting, gripping and repetitive foot/leg and hand/arm movements. • Occasional driving. • Rare crawling and running. REQUIRED PROFESSIONAL LICENSE AND/OR CERTIFICATIONS State of Work Location: Illinois • Basic Life Support HealthCare Provider (BLS HCP) - American Heart Association (AHA) • And • Registered Professional Nurse (RN) - Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) State of Work Location: Missouri • Basic Life Support HealthCare Provider (BLS HCP) - American Heart Association (AHA) • And • Registered Nurse (RN) - Missouri Division of Professional Registration • Or • Registered Nurse (RN) Issued by Compact State State of Work Location: Oklahoma • Basic Life Support HealthCare Provider (BLS HCP) - American Heart Association (AHA) • And • Registered Nurse (RN) Issued by Compact State • Or • Registered Nurse (RN) - Oklahoma Board of Nursing (OBN) State of Work Location: Wisconsin • Basic Life Support HealthCare Provider (BLS HCP) - American Heart Association (AHA) • And • Registered Nurse (RN) Issued by Compact State • Or • Registered Nurse (RN) - Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services Work Shift: Night Shift (United States of America) Job Type: Employee Department: 1003000046 Pat Rms 3200 CSU Scheduled Weekly Hours: 36 SSM Health is an Equal Opportunity Employer. SSM Health provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. Click here to learn more.

Apply at SSM Health