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Registered Nurse - Cardiovascular Care Unit

SSM Health · WI · Full time

Posted Oct 1, 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

The posting describes complex assessments and interventions. Tell me about a time your assessment changed the plan of care.

What they are checking: Whether their careful assessment actually leads to action for the patient.

Tell me about a time you worked with a team during a cardiac emergency.

What they are checking: Whether they stay calm and know their role during a code or rapid response.

What would you do

This is a full-time night role. What's different about caring for cardiac patients at night?

What they are checking: Whether they understand fewer resources are around and they must catch problems early.

A family member keeps asking questions you can't answer. How do you handle it?

What they are checking: Whether they stay honest and connect families to the right person instead of guessing.

About the work

Walk me through how you care for a patient the night after open heart surgery.

What they are checking: Whether they know the key risks like bleeding, arrhythmias and low blood pressure after cardiac surgery.

Your patient's chest tube output suddenly increases a lot. What do you do?

What they are checking: Whether they recognize possible bleeding and notify the surgeon right away with the right information.

Your patient develops new chest pain at 3 a.m. What are your next steps?

What they are checking: Whether they get an EKG fast, assess the patient and call the provider without delay.

How do you manage a patient on drips like nitroglycerin, amiodarone or a vasopressor?

What they are checking: Whether they know how to titrate safely and what to watch for with each drug.

How do you teach a heart patient about their medications and lifestyle before they go home?

What they are checking: Whether they can teach clearly so patients avoid coming back to the hospital.

How do you prevent complications like infection or blood clots in heart surgery patients?

What they are checking: Whether prevention is part of their routine, like early walking and wound care.

Practice this interview out loud.

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The full job description

As published by SSM Health.

It's more than a career, it's a calling WI-SSM Health St. Mary's Hospital - Madison Worker Type: Regular Job Highlights: Join a team where your work matters—every moment, every patient, every community. At SSM Health, you'll be empowered to grow, supported to thrive, and inspired to make a lasting impact. In this role, you will provide hands-on support in a fast-paced care environment where every shift makes a direct impact on patients and families. Your attention to detail, compassion, and ability to work closely with clinical teams will help create a safer, smoother care experience. If you enjoy interacting with patients and want to grow in a collaborative care setting, this role is perfect for you. Department: Cardiovascular Care Unit Schedule: Full-Time, 32 hours per week, Rotating Shifts Apply today. SSM Health – We bring out the incredible in you, everyday. 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: Rotating Shift (United States of America) Job Type: Employee Department: 1003000007 4E Cardiovascular Care Unit Scheduled Weekly Hours: 32 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.

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