Registered Nurse - Charge Nurse
Posted Sep 23, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 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 handled a conflict between a surgeon and a nurse.
What they are checking: Whether they can calm tension, protect staff and keep the focus on the patient.
Tell me about a time you gave honest feedback to a peer that went into a performance evaluation.
What they are checking: Whether they can give fair, specific feedback even to coworkers they work beside every day.
What would you do
As charge nurse in surgery, how do you manage the day when cases run late and add-ons keep coming?
What they are checking: Whether they can juggle the OR board, staff breaks and priorities while keeping patients safe.
An emergency case needs a room now, but all rooms are in use. What do you do?
What they are checking: Whether they work with anesthesia and surgeons to set priorities and open a room safely.
A nurse reports that a surgeon wants to skip part of the time out. How do you respond?
What they are checking: Whether they back the nurse and enforce safety steps, even with powerful people involved.
About the work
How do you make room assignments that match staff skills to the cases on the schedule?
What they are checking: Whether they think about competency, specialty experience and teaching needs when assigning staff.
How do you help a newer OR nurse who is struggling with a complex case type?
What they are checking: Whether they teach and support staff in real time, which is part of the charge role.
How do you keep turnovers efficient without cutting cleaning or safety steps?
What they are checking: Whether they balance speed with infection control and room readiness.
This job has variable shifts. How do you keep a consistent handoff when the charge role changes during the day?
What they are checking: Whether they pass along open issues clearly so nothing is missed between charge nurses.
What would make you report an event through the safety reporting system?
What they are checking: Whether they see near misses and errors as chances to fix systems, not things to hide.
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Practice this out loudThe full job description
As published by SSM Health.