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Registered Nurse-Emergency Department Full-Time Nights

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

Posted Sep 25, 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

Tell me about a time a patient in the ED declined quickly. What were the first signs and what did you do?

What they are checking: Whether they act early on subtle changes in a setting where patients are often undiagnosed.

Tell me about a patient or visitor who became aggressive. How did you keep yourself and others safe?

What they are checking: Whether they use de-escalation skills early and know when to call for security help.

How do you consider a patient's cultural or spiritual background when they are making a decision about care in the ED?

What they are checking: Whether they respect patient values in fast decisions instead of treating those needs as optional extras.

What would you do

It is night shift at Kishwaukee and you have a new chest pain patient, a confused elderly patient trying to climb out of bed, and a family asking for an update. What do you do first?

What they are checking: Whether they triage by risk to life and safety and can explain the reasoning out loud.

A smaller hospital ED at night may have fewer people around. How do you prepare for a critical patient when backup is limited?

What they are checking: Whether they plan ahead, know their resources and stay calm when the team is thin.

You are holding an admitted patient in the ED for hours because there are no inpatient beds. How do you keep their care on track?

What they are checking: Whether they treat boarding patients as fully their responsibility, including meds and reassessments that are easy to miss.

This role may work across DeKalb and Woodstock. How do you adjust to different departments with different routines?

What they are checking: Whether they can stay safe and effective when equipment, layout and team change between sites.

About the work

The posting asks you to recognize signs of abuse or neglect. What would make you concerned during an ED assessment, and what would you do next?

What they are checking: Whether they know the red flags and their reporting duty, not just a vague sense that something seems off.

How do you adjust your assessment and communication for a toddler versus a teenager versus a frail older adult?

What they are checking: Whether they truly think about age-specific needs, which a community ED sees across the whole lifespan.

How do you teach a patient who is being discharged from the ED at 2 a.m. and is tired and anxious?

What they are checking: Whether they check readiness to learn and use teach-back instead of just handing over printed instructions.

Practice this interview out loud.

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The full job description

As published by Northwestern Medicine.

Registered Nurse-Emergency Department Full-Time Nights A Day in the Life Working in the Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital Emergency Department The Staff Nurse Inpatient-Kishwaukee 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. • The Registered Nurse performs established procedures in accordance with hospital and the department of patient care services philosophy, policies, and standards. Care is provided with consideration to developmental needs and abilities. The RN uses the nursing process to ensure the delivery of high-quality evidence-based nursing care to the patient and family Responsibilities: Description • According to hospital and unit specific guidelines and standards of practice, completes an assessment for each assigned patient reflecting age specific physical, psychological, emotional, spiritual, cultural, and environmental variables affecting the patient. Recognizes signs of abuse/neglect. • Assesses patient/family educational needs, abilities, learning preferences, and readiness to learn • Anticipates potential problems including those related to the patient’s disease entity, adjustment to disease, physical complications, knowledge deficit, discharge needs, and family support • Develops and updates nursing plan of care based on patient assessment and nursing diagnosis with input from interdisciplinary team members and patient/family/significant others; patient/family education and discharge planning needs are assessed and included in the plan of care • Initiates and coordinates effective communication with physicians and/or other healthcare providers by reporting and recording pertinent observations and reactions regarding patient/family/significant others • Assesses patient response to treatment regime, recognizes and analyzes the cause of patient’s symptoms and changing condition and initiates appropriate nursing interventions • Prioritizes the care needs for assigned patients by demonstrating ability to readjust priorities with changing patient status or unit activity • Actively participates in discharge planning from time of admission as evidenced by documenting patient teaching, patient/family understanding of plan, and timely referrals, etc. • Applies Standards of Care in the provision of safe patient care, with consideration given to normal characteristics of growth and development throughout the life span, consulting with team and clinical development coordinator, as needed (see Standards of Care). Follows OSHA standards according to guidelines and policies/procedures • Appropriate age-specific interventions are identified, implemented, and documented in a safe and timely manner; documentation and practice reflects patient’s response to interventions • Includes the patient/family/significant other as active participants in the development of the plan of care, the care given, and in teaching • Administers prescribed medications and performs treatments in a safe manner utilizing knowledge of standards of care in administration of medications. Utilizes medication administration time as opportunity to educate patient/family about medications • Provides pain management for patient as well as comfort and support to patient/family/significant other • Follows hospital policy in reporting potential abuse/neglect. • Anticipates patient needs and coordinates patient care activities with other hospital departments, healthcare providers, and agencies in the community • Performs re-assessment of patient according to patient condition, standards of practice, and hospital policy • Consistently evaluates patient diagnostic data in a timely manner and intervenes appropriately • Comprehensively and accurately documents treatments, assessments, and patient’s response to nursing actions and interventions/medical regime • Communicates patient’s status changes to shift charge nurse, physician, and/or other healthcare team members as appropriate • Evaluates patient’s and family’s response to teaching plan including level of understanding, acceptance, and compliance • In consultation with members of the interdisciplinary team, initiates patient care conferences and revises plan of care based on patient response to interventions. • Evaluates the quality of care provided including nursing assessments and plan of care Required: • Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) • Current State of Illinois Registered Professional Nurse • American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS) *Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) acceptable with commitment to obtain a BSN from an accredited program within three years of first day of employment in clinical nurse role. Preferred: • Strong interpersonal skills • Ability to collaborate with others • Strong analytic abilities #NMWEST 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.

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