Registered Nurse Inpatient Post Surgical Care Unit Part Time Nights
Posted Sep 23, 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 you prevented a post-op complication like a fall, a clot or pneumonia. What did you do?
What they are checking: Whether they actively push early mobility and prevention rather than treating complications once they happen.
Tell me about a patient or family member who was frustrated with their recovery. How did you handle the conversation?
What they are checking: Whether they can listen and set expectations without becoming defensive when someone is scared or in pain.
What has your experience been with shared governance or a unit project, and what would you want to work on here?
What they are checking: Whether they see themselves as someone who improves the unit, not just someone who works shifts on it.
What would you do
It is 3 a.m. and you need to call the surgeon about a patient who is getting worse. How do you prepare for that call?
What they are checking: Whether they organize an SBAR clearly enough to get action from a tired physician on nights.
You work nights. How do you balance letting post-op patients rest with all the assessments and meds they need?
What they are checking: Whether they cluster care thoughtfully, since sleep affects healing and delirium risk.
How do you direct a patient care tech during a busy admission when three post-op patients arrive close together?
What they are checking: Whether they can delegate clearly and prioritize when the unit gets hit with multiple admissions at once.
About the work
Your post-surgical patient is two hours out from a bowel resection and their heart rate has climbed from 88 to 118. Walk me through what you do.
What they are checking: Whether they think about bleeding, pain and early sepsis in order instead of just retaking the vitals later.
How do you assess and manage pain for a fresh post-op patient while watching for over-sedation from opioids?
What they are checking: Whether they balance comfort with safety, using sedation scales and respiratory checks, not just pain scores.
What do you look for when you assess a surgical incision and drains during your shift?
What they are checking: Whether they know the specific early signs of infection, dehiscence or bleeding at the site.
How do you start teaching for discharge with a patient who just had surgery and may go home in a day or two?
What they are checking: Whether they begin education early and check understanding, because short stays leave little time to teach.
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As published by Northwestern Medicine.