Registered Nurse - Med Surg
Posted Oct 5, 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 advocated for a patient when the plan didn't seem right to you.
What they are checking: Whether they will speak up to providers when something seems off, which the posting frames as advocacy.
Tell me about a medication error or near miss you were involved in or caught. What happened?
What they are checking: Whether they are honest about errors and understand the systems that prevent them, which builds a safety culture.
What draws you to SSM Health and to working PRN right now?
What they are checking: Whether their availability and goals match what the unit needs from a PRN nurse.
What would you do
This is a PRN position on Med Surg 3 West at St. Mary's in Madison. How do you get up to speed quickly when you're working irregular shifts?
What they are checking: Whether they can step onto the unit, get report and work safely without the routine of a regular schedule.
One of your post-op patients has a rising heart rate and seems more confused than at the start of the shift. What do you do?
What they are checking: Whether they recognize early signs of deterioration like sepsis or bleeding and escalate quickly.
A family member is upset and says their mother isn't getting enough attention. How do you handle that?
What they are checking: Whether they stay calm, listen and involve the family in care, keeping trust without getting defensive.
You're behind on charting and a new admission is coming up from the ED. What do you do?
What they are checking: Whether they ask for help and manage time well instead of letting documentation or safety slip.
About the work
Walk me through how you prioritize five or six med surg patients at the start of a shift.
What they are checking: Whether they triage by acuity and risk, which is the core skill that keeps patients safe on a busy floor.
How do you build a care plan that accounts for the patient's family, culture and situation at home, not just the diagnosis?
What they are checking: Whether they think about the whole person, which the posting stresses and which affects readmissions.
How do you handle discharge teaching for a patient going home with new medications and limited support?
What they are checking: Whether they teach in a way patients actually understand and arrange follow-up, preventing return visits.
How do you know whether the care you gave on a shift was effective?
What they are checking: Whether they evaluate outcomes and adjust, which the posting describes as a core part of the nursing process.
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Practice this out loudThe full job description
As published by SSM Health.