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Registered Nurse - Med Surg

SSM Health · WI · Part time

Posted Oct 5, 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 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.

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: PRN1 Job Highlights: Department: Med Surg 3 West Schedule: PRN Location: St. Mary's Hospital - Madison 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: Day Shift (United States of America) Job Type: Employee Department: 1011000007 Med/Surg (3W) Scheduled Weekly Hours: 0 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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