Jobs › Mercyhealth

Registered Nurse- Medical Surgical- PRN

Mercyhealth · Harvard, IL · $34.45–$51.68 an hour · Per diem

Posted Sep 10, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

Apply at Mercyhealth

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 used critical thinking to prevent a patient from getting worse.

What they are checking: Whether they connect clues and act early, which the posting stresses.

Tell me about a time you made a mistake and how you handled it.

What they are checking: Whether they own and report mistakes, which is key to patient safety.

What would you do

You start your shift at 7 a.m. with five patients. How do you decide where to go first?

What they are checking: Whether they review handoff and prioritize by acuity and time-sensitive needs.

How do you handle a patient who keeps refusing to get out of bed?

What they are checking: Whether they explain the risks of immobility and work with PT to motivate the patient.

How do you manage an every-third-weekend and holiday rotation with your other commitments?

What they are checking: Whether they can be reliable for the schedule the posting describes.

A patient's family member is asking you to do things against the care plan. What do you do?

What they are checking: Whether they balance family input with safety and involve the provider when needed.

How do you keep up with documentation during a busy day?

What they are checking: Whether they chart in real time instead of leaving it all until the end of the shift.

About the work

A patient has a new drop in oxygen levels after surgery. Walk me through your actions.

What they are checking: Whether they assess quickly, apply oxygen, and know when to call rapid response.

How do you teach a patient to manage a new diabetes diagnosis before they go home?

What they are checking: Whether they teach in simple, practical steps and confirm understanding.

How do you decide what to delegate to a CNA and what to do yourself?

What they are checking: Whether they understand delegation rules and keep responsibility for assessments.

Practice this interview out loud.

Offer builds a real interview for this exact role at Mercyhealth from your resume and this job description, asks the questions one at a time, and tells you what landed. The first one is free.

Practice this out loud

The full job description

As published by Mercyhealth.

Overview: Provides compassionate, culturally sensitive, holistic nursing care to patients in a clinical setting. Schedule: PRN Shift: Variable/ As needed ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES • Utilizes the nursing process and collaborates with interdisciplinary team members in caring for patients. • Administers prescribed medications and treatments in accordance with approved nursing techniques, policies and procedures, standards of care, and State laws practice act. • Documents according to standards of care. • Performs assessments, planning, intervention, and evaluation of care. • Develops, initiates, and executes a patient plan of care according to the individualized needs of the patient, as prescribed by Physician and or clinic policy including patient and family instruction. • Participates in department or unit performance improvement activities, may include shared governance. • Utilizes clinical expertise and guidance to other units’ departments in support of the patient’s longitudinal plan of care. • Utilizes critical thinking regarding patient safety and patient experience and appropriately escalates to the appropriate chain of command. • Participates in the professional nursing continuum process, unit practice activities and decisions and peer review process. EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE Graduate of an accredited nursing program. ADN required upon hire, BSN preferred. May require specific years of applicable experience to qualify (per department guidelines) CERTIFICATION/LICENSURE Licensed as an RN in state of practice Approved CPR/BLS certification required within 90 days Other certification(s) per unit requirements. For example : ACLS, PALS, PEARS, and NRP OTHER SKILLS AND ABILITIES May include color blind test (per department guidelines) PAY RANGE: $34.45 - $51.68 Mercyhealth is an Equal Opportunity Employer . All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identify, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status. Mercyhealth offers competitive pay and benefits, including retirement, time off, on-demand pay, access to the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and more. Click here for more details. At Mercyhealth, we don’t simply hire people, we empower employee-partners who are passionate about making lives better. As an integrated health system, we deliver exceptional, coordinated across seven hospitals, 85 primary and specialty clinics, and a team of over 7,500 professionals serving northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin. Mercyhealth has been nationally recognized for our commitment to our people and culture, including: • #1 in the nation on AARP's Best Employers for Workers Over 50 • One of Working Mother magazine's 100 Best Companies for Working Mothers • A Top 50 Company and Top 10 Nonprofit for Executive Women

Apply at Mercyhealth

More registered nurse medical surgical roles