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This position has closed. Northwestern Medicine removed this listing from their careers page on Oct 2, 2026. The interview prep below is still useful, and there are similar open roles at the bottom of this page.

Registered Nurse-Oncology Full Time Days

Northwestern Medicine · Lake Forest, IL · Full time · Health Care Provider

Posted Sep 15, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 1, 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

Describe a time you had to care for a patient whose treatment stopped working.

What they are checking: Emotional endurance and how they stay useful when the plan changes

Oncology nurses see the same patients for months. How do you keep that closeness from wearing you down?

What they are checking: Self-awareness about sustaining the work

What would you do

A patient on treatment calls in with a temperature of 100.9 and no other symptoms. What happens?

What they are checking: Recognizing fever in a patient with low white counts as an emergency, not a watch-and-wait

How do you handle a family member who wants you to keep the prognosis from the patient?

What they are checking: Holding the patient's right to know while staying kind to the family

What do you want to know about the patient load and the mix of infusion versus clinic work here before you'd say yes?

What they are checking: Whether they ask the questions that determine if the job is doable

About the work

This is a full-time days oncology nursing role at Lake Forest. Tell me about your chemotherapy experience and where you stand on certification.

What they are checking: Chemotherapy competency and whether the credential is current

Walk me through what you do if you suspect a vesicant has leaked out of the vein.

What they are checking: Immediate steps, antidote knowledge and documentation

How do you verify a chemotherapy order before it's hung?

What they are checking: Double-check discipline, dosing by body surface area and cumulative dose limits

The posting describes comprehensive assessment and altering the plan of care based on response. What do you watch for in someone three cycles in?

What they are checking: Cumulative toxicity awareness rather than treating each visit fresh

Tell me how you handle safe handling of hazardous drugs, including a spill.

What they are checking: Personal protection habits and spill kit familiarity

Practice this interview out loud.

Offer builds a real interview for this exact role at Northwestern Medicine 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 Northwestern Medicine.

The Registered Nurse BSN embodies the attributes of the Relationship Based Care model and performs to PPM core functions. Under the direction of the department leadership, consistently reflects the mission, vision, and values of NM, adheres to the State of Illinois Nurse Practice Act, 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. Responsibilities: Relationship to Patient/Family and Community Care Coordination • Performs a comprehensive assessment on all assigned patients as evidenced by completed documentation. • Communicates changes in patient’s condition promptly. • Utilizes appropriate nursing diagnosis and data from the assessment to derive realistic outcomes and documents them as measurable goals on the plan of care; modifies care plan, if indicated, in order to identify realistic patient goals. • Identifies and prioritizes patient needs and/or nursing diagnosis for patients and documents. • Collaborates with patient, family, and other members of the health care team when planning patient care and documents accordingly. Assesses patients with regard to discharge planning and makes the appropriate referrals as necessary. • Evaluates and documents the patient response to nursing interventions and alters the plan of care as necessary. • Assesses patients with regard to discharge planning and makes the appropriate referrals as necessary, including palliative care. • Assures a completed discharge instructions, medication reconciliation and provide information to patient/family regarding the use of the patient portal and other pertinent resources. Patient Education/Ethic and Diversity • Supports patient/family/spiritual/cultural needs when assessing the patient and family needs for teaching; identifies the patient's learning level and readiness, and documents education record. • Utilizes the teach back methodology for advancing patient education about medication side effects and new medication education. • Utilizes and distributes Krames for patient education /clinical condition. • Utilizes culture vision as a resource in care planning and delivery. • Treats patients, families and staff in a caring manner with respect and dignity. • Acknowledges and values the contributions of patient’s significant others as an integral part of the plan of care. • Adheres to ethical standards of practice. • Calls for an ethics consult when appropriate. EBP and Research • Implements nursing interventions consistent with the established plan of care based on evidenced based care. • Maintains and advances the professional image and science of nursing and the practice of professional nursing through use of best available evidence utilizing resources such as Ovid/Joanna Briggs, Up to Date, Culture Vision, and other reliable sources of evidence. • Demonstrates active involvement in clinical LADDER project or process improvement at the unit/organization level. Healing Safe Environment • Demonstrates safe medication administration through the use of bar coding • Promotes and strives to protect the health, safety and rights of the patient • Conveys complete, timely, and accurate information at bedside shift report/hand-off • Rounds hourly in collaboration with patient care technician • Protects patients by maintaining a safe environment of excellence • Demonstrates innovation and participation in meeting unit based and organizational quality metrics on the exceptional care dashboard • Ensures clinical practice excellence that focuses on preventing pressure ulcers, falls, CAUTI’s and central line infections (as appropriate to area of practice). • Participates as a unit safety facilitator or as identified resource for quality initiatives as requested • Participates in unit huddles Relationship to Colleagues Shared Leadership • Oversees and directs the work of patient care or support techs; maintains overall accountability for the care of assigned patients. • Demonstrates effective interpersonal skills in leading and directing others; deals with conflict directly and appropriately. • Demonstrates proficiency in the charge nurse/preceptor role when assigned; assumes responsibility for coordinating patient care for the entire unit. • Takes the clinical lead when patient’s condition changes and confers with the primary care physician about the appropriate treatment plan or the need to transfer to the appropriate level of care. • Serves as a resource and role model for new staff, students, and other system personnel • Assists with precepting, unit orientation, and mentoring as requested. • Participates in the peer evaluation process by providing feedback to colleagues on a regular basis, and through participation in clinical case peer review. • Works collaboratively with all hospital services to responsibly accomplish daily work and maintain an environment of excellence. • Identifies barriers to effective clinical practice and communicates to nursing leadership and practice operations council. Resource Utilization • Ensures an appropriate level of care order is documented in the EMR for all admissions. • Understands and adheres to the charging of supplies. • Participates in any value based unit/organizational initiative. • Demonstrates a personal commitment to decreasing utilization overtime hours. Use of Technology • Assures all electronic and paper documentation is complete. • Utilizes the guardrails for the Alaris pump. • Understands physiologic monitoring and the implications to drive changes to clinical management of the patient. • Utilizes the bed management system • Identifies new technologies for unit, hospital or system use. • Participates in CEOC activities for the advancement and optimization of the medical record as requested. Relationship to Self Professional Practice • Attends internal professional development offerings i.e. Schwartz Rounds, Nursing Grand Rounds. • Obtains certification in the nursing specialty of practice. • Demonstrates accountability for his/her professional practice-competencies, ELM learning, dress code adherence • Participates in professional organization through membership, leadership, or committee work • Takes assigned lunch breaks. Required: • Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) • Current State of Illinois Registered Professional Nurse • Basic Life Support • Strong interpersonal skills • Ability to collaborate with others • Strong analytic abilities • 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: • National Certification in area of specialty Additional Information 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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