Registered Nurse, Operating Room - Days
Posted Sep 29, 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 a surgeon was frustrated or short with you during a case. How did you respond?
What they are checking: Whether they stay professional and focused under pressure in a high-stakes room.
This role may include call. How do you handle being called in for an emergency case at night?
What they are checking: Whether they are reliable for on-call duties and can get ready quickly and safely.
Tell me about a time you helped improve a process in the OR.
What they are checking: Whether they take part in improvement work and help fix breakdowns instead of working around them.
What would you do
How do you run a surgical time-out, and what do you do if someone on the team brushes it off?
What they are checking: Whether they will hold the line on safety checks even when a surgeon or team member is impatient.
You notice a break in sterile technique by a scrub or surgeon. What do you do?
What they are checking: Whether they speak up immediately about contamination, regardless of who caused it.
What do you do if a patient's condition suddenly changes during surgery, like a big drop in blood pressure or a lot of bleeding?
What they are checking: Whether they can anticipate needs, get supplies and call for help fast in an intraoperative emergency.
How do you prepare a room for a case you have not done before?
What they are checking: Whether they use preference cards, ask questions and plan ahead rather than scrambling once the case starts.
About the work
Walk me through your role as a circulating nurse from the time the patient enters the room until they leave.
What they are checking: Whether they understand the full circulating role, from positioning and prep to counts and handoff.
Your final count is off by one sponge. What happens next?
What they are checking: Whether they follow the count discrepancy process completely and never let it slide to save time.
What do you watch for when positioning a patient for a long case?
What they are checking: Whether they prevent pressure injuries and nerve damage that patients cannot report while under anesthesia.
How do you handle specimens in the OR so they get to pathology labeled correctly?
What they are checking: Whether they are careful with specimen handling, since a mislabeled specimen can lead to the wrong diagnosis.
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Practice this out loudThe full job description
As published by Mercyhealth.