Registered Nurse, Ortho/Neuro Unit - Nights
Posted Sep 23, 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 caught a medication error or near miss. What did you do afterward?
What they are checking: Whether they report errors openly so the system can improve, rather than quietly fixing them.
This is a night position. How do you keep yourself sharp and safe on your third night in a row?
What they are checking: Whether they have real habits for managing fatigue, since tired nurses make medication errors.
Tell me about a time a family member was upset about their loved one's care. How did you handle it?
What they are checking: Whether they listen and explain calmly, which protects the patient experience the posting emphasizes.
What would you do
A post-op patient rates their pain as 9 out of 10 but is due for an opioid in an hour. How do you handle it?
What they are checking: Whether they balance pain control with safety and know when to call the surgeon for a better plan.
A confused, elderly patient with a new hip fracture keeps trying to get out of bed at 3 a.m. What do you do?
What they are checking: Whether they prevent falls with real strategies instead of reaching for restraints or sedation first.
How do you get a patient up and moving on post-op day one when they're scared and in pain?
What they are checking: Whether they understand early mobility and can work with physical therapy to move patients safely.
About the work
Your post-op hip replacement patient is suddenly short of breath with a heart rate of 120. What are you thinking, and what do you do?
What they are checking: Whether they think of pulmonary embolism early and escalate fast instead of treating it as anxiety.
How do you do a neuro check on a post-craniotomy or stroke patient, and what change would make you call right away?
What they are checking: Whether they know a subtle neuro change is urgent and can describe exactly what they would report.
What do you watch for in a patient with a new cast or after a knee replacement in the first night?
What they are checking: Whether they check circulation and nerve function and know the signs of compartment syndrome.
How do you teach a patient going home on anticoagulants after joint surgery?
What they are checking: Whether they explain bleeding signs and dosing in plain words and confirm the patient understood.
A patient with a spinal surgery reports new numbness in their legs. What do you do?
What they are checking: Whether they treat a new neuro deficit after spine surgery as an emergency and call the surgeon right away.
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Practice this out loudThe full job description
As published by Mercyhealth.