Registered Nurse - Pediatrics, Oncology and General Med/Surg
Posted Sep 14, 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 shift where you were caring for patients with very different needs at the same time, maybe a pediatric patient and an older med-surg patient. How did you decide what to do first?
What they are checking: whether the candidate can prioritize across a mixed patient population instead of treating every unit the same way
Tell me about a time you caught a patient starting to deteriorate before anyone else noticed.
What they are checking: clinical assessment skill and willingness to act on subtle signs rather than wait for orders
How do you adjust the way you communicate when you're talking to a child patient, their parents, and then an adult oncology patient later that same shift?
What they are checking: ability to flex communication style across very different patient populations, which this unit specifically requires
Tell me about a time you had to deliver difficult news or sit with a patient or family going through a hard diagnosis.
What they are checking: emotional resilience and skill in oncology-specific compassionate communication
What would you do
Say you're on the 1445 to 2315 shift with a lighter staff than days, and two patients need you at once, one is a child who's anxious before a procedure and the other is an adult whose vitals just changed. What do you do?
What they are checking: real-time triage judgment and comfort making a call under pressure with limited backup
A family member of an oncology patient is upset about the plan of care and wants to talk to you right now, in the middle of your medication pass. How do you handle that?
What they are checking: emotional composure and ability to balance patient safety tasks with family needs
If you noticed a medication error, either one you made or one made by a coworker, what would you do in the moment and afterward?
What they are checking: honesty, commitment to patient safety, and understanding of reporting protocols
Tell me about a time you had to work every third weekend or a holiday rotation and something went wrong with staffing. How did the team handle it?
What they are checking: realistic expectations about the schedule and ability to function as a team player when short-staffed
About the work
Walk me through how you would safely administer chemotherapy to an oncology patient, from checking the order to monitoring them afterward.
What they are checking: knowledge of chemo administration protocols, double-checks, and recognition of reactions
What's your approach to pain management for a pediatric patient versus an adult post-surgical patient?
What they are checking: understanding that dosing, assessment tools, and communication differ by age group
How do you keep track of everything you need to do for five or six patients on med-surg during an evening shift, especially when things change fast?
What they are checking: organizational systems and whether the candidate has a concrete method, not just good intentions
What extra precautions do you take when a pediatric patient is on your unit that you wouldn't necessarily take with an adult?
What they are checking: specific knowledge of pediatric safety practices like weight-based dosing, fall precautions, and family involvement
What does evidence-based practice mean to you in your day-to-day nursing, and can you give an example of when you used it?
What they are checking: whether the candidate applies current clinical guidelines rather than relying only on habit
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Practice this out loudThe full job description
As published by Advocate Health.