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Registered Nurse (RN) Behavioral Health

Advocate Health · Wauwatosa, WI

Posted Sep 10, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Sep 20, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

Behavioral

Tell me about a time a patient on your unit became agitated or aggressive. What did you do, and how did it turn out?

whether the candidate can de-escalate safely using real technique rather than just describing the outcome

Tell me about a time you disagreed with a physician or another team member about a patient's care plan on a psych unit. What did you do?

ability to advocate for a patient professionally within a hierarchical clinical team

Tell me about a shift that didn't go the way you planned. What happened and what did you learn?

self-awareness and honesty about failure rather than a polished success story

Tell me about a time you had to coordinate care across a team — social workers, techs, physicians — for one patient. What was your role?

whether the candidate sees themselves as a care coordinator, not just a task executor

What does self-care look like for you when you're working with patients in crisis day after day?

insight into burnout risk and whether the candidate has sustainable coping strategies for this specialty

Technical

Walk me through how you'd assess a newly admitted adult patient on the behavioral health unit in the first hour after arrival.

knowledge of intake and risk assessment process specific to inpatient psych, including suicide and violence risk screening

What's your experience with de-escalation training or physical intervention programs like CPI or MOAB, and can you describe using it on the floor?

concrete hands-on competency with a recognized crisis intervention model, not just familiarity

Describe your understanding of the legal side of inpatient psych care here in Wisconsin — things like involuntary holds, Chapter 51, or patient rights during a crisis.

real familiarity with the regulatory framework governing involuntary treatment, since errors here carry legal weight

How do you approach documentation and charting on a unit like this, especially after an incident involving restraint or seclusion?

attention to compliance detail and understanding that documentation protects patients and staff legally

Situational

Say you're covering a full patient load and one patient starts showing signs of escalating toward self-harm while another needs medication administered on schedule. How do you prioritize?

clinical judgment under competing demands and comfort making triage calls without panicking

How do you build trust with a patient who is guarded, paranoid, or actively refusing care?

therapeutic communication skill and patience with populations that resist standard rapport-building

This unit works a patterned 12-hour schedule with rotating days including every other weekend and holiday, and it can't flex in the first six months. How do you feel about that kind of commitment?

realistic buy-in to the scheduling demands before they become a retention problem

If a patient's family member became upset and confrontational during visiting hours, how would you handle it in the moment?

composure and boundary-setting with families under emotional stress in a psych setting

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The full job description

As published by Advocate Health.

Department: 34904 Aurora Psychiatric Hospital - Behavioral Health: IU Adult 4 Status: Full time Benefits Eligible: Yes Hou rs Per Week: 36 Schedule Details/Additional Information: FT 0.9FTE DAYS 12 hours 07-1930 • Week 1: Monday/ Wednesday/Thursday • Week 2: Tuesday/Wednesday/Friday (schedule is subject to change d/t internal changes) A sign-on bonus is available to applicants who have not received a sign-on bonus from the company for another role within the past 24 months. every other weekend every other holiday No change to patterned schedule or shift in the first 6 months or to maintain adequate staffing to maintain safety. Pay Range: $38.20 - $57.30 Be the Nurse Who Redefines Care. At Advocate Health, being a nurse means more than delivering exceptional clinical care—it means leading with purpose, compassion, and boldness. As part of our One Advocate Nurse community, you’ll join a unified team committed to lifting others up, embracing innovation, and creating inclusive spaces where everyone can thrive. You’ll be empowered to think boldly, collaborate with humility, and drive change through fearless curiosity. Whether you're at the bedside, in the community, or advancing care through research and education, you’ll help shape the future of health—because here, we’re redefining care for you, for us, for all. Your feedback matters . Every nurse’s voice is vital in shaping our culture and improving care. We value your insights and experiences because they help us grow stronger together. Where You Will Work: Come join our team at Aurora Psychiatric Hospital in the Adult Inpatient unit We’re Looking For: • Completion of an accredited or approved program in nursing • Registered Nurse license issued by the state in which the teammate practices • Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Providers certification issued by the American Heart Association What You’ll Do: • As a skilled and compassionate RN, you will play a pivotal role in providing and coordinating comprehensive patient care through the nursing process to deliver safe, therapeutic care in accordance with established standards, policies, and procedures. • Using evidence-based practice, clinical decision making, compassion, and skills communication while leading efforts to create the safest patient environment and the best patient experience across the continuum. About This Location: At Aurora Psychiatric Hospital you can count on the most comprehensive continuum of behavioral health care in the state. Located on a beautiful, 30-acre wooded campus in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, our facility offers an ideal healing setting for children, adolescents and adults experiencing mental health or substance concerns. From our landscaped garden areas to our use of pet therapy dogs, we create a patient-focused, healing treatment experience that fosters recovery. You can rest assured that our team’s expertise and compassion will help you or your loved one begin the journey to recovery in a caring, confidential and comfortable environment. Ready to Take the Next Step: Apply Now! Our Commitment to You: Advocate Health offers a comprehensive suite of Total Rewards: benefits and well-being programs, competitive compensation, generous retirement offerings, programs that invest in your career development and so much more – so you can live fully at and away from work, including: Compensation • Base compensation listed within the listed pay range based on factors such as qualifications, skills, relevant experience, and/or training • Premium pay such as shift, on call, and more based on a teammate's job • Incentive pay for select positions • Opportunity for annual increases based on performance Benefits and more • Paid Time Off programs • Health and welfare benefits such as medical, dental, vision, life, and Short- and Long-Term Disability • Flexible Spending Accounts for eligible health care and dependent care expenses • Family benefits such as adoption assistance and paid parental leave • Defined contribution retirement plans with employer match and other financial wellness programs • Educational Assistance Program Note: Eligibility for programs listed above may depend on your FTE or status (e.g., full-time, part-time, per diem, temporary, etc.); please ask a Recruiter for more information during an interview. About Advocate Health Advocate Health is the third-largest nonprofit, integrated health system in the United States, created from the combination of Advocate Aurora Health and Atrium Health. Providing care under the names Advocate Health Care in Illinois; Atrium Health in the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama; and Aurora Health Care in Wisconsin, Advocate Health is a national leader in clinical innovation, health outcomes, consumer experience and value-based care. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Advocate Health services nearly 6 million patients and is engaged in hundreds of clinical trials and research studies, with Wake Forest University School of Medicine serving as the academic core of the enterprise. It is nationally recognized for its expertise in cardiology, neurosciences, oncology, pediatrics and rehabilitation, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments and specialized musculoskeletal programs. Advocate Health employs 155,000 teammates across 69 hospitals and over 1,000 care locations, and offers one of the nation’s largest graduate medical education programs with over 2,000 residents and fellows across more than 200 programs. Committed to providing equitable care for all, Advocate Health provides more than $6 billion in annual community benefits.

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Registered Nurse (RN) Behavioral Health

Likely interview questions for this role

Practice this interview out loud.

The full job description

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