JobsAdvocate Health

Registered Nurse (RN) - Charge Main Operating Room

Advocate Health · Park Ridge, IL

Posted Sep 13, 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 case was running long and it started backing up the rest of the day's schedule. What did you do?

real experience managing OR flow under time pressure and their decision-making process when things go sideways

Describe a time you had to give a staff member difficult feedback about their performance or behavior. How did you approach that conversation?

comfort with the supervisory side of the role, since this is a working charge nurse who also does counseling and reviews

How do you balance being a peer to your OR staff with also being the person who has to hold them accountable?

self-awareness about the dual role of charge nurse and whether they can maintain authority without damaging team trust

Tell me about a surgical complication you were part of managing. What was your role and what happened afterward?

clinical judgment under pressure and understanding of post-op risk, tied to the job's emphasis on recognizing complications

Tell me about a time you had to keep a team motivated during a particularly grueling or high-volume stretch of cases.

leadership style and whether they can sustain morale, since the job description specifically names motivating staff as a duty

Technical

What's your experience with both scrubbing and circulating, and how recently have you done each?

whether the two years of required OR experience actually includes hands-on competency in both roles, not just one

Where are you in your CNOR certification or BSN completion, and what's your plan to meet the timeline this role requires?

concrete compliance with the posting's certification and education deadlines, not just intention

What does 'ensuring policies and safety regulations are consistently followed' actually look like day to day in an OR you've worked in?

whether they understand practical compliance enforcement versus reciting policy language

Situational

Walk me through how you'd build the daily OR schedule when you've got more cases booked than rooms and staff available.

whether the candidate can prioritize competing surgical demands with limited resources and think like a resource manager, not just a nurse

A surgeon calls out a piece of equipment isn't working right in the middle of a case. As charge nurse, what's your first move?

crisis response instincts and knowledge of escalation paths versus just reacting

Two nurses want the same day off and you're already short-staffed that week. How do you handle it?

fairness and problem-solving in scheduling conflicts, a near-daily reality in this role

If anesthesia flags a concern about a pediatric patient right before a case starts, what are you thinking about as the charge nurse in the room?

whether they actually apply the stated requirement of recognizing needs across pediatric to geriatric populations

A patient still needs care at the end of your shift and no one is available to relieve you. How do you handle that?

reliability and understanding that this role has no fixed end time when patients still need care

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The full job description

As published by Advocate Health.

Department: 37703 Advocate Lutheran General Hospital - Surgery Room Status: Full time Benefits Eligible: Yes Hou rs Per Week: 40 Schedule Details/Additional Information: Monday through Friday: Five 8-hour shifts (3-11:30p) or Four 10-hour shifts (1p-11:30p)- M, T, Th, F / M, T, W, F (alternating weeks) Pay Range: $41.10 - $61.65 Title: Charge Nurse: Main Operating Room Scheduled Hours: Option for 10 HR shifts (1p-11:30p) or 8 HR shifts -3p-11:30p ) Mon-Fri;                                 Full Time;   No Call, Weekends or Holidays!! Job Summary : Under the direction of the department manager, the Charge Nurse within the Main OR oversees and coordinates day-to-day accountabilities for the assigned department(s) while ensuring policies, procedures, safety regulations, and Behavioral Expectations are consistently followed. Provides support, training, guidance and acts as a resource to direct reports to maintain and enhance department processes. The Charge Nurse will act as a first line of contact for the staff when problems with equipment, patients, or other departmental issues arise. Performs clinical duties as dictated by department work standard. • Responsible for daily OR surgical operations, including staff schedules. Works to ensure overall work standards and productivity goals are achieved • Responsible for direct and in-direct patient care, (Clinical responsibilities vary based upon department needs.)  • Performs Charge Nurse responsibilities which support the day-to-day operation of the department while, upholding MOR policies, standards of practice and serves as a role model by acting in a manner consistent with Behavior Expectations.   • Ensures associates meet daily, monthly and annual accountabilities as depicted by position job description and department procedures. • Motivates staff, provides praise and constructive feedback to elicit high levels of productivity. Provides direction to associates regarding accountability for their actions through verbal counseling and communicating course of action to the supervisor/manager. Conducts or participates in annual associate performance reviews; including one-on-one associate conference to clarify results, encourage development and/or explain performance plans and compensation.  • Acts as a resource to associates.   • Strives for excellence in care and efficiency of surgical operation. Position Requirements: • Graduate of an accredited school of nursing with current IL RN license • BSN preferred, ADN acceptable with agreement for nurses with less than 12 months of experience to enroll in BSN completion program to be completed in four years.  Nurses with more than 12 months experience in direct patient care must possess a BSN or obtain either BSN or Advocate Aurora Health (AAH) recognized nursing certification within one year of the date of hire or becoming eligible to sit for certification, whichever is later. • Minimum of two years RN nursing experience in OR required. Scrubbing and circulating knowledge required. • Charge experience required • Certifications/education required for the nursing specialty within 2 years of hire date (CNOR) • Current AHA CPR maintained • Current AHA ACLS preferred • Basic understanding of operative procedures and expected post-op outcomes. • Basic knowledge of symptoms and possible complications of surgery, anesthesia and initial treatments. • Able to recognize the needs and behaviors of pediatric through geriatric age groups. • Patient care responsibilities may involve: Working until all patients are discharged from facility or staff available to take over on the patient’s care. • Must be flexible in work hours and be able to rotate the required shifts including days scheduled to address surgery schedule. • Being exposed to hazardous materials or life threatening diseases. • Ability to lift up to 35 pounds without assistance. For patient lifts of over 35 pounds, or when patient is unable to assist with the lift, patient handling equipment is expected to be used, with at least one other associate, when available. Unique patient lifting/movement situations will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. 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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