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Registered Nurse (RN) - Charge Nurse Lead – 3CD

Advocate Health · Milwaukee, WI · $41.10–$61.65 an hour · Full time

Posted Sep 24, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 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.

About your past

Tell me about a time you had to address a coworker's practice that wasn't safe.

What they are checking: Whether they will hold peers accountable directly and respectfully, which is hard for many new charge nurses.

Tell me about a time you led a team through a shift that was going badly.

What they are checking: Whether they have shown leadership under pressure, not just been the most senior nurse.

How do you mentor a newer nurse on nights when you also have your own charge duties?

What they are checking: Whether they invest in growing staff, which the posting lists as part of the charge role.

The role includes extra monthly meetings and classes. How do you see the charge nurse's part in improving the unit beyond your shifts?

What they are checking: Whether they want real leadership responsibility and will take part in unit improvement.

What would you do

It's 0100 and PACU is sending two post-op patients at once while one of your nurses is already behind. How do you handle it?

What they are checking: Whether they can balance assignments and flow in real time on a high-acuity surgical unit.

A nurse tells you her post-op patient's heart rate is climbing and the abdomen looks more distended. How do you support her?

What they are checking: Whether they can coach clinical thinking, help assess, and escalate early for possible surgical complications.

Two nurses on your shift aren't getting along and it's affecting the unit. What do you do?

What they are checking: Whether they can handle conflict quickly so it doesn't spill into patient care.

You're short a nurse and staffing says no one is coming. What are your options?

What they are checking: Whether they know how to reorganize, ask for help, and keep the shift safe within policy.

About the work

How do you build a night shift assignment on 3CD when 15 of the 23 beds are tele and many patients are stepping down from Surgical ICU?

What they are checking: Whether they consider acuity, telemetry, skill mix and geography when making assignments.

What do you watch for in GI, urology, gynecology and plastic surgery patients in the first night after surgery?

What they are checking: Whether they know the specific risks of the unit's main surgical populations.

How do you hand off the unit to the day charge nurse so they know exactly where things stand?

What they are checking: Whether they give a clear unit-level report on acuity, staffing, pending admits and concerns.

Practice this interview out loud.

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The full job description

As published by Advocate Health.

Department: 35812 Aurora St. Lukes Medical Center - Med Surg: IU 3CD Surgical Status: Full time Benefits Eligible: Yes Hou rs Per Week: 36 Schedule Details/Additional Information: 0700-1930 dayshift Rotating Weekends Rotating Holidays Must be available to attend additional monthly meetings and classes Pay Range: $41.10 - $61.65 Major Responsibilities: • Demonstrates operational accountability by ensuring that the nursing unit operates efficiently and effectively during their shift to meet patient care needs while adhering to organizational policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements. • Facilitates collaboration among healthcare professionals, ensuring effective communication and coordination of patient care to achieve optimal outcomes. • Provides clinical oversight and guidance to nursing staff, ensuring that patient care meets established standards and protocols. Leverage expertise to support staff in decision-making, interventions, and documentation, fostering a culture of excellence in clinical practice within the nursing unit. • Responsible for fostering the professional growth of nursing staff by providing coaching, mentoring, and educational opportunities. They support colleagues in enhancing their skills, knowledge, and confidence, promoting a culture of continuous learning and improvement within the nursing team. • Oversees continuous quality improvement within the nursing unit by supporting identified areas for enhancement, implementation of changes, and supports leadership in evaluating outcomes to optimize patient care delivery. • Fosters a culture of innovation and excellence to ensure the highest standards of care are maintained. • Responsible for facilitating clear and effective communication among nursing staff, ensuring that important information is relayed promptly and accurately. • Promotes a collaborative environment where concerns are addressed, updates are provided, and teamwork is encouraged to optimize patient care delivery. • Accountable for efficient resource utilization within the nursing unit, ensuring that staffing, equipment, and supplies are allocated effectively to meet patient care needs. They monitor resource availability and communicate identified areas for optimization. • Skilled at coordinating emergency response and crisis management within the nursing unit in the moment. Prepared to handle urgent situations effectively. • Advocates for patients and their families by ensuring their voices are heard, their concerns are addressed, and their rights are respected throughout their healthcare journey. Serve as a liaison between patients, families, and healthcare providers, advocating for individualized care that aligns with their preferences, needs, and values. • Responsible for understanding and adhering to the organization's Code of Ethical Conduct and for ensuring that personal actions, and the actions of employees supervised, comply with the policies, regulations and laws applicable to the organization's business. • Must be able to demonstrate knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients served. Must demonstrate knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span and possess the ability to assess data reflective of the patient's status and interpret the appropriate information needed to identify each patient's requirements relative to his/her age-specific needs, and to provide the care needed as described in the department's policies and procedures. Age-specific information is developed further in the departmental job standards. Licensure, Registration, and/or Certification Required: • Registered Nurse license issued by the state in which the teammate practices, and • Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Providers certification issued by the American Heart Association (AHA) needs to be obtained within 6 months unless department leader has determined it is not required. Education Required: • Bachelor's degree in nursing. Experience Required: • Typically requires 5 years of nursing experience. Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Required: • Charge nurse experience preferred. • Strong clinical skills. • Ability to lead in a dynamic environment. • Ability to communicate effectively and work cohesively in groups. • Utilize critical thinking and timely decision making. • Ability to assess skills and abilities of others. • Ability to coach in the moment and provide service recovery. • Ability to provide effective leader rounding. Physical Requirements and Working Conditions: • Ability to work within a rapid changing environment. • Ability to work collaboratively with internal/external customers. • Ability to demonstrate a commitment to patient-focused care. • Ability to prioritize independently and respond to multiple simultaneous requests. • Ability to work under stressful conditions and in difficult situations, dealing with and resolving conflict. • Ability to perform lifting/transfer activities related to patients (up to 50 lbs. may be required). • Ability to recognize needs and behaviors of specific age groups of patients treated. • May be exposed to hazardous materials and life-threatening diseases. • Take a patient care assignment when required/needed. • If position has direct patient care or direct patient contact the following lifting requirement supersedes any previous lifting requirement effective 06/01/2015. 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. This job description indicates the general nature and level of work expected of the incumbent. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the incumbent. Incumbent may be required to perform other related duties. 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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