Registered Nurse (RN) -Day Surgery PACU
Posted Sep 16, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Sep 20, 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.
Behavioral
Tell me about a time a patient's condition changed quickly in recovery. What did you notice first and what did you do?
pattern recognition under pressure and speed of escalation
Tell me about a time you had to manage a patient's pain and nausea after anesthesia when the first interventions didn't work.
clinical judgment in escalating post-anesthesia symptom management
Describe a situation where a patient or family member became distressed or agitated before or after surgery. How did you de-escalate it?
verbal de-escalation skill referenced explicitly in the posting's physical requirements
Tell me about a time you disagreed with a physician's order or plan for a patient. What did you do?
advocacy for patient safety balanced with professional communication
What does a good day of teamwork look like to you when you're working alongside anesthesia, surgeons, and other PACU nurses?
collaborative style and fit with a team-based, high-communication unit
Technical
Walk me through how you assess a patient the moment they arrive in PACU from the OR.
whether the candidate has a systematic, safety-first approach to initial post-op assessment
What are the criteria you use to decide a patient is ready for discharge from Day Surgery?
knowledge of discharge criteria and unwillingness to cut corners for throughput
How do you stay sharp moving between Day Surgery and PACU on the same shift, since this role cross-trains in both?
comfort with the dual-area workflow and ability to shift mental models quickly
What's your process for a bedside handoff when you're sending a patient from PACU to the floor or home?
communication rigor and adherence to handoff standards that prevent gaps in care
Situational
You have a patient in Day Surgery prepping for a procedure and another in PACU waking up unstable at the same time. How do you handle that?
prioritization and triage skill when cross-covering two different care stages
You get a call-back at 2am for an add-on case. What's going through your mind as you head in, and what do you check first when you arrive?
reliability and readiness for the call requirement built into this schedule
A patient starts to have an airway complication right after extubation and you're the only RN in the bay. Walk me through your next sixty seconds.
emergency response knowledge specific to post-anesthesia airway events and ACLS readiness
How do you handle the physical demands of this job, things like assisting with a 150-pound sliding transfer or being on your feet through a long shift?
realistic self-awareness about the physical requirements listed in the posting
Given the on-call rotation here, about every ninth weekend and roughly one weekday night a week, how does that fit with your life right now?
honest assessment of whether the candidate can sustain the call schedule long term
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As published by Advocate Health.
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