Registered Nurse (RN) Emergency Department .9 7a-730p
Posted Sep 17, 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 time a patient coded or deteriorated rapidly and you were the first one at the bedside. What did you do in the first two minutes?
What they are checking: composure and correct sequencing of actions during a crisis, and whether they escalated appropriately
Tell me about a time you disagreed with a physician's order or plan of care. What did you do?
What they are checking: whether they advocate for patient safety through proper channels without being either passive or insubordinate
Tell me about a shift where you had more patients than you could comfortably manage. How did you keep track of everyone and what fell through the cracks, if anything?
What they are checking: self-awareness about limits, delegation skills, and honesty about what happens under overload
Tell me about a time you had to deliver bad news or explain a difficult wait to a frustrated family member in the waiting room or a hallway bed.
What they are checking: communication skill and emotional composure with patients and families under stress, common in ED overflow situations
Tell me about a time you caught a mistake, either yours or a colleague's, before it reached the patient. What did you do next?
What they are checking: attention to detail and willingness to speak up and report near-misses honestly
What would you do
Walk me through how you triage when you have five patients waiting and only one open bed. How do you decide who gets seen first?
What they are checking: whether the candidate can apply acuity-based prioritization under real ED pressure, not just recite triage categories
This unit runs rotating weekends and holidays on 12-hour shifts. What does your availability actually look like, and how have you managed shift work like this before?
What they are checking: honest fit with the schedule and whether they have realistic experience sustaining that pace
Say you have a combative or intoxicated patient who is becoming a safety risk to staff. What do you do?
What they are checking: safety judgment, de-escalation skill, and knowledge of when to call for security or a behavioral response team
If a fire alarm went off right now and you needed to evacuate patients from this unit, what would you do first?
What they are checking: knowledge of emergency evacuation protocol and ability to think clearly about patient safety in a disaster scenario
About the work
How do you handle a patient who needs to be lifted or repositioned and is unable to assist, especially if you can't immediately find a second team member?
What they are checking: whether they follow safe patient handling protocol rather than risk injury by lifting alone
Where are you in your BSN or certification progress, and what's your plan if you're hired with less than 12 months of direct patient care experience?
What they are checking: understanding of and commitment to Advocate's BSN/certification requirement timeline
Describe your experience with isolation precautions and handling potentially infectious specimens or patients. What's your process for staying safe while still working efficiently?
What they are checking: real familiarity with infection control practice in a high-volume ED, not just textbook knowledge
What's your current AHA BLS/CPR status, and have you had to use those skills recently in a real code?
What they are checking: verifying required certification is current and that skills are more than theoretical
How do you hand off a patient to the next shift when things are still unresolved or chaotic, so nothing important gets lost?
What they are checking: quality and structure of their handoff communication, a common failure point in busy EDs
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As published by Advocate Health.