Registered Nurse (RN) - Emergency Department
Posted Sep 10, 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
Walk me through a time you had a patient come in critical while you already had a full assignment. How did you triage and get help?
What they are checking: whether the candidate can prioritize under real ED time pressure without dropping other patients
Tell me about a shift where you had a pediatric patient and an adult trauma patient at the same time. How did you shift your approach between the two?
What they are checking: comfort and flexibility managing the mixed adult and pediatric population this ED sees
Tell me about a time you disagreed with a physician's plan of care for a patient. What did you do?
What they are checking: ability to advocate for patient safety while maintaining a working relationship with providers
Tell me about a geriatric patient whose case was more complicated than it first looked. What did you catch that almost got missed?
What they are checking: clinical judgment with older adults, relevant to the Age Friendly Health System designation
Tell me about a time you caught an error, either yours or a colleague's, before it reached the patient.
What they are checking: honesty and commitment to patient safety culture
How do you keep yourself steady after a hard shift, something like a pediatric trauma or a patient you lost?
What they are checking: resilience and self-awareness needed to sustain a demanding ED schedule long term
What would you do
How do you approach a patient who comes in for a behavioral health crisis and starts to escalate in the waiting area or a room?
What they are checking: de-escalation skill and safety awareness for the behavioral health volume this ED handles
You're covering four patients and a rapid trauma activation comes through the door. What's your process for reassigning care to your team?
What they are checking: real-time delegation and teamwork under an unpredictable trauma level 4 caseload
How do you handle a shift where the waiting room is backed up and families are getting frustrated with wait times?
What they are checking: communication skills and composure with patients and families under stress
About the work
A patient comes in with stroke-like symptoms. Walk me through what you do in the first ten minutes.
What they are checking: working knowledge of stroke protocol given the hospital's Primary Stroke and Gold Plus recognition
What's your experience with ACLS, PALS, or TNCC, and if you don't have all of them yet, how have you picked up new certifications quickly in the past?
What they are checking: readiness for the required certifications and general trainability
Describe how you'd manage a patient with an exacerbation of a chronic condition, like COPD or heart failure, who's also anxious and scared.
What they are checking: clinical competence combined with the compassionate communication the posting emphasizes
What does a good handoff look like to you when you're going off shift at 11:30 PM after a busy day?
What they are checking: attention to detail and communication during shift transitions given the 12-hour schedule
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Practice this out loudThe full job description
As published by Advocate Health.