Registered Nurse (RN) - Intensive Care
Posted Sep 14, 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 whose condition suddenly declined in the ICU. What did you notice first and what did you do?
What they are checking: whether the candidate can recognize early warning signs and act decisively under pressure
Tell me about a shift where you were caring for a trauma, cardiac, or neuro patient at the same time as another critical patient. How did you prioritize?
What they are checking: ability to triage across a mixed acuity ICU population like this 14-bed unit
Describe a time a family member was struggling to cope with a loved one's critical condition. What did you say or do?
What they are checking: skill at supporting families, which the posting emphasizes as core to the unit's culture
Tell me about a time you disagreed with a physician or another nurse about a patient's plan of care. How did you handle it?
What they are checking: ability to advocate for a patient while keeping the working relationship intact
Describe a moment when you had to make a quick call without a lot of information, and it turned out to be the wrong one. What did you learn?
What they are checking: willingness to own mistakes and change practice, important in a high-stakes environment
What would you do
You have a patient with an unstable rhythm and you're waiting on the physician to call back. What do you do while you wait?
What they are checking: comfort with ACLS-level decision making and knowing the limits of independent action
A patient becomes agitated and starts pulling at lines and trying to get out of bed. Walk me through your steps before you'd consider restraints.
What they are checking: judgment around verbal de-escalation and restraint protocols mentioned in the physical requirements
How do you keep yourself sharp and safe working three overnight shifts a week with rotating weekends?
What they are checking: self-awareness about fatigue management on a demanding night schedule
If you're newer to ICU but coming from a different unit, what part of critical care do you think will be the steepest learning curve for you, and how are you preparing for it?
What they are checking: honesty about experience gaps, since the posting explicitly considers non-ICU candidates with strong general RN experience
How do you approach a sliding transfer or repositioning a patient who weighs significantly more than you, especially at night with limited staff around?
What they are checking: practical understanding of the physical demands and safe patient handling described in the posting
About the work
How would you assess a patient for stroke symptoms, and what does the NIHSS actually tell you that a general neuro check doesn't?
What they are checking: depth of hands-on knowledge with the NIHSS certification required for this role
What is your process for a bedside handoff at shift change on a night shift ICU, especially with a unit that reassesses staffing every four hours?
What they are checking: understanding of safe handoff practices and adapting to frequent staffing changes
What's your approach to titrating vasoactive drips or managing a patient on multiple infusions at once?
What they are checking: hands-on comfort with core ICU nursing skills expected even from someone newer to critical care
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Practice this out loudThe full job description
As published by Advocate Health.