JobsAdvocate Health

Registered Nurse (RN) - Med Surg Ortho

Advocate Health · Milwaukee, WI

Posted Sep 7, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Sep 20, 2026

Apply at Advocate Health

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 you had a patient whose condition started to decline and you had to decide how quickly to act. What did you do?

whether the candidate can recognize subtle clinical deterioration and escalate appropriately

Tell me about a time you disagreed with a physician or provider about a patient's plan of care. How did you handle it?

communication skills and willingness to advocate for a patient within a hierarchical team

Describe a shift where you felt stretched thin. How did you keep track of everything and make sure nothing got missed?

organizational skill and self-awareness under a heavy, varied caseload

How do you build rapport with patients who are with you for several days recovering from surgery, especially when they're frustrated or in pain?

bedside manner and consistency of care over a multi-day stay

Tell me about a time you had to teach or support a new nurse or student on your unit.

fit with a unit that runs a residency program and expects experienced nurses to mentor

What made you interested in working with this mix of ortho, urology, bariatric, and general surgical patients rather than a more specialized unit?

genuine motivation for a varied med-surg environment versus a narrower specialty

Technical

What do you watch for in the first 24 hours after a hip or knee replacement, and what would make you call the surgeon right away?

specific orthopedic post-op knowledge like neurovascular checks, DVT/PE signs, and wound assessment

How do you assess and manage pain in a post-surgical patient, especially when their pain reports don't match what you're seeing?

clinical judgment in pain management and comfort with non-verbal or inconsistent pain cues

What's your approach to safe patient handling and mobility, especially with patients who need a two-person assisted transfer or are recovering from major surgery?

awareness of physical safety protocols given the lifting and transfer demands described in the job

What signs make you suspicious of a surgical site infection or wound complication, and what would you do about it?

wound assessment knowledge relevant to the surgical population on this unit

Situational

Walk me through how you would prioritize your assignment if you had six patients, including a fresh total knee replacement, a post-op bariatric patient, and someone on telemetry with new chest pain.

ability to triage across a mixed medical, surgical, and telemetry patient load, which is the core of this unit

A patient who just had bariatric surgery is anxious and asking a lot of questions about their recovery and diet. How do you approach educating them?

patient education skills and ability to communicate clearly with people under stress

If a telemetry patient's monitor shows a new arrhythmia while you're in the middle of another task, what do you do first?

ability to prioritize competing demands and respond correctly to a cardiac change

How do you make sure you're following hospital protocols and documentation standards when you're moving fast between patients?

attention to compliance and charting accuracy under time pressure

Practice this interview out loud.

Offer builds a real interview for this exact role at Advocate Health from your resume and this job description, asks the questions one at a time, and tells you what landed. The first one is free.

Practice this out loud

The full job description

As published by Advocate Health.

Department: Status: Full time Benefits Eligible: Yes Hou rs Per Week: 36 Schedule Details/Additional Information: • Day Shift • 0700-1930 • Every 3rd Weekend rotation • 50% of holidays   • Nurse Residency for newly licensed RN's • Tuition Reimbursement • Referral Bonus Pay Range: $38.20 - $57.30 Med Surg Ortho Aurora Sinai Be the Nurse Who Redefines Care. At Advocate Health, being a nurse means more than delivering exceptional clinical care—it means leading with purpose, compassion, and boldness. As part of our One Advocate Nurse community, you’ll join a unified team committed to lifting others up, embracing innovation, and creating inclusive spaces where everyone can thrive. You’ll be empowered to think boldly, collaborate with humility, and drive change through fearless curiosity. Whether you're at the bedside, in the community, or advancing care through research and education, you’ll help shape the future of health—because here, we’re redefining care for you, for us, for all. Your feedback matters. Every nurse’s voice is vital in shaping our culture and improving care. We value your insights and experiences because they help us grow stronger together. Where You Will Work: Come to a strong department with a great culture and safe rations where you can spend time providing the care you always wished for. Our 41-bed Medical Surgical Unit cares for a diverse patient population, providing nurses with the opportunity to build and strengthen their clinical expertise across multiple specialties. The unit primarily serves orthopedic, urological, bariatric, and general surgical patients, while also caring for some medical and telemetry patients. Why You'll Love This Unit: • Care for a wide variety of patient populations and diagnoses • Gain experience in both surgical and medical/telemetry nursing • Work alongside a supportive, interdisciplinary team committed to exceptional patient outcomes • Develop clinical skills in a fast-paced environment that encourages continuous learning and professional growth • Make a meaningful difference in the lives of patients throughout their recovery journey Whether you're an experienced nurse or looking to expand your practice in a diverse acute care setting, this team offers an excellent opportunity to grow your career while delivering compassionate, high-quality care. Advocate Aurora Health provides a leading-edge residency program with your future in mind. The New Graduate Nurse Residency Program is evidence-based and support the professional development, confidence, and overall well-being of the nurse resident as they transition from academia to the practice setting.  💙 Be part of a team where your expertise, collaboration, and commitment to patient care are valued every day!   We’re Looking For: • Completion of an accredited or approved program in nursing • Registered Nurse license issued by the state in which the teammate practices • Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Providers certification issued by the American Heart Association • Strong interest and passion for service and health equity • A commitment to teamwork, communication, and continual professional growth • New grads Welcome! What You’ll Do: • As a skilled and compassionate RN, you will play a pivotal role in providing and coordinating comprehensive patient care through the nursing process to deliver safe, therapeutic care in accordance with established standards, policies, and procedures. • Using evidence-based practice, clinical decision making, compassion, and skills communication while leading efforts to create the safest patient environment and the best patient experience across the continuum.   About This Location: Aurora Sinai Medical Center From preventive and diagnostic care to some of the most advanced medicine in the world, we’re dedicated to putting the patient at the center of all we do. Located in downtown Milwaukee, we offer comprehensive, state-of-the-art services and expert doctors in an atmosphere designed to promote healing and overall well-being. We are also home to tomorrow’s health care professionals and pioneering treatment options, with the University of Wisconsin Medical School’s Milwaukee Clinical Campus at our location. Physical Requirements and Working Conditions: • Must be able to sit, stand, walk, lift, squat, bend, reach above shoulders, and twist frequently throughout the workday. • Must be able to: • lift up to 50 lbs. from floor to waist. • lift up to 20 lbs. over the head. • carry up to 40 lbs. a reasonable distance. • Must be able to: • push/pull with 30 lbs. of force. • perform a sliding transfer of 150 lbs. with a second person present. • Position requires use of foot pedals on carts or machines. • May be exposed to chemical and hazardous waste as well as blood and body fluids and communicable disease. Therefore, protective clothing and equipment must be worn as necessary. • Must have functional speech, vision, hearing, and touch with ability to use fine hand manipulation skills for IV insertion and other procedures/functions. • Operates all equipment necessary to perform the job. 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.

Apply at Advocate Health

More registered nurse med surg ortho roles

Related jobs

Registered Nurse (RN) - Med Surg Ortho

Advocate Health · Milwaukee, WI

Posted Sep 7 · Verified Sep 20

Registered Nurse (RN) - Med Surg Ortho PM

Advocate Health · Milwaukee, WI

Posted Sep 15 · Verified Sep 20

Registered Nurse (RN) - New Graduate - Med/Surg Ortho Trauma

Advocate Health · Summit, WI

Posted Sep 17 · Verified Sep 20

Physical Therapist (PT) - Acute Care and Emergency

Advocate Health · Elgin, IL

Posted Sep 19 · Verified Sep 20

Medical Assistant (MA)/LPN - OB/GYN

Advocate Health · Franklin, WI

Posted Sep 19 · Verified Sep 20

Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant - Family Medicine - Full Time

Advocate Health · Summit, WI

Posted Sep 19 · Verified Sep 20