Registered Nurse (RN) - Med Surg Ortho PM
Posted Sep 15, 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 you cared for a post-surgical orthopedic patient and had to manage their pain while also watching for signs of complications like a blood clot or infection.
real hands-on experience with post-op ortho assessment and pain management balance, not just textbook knowledge
Describe a shift where you had a bariatric patient, a urology patient, and a telemetry patient all at once. How did you organize your care and your time?
ability to handle the actual diagnostic variety this unit is known for, not a narrow specialty comfort zone
Tell me about a time you disagreed with a physician or provider about a patient's care plan. How did you handle it?
whether they can advocate for patients respectfully within a hierarchical clinical team
How do you personally stay organized and keep from missing tasks during a busy 12-hour shift, especially near the end when you're tired?
self-awareness about fatigue and a real system for preventing errors late in long shifts
Can you describe a time you worked closely with physical therapy, case management, or other disciplines to get a surgical patient ready for discharge?
experience with the interdisciplinary coordination this unit relies on for surgical recovery patients
Tell me about a time you noticed a near-miss or safety issue on your unit. What did you do about it?
whether they proactively report and address safety concerns rather than staying quiet, which matters for a Magnet-designated hospital's culture
Technical
How do you assess and document a change in a patient's condition that could indicate something like a post-op complication, and who do you escalate to first?
understanding of clinical assessment skills and the chain of communication expected on an acute med surg floor
What's your experience reading telemetry strips, and can you tell me about a time you caught something abnormal and what you did next?
baseline competency with cardiac monitoring since the unit takes some telemetry patients despite being primarily surgical
If you're new to this specialty mix, what's your plan for getting up to speed on ortho-specific care, like monitoring for compartment syndrome or DVT after joint replacement?
whether new or transferring nurses have a realistic self-directed learning plan rather than assuming orientation covers everything
Situational
Walk me through how you'd prioritize your first hour on a med surg ortho unit if you're handed five patients, including a fresh total knee replacement, a post-op bariatric patient, and someone on telemetry showing a new arrhythmia.
whether the candidate can triage across mixed diagnoses quickly and safely, which is the core demand of this unit
A patient who had a sliding transfer earlier in the shift now needs to be moved again, and you only have one other person available instead of two. What do you do?
judgment about safety protocols versus real-world staffing constraints, and whether they'd cut corners under pressure
If a patient or family member became verbally aggressive or agitated during your shift, how would you de-escalate the situation while still keeping the rest of your patients safe?
comfort with verbal de-escalation and safety judgment, which the posting explicitly calls out as a physical requirement
This unit works second shift with three 12s or a mix of 12s and 8s, every third weekend, and half the holidays. How have you handled a schedule like that before, and what makes it work or not work for you?
honesty about whether the schedule is sustainable for them long-term, since turnover from schedule mismatch is costly
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 loudThe full job description
As published by Advocate Health.
More registered nurse med surg ortho roles
Related jobs
Registered Nurse (RN) - Med Surg Ortho
Posted Sep 7 · Verified Sep 20
Registered Nurse (RN) - Med Surg Ortho
Posted Sep 7 · Verified Sep 20
Registered Nurse (RN) - New Graduate - Med/Surg Ortho Trauma
Posted Sep 17 · Verified Sep 20
Physical Therapist (PT) - Acute Care and Emergency
Posted Sep 19 · Verified Sep 20
Medical Assistant (MA)/LPN - OB/GYN
Posted Sep 19 · Verified Sep 20
Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant - Family Medicine - Full Time
Posted Sep 19 · Verified Sep 20