Registered Nurse (RN) Med Surg/ Telemetry
Posted Sep 8, 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 you noticed a change in a patient's telemetry strip or vital signs that turned out to be significant. What did you do?
What they are checking: clinical vigilance and whether they escalate appropriately versus waiting to see what happens
Describe a night shift where you had more going on than you could comfortably manage. How did you decide what to delegate and to whom?
What they are checking: judgment about scope of practice and use of support staff like CNAs or charge nurses
Tell me about a time you disagreed with a physician's plan of care for a patient. How did you handle it?
What they are checking: whether they advocate for patients respectfully without being either passive or combative
Tell me about a time your unit was short-staffed and you still had to keep everyone safe. What did you do differently that shift?
What they are checking: resilience and prioritization skills under real staffing constraints
What does evidence-based practice look like day to day for you on the floor, not just in theory?
What they are checking: whether they can translate a buzzword into real bedside habits, since it's explicitly named in the posting
Why are you drawn to working nights on a med-surg telemetry unit specifically, with every other weekend and holiday rotation?
What they are checking: realistic expectations and commitment to the actual schedule, since turnover on nights is high
What would you do
Walk me through how you would prioritize your patient load on a 34-bed telemetry unit if you're assigned a patient in respiratory distress, a fresh admission, and a patient about to go on dialysis, all around the same time.
What they are checking: whether the candidate can triage competing acute needs without dropping safety basics
If a family member is upset and raising their voice at the nurses' station during a night shift, what do you do in that moment?
What they are checking: de-escalation skill and composure under pressure with limited staff around at night
A patient scheduled for dialysis on your unit is also due for medications that interact with the treatment. How do you coordinate that timing?
What they are checking: understanding of coordinating specialized care like dialysis within a general med-surg workflow
About the work
What are you watching for in a patient with CHF who's a few hours post-diuretic, and what would make you call the physician versus just documenting and continuing to monitor?
What they are checking: depth of actual medical-surgical/telemetry knowledge for this specific patient population
How do you approach caring for a patient in a negative pressure isolation room, and what changes about your workflow for that room compared to a standard bed?
What they are checking: familiarity with infection control protocols specific to this unit's setup
What's your process for handing off a patient at 7:30 in the morning, especially one who's borderline unstable or has had an eventful night?
What they are checking: quality and structure of handoff communication, a common source of errors
How do you manage a tracheostomy patient's airway care and what would prompt you to suction more frequently or notify respiratory therapy?
What they are checking: specific competency with trach care since it's named in the patient population
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As published by Advocate Health.