Registered Nurse (RN) - Medical Surgical/Intermediate Care (Med/Surg, IMC) - PRN
Posted Jul 30, 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 had to escalate care for a patient who needed a higher level of care. How did you make the case?
What they are checking: Whether they advocate firmly and clearly when a patient needs to move to ICU or a rapid response.
Tell me about a time you supervised or delegated to an aide or LPN and it didn't go as planned.
What they are checking: Whether they own the RN's supervisory role and follow up rather than assuming tasks got done.
How do you offer emotional or spiritual support to a patient who is frightened about their diagnosis?
What they are checking: Whether they can provide compassionate presence and involve chaplains or others when needed.
What would you do
You're PRN nights and floating in. How do you build trust with a team you don't work with every week?
What they are checking: Whether they can fit into a unit quickly, ask for help and offer help, which PRN staff must do.
A patient with heart failure keeps asking for extra fluids and salty snacks. How do you handle it?
What they are checking: Whether they can teach about the condition with respect and promote independence, as the posting stresses.
You disagree with an order you think could harm the patient. What do you do?
What they are checking: Whether they question orders through the proper chain instead of quietly following or ignoring them.
About the work
You have a cardiac patient on the intermediate care unit whose rhythm changes to a new atrial fibrillation with a fast rate. What do you do?
What they are checking: Whether they can assess stability, notify the provider and anticipate treatment for a common cardiac change.
How is caring for an intermediate care patient different from a general med/surg patient?
What they are checking: Whether they understand the higher monitoring and assessment needs of IMC patients who could go either way.
How do you manage a heparin or other high-alert drip safely across a twelve-hour shift?
What they are checking: Whether they follow protocols, double checks and lab timing for high-risk medications.
How do you measure whether your patient education actually worked before discharge?
What they are checking: Whether they use teach-back and outcome checks against care goals, not just a signature on a form.
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Practice this out loudThe full job description
As published by HSHS.