Registered Nurse (RN) – Medical Surgical/Telemetry Float Pool
Posted Sep 13, 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 shift where you floated to a unit you weren't used to. How did you get oriented fast enough to keep patients safe?
whether the candidate has a real method for absorbing a new unit's layout and workflow quickly rather than just hoping for the best
Tell me about a time a unit's staff was less than welcoming to you as a float nurse. How did you handle it?
resilience and interpersonal skill working as an outsider on someone else's turf, shift after shift
Describe a time you had to quickly learn a new charting system or unit-specific protocol. What did you do when you got stuck?
adaptability to different documentation systems and comfort asking for help without stalling care
Tell me about a time you disagreed with another nurse or charge nurse about a patient's plan of care. What happened?
conflict resolution skills and whether they can advocate for patients without becoming a problem for permanent staff
Tell me about a time you had to speak up during a code or rapid response even though you weren't the primary nurse for that patient.
willingness to act decisively and communicate clearly in high-stakes moments as a temporary team member
What draws you to float pool work specifically, rather than staying on one home unit?
genuine motivation and fit for the variety and lack of routine this job is built around
Technical
What's your experience reading telemetry strips, and can you describe a time you caught a rhythm change that needed action?
actual competency with cardiac monitoring, not just comfort saying the word telemetry
How many years of Med/Surg or Telemetry experience do you have, and what kinds of patients have you cared for most often?
whether the candidate actually meets the 18-month to 2-year experience bar this role requires
How comfortable are you with IV starts, including using ultrasound guidance, and what's been your experience with difficult sticks?
hands-on skill level relevant to the IV ultrasound training this role provides, and honesty about current gaps
Situational
Walk me through how you'd prioritize your first hour on a Med/Surg unit if you're handed four patients you've never met, including one who just came back from a telemetry transfer.
clinical prioritization and triage skills under the pressure of unfamiliar patients and time constraints
If you're on an ED boarding assignment and a boarded patient starts to deteriorate but the unit's usual resources aren't readily available to you, what do you do?
judgment about escalation and knowing who to call when the safety net looks different from your home unit
If you get a patient with transfer orders to ICU level of care while you're floating, what's your process for making sure the handoff is safe?
understanding of escalation of care and communication protocols during a critical transition
This role asks you to self-schedule, work one weekend every six weeks, and pick up a summer and winter holiday. How do you think about balancing that kind of flexibility with your own life?
realistic buy-in to the float pool's scheduling demands before it becomes a retention problem
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.
Related jobs
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
Registered Nurse (RN) - Orland Park
Posted Sep 18 · Verified Sep 20
GI Scheduler
Posted Sep 18 · Verified Sep 20
Supervisor Clinical Physician Practice (Orland Park)
Posted Sep 18 · Verified Sep 20