Registered Nurse (RN) - New Graduate - Med/Surg Ortho Trauma
Posted Sep 18, 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 in clinicals or a prior job when you noticed something wasn't right with a patient before it became an emergency.
What they are checking: early recognition of deterioration and willingness to escalate, a core new-grad safety concern
Tell me about a time you had to work closely with other disciplines, like PT, case management, or physicians, to get a patient ready for discharge.
What they are checking: collaboration skills needed on a unit built around coordinated post-op and trauma recovery
Describe a moment when you had to give a family member difficult news or manage their frustration about a patient's care.
What they are checking: composure and communication skills with families during stressful hospital stays
Tell me about a time you made a mistake or almost made one in a clinical setting. What did you do next?
What they are checking: honesty, self-awareness, and whether they understand a just-culture approach to error reporting
What does patient-centered care mean to you when you're managing a full assignment and running behind?
What they are checking: whether compassion holds up under realistic time pressure, not just as an interview answer
Tell me about a time you asked for help or clarification from a preceptor or more experienced nurse instead of guessing.
What they are checking: whether the new grad has the humility and judgment to seek support rather than act alone
What would you do
Walk me through how you would prioritize care for four post-op ortho patients at the start of your night shift, one of whom just came back from surgery two hours ago.
What they are checking: whether the candidate can apply basic prioritization frameworks like ABCs and post-op risk despite limited real-world experience
A patient who had hip surgery yesterday is refusing to get out of bed for their first walk with PT. How do you handle that conversation?
What they are checking: patient education skills and comfort managing resistance without being punitive or passive
You're covering six patients and two of them need something at the same time, one wants pain medication and the other's IV pump is alarming. What do you do first and why?
What they are checking: real-time triage judgment and honesty about time-management limits as a new nurse
How do you handle working nights, every third weekend, with rotating holidays, especially early in your career?
What they are checking: realistic expectations about the schedule and unit demands
If a patient became agitated or combative and verbal de-escalation wasn't working, what would you do next?
What they are checking: awareness of safety protocols and comfort with restraint procedures when necessary
About the work
What do you watch for in the first 24 to 48 hours after a hip or knee replacement that would worry you?
What they are checking: baseline clinical knowledge of post-op ortho complications like DVT, compartment syndrome, or fat embolism
How would you assess and manage pain in a trauma patient who also has a history of opioid use?
What they are checking: ability to balance effective pain control with safety and nonjudgmental care
What's your understanding of neurovascular checks, and when would you escalate a change you find?
What they are checking: specific clinical skill directly tied to ortho trauma monitoring
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As published by Advocate Health.