JobsAdvocate Health

Registered Nurse (RN) - Post Surgical

Advocate Health · Milwaukee, WI

Posted Sep 16, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Sep 20, 2026

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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 took a patient straight from PACU or stepped down from the surgical ICU. What did you focus on in that first hour.

familiarity with the post-op handoff and early recovery window that makes up most of this unit's admissions

Tell me about a night shift where a patient's condition changed quickly. How did you handle it and what happened after.

real experience recognizing deterioration and acting under time pressure, especially relevant to overnight staffing

This unit runs shared governance, where nurses and nursing assistants have a real voice in daily operations. Tell me about a time you pushed for a change on your unit or in your practice.

whether the candidate will actually engage with shared governance rather than just tolerate it

Describe a time you had a disagreement with a surgeon or physician about a patient's care plan. How did you handle it.

ability to advocate for patients respectfully within the hierarchy of a surgical service

Tell me about a time you had to break difficult news or manage a tense conversation with a patient's family after surgery.

communication skills that support the patient experience scores this unit is measured on

What does a safe patient environment mean to you in practice, on a shift where you're moving between five or six recovering surgical patients.

whether safety is a genuine operating principle versus a rehearsed phrase, tied to the unit's nurse-sensitive indicator performance

Technical

A post-op patient on telemetry starts showing a new arrhythmia. What do you do first, and who do you call.

knowledge of telemetry monitoring and escalation protocols since 15 of the 23 beds are tele beds

What are the early warning signs of a surgical complication like a wound dehiscence, anastomotic leak, or post-op bleed, and how would you respond if you saw one developing.

depth of post-surgical assessment knowledge across GI, urology, gynecology, and plastics populations

How do you typically divide your attention and delegate tasks to nursing assistants when you have a full patient load on a fast-paced surgical floor.

delegation skills and time management appropriate to a 23-bed high-acuity unit

Situational

Walk me through how you'd prioritize your shift when you come in and find one patient fresh from PACU, another due for a dressing change and pain meds, and a third whose telemetry alarm is going off.

whether the candidate can triage competing demands on a high-acuity unit using clinical judgment rather than just working task lists in order

How do you manage pain control for a post-surgical patient who says the medication isn't touching their pain, but you're also concerned about over-sedation.

clinical judgment balancing patient comfort against safety, a daily tension on a surgical unit

If a patient becomes agitated or confused post-operatively and starts pulling at lines, walk me through how you'd de-escalate before considering restraints.

knowledge of verbal de-escalation techniques and restraint protocols the posting specifically calls out

If you're new to med-surg or coming from a different specialty, what part of caring for GI, urology, gynecology, or plastics surgical patients do you expect to be the biggest learning curve.

self-awareness and honesty about skill gaps for both new grads and experienced transfers

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The full job description

As published by Advocate Health.

Department: 35812 Aurora St. Lukes Medical Center - Med Surg: IU 3CD Surgical Status: Full time Benefits Eligible: Yes Hou rs Per Week: 36 Schedule Details/Additional Information: 1900-0730 NIGHT Every 3rd weekend rotation 50% of holidays rotation Student Loan Forgiveness up to $20,000 Tuition Assistance up to $7,200 RN Referral $5,000 for Advocate Aurora Teammates Military/Veteran Friendly   Pay Range: $38.20 - $57.30 Be the Nurse Who Redefines Care. At Advocate Health, being a nurse means more than delivering exceptional clinical care—it means leading with purpose, compassion, and boldness. As part of our One Advocate Nurse community, you’ll join a unified team committed to lifting others up, embracing innovation, and creating inclusive spaces where everyone can thrive. You’ll be empowered to think boldly, collaborate with humility, and drive change through fearless curiosity. Whether you're at the bedside, in the community, or advancing care through research and education, you’ll help shape the future of health—because here, we’re redefining care for you, for us, for all. Your feedback matters . Every nurse’s voice is vital in shaping our culture and improving care. We value your insights and experiences because they help us grow stronger together. Where You Will Work:   3CD is a 23 bed post-op surgical unit with 15 beds for Tele Patients. 75% of patients are admitted from PACU or as stepdown from Surgical ICU. This is a fast-paced, high acuity surgical unit specializing in Gastroenterology, Urology, Gynecology, and Plastic Surgery populations. This is a great unit for experienced Med-Surg nurses seeking to advance their skills and grow in their practice. It is also a great foundational unit for new graduate nurses who seek to eventually develop into more advanced clinical settings, such as ICU, ED, OR, and NP. We are a strong performing inpatient unit as measured by their Nurse Sensitive Indicators and Patient Experience scores. 3CD team members are committed to excellent clinical practice and patient outcomes. Shared Governance is an essential part of the culture on the unit, where nurses and nursing assistants have a strong voice in the daily operations. 3CD received top tier team member engagement scores in 2021. We’re Looking For:   • Completion of an accredited or approved program in nursing  • Registered Nurse license issued by the state in which the teammate practices  • Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Providers certification issued by the American Heart Association   What You’ll Do:   • As a skilled and compassionate RN, you will play a pivotal role in providing and coordinating comprehensive patient care through the nursing process to deliver safe, therapeutic care in accordance with established standards, policies, and procedures.   • Using evidence-based practice, clinical decision making, compassion, and skills communication while leading efforts to create the safest patient environment and the best patient experience across the continuum.   About This Location:    The future of medicine is happening here at Aurora St. Luke’s, and you’re at the center. No matter what your need – common surgery or pioneering treatment – you can count on our experienced and specialty physicians to provide expert care and excellent outcomes. As the only hospital in Wisconsin with a 24/7 on-site heart-care team, you can expect to receive premiere cardiac services. Both the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association have recognized Aurora St. Luke’s performance in treating cardiac and stroke patients. Physical Requirements & Working Conditions Requires frequent sitting, standing, walking, bending, squatting, reaching, twisting, and lifting throughout the workday. Must safely lift up to 35 pounds and perform patient handling tasks, including pushing/pulling up to 30 pounds and assisting with 150-pound sliding transfers. Requires functional speech, vision, hearing, touch, and fine motor skills for clinical procedures, as well as the ability to operate equipment foot controls. Must be able to respond quickly to changing patient conditions and perform patient safety interventions, including verbal de-escalation and restraints when necessary. Exposure to blood, body fluids, communicable diseases, chemicals, and hazardous waste may occur; appropriate protective equipment must be used. Physical Abilities Testing and additional department-specific requirements may apply. This job description indicates the general nature and level of work expected of the incumbent. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the incumbent. Incumbent may be required to perform other related duties. Ready to Take the Next Step: Apply Now!   Our Commitment to You: Advocate Health offers a comprehensive suite of Total Rewards: benefits and well-being programs, competitive compensation, generous retirement offerings, programs that invest in your career development and so much more – so you can live fully at and away from work, including: Compensation • Base compensation listed within the listed pay range based on factors such as qualifications, skills, relevant experience, and/or training • Premium pay such as shift, on call, and more based on a teammate's job • Incentive pay for select positions • Opportunity for annual increases based on performance Benefits and more • Paid Time Off programs • Health and welfare benefits such as medical, dental, vision, life, and Short- and Long-Term Disability • Flexible Spending Accounts for eligible health care and dependent care expenses • Family benefits such as adoption assistance and paid parental leave • Defined contribution retirement plans with employer match and other financial wellness programs • Educational Assistance Program Note: Eligibility for programs listed above may depend on your FTE or status (e.g., full-time, part-time, per diem, temporary, etc.); please ask a Recruiter for more information during an interview. About Advocate Health  Advocate Health is the third-largest nonprofit, integrated health system in the United States, created from the combination of Advocate Aurora Health and Atrium Health. Providing care under the names Advocate Health Care in Illinois; Atrium Health in the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama; and Aurora Health Care in Wisconsin, Advocate Health is a national leader in clinical innovation, health outcomes, consumer experience and value-based care. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Advocate Health services nearly 6 million patients and is engaged in hundreds of clinical trials and research studies, with Wake Forest University School of Medicine serving as the academic core of the enterprise. It is nationally recognized for its expertise in cardiology, neurosciences, oncology, pediatrics and rehabilitation, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments and specialized musculoskeletal programs. Advocate Health employs 155,000 teammates across 69 hospitals and over 1,000 care locations, and offers one of the nation’s largest graduate medical education programs with over 2,000 residents and fellows across more than 200 programs. Committed to providing equitable care for all, Advocate Health provides more than $6 billion in annual community benefits.

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