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 caught a patient starting to deteriorate before it became an emergency.

pattern recognition and assessment skills relevant to a high acuity stepdown unit

Tell me about a time you had to speak up when you disagreed with a physician's plan for a patient.

willingness to advocate for patient safety despite hierarchy

This floor runs on shared governance, where nurses and nursing assistants have a real voice in daily operations. Tell me about a time you helped change something about how your unit worked.

fit with a culture that expects staff to participate in decisions, not just follow them

Describe a situation where a patient became agitated or combative and you needed to de-escalate before things got physical.

actual experience with de-escalation given the physical requirement noted for restraints and verbal de-escalation

If you're new to med-surg, what part of post-surgical nursing are you least confident in right now, and how do you plan to build that skill here?

self-awareness and coachability, especially relevant since new grads are encouraged to apply

Technical

This unit takes patients directly from PACU and from surgical ICU stepdown. What are you watching for in the first hour after a surgical patient arrives on your floor?

depth of post-anesthesia and post-op assessment knowledge specific to this unit's patient flow

Our population here includes GI, urology, gynecology, and plastics surgery patients. What are some of the different complications you'd watch for across those specialties, and how does your monitoring change from one to the next?

breadth of surgical knowledge across varied specialties rather than a single narrow skill set

Fifteen of the twenty-three beds on this unit are telemetry. How do you stay on top of rhythm changes while also managing your regular med-surg workload?

ability to multitask cardiac monitoring responsibilities within a broader assignment

How do you approach handoff when you're getting a patient straight from PACU versus one who has been stable on the floor for two days?

understanding that report quality and urgency differ by patient acuity and transition point

Situational

Walk me through how you'd prioritize your patient assignment on a shift where you have a fresh post-op patient just up from PACU and another patient on telemetry who is showing new chest pain.

whether the candidate can triage competing acute needs using clinical judgment rather than just task order

Tell me about a time a patient's pain wasn't controlled with the ordered regimen. What did you do?

comfort advocating with the surgical team and managing post-op pain protocols

You've got four patients and one just returned from surgery unstable while another is refusing a treatment your assessment says is now urgent. How do you handle that moment?

real-time decision making and delegation under pressure

Tell me about a time you had to sliding-transfer or reposition a heavier patient safely with limited help available.

awareness of safe patient handling practices given the physical demands listed

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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: 0700-1930, Day shift Every 3rd weekend rotation 50% of holidays rotation New Grads are encouraged to apply! Tuition Assistance Education assistance RN Referral $500 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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