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Registered Nurse-Special-Care-Nursery As-Needed

Northwestern Medicine · DeKalb, IL · Part time · Health Care Provider

Posted Oct 2, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 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.

About your past

Tell me about a time you taught a nervous parent to care for their baby before discharge. How did you know they were ready?

What they are checking: Whether they check real understanding with teach-back instead of assuming a parent who nods has learned the skill.

How do you adjust your teaching for a family whose language, culture or learning style is different from yours?

What they are checking: Whether they actually assess learning preferences and readiness to learn, as the posting asks, rather than using one script.

Tell me about a time you noticed a small change in a patient that turned out to matter.

What they are checking: Whether they trust and act on subtle findings, which matters most with patients who cannot say what is wrong.

What would you do

This is an as-needed role in the Special Care Nursery at Kishwaukee. How do you get oriented quickly when you only pick up shifts here and there?

What they are checking: Whether a casual nurse has a reliable way to catch up on unit changes before taking a patient assignment.

The posting asks you to recognize signs of abuse or neglect. What would make you concerned with a family in the nursery, and what would you do about it?

What they are checking: Whether they can raise a protective concern through proper channels without accusing or ignoring a family.

A mother is upset because she feels the staff is keeping her from her baby. How do you handle that conversation?

What they are checking: Whether they can stay calm, involve the family in care, and still protect the infant's needs.

About the work

Walk me through your assessment of a 34-week preemie at the start of your shift. What are you looking at first?

What they are checking: Whether they assess in a safe order and know what is normal and abnormal for a late preterm infant.

What signs of respiratory distress in a newborn would make you call the provider right away instead of watching and reassessing?

What they are checking: Whether they know the line between expected newborn transition and a baby who is getting worse.

How do you manage thermoregulation and feeding for a small baby who tires out at the bottle?

What they are checking: Practical knowledge of the two problems that keep most special care nursery babies from going home.

A baby's glucose comes back low on a heel stick. Talk me through what you do next.

What they are checking: Whether they follow a hypoglycemia protocol calmly and know when to escalate beyond feeding.

Practice this interview out loud.

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The full job description

As published by Northwestern Medicine.

The Staff Nurse Inpatient-Kishwaukee reflects the mission, vision, and values of NM, adheres to the organization’s Code of Ethics and Corporate Compliance Program, and complies with all relevant policies, procedures, guidelines and all other regulatory and accreditation standards. • The Registered Nurse performs established procedures in accordance with hospital and the department of patient care services philosophy, policies, and standards. Care is provided with consideration to developmental needs and abilities. The RN uses the nursing process to ensure the delivery of high-quality evidence-based nursing care to the patient and family Responsibilities: Description • According to hospital and unit specific guidelines and standards of practice, completes an assessment for each assigned patient reflecting age specific physical, psychological, emotional, spiritual, cultural, and environmental variables affecting the patient. Recognizes signs of abuse/neglect. • Assesses patient/family educational needs, abilities, learning preferences, and readiness to learn • Anticipates potential problems including those related to the patient’s disease entity, adjustment to disease, physical complications, knowledge deficit, discharge needs, and family support • Develops and updates nursing plan of care based on patient assessment and nursing diagnosis with input from interdisciplinary team members and patient/family/significant others; patient/family education and discharge planning needs are assessed and included in the plan of care • Initiates and coordinates effective communication with physicians and/or other healthcare providers by reporting and recording pertinent observations and reactions regarding patient/family/significant others • Assesses patient response to treatment regime, recognizes and analyzes the cause of patient’s symptoms and changing condition and initiates appropriate nursing interventions • Prioritizes the care needs for assigned patients by demonstrating ability to readjust priorities with changing patient status or unit activity • Actively participates in discharge planning from time of admission as evidenced by documenting patient teaching, patient/family understanding of plan, and timely referrals, etc. • Applies Standards of Care in the provision of safe patient care, with consideration given to normal characteristics of growth and development throughout the life span, consulting with team and clinical development coordinator, as needed (see Standards of Care). Follows OSHA standards according to guidelines and policies/procedures • Appropriate age-specific interventions are identified, implemented, and documented in a safe and timely manner; documentation and practice reflects patient’s response to interventions • Includes the patient/family/significant other as active participants in the development of the plan of care, the care given, and in teaching • Administers prescribed medications and performs treatments in a safe manner utilizing knowledge of standards of care in administration of medications. Utilizes medication administration time as opportunity to educate patient/family about medications • Provides pain management for patient as well as comfort and support to patient/family/significant other • Follows hospital policy in reporting potential abuse/neglect. • Anticipates patient needs and coordinates patient care activities with other hospital departments, healthcare providers, and agencies in the community • Performs re-assessment of patient according to patient condition, standards of practice, and hospital policy • Consistently evaluates patient diagnostic data in a timely manner and intervenes appropriately • Comprehensively and accurately documents treatments, assessments, and patient’s response to nursing actions and interventions/medical regime • Communicates patient’s status changes to shift charge nurse, physician, and/or other healthcare team members as appropriate • Evaluates patient’s and family’s response to teaching plan including level of understanding, acceptance, and compliance • In consultation with members of the interdisciplinary team, initiates patient care conferences and revises plan of care based on patient response to interventions. • Evaluates the quality of care provided including nursing assessments and plan of care Required: • Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) • Current State of Illinois Registered Professional Nurse • American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS) *Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) acceptable with commitment to obtain a BSN from an accredited program within three years of first day of employment in clinical nurse role. Preferred: • Strong interpersonal skills • Ability to collaborate with others • Strong analytic abilities Northwestern Medicine is an equal opportunity employer (disability, VETS) and does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of age, sex, race, color, religion, national origin, gender identity, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation or any other protected status. Background Check Northwestern Medicine conducts a background check that includes criminal history on newly hired team members and, at times, internal transfers. If you are offered a position with us, you will be required to complete an authorization and disclosure form that gives Northwestern Medicine permission to run the background check. Results are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, and we follow all local, state, and federal laws, including the Illinois Health Care Worker Background Check Act. Artificial Intelligence Disclosure Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used in some portions of the candidate review process for this position, however, all employment decisions will be made by a person. Benefits We offer a wide range of benefits that provide employees with tools and resources to improve their physical, emotional, and financial well-being while providing protection for unexpected life events. Click on or copy and paste URL to your browser to view detailed benefits information NorthwesternMedicine Career Page https://jobs.nm.org/benefits Please refer to the Benefits Eligibility by Employment Classification to determine benefits eligibility for job postings. If sign-on bonus is included in a job posting eligibility is as followed: Internal employees and rehires who left Northwestern Medicine within 1 year are not eligible for the sign-on bonus. Exception : New graduate internal employees seeking their first licensed clinical position as a Registered Nurse at NM may be eligible.

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