Registered Nurse - Surgery
Posted Sep 25, 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 you had a tense moment with a surgeon. How did you handle it?
What they are checking: Whether they stay calm and professional under pressure and can advocate for the patient with confident doctors.
This job includes a weekly call shift and weekend call from Saturday to Monday morning. How do you feel about that?
What they are checking: Whether they can honestly commit to the call schedule that keeps the OR running.
Tell me about something you learned in the OR that changed how you practice.
What they are checking: Whether they keep learning in a field where procedures and equipment change often.
What would you do
The final count is off by one sponge and the surgeon wants to close. What do you do?
What they are checking: Whether they hold firm on count policy and escalate, since a retained item is a never event.
You notice a break in sterile technique by a team member. How do you handle it?
What they are checking: Whether they speak up immediately and respectfully, because infection risk outweighs awkwardness.
An emergency case gets added while you're mid-turnover. How do you get the room ready fast without cutting corners?
What they are checking: Whether they can move quickly while keeping counts, sterility and safety steps intact.
About the work
Walk me through how you set up and run a surgical time out. What would make you stop the case?
What they are checking: Whether they treat the time out as a real safety check and will halt a case over a mismatch, even with a surgeon waiting.
When you're circulating, what are you responsible for from the moment the patient enters the room?
What they are checking: Whether they understand the circulator owns positioning, counts, documentation and the patient's safety while asleep.
When you scrub, how do you decide which instruments and supplies to open for a case?
What they are checking: Whether they use preference cards and know the procedure well enough to anticipate needs without waste.
How do you handle specimens in the OR to make sure they reach pathology correctly labeled?
What they are checking: Whether they verify and label specimens carefully, since lost or mislabeled tissue can change a diagnosis.
How do you protect a patient from positioning injuries during a long case?
What they are checking: Whether they know padding, pressure points and nerve risks for patients who can't speak for themselves.
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As published by SSM Health.