RN Inpatient - OR
Posted Aug 24, 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 the types of surgical cases you have circulated or scrubbed and where you feel strongest.
What they are checking: An honest picture of their OR experience so the team knows where they can help right away.
Tell me about a time you had a disagreement with a surgeon or anesthesia provider. How did it end?
What they are checking: Professional communication in a room with strong personalities, where clear speech protects patients.
What would you do
This role includes weekend, weekday and holiday call with a 30-minute response time. How would you make that work in your life?
What they are checking: Whether the candidate has really planned for call and can reliably arrive on time for emergencies.
The final count is off by one sponge and the surgeon wants to close. What do you do?
What they are checking: Whether they will hold the line on retained-item safety even under pressure from the surgeon.
A patient in pre-op tells you they are not sure they want the surgery anymore. How do you handle that?
What they are checking: Patient advocacy and understanding of informed consent before the procedure begins.
You are called in at 2 a.m. for an emergency case. What do you check first when you arrive?
What they are checking: Ability to organize quickly for an urgent case with a small call team.
About the work
Walk me through how you run a surgical time-out and what you do if someone on the team brushes it off.
What they are checking: Commitment to universal protocol, which prevents wrong-site and wrong-patient surgery.
How do you set up and protect the sterile field, and what do you do when you see a break in sterile technique?
What they are checking: Strong sterile technique and the confidence to call out breaks, which prevents surgical infections.
How do you position a patient to prevent pressure injuries and nerve damage during a long case?
What they are checking: Knowledge of positioning risks that can cause lasting harm during surgery.
How do you keep track of specimens and implants so nothing is lost or mislabeled?
What they are checking: Attention to detail with specimens and implants, where small mistakes have serious results.
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Practice this out loudThe full job description
As published by Sanford Health.