RN Shift Supervisor-Operating Room-Day Shift

Tell me about a time you had to manage a conflict between a surgeon and a staff member.

What they are checking: Whether they can protect staff and keep the team working together without escalating the conflict.

Tell me about a time you had to address staff who weren't following a policy.

What they are checking: Whether they can hold staff accountable while understanding the reason behind the problem.

How do you keep morale up during long or stressful days in the OR?

What they are checking: Whether they pay attention to the team's wellbeing and not only the schedule.

Walk me through how you'd run the OR board when an emergency add-on case comes in during a full day.

What they are checking: Whether they can reprioritize rooms and staff while keeping surgeons and patients informed.

A surgeon wants to start before the time-out is finished. What do you do?

What they are checking: Whether they will hold firm on universal protocol even with pressure from a physician.

How do you support the unit manager with day-to-day OR operations?

What they are checking: Whether they understand their supervisory role and communicate well with leadership.

What would you do if a staff member called off and no one was available to cover?

What they are checking: Whether they can solve staffing gaps by adjusting the schedule or finding help without compromising safety.

How do you assign circulators and scrub techs to cases based on their skills?

What they are checking: Whether they match staff to case complexity to keep patients safe and cases on time.

A count is off at the end of a case. What do you expect your team to do?

What they are checking: Whether they know the full count discrepancy process including imaging and documentation.

How do you reduce delays between cases without rushing safety steps?

What they are checking: Whether they can improve turnover efficiency without cutting corners on cleaning or setup.