RN - Surgical Services - FT - Varied
Posted Oct 1, 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
Surgical services includes pre-op, the OR and recovery. Where do you have the most experience, and where would you need training?
What they are checking: Honest self-assessment across surgical areas so leaders know where to place and train them.
This role has a varied schedule. Tell me how you have handled changing shifts in the past.
What they are checking: Flexibility with scheduling, which is part of this position.
Tell me about a time you disagreed with a surgeon or anesthesia provider about patient safety.
What they are checking: Respectful but firm advocacy in the operating room.
Tell me about a time the surgical schedule fell apart. How did you help the team recover?
What they are checking: Teamwork and problem-solving when cases run late or emergencies bump the schedule.
What would you do
The count is wrong at the end of a case. What do you do?
What they are checking: Willingness to stop the case to resolve a count, which prevents retained surgical items.
A patient in pre-op is very anxious and says they might back out. How do you handle it?
What they are checking: Patient support and respect for informed consent.
About the work
Walk me through your pre-op checklist before a patient goes back to surgery.
What they are checking: Thorough pre-op safety checks like consent, NPO status, allergies, site marking and medications.
A patient in recovery is hard to wake and their oxygen is dropping. What are your first steps?
What they are checking: Airway and breathing response in post-anesthesia care.
How do you keep the sterile field safe and speak up when you see a break?
What they are checking: Sterile technique and the confidence to call out breaks regardless of who made them.
How do you make sure specimens and implants are labeled and recorded correctly?
What they are checking: Attention to detail where errors can cause missed diagnoses or recalls.
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Practice this out loudThe full job description
As published by Sanford Health.