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Staff Nurse - Physical Medicine, Casual

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

Posted Sep 29, 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 had to deliver an abnormal result to a patient and give them next steps.

What they are checking: Whether they communicate results clearly and make sure the patient understands what happens next.

Tell me about a time you noticed a patient's psychosocial needs were affecting their recovery.

What they are checking: Whether they see how mood, home life and support shape rehab outcomes, and act on it.

Describe a time you disagreed with a care plan. How did you raise it?

What they are checking: Whether they can share concerns respectfully with providers and back them up with clinical reasoning.

What would you do

Walk me through a phone triage call from a patient whose back pain suddenly got worse and who now has numbness in their legs.

What they are checking: Whether they recognize red-flag symptoms that need urgent care rather than routine scheduling.

This is a casual position. How do you stay sharp on the clinic's procedures when you only work occasionally?

What they are checking: Whether they take ownership of staying current so they are safe and useful on any shift they pick up.

A patient asks for an early refill of their pain medication and gets upset when you can't approve it. How do you handle that?

What they are checking: Whether they can stay calm and fair with frustrated patients while following medication policies.

About the work

Physical medicine patients often live with chronic pain or limited mobility. How do you adjust your assessment for them?

What they are checking: Whether they understand rehab-focused care, including function, pain, fall risk and self-care needs.

How do you assist with or prepare for procedures like injections that are common in a physical medicine clinic?

What they are checking: Whether they understand sterile setup, consent, monitoring and post-procedure teaching for outpatient procedures.

How do you apply the six medication rights during a busy clinic day?

What they are checking: Whether their medication safety habits stay steady when the pace picks up.

How do you teach a patient a home exercise or self-care plan so they actually follow it?

What they are checking: Whether their patient education leads to real behavior change, not just a signed handout.

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The full job description

As published by Northwestern Medicine.

The Staff Nurse Physician Group 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. • A clinically competent, registered, professional nurse who prescribes, delegates and coordinates nursing care to the acutely ill patient through the nursing process of assessment, planning, intervention, implementation and evaluation. Effectively interacts with patient, significant others, and other health team members, while maintaining ANA standards of professional nursing practice. Also responsible for phone triage, abnormal test result delivery and corresponding care instructions. Responsibilities: • Performs all aspects of patient care by utilizing evidenced based practice in a manner which optimizes patient safety and reduces the likelihood of medical/health care errors. • Follows the six medication rights and reduces the potential for medication errors, administering medications based on the age and clinical condition of the patient. • States rationale for clinical decisions based on critical thinking. • Assesses, analyzes, validates and integrates data to assess patients' physical psychosocial, rehab, safety, learning, spiritual, cultural, age-specific, special risk and self-care needs. • Identifies patient care needs, problems and variances. Identifies patient care needs, problems and variances and incorporates into care plan. • Identifies the patient's learning needs, abilities, preferences and readiness; also, identifies support systems, coping mechanisms and barriers to learning. • Explains procedures, therapies and treatments to patient and family, evaluates and documents patient and family response to teaching. • Uses appropriate resources to provide education. • Involves patient/family in the formation of the plan of care. • Develops, implements and updates an individualized plan of care based on identified patient care needs. Includes nursing, teaching, continuum of care and discharge planning. • Adequately assesses and reassesses pain. Utilizes appropriate pain management techniques. Educates the patient and family regarding pain management. • Identifies and uses the results of quality improvement activities to initiate changes in nursing practice and in the healthcare delivery system. • Participates in shared governance, committee work, and practice/department projects. Required : • Current experience (within past five years) or new nursing graduate (within past two • years) • State Licensed Registered Nurse for State of employment • CPR – Basic Life Support Preferred: • Bachelors of Science in Nursing • One year experience in pertinent clinical specialty • Proficiency in second language 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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