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Triage Nurse-Medical Oncology Full time Days

Northwestern Medicine · Lake Forest, IL · Full time · Health Care Provider

Posted Sep 20, 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

How do you keep from sounding rushed when you are?

What they are checking: The posting names establishing positive first impressions and acting as patient advocate.

Forty hours a week, Monday to Friday, at the Lake Forest Hospital Cancer Center. How does that fit your life?

What they are checking: The posting states the schedule and the site precisely.

What would you do

How do you decide what can wait, what needs a visit today and what needs the provider now?

What they are checking: The posting names prioritizing and resolving, involving the provider as appropriate.

A frightened family member calls about a patient. How do you handle it?

What they are checking: The posting names serving as liaison between patients and the practice, and cancer care means frightened families.

How do you manage a full in-basket when every message feels urgent?

What they are checking: The posting names electronic messages alongside calls, and volume is the daily reality.

About the work

Tell me about phone triage and how it differs from assessing someone in front of you.

What they are checking: The posting names triaging all incoming telephone calls and electronic messages.

A patient on chemotherapy calls with a fever. Walk me through the call.

What they are checking: Neutropenic fever is the emergency that oncology triage exists to catch.

What symptoms in a cancer patient would never wait for you?

What they are checking: Whether their red flags are specific to oncology rather than general.

How do you document a triage call so it protects the patient and you?

What they are checking: The posting names documenting all communications in the electronic medical record.

What oncology experience do you bring, and what would you need to learn?

What they are checking: Triage in oncology needs the disease knowledge, so the honest gap matters.

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The full job description

As published by Northwestern Medicine.

**This is a Full Time position at 40 hours per week located the Lake Forest Hospital Cancer Center. Schedule is Monday through Friday.** The Triage Nurse reflects the mission, vision, and values of Northwestern Memorial, 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. The Triage Nurse provides clinically expert triage service within a physicians’ practice. In their role, triage nurses serve as liaisons between patients and physicians, assessing and determining the acuity of patients’ symptoms and communicating these to the physicians as appropriate. They provide education to patients and to staff concerning clinical issues. Triage nurses must demonstrate excellent customer service and communication skills and the ability to function as part of a highly effective team that consistently puts “Patients First.” Responsibilities: • Establish positive first impressions with patients and customers, establishing a role as patient advocate. • Triage all incoming telephone calls and electronic messages, prioritizing and resolving, involving the provider as appropriate, successfully completing the communication cycle. • Document all communications in the electronic medical record. • Schedule patient for visit with provider when telephone assessment indicates this. • Assist in obtaining appointment for patients with specialists within NM. • Coordinate emergency and hospital transfers, including paperwork and telephone communications. • Administer medications and treatments in accordance with Nursing Standards and as ordered by the provider. • Provide education to patients and staff concerning clinical issues. • Assist in coordinating and monitoring activities of clinical staff to ensure adequate coverage and adherence to OSHA and CDC guidelines. • Assist in orientation of new staff members. • Perform other duties as assigned; may include: • Assist in specific process improvement projects. • Administer intravenous and injectable medications to adult, geriatric and wheelchair bound patients. Must demonstrate competency for age related responsibilities. • Quality control must be maintained during all aspects of patient care. The triage nurse ensures that all exam rooms and equipment are maintained according to OSHA and CDC guidelines. • Participates in departmental quality improvement activities. • For triage nurses in the Immediate Care Clinics (ICC), float to other ICCs/departments. Required: • Graduate of accredited RN program. • At least 3 years of experience in a hospital or outpatient setting. • Current Registered Nurse License issued by State of Illinois. • American Heart Association Basic Life Support CPR certification. Preferred: • BSN • Specialty Certified • At least 5 years’ experience in a hospital or outpatient setting • Spanish speaking 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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