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Triage Nurse-Vascular Surgery McHenry Full Time Days

Northwestern Medicine · McHenry, IL · Full time · Health Care Provider

Posted Sep 27, 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

This job covers McHenry and sometimes the Huntley clinic. How do you adjust to working in different clinics?

What they are checking: Whether they are flexible and can work smoothly with different teams.

Tell me about a time you advocated for a patient with a physician.

What they are checking: Whether they speak up for patients in a respectful and effective way.

What does putting patients first mean to you on a busy clinic day?

What they are checking: Whether they can show concrete actions that reflect good customer service and patient advocacy.

What would you do

A patient calls the vascular surgery office saying their leg is suddenly cold, pale and painful. What do you do?

What they are checking: Whether they recognize acute limb ischemia as an emergency and send the patient for care right away.

A post-op patient calls about redness and drainage at their incision. How do you handle the call?

What they are checking: Whether they gather the right details and involve the surgeon when infection is possible.

You have 20 messages in the queue and phones ringing. How do you prioritize?

What they are checking: Whether they sort by clinical urgency and keep patients from waiting too long.

About the work

How do you decide which calls need same-day attention and which can wait?

What they are checking: Whether they use a clear triage framework and do not underestimate risk.

What vascular conditions are you familiar with, such as peripheral artery disease or aneurysms?

What they are checking: Whether they know the conditions this practice treats well enough to assess symptoms by phone.

How do you document a phone triage call so the communication is complete?

What they are checking: Whether they document fully and close the loop, which the posting emphasizes.

How do you teach a patient about managing a wound or medication at home?

What they are checking: Whether they teach clearly and check understanding.

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The full job description

As published by Northwestern Medicine.

**This is a Full Time, outpatient Triage Nurse position at 40 hours per week located at the McHenry clinic and will require travel to the Huntley clinic as needed. Schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm.** 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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