JobsAdvocate Health

Utilization Review Nurse

Advocate Health · Oak Brook, IL

Posted Sep 16, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Sep 20, 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.

Behavioral

Tell me about a time you disagreed with a physician about a patient's status or level of care. How did you handle it?

conflict management skill and whether they can push back on physicians professionally

Tell me about a case where a patient's discharge was being delayed for reasons outside the clinical picture. What did you do?

ability to identify and resolve avoidable delays, a core UM responsibility

Describe your experience working with a multidisciplinary or outcome facilitation team. What was your role compared to case management or social work?

understanding of how UM fits alongside other roles without duplicating them

Tell me about a time you had to educate hospital staff or a physician who didn't understand why a status determination mattered.

ability to act as an educator and resource, not just a reviewer

What's your process for collaborating with community agencies or outside networks when a patient needs resources after discharge?

relationship-building outside the hospital walls, which the posting specifically calls out

Technical

Walk me through how you'd apply InterRater Reliability criteria to a case where the attending physician wants to admit a patient but the clinical picture only supports observation status.

whether the candidate actually applies medical necessity criteria rather than deferring to the physician's preference

What criteria sets have you used for concurrent review, and how do you stay current when the guidelines change?

real hands-on experience with tools like InterQual or MCG versus vague familiarity

How do you document a retrospective review to make sure it holds up if it's audited later?

attention to documentation standards and regulatory defensibility

How familiar are you with regulations like CMS conditions of participation or Medicare's two-midnight rule, and how have they shaped your reviews?

depth of regulatory knowledge required to keep the hospital compliant

Situational

A payer denies continued stay for a patient you believe still meets criteria. What do you do next?

knowledge of the denial and appeal workflow, and persistence without becoming adversarial

How do you explain a status change, like inpatient to observation, to a patient or family who is upset about it?

communication skill and empathy under a stressful, often financial, conversation

What do you do when you're not sure whether a case meets criteria and there isn't time to wait for a second opinion?

critical thinking under ambiguity and knowing when to escalate to a physician advisor

This role covers every fifth weekend plus holiday shifts with a variable schedule. How do you manage caseload and priorities when coverage is thin?

realistic fit with the part-time, irregular schedule and self-management under low staffing

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The full job description

As published by Advocate Health.

Department: 11215 Advocate Aurora Health Corporate - Utilization Management Status: Part time Benefits Eligible: No Hou rs Per Week: 0 Schedule Details/Additional Information: ZERO HOUR, EVERY 5TH WEEKEND, 1 SUMMER HOLIDAY, 1 WINTER HOLIDAY Pay Range: $35.50 - $53.25 This position requires prior UM experience Major Responsibilities: • Documents utilization review activity per department and medical center standards in a timely manner. Performs and documents accurate and timely concurrent and retrospective reviews based on approved established criteria. • Communicates effectively with the healthcare team. Works closely with medical staff, hospital departments and ancillary services as part of Outcome Facilitation Team/Multidisciplinary Team in expediting care delivery to avoid delays in timely service provision and implementing and reporting utilization management (UM) activities, as applicable. • Collaborates with managers, physicians, medical directors, advisory groups and treatment teams for issues related to physician practices and best practices for the patient’s plan of care. Refers cases to physician advisor as needed to ensure accurate status and compliance with regulatory guidelines. • Remains knowledgeable in issues of healthcare regulations, reimbursement issues, impact on length of stay and community resources. Provides clinical updates to payers and/or external review organizations, collects data, coordinates denial activity, supports UM activity, and manages avoidable delays. • Develops and maintains productive relationships with community-based agencies and networks by representing Aurora Health Care in a positive manner working collaboratively, internally and externally, to meet patient/family needs. • Serves as an educator and expert resource to medical and hospital staff regarding admission status and acute care criteria, utilization management issues, and relevant regulatory requirements. • Must be able to demonstrate knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients served. Must demonstrate knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span and possess the ability to assess data reflective of the patient's status and interpret the appropriate information needed to identify each patient's requirements relative to his/her age-specific needs, and to provide the care needed as described in the department's policies and procedures. Age-specific information is developed further in the departmental job standards. Licensure, Registration, and/or Certification Required: • Registered Nurse license issued by the state in which the team member practices. Education Required: • Bachelor's Degree (or equivalent knowledge) in Nursing. Experience Required: • Typically requires 3 years of experience in clinical nursing, utilization and/or quality management. Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Required: • Must have working knowledge in the use of Microsoft Office (Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint and Word) or similar products. • Knowledge of the components of quality and acute care patient care needs specifically related to the area/function in which care management will be performed. • Demonstrates working knowledge of Utilization Review criteria as demonstrated by achieving 80% or greater on the annual InterRater Reliability (IRR) competency exam. • Utilizes critical thinking skills to analyze and synthesize clinical scenarios as it relates to application of medical necessity criteria. • Excellent analytical and interpersonal communication skills necessary to interact with families, patients, physicians, and third party payers. • Ability to manage conflict appropriately, seeking a win-win outcome by communicating issues in accordance with the Aurora Service commitments. • Promotes effective professional relationships with physicians and other professionals in a direct and positive manner. • Takes responsibility self-development by seeking out opportunities for professional growth and development and being an active participant in department, hospital, and system initiatives. Physical Requirements and Working Conditions: • Must be able to sit for approximately 50 percent of the workday; stand and walk for the equivalent of several blocks at a time. • Must lift up to 10lbs. continuously and up to 20 lbs. frequently. • Manual dexterity required for operation computer and calculator. • Visual acuity required for facilitating review of written documents/computer screens, medical records, and to record information accurately. • Clear verbal communications and hearing acuity required for receiving instructions and converse on standard telephone. • Functional speech and hearing to allow for effective communication of instructions and conversation over the telephone. • Exposed to normal office environment; including usual hazards related to operating electrical equipment. • Operates all equipment necessary to perform the job. • May be exposed to mechanical, electrical, chemical, and radiation hazards as well as blood and body fluids; therefore, personal protective equipment must be worn as necessary. This job description indicates the general nature and level of work expected of the incumbent. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the incumbent. Incumbent may be required to perform other related duties. Our Commitment to You: Advocate Health offers a comprehensive suite of Total Rewards: benefits and well-being programs, competitive compensation, generous retirement offerings, programs that invest in your career development and so much more – so you can live fully at and away from work, including: Compensation • Base compensation listed within the listed pay range based on factors such as qualifications, skills, relevant experience, and/or training • Premium pay such as shift, on call, and more based on a teammate's job • Incentive pay for select positions • Opportunity for annual increases based on performance Benefits and more • Paid Time Off programs • Health and welfare benefits such as medical, dental, vision, life, and Short- and Long-Term Disability • Flexible Spending Accounts for eligible health care and dependent care expenses • Family benefits such as adoption assistance and paid parental leave • Defined contribution retirement plans with employer match and other financial wellness programs • Educational Assistance Program Note: Eligibility for programs listed above may depend on your FTE or status (e.g., full-time, part-time, per diem, temporary, etc.); please ask a Recruiter for more information during an interview. About Advocate Health  Advocate Health is the third-largest nonprofit, integrated health system in the United States, created from the combination of Advocate Aurora Health and Atrium Health. Providing care under the names Advocate Health Care in Illinois; Atrium Health in the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama; and Aurora Health Care in Wisconsin, Advocate Health is a national leader in clinical innovation, health outcomes, consumer experience and value-based care. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Advocate Health services nearly 6 million patients and is engaged in hundreds of clinical trials and research studies, with Wake Forest University School of Medicine serving as the academic core of the enterprise. It is nationally recognized for its expertise in cardiology, neurosciences, oncology, pediatrics and rehabilitation, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments and specialized musculoskeletal programs. Advocate Health employs 155,000 teammates across 69 hospitals and over 1,000 care locations, and offers one of the nation’s largest graduate medical education programs with over 2,000 residents and fellows across more than 200 programs. Committed to providing equitable care for all, Advocate Health provides more than $6 billion in annual community benefits.

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