diff --git a/src/ert/job_queue/job_queue_node.py b/src/ert/job_queue/job_queue_node.py
index 497e6c277bf..d16d0ca540c 100644
--- a/src/ert/job_queue/job_queue_node.py
+++ b/src/ert/job_queue/job_queue_node.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 import logging
 import random
 import time
+from pathlib import Path
 from threading import Lock, Semaphore, Thread
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Callable, Optional
 
@@ -58,26 +59,26 @@ def __call__(
         )
 
 
-class JobQueueNode(BaseCClass):  # type: ignore
-    TYPE_NAME = "job_queue_node"
-
-    _alloc = ResPrototype(
-        "void* job_queue_node_alloc(char*,"
-        "char*,"
-        "char*,"
-        "int, "
-        "char*,"
-        "char*"
-        ")",
-        bind=False,
-    )
-    _free = ResPrototype("void job_queue_node_free(job_queue_node)")
-    _get_status = ResPrototype(
-        "job_status_type_enum job_queue_node_get_status(job_queue_node)"
-    )
-    _set_queue_status = ResPrototype(
-        "void job_queue_node_set_status(job_queue_node, job_status_type_enum)"
-    )
+class JobQueueNode:
+    # TYPE_NAME = "job_queue_node"
+
+    # _alloc = ResPrototype(
+    #     "void* job_queue_node_alloc(char*,"
+    #     "char*,"
+    #     "char*,"
+    #     "int, "
+    #     "char*,"
+    #     "char*"
+    #     ")",
+    #     bind=False,
+    # )
+    # _free = ResPrototype("void job_queue_node_free(job_queue_node)")
+    # _get_status = ResPrototype(
+    #     "job_status_type_enum job_queue_node_get_status(job_queue_node)"
+    # )
+    # _set_queue_status = ResPrototype(
+    #     "void job_queue_node_set_status(job_queue_node, job_status_type_enum)"
+    # )
 
     def __init__(
         self,
@@ -101,23 +102,36 @@ def __init__(
         self._start_time: Optional[float] = None
         self._end_time: Optional[float] = None
         self._timed_out = False
+        self._status: Optional[JobStatus] = None
         self._status_msg = ""
-        c_ptr = self._alloc(
-            run_arg.job_name,
-            run_arg.runpath,
-            job_script,
-            num_cpu,
-            status_file,
-            exit_file,
-        )
 
-        if c_ptr is not None:
-            super().__init__(c_ptr)
-        else:
-            raise ValueError("Unable to create job node object")
+        # c-struct attributes
+        self._status_file: str = status_file
+        self._exit_file: str = exit_file
+        self._run_cmd: str = job_script
+        self._job_name: str = run_arg.job_name
+        self._run_path: str = run_arg.runpath
+        self._num_cpu: int = num_cpu
+        self._queue_index: int = 0
+        self._submit_attempt: int = 0
+        self._confirmed_running: bool = False
+        # c_ptr = self._alloc(
+        #     run_arg.job_name,
+        #     run_arg.runpath,
+        #     job_script,
+        #     num_cpu,
+        #     status_file,
+        #     exit_file,
+        # )
+
+        # if c_ptr is not None:
+        #     super().__init__(c_ptr)
+        # else:
+        #     raise ValueError("Unable to create job node object")
 
     def free(self) -> None:
-        self._free()
+        # self._free()
+        pass
 
     def __str__(self) -> str:
         return (
@@ -137,7 +151,27 @@ def timed_out(self) -> bool:
 
     @property
     def submit_attempt(self) -> int:
-        return _get_submit_attempt(self)
+        # return _get_submit_attempt(self)
+        return self._submit_attempt
+
+    def refresh_status(self, driver: Driver):
+        if self.queue_status == JobStatus.RUNNING and not self._confirmed_running:
+            self._confirmed_running = Path(self._status_file).exists()
+            if not self._confirmed_running:
+                MAX_CONFIRMED_WAIT = 10 * 60
+                if (time.time() - self._start_time) > MAX_CONFIRMED_WAIT:
+                    logger.error(
+                        f"max_confirm_wait {MAX_CONFIRMED_WAIT} has passed since sim_start"
+                        f"without success; {self._job_name} is assumed dead (attempt {self._submit_attempt})"
+                    )
+                    self._status = JobStatus.DO_KILL_NODE_FAILURE
+        if self.queue_status in [
+            JobStatus.RUNNING,
+            JobStatus.PENDING,
+            JobStatus.SUBMITTED,
+            JobStatus.UNKNOWN,
+        ]:
+            self._status = driver.get_status(self)
 
     def _poll_queue_status(self, driver: "Driver") -> JobStatus:
         result, msg = _refresh_status(self, driver)
@@ -147,7 +181,8 @@ def _poll_queue_status(self, driver: "Driver") -> JobStatus:
 
     @property
     def queue_status(self) -> JobStatus:
-        return self._get_status()
+        # return self._get_status()
+        return self._status
 
     @queue_status.setter
     def queue_status(self, value: JobStatus) -> None:
diff --git a/src/ert/job_queue/queue.py b/src/ert/job_queue/queue.py
index d2557fff1a3..3f1d5c3656d 100644
--- a/src/ert/job_queue/queue.py
+++ b/src/ert/job_queue/queue.py
@@ -86,10 +86,11 @@ def _queue_state_event_type(state: str) -> str:
 
 
 class Driver:
-    pass
+    def get_status(self, node: JobQueueNode) -> JobStatus:
+        return JobStatus.RUNNING
 
 
-class JobQueue:  # type: ignore
+class JobQueue:
     # TYPE_NAME = "job_queue"
     # _alloc = ResPrototype("void* job_queue_alloc(void*)", bind=False)
     # _free = ResPrototype("void job_queue_free( job_queue )")