JobsAdvocate Health

Graduate Respiratory Therapist (RT) - Adults

Advocate Health · Oak Lawn, IL

Posted Sep 10, 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 in clinicals or a prior job where you had to make a quick decision about patient care without a supervisor right there. What did you do?

comfort with clinical decision-making and judgment under the 'guidance of a licensed RT' model this role uses

Tell me about a time you had to explain a treatment or self-care technique to a patient who was scared, confused, or not cooperating. How did you handle it?

patient education and communication skills called out explicitly in the posting

Describe a moment where you noticed something that could have become a patient safety issue before it actually happened.

proactive safety culture awareness, which the posting specifically calls out

Why night shift, and why Advocate Christ specifically?

genuine fit with the schedule and likelihood of sticking around past the sign-on bonus period

Technical

Walk me through how you'd set up and manage a patient on a specialized ventilator in the ICU. What are you checking before and after you make a change?

whether the candidate has real hands-on grounding in mechanical ventilation basics beyond classroom theory

You walk in on a ventilator alarming and it's not immediately obvious whether it's equipment failure or patient distress. Talk me through what you check first.

triage instinct between equipment troubleshooting and patient assessment, a core night-shift skill

How do you decide when equipment needs servicing versus when you can fix it yourself at the bedside?

practical troubleshooting ability and knowing the limits of their own scope

What's your plan for getting your CRT within the 45-day window, and where are you with ACLS, PALS, and the other certifications listed for this role?

realistic readiness to meet the licensure timeline and organizational follow-through

How would you adjust your approach to respiratory care for a pediatric patient versus a frail elderly patient?

understanding of age-specific care principles required across the lifespan

Situational

Say you're managing a patient on a patient-driven respiratory protocol and their status changes mid-shift in a way the protocol doesn't clearly cover. What do you do?

whether they know when to follow protocol versus escalate to the physician or lead RT

You're covering multiple patients on a busy night shift and two calls come in at once, one routine treatment and one possible airway emergency. How do you prioritize?

time management and prioritization under interruption-heavy conditions

Tell me about a time you disagreed with a physician's order or a colleague's approach to a patient. What did you do?

conflict resolution skill and whether they escalate professionally rather than either complying blindly or going around people

This unit runs on physical work as much as clinical skill, lifting, transfers, moving patients with a second person. What's your experience with that kind of physical patient handling?

honest self-assessment against the stated physical demands of the job

Practice this interview out loud.

Offer builds a real interview for this exact role at Advocate Health from your resume and this job description, asks the questions one at a time, and tells you what landed. The first one is free.

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The full job description

As published by Advocate Health.

Department: Status: Full time Benefits Eligible: Yes Hou rs Per Week: 36 Schedule Details/Additional Information: (3) 12 hour shifts Pay Range: $35.50 - $53.25 *** $12,500 Sign-On Bonus Available*** ***May be eligible for our Loan Forgiveness program – Up to 20K *** Grow Your Career, Earn More:   Through our Clinical Ladder Program, eligible Respiratory Therapists can advance their careers and earn up to   $6,000 in additional yearly bonus opportunities. Location: Advocate Christ Medical Center (Adults) - 4440 W. 95th St, Oak Lawn Shift: 3rd - Night Shift FTE: 0.9 - 36 hours per week Summary : Responsible for providing and coordinating comprehensive respiratory care The Respiratory therapist administers respiratory care procedures and modalities in accordance with established standards, policies, and procedures. Using evidence-based practices, clinical decision making, and skilled communication, the therapist compassionately leads efforts to creates the safest patient environment and the best patient experience across the continuum, under the guidance of a licensed respiratory therapist in designated areas per site discretion. Major Responsibilities: • Responsible for providing and coordinating comprehensive respiratory care The Respiratory therapist administers respiratory care procedures and modalities in accordance with established standards, policies, and procedures. Using evidence-based practices, clinical decision making, and skilled communication, the therapist compassionately leads efforts to creates the safest patient environment and the best patient experience across the continuum, under the guidance of a licensed respiratory therapist in designated areas per site discretion. • Operates specialized ventilators in critical and non-critical care venues. Assists physician with bedside or other procedures as applicable to facility. • Provides medication treatments and therapies per physician order and/or patient driven respiratory protocols (PDRP's) as prescribed. • Cleans, maintains and ensures proper functionality of equipment. Can troubleshoot equipment as necessary and identifies the need for service and/or repair. • Educates and instructs patients in purpose, technique, self-care, goal of therapy, and disease management. • Facilitates clinical problem solving and collaborates with other departments to provide education on managing patients. • Under physician direction, the respiratory therapist must be able to adapt and comply to policies and procedures for a variety of different service areas, perform tasks and/or special duties as required by assignment and maintain performance standards and organizational behaviors. • Promotes a culture of safety by recognizing and applying proper safety measures to prevent patient harm. Reports patient safety events and near misses in a timely manner. Seeks to identify potential safety issues and assists in the implementation of corrective actions. • 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: • Respiratory Therapist certification (CRT) issued by the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) needs to be obtained within 45 days, and • Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Providers certification issued by the American Heart Association (AHA), and • Advanced Cardiac Life Support certification (ACLS) issued by the American Heart Association (AHA) needs to be obtained within 0 months unless department leader has determined it is not required, and • Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) certification issued by the American Heart Association (AHA) needs to be obtained within 0 months unless department leader has determined it is not required, and • Adult Critical Care Specialist (ACCS) certification issued by the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) needs to be obtained within 0 months unless department leader has determined it is not required, and • Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) certification issued by the American Heart Association (AHA)/American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) needs to be obtained within 0 months unless department leader has determined it is not required, and • Neonatal/Pediatric Respiratory Specialist (NPS) issued by the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) needs to be obtained within 0 months unless department leader has determined it is not required. Education Required: • Associate's Degree in Respiratory Therapy. Experience Required: • No experience required. Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Required: • Demonstrates effective communication, feedback, and conflict resolution skills. • Effective organizational, interpersonal and problem-solving skills. • Problem solving and decision making for patient care and equipment use. • Proficient computer skills, use of electronic mail and electronic medical record systems. • Excellent communication (written and verbal), listening and interpersonal skills. • Demonstrates human relation skills with the ability to develop rapport and maintain positive, professional relationships with a variety of patients, team members, and physicians. Ability to take initiative and work collaboratively with others. • Demonstrates time management skills with an ability to multi-task and prioritize in an environment with frequent interruptions. Physical Requirements and Working Conditions: • Operates all equipment necessary to perform the job. • Must be able to lift 50 lb object from knee to waist. • Must be able to lift 50 lb from floor to waist height occasionally. • Must be able to lift 40 lb at waist height and carry it across various distances. • Must be able to lift 20 lb from waist to overhead. • Must be able to push/pull while utilizing 30# of force occasionally for long distances. • Must demonstrate stand-pivot transfer from bed to chair. • Must perform sliding transfer of 150 lbs person on a sheet across 2 feet with a second person. • Must utilize safe body mechanics at all times. • 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. 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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