Jobs › Children's Wisconsin

Inpatient Occupational Therapist - Casual

Children's Wisconsin · Milwaukee, WI · Part time

Posted Sep 15, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

Apply at Children's Wisconsin

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

Tell me about a time a child was medically fragile and you had to modify or stop a session. What did you watch for?

What they are checking: Whether they can read vital signs and lines safely in an acute setting and know when to stop.

Tell me about a time you saw a way to improve how your therapy team worked and acted on it.

What they are checking: Whether they take responsibility for improvement as the posting asks, not only for their own patients.

What would you do

As a casual therapist, you may be called in to cover patients you have never met. How do you get up to speed quickly?

What they are checking: Whether they can pick up a caseload from notes and handoff efficiently without missing key safety details.

A parent wants you to push their child harder than you think is safe. How do you handle it?

What they are checking: Whether they can respect family hopes while holding a clear clinical line on safety.

How do you work with nursing and physicians to fit therapy around procedures and rest?

What they are checking: Whether they coordinate with the care team instead of working in isolation on a busy inpatient unit.

How do you engage a child who is scared, in pain, or simply does not want to do therapy today?

What they are checking: Whether they can use play and choice to get participation from children who are having a hard day.

About the work

How do you adjust an occupational therapy evaluation for a newborn versus a teenager on the same day?

What they are checking: Whether they can move across neonatal, pediatric and adolescent development as the posting expects.

How would you set goals for a child in the hospital when you know the stay may be short?

What they are checking: Whether they can focus therapy on what matters for discharge rather than long outpatient-style plans.

What feeding, splinting, or positioning work have you done with hospitalized children?

What they are checking: Whether they bring specific inpatient OT skills that apply to the children this hospital treats.

How do you document a session so the next therapist and the medical team know exactly where the child stands?

What they are checking: Whether their notes support continuity of care, which is especially important with casual staff.

Practice this interview out loud.

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

Practice this out loud

The full job description

As published by Children's Wisconsin.

At Children’s Wisconsin, we believe kids deserve the best. Children’s Wisconsin is a nationally recognized health system dedicated solely to the health and well-being of children. We provide primary care, specialty care, urgent care, emergency care, community health services, foster and adoption services, child and family counseling, child advocacy services and family resource centers. Our reputation draws patients and families from around the country. We offer a wide variety of rewarding career opportunities and are seeking individuals dedicated to helping us achieve our vision of the healthiest kids in the country. If you want to work for an organization that makes a difference for children and families, and encourages you to be at your best every day, please apply today. Please follow this link for a closer look at what it’s like to work at Children’s Wisconsin: https://www.instagram.com/lifeatcw/ Essential Functions • Organizational Responsibilities: supports the mission and strategic objectives of the hospital; engages in activities which support teamwork and enhances the image of pediatric Occupational Therapy and Children's Hospital of Wisconsin; takes responsibility to identify opportunities for improvement. • Developmental: Understands and satisfies the needs of the neonatal, pediatric, adolescent and/or adult patient in regard to their growth and development process and as pertains to physical functioning and development. • Participates in weekend/holiday on-call coverage rotation (Inpatient units only). • Patient Evaluation: Provides Occupational Therapy evaluations and re-evaluations. Successfully completes required competencies. • Treatment: Provides Occupational Therapy treatment on a continuing basis. • Case Management: Counsels and trains parents in the area of Occupational Therapy and trains parents to incorporate treatment goals into the home environment. Actively participates in care management meetings. • Documentation: Maintains written records of patient status and progress. Documentation to include but not limited to evaluation and re-evaluation reports, daily treatment notes, plans of care, progress notes, discharge summaries and insurance authorizations. • Insurance/Authorization: Maintains up to date insurance authorization/ approval to treat patients. Works collaboratively with Financial Clearance to obtain authorizations. Submits all clinical requests in a timely fashion to ensure no lapse in care. Connects with insurance reviewers as needed to obtain authorization, perform peer to peer review etc. • Cost Containment: Maximizes use of equipment, supplies and time, participates in hospital efforts to control costs, and pursues third party reimbursement. • Discharge Planning: Makes referrals and monitors progress, by phone, letter, fax of all children evaluated or previously enrolled in therapy. Education: • Master's Degree or equivalent in Occupational therapy required Experience: • 1+ years clinical experience in the pediatric field of Occupational Therapy preferred • or relevant education Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: • Knowledge of the principles of neonatal, pediatric, and adolescent growth and development and child/family responses to fear, illness, injury and hospitalization. • Excellent interpersonal, oral and written skills to effectively communicate with patient, family and medical staff in a team environment. • The ability to represent the organization and serve consumers in a professional manner and promote a positive image of the organization and its services. Licenses and Certifications: • BLS-Basic Life Support Healthcare Provider - American Heart Association/American Red Cross/National Safety Council required • NBCOT-National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy - National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy required • License OT-Occupational Therapist (26) - State of Wisconsin required Clinic Schedule: • Commit to two weekend shifts per month (Saturday or Sunday) Children's Wisconsin is an equal opportunity / affirmative action employer. We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment for all employees. We treat everyone with dignity, respect, and fairness. We do not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other status or condition protected by the law. Certifications/Licenses: BLS-Basic Life Support Healthcare Provider - American Heart Association/American Red Cross/National Safety Council, License OT-Occupational Therapist (26) - State of Wisconsin, NBCOT-National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy - National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy

Apply at Children's Wisconsin