Jobs › Northwestern Medicine

This position has closed. Northwestern Medicine removed this listing from their careers page on Sep 26, 2026. The interview prep below is still useful, and there are similar open roles at the bottom of this page.

Occupational Therapist-Inpatient Registry Days

Northwestern Medicine · Woodstock, IL · Part time · Health Care Provider

Posted Sep 17, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Sep 25, 2026

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 patient who did not want to participate in therapy.

What they are checking: Motivation work, which is most of inpatient rehab and rarely discussed.

The posting mentions serving as a role model for interns. How do you teach a student on a busy day?

What they are checking: Whether teaching is something they want or something added to the list.

The weekend commitment is two or four shifts a month. Which would you choose and why?

What they are checking: Whether they have read the posting and thought about the commitment honestly.

Tell me about a process improvement you contributed to.

What they are checking: The posting asks for it. This checks whether they have done any.

What would you do

How do you set a goal with a patient whose expectations are higher than what you think is achievable?

What they are checking: Honesty with a patient without taking away their reason to work.

This role is casual and cross trained across two sites. How do you keep up to date at a place you visit occasionally?

What they are checking: The specific demand of registry work, which is being competent somewhere you are rarely present.

How do you work with nursing and physical therapy so the patient is not worn out by the time you arrive?

What they are checking: Whether they coordinate, which decides how much therapy a patient actually gets.

About the work

Tell me about your inpatient rehabilitation experience and the patient populations you have worked with.

What they are checking: Whether inpatient rehab is familiar, which is a different discipline from outpatient OT.

Walk me through your first evaluation of a patient after a stroke.

What they are checking: Clinical reasoning on the most common inpatient rehab diagnosis.

How do you decide a patient is safe to go home?

What they are checking: Discharge judgment, which is the decision an inpatient OT is really making.

Practice this interview out loud.

Offer builds a real interview for this exact role at Northwestern Medicine 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 Northwestern Medicine.

The licensed Occupational Therapist (OTR/L) reflects the mission, vision, and values of NM, 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. • A licensed occupational therapist who complies with the Code of Ethics/Standards of Practice as outlined by their professional organization and by the State of Illinois. • The position includes direct patient care, teaching, participation on appropriate committees and departmental process improvement. • Serves as a role model for all therapists and clinical interns in all aspects of professional, clinical, communication, education and leadership activities. Responsibilities: • Demonstrates the NM values of Patients First, Integrity, Teamwork, and Excellence. • Presents a friendly, approachable, professional demeanor and appearance. • Provides accurate information and timely updates to patients and customers. • Uses effective service recovery skills to solve problems or service breakdowns when they occur. • Communicates effectively with others, respects diverse opinions and styles, and acknowledges the assistance and contributions of others. • Uses organizational and unit/department resources efficiently. • Facilitates collaborative care with other healthcare team members. • Manages work schedule efficiently, completing tasks and assignments on time. • Contributes to opportunities and processes for continuous improvement. • Participates in efforts to reduce costs, streamline work processes, improve and grow services we provide. • Demonstrates essential skill competencies in selecting the appropriate evaluation in the use of treatment modalities, equipment and protocols. Performs re-evaluations according to department guidelines, adjusting the treatment plan accordingly. Evidenced by chart review. • Demonstrates creative problem solving and diversity when adapting the treatment to special circumstances. • Assumes complete responsibility over the course of OT patient management from the time of initial contact to discharge for functional progress, safety and treatment outcome as evidenced by team feedback and documentation. Maintains primary responsibility over patient plans of care through timely and consistent collaboration with treating COTA(s). • Adheres to department policy regarding evaluations, progress notes, and discharge summaries. All notes reflect medical necessity and are accurately entered per policy into the electronic medical record. • Completes daily notes that reflect patient's response to treatment, actual performance, and an assessment as to status, relevant to the treatment plan and eventual discharge needs as evidenced by chart review, meeting all regulatory documentation requirements (e.g., allows other therapists to continue treatment, allows for interpretation by payers, supports reimbursement). • Provides educational materials and methods appropriate to the patient's level of understanding and motivation as evidenced by chart review, observation and team feedback. • Participates in committees, department processes, and special projects in accordance with clinical expertise and individual performance plan. • Creates a culture of respectful communication by listening, asking for input, open and honest conversation, approachability and timely acknowledgement of individual and team contributions. • Works to develop and maintain professional relationships with members of healthcare teams (ex: physician, nurse, case manager). Participates in internal and external marketing per department expectations. • Accepts constructive feedback and is able to make timely changes as evidenced by written coaching forms/chart audits and team feedback. • Proactively completes non-patient care responsibilities within established time frames consistently (e.g. coverage notes, PTO/schedule change requests, bonus pay forms, discharge checklists, follow up phone calls). • Contributes to educational efforts of department/clinic (e.g. in-services, Journal Club, new hire orientation, process improvement). • Actively participates in student clinical or observation programs by serving as a clinical instructor, mentor, or observation host as per department expectations • Maintains productivity standards per department expectations • Completes all NM required education, competencies and training within required timeframes. • Demonstrates willingness to accommodate patient care needs and department specific meetings as needed. • Demonstrates willingness to flex schedule or assignment to meet patient care needs, staff meetings , and department specific meetings outside normal work hours Required: • Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Therapy • Occupational Therapist License in the state of Illinois • BLS from American Heart Association upon hire Preferred: • Masters or Doctoral degree in Occupational Therapy 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. Please visit our Benefits section to learn more. Sign-on Bonus Eligibility (if sign-on bonus offered for position): 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 at NM may be eligible depending upon the job family.

More occupational therapist inpatient registry roles