JobsAdvocate Health

Occupational Therapist (OT) - Acute Care Per Diem

Advocate Health · Park Ridge, IL

Posted Sep 7, 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 a patient's condition changed quickly during a treatment session and you had to adjust your plan on the spot.

clinical judgment and comfort adapting treatment in real time in an unpredictable acute setting

Since this is a per diem role, tell me about a time you had to jump into an unfamiliar unit or team and get up to speed quickly.

adaptability and ability to function with minimal onboarding, which matters heavily for per diem staffing

How do you approach patient and family teaching when you know you may only see this patient once or twice before discharge?

ability to deliver effective education under acute care's short, unpredictable treatment windows

Tell me about a time you had to physically assist or transfer a patient who was heavier or less cooperative than expected. How did you keep both of you safe?

practical safety judgment given the physical demands and lifting requirements of the job

Technical

Walk me through how you'd evaluate a patient the morning after a physician refers them to you, when you know almost nothing about their baseline function.

whether the candidate has a structured, efficient evaluation process suited to fast-moving acute care rather than outpatient pacing

How do you decide what to delegate to an occupational therapy assistant or a rehab tech, and how do you stay responsible for that patient's plan of care?

understanding of supervision boundaries and accountability required by state regulation

Describe how you keep your documentation, billing, and productivity numbers on track when your caseload is heavy and constantly shifting.

whether the candidate can meet productivity standards and documentation compliance without close daily oversight

Tell me about a splint or assistive device you fabricated for a patient. What was the situation and how did you decide on that solution?

hands-on fabrication skill and clinical decision-making for functional equipment

Situational

You have a patient who is medically ready for discharge tomorrow but their home has stairs and no support at home. How do you handle the discharge planning?

ability to coordinate discharge planning, equipment ordering, and referrals under time pressure

A physician's referral seems inconsistent with what you're seeing in the patient during your evaluation. What do you do?

clinical reasoning and comfort communicating concerns up the chain to physicians

If you were covering for another therapist on a unit you don't normally work and you're not sure about a piece of equipment or a modality's contraindications, what would you do before using it on a patient?

safety awareness and willingness to ask questions rather than guess in an unfamiliar setting

How do you communicate a patient's progress and change in status to the rest of the care team so nothing falls through the cracks between shifts?

teamwork and handoff communication skills critical in a hospital with rotating per diem coverage

Practice this interview out loud.

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The full job description

As published by Advocate Health.

Department: 37501 Advocate Lutheran General Hospital - Acute Care Rehabilitation Status: Part time Benefits Eligible: No Hou rs Per Week: 0 Schedule Details/Additional Information: Minimum requirements: • one weekend day per month • one weekend day around a holiday per calendar year • one holiday per calendar year Pay Range: $38.20 - $57.30 Major Responsibilities: Interprets physician referrals and evaluates the patient's physical, perceptual, cognitive, social, and vocational abilities and their impact on the patient's activities of daily living. Establishes a plan of care and implements individual treatment based on evaluation results, functional goals and by utilizing appropriate techniques. Provides and/or fabricates assistive devices and/or splints to enhance patient's functional independence. Monitors and evaluates outcomes and appropriately adjusts individualized treatment plan based on patient's response and provides status updates to physicians and other teammates. Identifies factors affecting patient's physical and psychosocial comfort and attends to these needs. Plans for and completes patient discharge including providing written home programs, patient/family teaching, referral for community services, transition planning within the continuum of care and ordering equipment as indicated/appropriate. Communicates and collaborates with appropriate stakeholders to assist in achieving optimum care for the patient. Completes all required documentation following department policy and accreditation standards with appropriate co- signatures, including patient evaluations, progress notes, team conference reports, and discharge summaries as appropriate. Record patient care and progress of each patient assigned. Completes daily statistics, billing, and scheduling. Applies insurance guidelines regarding authorization and number of visits. Responsible for maintaining site/department established productivity standards.  Responsible for understanding and adhering to all billing and documentation policies, procedures, and timelines. Responsible for cleaning up after patient treatment, putting away equipment, and keeping area neat and orderly.  Performs various manual techniques, patient positioning, transferring and transporting duties, which require lifting and pushing/pulling, while utilizing proper technique.   Demonstrates skill in use of modalities, exercise equipment and other devices that are available in area worked per department orientation checklist.  Demonstrates knowledge of indications and contraindications of modalities and exercise.  Promotes patient safety by participating in safety initiatives as requested and appropriately follows all safety and infection control measures pertaining to the general working environment. Participates in performance improvement activities designed to identify and resolve problems affecting patient care outcomes and to improve quality of care.  Manages assigned caseload, informing site leadership of coverage needs and ability to cover; assists with coverage, based on department needs and regional needs. Pursues professional growth through participation in continuing education courses, department in-services, and reading professional literature.  Orients new staff to clinical and department policies as requested. Participates in the evaluation process of co-workers by providing verbal or written feedback as requested. May supervise occupational therapy assistants following all applicable state and local compliance requirements.  This includes delegating patients to assistive personnel while providing direction, recommendations regarding treatment and ongoing supervision while maintaining responsibility for patient plan of care and goals.  May directly supervise occupational therapy extenders (rehab aides/techs) in administering treatments to patients and will teach them appropriate techniques to perform with specific patients.  May supervisor occupational therapy students after completing one year of clinical experience. Minimum Job Requirements Education Master’s Degree in Occupational Therapy from an accredited school or educational requirements commensurate with the date of graduation; maintains continuing education requirements as mandated by applicable state professional standards Certification / Registration / License Licensed Occupational Therapist in the State upon which you work. Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Providers (obtained within 90 days unless department leader has determined is not required) by American Heart Association (AHA) Work Experience No experience required Knowledge / Skills / Abilities Intermediate computer skills Excellent communication, interpersonal, and organization skills Demonstrated organization, decision-making, and problem-solving skills Successfully completes all competency assessments/requirements pertaining to provision of patient care and consistent with site standards Team members will maintain annual educational requirements for hospital-based certifications (e.g. DNV, CARF or others). 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. Physical Requirements and Working Conditions Must be able to sit, stand, walk, lift, and squat throughout the workday Must be able to: lift up to 50 lbs. from floor to waist. lift up to 10 lbs. from waist to overhead. lift and carry up to 40 lbs. at waist height a reasonable distance Must be able to:  push/pull with 30 lbs. of force. perform a sliding transfer of 150 lbs. with a second person present Position requires repetitive use of hands: Simple grasping - 5-15 lbs. - 20% of the workday. Pushing/pulling - up to 75-100 lbs. - 10% of the day Fine manipulation of hands during massage and joint mobilization Must have functional use of senses to allow for effective communication Exposed to electrical and chemical hazards as well as blood and body fluids; therefore, must have ability to wear protective clothing as needed Position may require travel; therefore, may be exposed to road and weather hazards Operates all equipment necessary to perform the job #LI- Perdiem #LI- OT #LI- ACUTE DISCLAIMER All responsibilities and requirements are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only responsibilities to be performed by an employee occupying this job or position.  Employees must follow any other job-related instructions and perform any other job-related duties requested by their leaders 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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