Occupational Therapist

Tell me about a time a patient made more progress than expected. What made the difference?

What they are checking: What they believe drives recovery, which shows how they will treat patients here.

How do you keep documentation accurate and timely when your caseload is full?

What they are checking: Habits that protect billing and continuity of care, which the posting calls out directly.

Tell me about a time you taught a student or new staff member something hard.

What they are checking: Whether they can teach well, since this role supervises students and techs.

A patient refuses therapy two days in a row. What do you do?

What they are checking: Whether they look for the reason behind the refusal and adapt rather than just charting it.

The team wants to discharge a patient home, but you think they are not safe for ADLs alone. How do you handle it?

What they are checking: Whether they speak up clearly with evidence and help find a safer plan.

How do you include family members in a patient's therapy?

What they are checking: Whether they prepare caregivers to keep progress going after discharge.

Walk me through your evaluation of a patient after a stroke who wants to go back home.

What they are checking: Whether their evaluation covers function, cognition and safety in the home, not just range of motion.

How do you write goals in a plan of care that are measurable and that the patient actually cares about?

What they are checking: Whether goals tie to real daily tasks the patient values and can be tracked over time.

You supervise assistants, rehab techs and students. How do you decide what to delegate to a COTA?

What they are checking: Understanding of Illinois supervision rules and what only the OT can do.

What adaptive equipment do you recommend most often, and how do you train patients to use it?

What they are checking: Practical knowledge of tools that let patients regain independence safely.

How do you treat a patient with cognitive deficits who cannot follow multi-step directions?

What they are checking: Skill in adapting treatment for cognition, which is a core part of OT practice.