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Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA)- Registry
Posted Sep 18, 2025 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 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.
About your past
The posting mentions maintaining equipment inventory and clinic organization. Why does that matter to patient care?
What they are checking: Whether they see that missing or broken equipment wastes therapy time and can create safety risks.
As a registry employee, how do you keep your skills sharp between shifts?
What they are checking: Commitment to staying current when they are not working with patients every day.
Tell me about a time you disagreed with a supervising therapist. How did you handle it?
What they are checking: Professional communication within the OT and COTA relationship without undermining the supervisor.
What would you do
As a COTA, how do you carry out a treatment plan written by an OT you may not have worked with before?
What they are checking: Whether they can follow the plan faithfully and know the limits of their scope as an assistant.
During a session you notice the patient's condition has changed, like new weakness or confusion. What do you do?
What they are checking: Recognizing changes that need the supervising OT or nurse right away, which protects the patient and stays within scope.
A patient asks you to skip the hard exercises today. How do you respond?
What they are checking: Ability to motivate and adapt while still working toward the plan of care.
About the work
Walk me through a dressing session with a patient who has use of only one arm after a stroke.
What they are checking: Practical skill in one-handed techniques and adaptive equipment for daily living tasks.
How do you document a session so it supports the OT's plan and the patient's progress?
What they are checking: Clear, objective notes that show progress toward goals and support billing and team communication.
How do you safely transfer a patient with a spinal cord injury from a wheelchair to a mat?
What they are checking: Safe transfer technique, use of slide boards and protection of skin and spine.
How do you help a patient with memory problems practice a new skill?
What they are checking: Use of repetition, cueing and structure to support learning after brain injury.
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Practice this out loudThe full job description
As published by Shirley Ryan AbilityLab.