JobsAdvocate Health

Physical Therapist (PT)- Acute Care Peds

Advocate Health · Oak Lawn, IL

Posted Sep 8, 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 you had to change a treatment plan mid-course because a patient wasn't responding the way you expected.

clinical judgment and comfort adjusting a plan of care based on real-time data, not just following the initial protocol

Tell me about a time you disagreed with a physician or another team member about a patient's plan of care.

communication style and ability to advocate for the patient while staying collaborative

Describe a situation where a child was frightened or refused to participate in therapy. What did you do?

practical skill in building rapport and trust with pediatric patients under stress

Tell me about a time you had to give a coworker feedback on their clinical performance, formally or informally.

comfort with the mentorship and evaluation duties expected of experienced staff, including supervising students and aides

Technical

Walk me through how you'd evaluate a two-year-old admitted after a femur fracture who's guarding and won't move for you.

whether the candidate can adapt standard PT evaluation methods to a pediatric patient who can't cooperate verbally

What's your process for keeping up with documentation, billing, and productivity standards when your caseload is heavy on a given shift?

whether the candidate can manage the administrative side of the job without letting it slip under pressure

How do you adjust your communication and treatment approach across the age range you'd see here, from infants to teenagers?

depth of knowledge in growth and development principles and age-specific care, which the posting explicitly calls out

What modalities and equipment are you comfortable using in an acute care pediatric setting, and how do you decide what's appropriate for a given diagnosis?

hands-on clinical competency and understanding of indications and contraindications

Situational

How do you approach a discharge plan for a pediatric patient going home to a family that's overwhelmed and has limited resources?

ability to coordinate discharge, home programs, and community referrals with realistic attention to family circumstances

Say you're supervising a PT assistant or rehab tech treating one of your pediatric patients and you notice they're using a technique you wouldn't have chosen. What do you do?

understanding of supervisory responsibility and how they give feedback without undermining the team

If you had a full caseload and got called for an urgent consult, how would you triage your day?

prioritization skills and awareness of how coverage and productivity expectations work in an acute inpatient setting

This role involves weekend, holiday, and on-call type coverage. How have you handled an unpredictable schedule in past roles, and what makes it work for you?

realistic fit with the part-time, per-diem schedule demands stated in the posting

How do you handle a situation where insurance authorization limits the number of visits you think a child actually needs?

understanding of insurance guidelines and ability to problem-solve within real constraints while advocating for the patient

Practice this interview out loud.

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The full job description

As published by Advocate Health.

Department: 37600 Advocate Christ Medical Center - Pediatrics: I/P Acute Therapy Status: Part time Benefits Eligible: No Hou rs Per Week: 0 Schedule Details/Additional Information: Weekends, Holidays, SPTO, LOAs Pay Range: $41.10 - $61.65 Major Responsibilities: Interprets physician referrals, as appropriate, and completes musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cardiopulmonary, and/or integumentary evaluations utilizing appropriate methods. Establishes a plan of care and implements individual treatment based on evaluation results and functional goals and by utilizing appropriate techniques.  Monitors and evaluates outcomes and appropriately adjusts the individualized treatment plan based on the patient's response to treatment 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 physical therapy assistants following all applicable state and local compliance requirements.  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 supervise physical therapy extenders (rehab aides/techs) in administering treatments to patients and will teach them appropriate techniques to perform with specific patients.  May supervise physical therapy students after completing one year of clinical experience. Minimum Job Requirements Education Doctorate degree in Physical 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 Physical 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 Previous PT experience in healthcare a plus 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- Peds #LI- REHAB 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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