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Respiratory Care Practitioner Float - Full Time Variable shifts

Northwestern Medicine · McHenry, IL · Full time · Health Care Provider

Posted Sep 29, 2026 · 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

Tell me about a time you disagreed with a respiratory order. How did you handle it?

What they are checking: Whether they communicate concerns professionally with physicians while keeping patient safety first.

Your shifts are variable and you cover when needed. How do you handle last-minute schedule changes?

What they are checking: Whether they are truly flexible, since the float role exists to fill gaps on short notice.

With two years or more of respiratory experience, what patient situations are you most confident in, and where do you still want to grow?

What they are checking: Whether they have honest insight into their own strengths and gaps.

What would you do

You float between McHenry, Woodstock and Huntley. How do you get up to speed on each hospital's equipment and routines?

What they are checking: Whether they have a plan for working safely across sites with different devices and teams.

You get called to a rapid response on a med-surg floor at a hospital you rarely work at. What is your role?

What they are checking: Whether they know how to manage the airway and support the team even in an unfamiliar setting.

About the work

A med-surg patient on a respiratory protocol is wheezing and their oxygen saturation has dropped to 88 percent. What do you do?

What they are checking: Whether they assess, treat within protocol and escalate quickly when the patient is not responding.

How do you decide when to adjust the frequency of a patient's ordered breathing treatments?

What they are checking: Whether they understand protocol-driven care and base changes on assessment rather than habit.

Walk me through how you teach a patient to use an inhaler correctly before they go home.

What they are checking: Whether they use teach-back and watch technique, since poor inhaler use leads to readmissions.

How do you communicate a change in a patient's respiratory status to the nurse and physician?

What they are checking: Whether they share clear, timely information so the whole team can act on it.

How do you clean and maintain respiratory equipment to prevent infection between patients?

What they are checking: Whether they take infection control seriously with shared equipment moving across units.

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The full job description

As published by Northwestern Medicine.

• Full time 36 hours/week • Variable shifts to cover when needed • Base location with be McHenry Hospital • Will float to Woodstock and Huntley hospitals as scheduled • Ideal applicant t will be open to float to Lake Forest Hospital as well • Ideal applicant will have 2+ years of full time respiratory work experience The Respiratory Care Practitioner I - Float 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 clinically competent, licensed professional who administers Respiratory care to the acutely ill patient through assessment, planning/evaluation, intervention and treatment. Effectively interacts with patient, significant others, and other health team members, while providing care within the scope of their training. Responsibilities: • •Competent in all adult med surg units in all respiratory therapies and modalities. •Understands and implements adult respiratory protocols, policies, and guidelines that are ordered on med surg units. •Delivers and assesses response to ordered therapy; adjusts frequencies as appropriate. •Monitors, records and communicates patient condition as appropriate to other members of the healthcare team. •Educate patients and/or families and provide information about respiratory disease management, community support groups and other resources. •Competent in all adult care areas including med/surg units, emergency department, and critical care units and other units as per hospital expectations. •Responds to clinical emergency management situations. •Participates in multidisciplinary rounds; collaborates with healthcare team. •Evaluates and utilizes respiratory care policies and procedures based on patient outcomes, current research, and best practices. •Precept students. •Serves as positive role model for team members by working with them to promote teamwork and cooperation; consistently adheres to NM Code of Professionalism. Minimum Requirements: Education: • Graduate of an Accredited Respiratory Therapy Program Licensure: • Active or Pending Illinois Respiratory Care License within six months of hire Certification: • Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) or Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) • Basic Life Support (BLS) Preferred: • Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) • Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) • Adult Cardiovasular Life Support (ACLS) 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. Click on or copy and paste URL to your browser to view detailed benefits information NorthwesternMedicine Career Page https://jobs.nm.org/benefits Please refer to the Benefits Eligibility by Employment Classification to determine benefits eligibility for job postings. If sign-on bonus is included in a job posting eligibility is as followed: 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 as a Registered Nurse at NM may be eligible.

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