JobsAdvocate Health

Respiratory Therapist (RT) - Adults - Weekender Program

Advocate Health · Park Ridge, IL

Posted Sep 10, 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 troubleshoot a piece of equipment that wasn't working right in the middle of patient care.

hands-on equipment competence and composure when technology fails during a time-sensitive moment

Describe a time you had to explain a treatment or a chronic condition like COPD to a patient or family member who was scared or confused.

patient education skills and ability to translate clinical information into plain language under emotional circumstances

Tell me about a near miss or safety event you noticed or were involved in. What did you do about it?

honesty and follow-through on safety reporting culture, which the posting explicitly emphasizes

Tell me about a time you disagreed with a colleague or another department about how to manage a patient's care. How did you handle it?

conflict resolution and collaboration skills across disciplines, which the role requires under physician direction

Technical

Walk me through how you'd manage a patient on a ventilator in the ICU overnight when their oxygen saturation suddenly starts dropping.

whether the candidate has a systematic clinical approach to acute respiratory decline rather than just reacting

What's your experience with critical care ventilators specifically, and can you describe a complex vent management case you've handled?

actual hands-on depth with ventilator management versus general familiarity

How do you approach caring for a patient whose age or developmental stage changes how you'd normally deliver respiratory therapy, say an older adult versus a much younger patient?

understanding of age-specific care principles required for a hospital treating varied age groups

Where are you in your certification path right now, and how would you approach getting your CRT and any required ACLS or PALS certifications within the required windows while working full weekend shifts?

realistic planning ability to meet the mandatory 45-day and other certification deadlines while working full time

What does safe body mechanics look like to you when you're doing something physical, like a two-person sliding transfer of a 150-pound patient?

whether the candidate takes the physical demands and injury prevention seriously, not just clinical skill

Situational

This is a weekend overnight shift, three 12-hour shifts every week. What draws you to that schedule, and how do you keep yourself sharp at 4 a.m. on a Sunday?

realistic understanding of the shift's demands and whether the person has actually thought through the lifestyle tradeoffs

Say a physician orders a treatment that goes against the patient driven respiratory protocol you'd normally follow. What do you do?

ability to navigate protocol versus physician orders and advocate for the patient without creating conflict

You're covering multiple units on a weekend night with limited backup staff. How do you decide who to see first when three calls come in at once?

triage judgment and prioritization skills when working with thin staffing

A family member on the floor is upset about how care is being delivered to their loved one. How do you handle that conversation while you're also managing other patients?

interpersonal composure and multitasking under emotional and time pressure

Practice this interview out loud.

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The full job description

As published by Advocate Health.

Department: 36402 Advocate Lutheran General Hospital - Respiratory Therapy Services Status: Full time Benefits Eligible: Yes Hou rs Per Week: 36 Schedule Details/Additional Information: 0.9 FTE 3- 12-hour shifts every weekend Pay Range: $35.50 - $53.25 Sign-On Bonus: *$5,000* Loan Forgiveness: Up to $20,000 Tuition Assistance : Up to $20,000 Grow Your Career, Earn More:  Through our Clinical Ladder Program, eligible Respiratory Therapists can advance their careers and earn up to  $6,000 in additional yearly bonus opportunities. Weekender Differential : $11.00/hr Location: Advocate Children's Hospital - Park Ridge Schedule : Full-time | 36 hrs/week | 3rd Shift (7pm-7am) | Every Weekend required Major Responsibilities: • Responsible for providing and coordinating comprehensive respiratory care The Respiratory therapist administers respiratory care procedures and modalities in accordance with established standards, policies, and procedures. Using evidence-based practices, clinical decision making, and skilled communication, the therapist compassionately leads efforts to creates the safest patient environment and the best patient experience across the continuum, under the guidance of a licensed respiratory therapist in designated areas per site discretion. • Operates specialized ventilators in critical and non-critical care venues. Assists physician with bedside or other procedures as applicable to facility. • Provides medication treatments and therapies per physician order and/or patient driven respiratory protocols (PDRP's) as prescribed. • Cleans, maintains and ensures proper functionality of equipment. Can troubleshoot equipment as necessary and identifies the need for service and/or repair. • Educates and instructs patients in purpose, technique, self-care, goal of therapy, and disease management. • Facilitates clinical problem solving and collaborates with other departments to provide education on managing patients. • Under physician direction, the respiratory therapist must be able to adapt and comply to policies and procedures for a variety of different service areas, perform tasks and/or special duties as required by assignment and maintain performance standards and organizational behaviors. • Promotes a culture of safety by recognizing and applying proper safety measures to prevent patient harm. Reports patient safety events and near misses in a timely manner. Seeks to identify potential safety issues and assists in the implementation of corrective actions. • 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, and to provide the care needed as described in the department's policies and procedures. Age-specific information is developed further in the departmental job standards. Licensure, Registration, and/or Certification Required: • Respiratory Therapist certification (CRT) issued by the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) needs to be obtained within 45 days, and • Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Providers certification issued by the American Heart Association (AHA), and • Advanced Cardiac Life Support certification (ACLS) issued by the American Heart Association (AHA) needs to be obtained within 0 months unless department leader has determined it is not required, and • Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) certification issued by the American Heart Association (AHA) needs to be obtained within 0 months unless department leader has determined it is not required, and • Adult Critical Care Specialist (ACCS) certification issued by the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) needs to be obtained within 0 months unless department leader has determined it is not required, and • Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) certification issued by the American Heart Association (AHA)/American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) needs to be obtained within 0 months unless department leader has determined it is not required, and • Neonatal/Pediatric Respiratory Specialist (NPS) issued by the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) needs to be obtained within 0 months unless department leader has determined it is not required. Education Required: • Associate's Degree in Respiratory Therapy. Experience Required: • No experience required. Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Required: • Demonstrates effective communication, feedback, and conflict resolution skills. • Effective organizational, interpersonal and problem-solving skills. • Problem solving and decision making for patient care and equipment use. • Proficient computer skills, use of electronic mail and electronic medical record systems. • Excellent communication (written and verbal), listening and interpersonal skills. • Demonstrates human relation skills with the ability to develop rapport and maintain positive, professional relationships with a variety of patients, team members, and physicians. Ability to take initiative and work collaboratively with others. • Demonstrates time management skills with an ability to multi-task and prioritize in an environment with frequent interruptions. Physical Requirements and Working Conditions: • Operates all equipment necessary to perform the job. • Must be able to lift 50 lb object from knee to waist. • Must be able to lift 50 lb from floor to waist height occasionally. • Must be able to lift 40 lb at waist height and carry it across various distances. • Must be able to lift 20 lb from waist to overhead. • Must be able to push/pull while utilizing 30# of force occasionally for long distances. • Must demonstrate stand-pivot transfer from bed to chair. • Must perform sliding transfer of 150 lbs person on a sheet across 2 feet with a second person. • Must utilize safe body mechanics at all times. • This job description indicates the general nature and level of work expected of the incumbent. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the incumbent. Incumbent may be required to perform other related duties. This job description indicates the general nature and level of work expected of the incumbent. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the incumbent. Incumbent may be required to perform other related duties. 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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