Respiratory Therapist (RT) Weekend Program
Posted Sep 8, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Sep 20, 2026
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 mid-treatment. What did you do and how did the patient handle it?
comfort with equipment failure under pressure and whether they keep the patient calm and safe while solving it
Tell me about a time you had to teach a patient or family member something about disease management they were struggling to understand or accept.
patient education skill and patience with non-compliant or scared patients
Describe a time you disagreed with a physician's order or a treatment protocol. What did you do?
whether they can advocate for the patient professionally without becoming a compliance risk
Tell me about a near miss or safety issue you caught before it became a real problem. What did you do about it?
proactive safety mindset and whether they actually report events rather than let them slide
Tell me about a shift handoff that didn't go smoothly. What happened and what would you do differently?
quality of communication practices and accountability for gaps in patient handoff
Technical
Walk me through how you'd assess a patient who's on a ventilator and starting to desat. What are you looking at first?
whether the candidate has a systematic, prioritized approach to acute respiratory assessment rather than a scattershot one
How do you correlate blood gas results with a patient's electrolytes and clinical picture before you make a recommendation to the physician?
depth of clinical reasoning versus just reading numbers off a report
Walk me through how you'd set up and manage a critical care ventilator differently than one on a general floor.
real hands-on knowledge across acuity levels, since this role spans both
Situational
You're covering both critical care and a med-surg floor on the same weekend shift and two calls come in at once. How do you decide where you go first?
triage judgment and ability to prioritize under real staffing constraints
This is a weekend program with large shift differentials and lighter staffing than weekdays. What's your experience working with fewer resources on hand, and how do you handle it when you need backup fast?
realistic expectations about weekend staffing and whether they know when and how to escalate
How would you explain a new therapy or self-care routine to a patient who doesn't speak medical language and seems overwhelmed?
communication skill with patients across ages and backgrounds, not just clinical competence
You're precepting a new orientee and you notice they're about to make a mistake with a patient. How do you step in?
teaching ability and how they balance correction with building the new hire's confidence
This role requires physical tasks like sliding a 150 pound patient with a second person or lifting 50 pounds from floor to waist. Any concerns about meeting those demands consistently on 12-hour shifts?
honest self-assessment of physical readiness for the job's demands
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As published by Advocate Health.
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