Respiratory Therapist
Posted Sep 29, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 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.
About your past
Loyola's respiratory team covers adult, pediatric and neonatal patients. Which population are you strongest with, and how would you get comfortable with the others?
What they are checking: Honest self-assessment and a plan for gaining competence across very different patient groups.
Tell me about a time you used a protocol to change a patient's therapy without waiting for an order.
What they are checking: Comfort with therapist-driven protocols and the judgment to apply them correctly.
How do you guide and support a newer therapist who is unsure of themselves?
What they are checking: Mentoring skills expected of a lead or charge therapist.
Tell me about a time you had a disagreement with a nurse or physician about respiratory care.
What they are checking: Professional advocacy and teamwork when opinions about therapy differ.
What would you do
You're the lead therapist on nights and two therapists call off. How do you cover the hospital?
What they are checking: Charge-level judgment about assignments, priorities and when to escalate for help.
This is a Level I trauma center. What's your role when a trauma patient arrives in respiratory distress?
What they are checking: Readiness for airway management and quick decisions in a high-volume trauma setting.
What would you do if a patient's oxygen saturation dropped suddenly while you were transporting them?
What they are checking: Calm troubleshooting during transport, where help and equipment are limited.
About the work
Walk me through setting up a ventilator for a newly intubated adult with ARDS.
What they are checking: Knowledge of lung-protective ventilation, including tidal volume by ideal body weight and PEEP strategy.
How does managing a neonate on a ventilator differ from managing an adult?
What they are checking: Understanding of neonatal physiology and the different modes and risks involved in the Level III NICU.
How do you interpret an ABG on a patient with COPD who is retaining CO2?
What they are checking: Recognizing chronic compensation and avoiding over-treating or under-treating a chronic retainer.
How do you prevent ventilator-associated complications?
What they are checking: Familiarity with VAP prevention steps like head of bed, oral care and daily assessments.
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Practice this out loudThe full job description
As published by Trinity Health.