Speech Language Pathologist - Inpatient - PRN
Posted Sep 29, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 4, 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
Tell me about a patient with aphasia you evaluated in the hospital. What did you focus on?
What they are checking: Whether they can find a way for a patient to communicate basic needs quickly during a short stay.
Tell me about a time you trained or mentored a new therapist.
What they are checking: Whether they can teach clinical reasoning, not just procedures, to the people they orient.
How do you keep current with evidence-based practice while working PRN?
What they are checking: Whether they stay skilled and up to date even with an irregular schedule.
What would you do
A nurse asks you to clear a patient to eat right before lunch, and you have a full caseload. How do you prioritize?
What they are checking: Whether they can triage NPO patients and new consults so no one waits too long for safe nutrition.
A family wants their father to eat regular food even though he aspirates. How do you handle that conversation?
What they are checking: Whether they can discuss risk, patient wishes and comfort feeding respectfully with families and the team.
A physician disagrees with your recommendation to keep a patient NPO. What do you do?
What they are checking: Whether they can defend a clinical finding with evidence and find a shared plan.
About the work
When do you recommend an instrumental swallow study instead of relying on a bedside evaluation?
What they are checking: Whether they know the limits of a clinical swallow exam, like silent aspiration, and when to get more data.
How do you decide on a diet level, and how do you communicate it to nursing and dietary?
What they are checking: Whether they use standard diet terms like IDDSI clearly so the patient actually gets the right food.
How do you make sure your documentation and billing codes are accurate on a busy day?
What they are checking: Whether they take coding seriously, since errors affect both compliance and the department's revenue.
What would you include in a talk for nursing staff on swallowing safety?
What they are checking: Whether they can educate other disciplines, since nurses see patients eat far more often than SLPs do.
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As published by Mercyhealth.