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This position has closed. Mercyhealth removed this listing from their careers page on Oct 6, 2026. The interview prep below is still useful, and there are similar open roles at the bottom of this page.

Speech Language Pathologist - Inpatient - PRN

Mercyhealth · Lake Geneva, WI · $60.00 an hour · Per diem

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.

Practice this interview out loud.

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Practice this out loud

The full job description

As published by Mercyhealth.

OVERVIEW: The Speech Language Pathologist is responsible for the evaluation, planning and implementation of a treatment plan addressing the functional needs of a variety of patient diagnoses. Schedule : PRN Shift : PRN ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES • Performs evaluation / assessment using evidence-based standards to create an effective plan of care. • Applies critical thinking and integrative treatment to improve the functional level of the patient. • Maintains a thorough record of services provided with appropriate coding and billing. • Communicates with other disciplines and referring providers to enhance outcomes. • Performs thorough and timely electronic documentation • Strengths in care delivery as evidenced by peer review feedback; consistently demonstrates advanced evaluation and treatment techniques • Assists in the orientation, training and mentoring of new partners • Participates in cost saving initiatives within the department • Active participant in the Performance Improvement process • Maintain a high standard of patient care and provide effective communication between speech language pathologists, nursing and rehabilitation team, and the physician group • Plans and conducts lectures and training programs on speech language pathology and related topics for medical staff, students and community groups EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE Master’s Degree from an accredited school of Speech Language Pathology CERTIFICATION/LICENSURE Licensed as a speech language pathologist in WI, IL or both if required Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) CPR/BLS required within 90 days of hire OTHER SKILLS AND ABILITIES Passing the Driver’s License check Travel to other locations for cross coverage Passing the WI Caregiver Background Check and/or IL Health Care Workers Background Check Must be able to follow written/oral instructions LEVEL OF SUPERVISION Some independent judgement is required, based upon scope of practice and within professional standards. PAY RANGE: $60.00 - $60.00 Mercyhealth is an Equal Opportunity Employer . All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identify, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status. Mercyhealth offers competitive pay and benefits, including retirement, time off, on-demand pay, access to the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and more. Click here for more details. At Mercyhealth, we don’t simply hire people, we empower employee-partners who are passionate about making lives better. As an integrated health system, we deliver exceptional, coordinated across seven hospitals, 85 primary and specialty clinics, and a team of over 7,500 professionals serving northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin. Mercyhealth has been nationally recognized for our commitment to our people and culture, including: • #1 in the nation on AARP's Best Employers for Workers Over 50 • One of Working Mother magazine's 100 Best Companies for Working Mothers • A Top 50 Company and Top 10 Nonprofit for Executive Women