Respiratory Therapist Interview Questions & Answers

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Respiratory therapists, also known as Respiratory therapy technicians, assist patients who have breathing difficulties. These include chronic respiratory diseases, such as emphysema and asthma. Patients include infants with undeveloped lungs to adult patients with lung disease. They may also give emergency aid for a breathing problem, heart attack, drowning, and shock.

Whether you're a job seeker preparing to be interviewed for the role of Respiratory Therapist or an employer preparing to interview candidates for Respiratory Therapist position, these Respiratory Therapist interview questions will help you prepare yourself for the job interview session.

Respiratory Therapist Interview Questions

Below are a list of some skill-based Respiratory Therapist interview questions.

1. What is the most challenging respiratory condition you have treated, and what treatment approaches did you use?
2. How would you explain a particular respiratory treatment to an anxious patient?
3. How would you handle a case in which a patient or family member disagreed with your assessment?
4. Which computer programs or software have you used in the past to enter patient data and update records?
5. How would you handle a situation in which you disagreed with another respiratory therapist about a diagnosis?
6. When performing a physical assessment, what are the key areas you examine?
7. How do you build rapport with your patients?
8. What would you do if a supply of oxygen ran out unexpectedly during a treatment?
9. How might you deliver bad news to a patient and their family?
10. We want to improve our compliance with infection control procedures. How would you implement new procedures to improve our current practices?
11. Are you comfortable working nights, weekends, holidays and on-call shifts?
12. If a patient needed to use a ventilator, how would you ensure they were comfortable and able to get a good night’s sleep?
13. Why did you become a respiratory therapist?
14. What is your process for documenting your work and maintaining accurate patient records?
15. Explain the difference between HFA, DPI and SMI inhalers.
16. How would you handle a situation where a patient was not responding to treatment?
17. What do you consider to be the most important part of your job as a respiratory therapist?
18. What are the most common respiratory conditions you treat on a regular basis?
19. Do you prefer to work on your own or with other providers?
20. Are you certified as a respiratory therapist?
21. Have you ever changed a process or procedure to improve patient outcomes?
22. How would you deal with an angry patient? / Describe a situation when you dealt with an angry patient.
23. Is there a specific demographic you prefer working with?
24. Have you ever had to provide emergency assistance to a patient in a critical condition? How did you handle it?
25. In what situation would you prescribe an aerosol treatment for a patient?
26. What are some of the most useful therapies for patients with emphysema? Why do they work?
27. What might happen if a patient has inadequate humidification?
28. How do you motivate discouraged or uncooperative patients?
29. List some of the most common medical tools you use to help your patients.
30. Describe your most challenging experience with a patient. What did you learn? What would you do differently?
31. What is bronchospasm, and how do you treat it?
32. What makes you stand out from other respiratory therapists?

Respiratory Therapist Interview Questions and Answers

Every interview is different and the questions may vary. However, there are lots of general questions that get asked at every interview.

Below are some common questions you'd expect during Respiratory Therapist interviews. Click on each question to see how to answer them.

1. Why Do You Want This Job?
2. What Is Your Greatest Accomplishment?
3. What is Your Greatest Strength?
4. What is Your Salary Expectation?
5. Tell Me About Yourself
6. Why Do You Want To Leave Your Current Job?
7. Are You a Leader or a Follower?
8. Do You Have Any Questions for Us?
9. What is Your Greatest Weakness?
10. Why Should We Hire You?

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