Have an upcoming interview and want to prepare for your next position as a SLP in a SNF?
I have compiled this speech therapist interview questions based upon my own experience in the SNF setting. When getting ready for an interview reflect on 3 positive/negative experiences with outcomes with patients and staff. Preparing your stories will help you answer any open ended questions. I hope these questions and answers help!
- Tell me about your experience in this setting
Try to provide relevant experience or how your other positions would apply to the SNF setting.
- What would you do if a patient was not agreeable to therapy?
I think the answer they are looking for is to implement daily activities or activities of interest, make therapy not feel like therapy.
- How do you engage a patient who often refuses therapy?
Be creative, share a time when you made therapy about gardening/sewing/painting/using a cell phone.
- What evaluations for Dysphagia are you familiar with?
Please refer to my post about Standardized Dysphagia Evaluations
- What does a typical dysphagia evaluations look like for you?
Steps: Complete chart review, meet with the patient to collect case hx and current swallowing problems the patient is having, complete Eat-10 to gather the patient rating of swallowing problems, complete trials of regular/soft and bite sized/minced and moist/puree or thin liquids/thickened liquids, score the MASA, determine most appropriate diet texture, educate staff.
- What evaluations for cognition are you familiar with?
Please refer to my post about Standardized Cognitive Assessments
- Are you familiar with BIMS?
BIMS is important in SNF’s as they use it during every admission to categorize the severity of cognition, SLP’s also receive a higher reimbursement for scores out of norm range
- In what situations do you use the FEES?
This is a good question for both you and for the place you are interviewing. Hopefully they are agreeable to use FEES in appropriate situations.
- What documentation systems are you familiar with?
The two documentations used the most in the SNF setting are Optima/Net Health and Casamba, See my post about documentation in the SNF setting if you need a refresher.
- Tell me about a time when you had success with a patient?
With this question they are looking to see what kind of treatment you were providing with evidence based practice and outcomes that either benefit quality of life or independence.
Example: I had a patient with Parkinsons who was on thickened liquids for 2 years. After a FEES we were able to see that the patient was silently aspirating thin liquids, had poor coordination, and cough strength. I put him on a therapy plan for 5x a week for 5 weeks and used EMST training along with supraglottic swallows, in order to strengthen his respiratory strength and cough, and increase the timing and coordination with his swallow. After the duration of his training we completed a follow-up FEES. The patient was no longer silently aspirating, had increased cough strength, and was able to independently use swallowing strategies.
- Tell me what you like about working with the geriatric population?
This is the biggest population in a SNF setting.
Example: I like working with the geriatric population as speech therapist play a huge role in maintaining quality of life. I love that we get to work in many areas that benefit quality of life dysphagia, cog-communication, language, and speech.
- Do you have experience working with individuals with behaviors/dementia?
Great way to talk about implementing strategies or targeting activities to help decrease behaviors or maintain appropriate cog-communication with our dementia patients.
- Tell me about your experience working with AAC?
Example: Experience working with low tech AAC boards and high tech AAC device to increase ability to communicate wants/needs.
Questions to ask THEM
- How many beds is in the facility? (This is a great question because it will give you an idea on the caseload potential for SLP under 70 might be hard to be at full time, 90 and above should be easy to be at full time)
- Who is currently on the team?
- What is productivity expectations?
- Is there any continues educations provided?
- Is there a monthly therapy budget for materials?
- What is the schedule for this position?
- How many hours is the current therapist getting?
