Occupational Therapist IHR-Inpatient Casual Days

Occupational TherapistIncludes weekendsNo nightsPer Diem

Listed compensation

$54/hr

The week · per this posting

Ask the employer about call expectations and time off.

Posted 57m ago · Verified live

Job Description

Company Description

At Northwestern Medicine, every patient interaction makes a difference in cultivating a positive workplace. This patient-first approach is what sets us apart as a leader in the healthcare industry.

As an integral part of our team, you'll have the opportunity to join our quest for better health care, no matter where you work within the Northwestern Medicine system.

We pride ourselves on providing competitive benefits: from tuition reimbursement and loan forgiveness to 401(k) matching and lifecycle benefits, our goal is to take care of our employees. Ready to join our quest for better?

Job Description

*This is a casual (non-benefited) position located at Catherine Gratz Griffin Lake Forest Hospital. The minimum requirements are working 2 weekend shifts per month, 4 weekday hours per month and holiday rotation. **

The licensed Occupational Therapist (OTR/L) reflects the mission, vision, and values of NM, adheres to the organization’s Code of Ethics and Corporate Compliance Program, and complies with all relevant policies, procedures, guidelines and all other regulatory and accreditation standards.

A licensed occupational therapist who complies with the Code of Ethics/Standards of Practice as outlined by their professional organization and by the State of Illinois.

The position includes direct patient care, teaching, participation on appropriate committees and departmental process improvement.

Serves as a role model for all therapists and clinical interns in all aspects of professional, clinical, communication, education and leadership activities.

Responsibilities

  • Demonstrates the NM values of Patients First, Integrity, Teamwork, and Excellence.
  • Presents a friendly, approachable, professional demeanor and appearance.
  • Provides accurate information and timely updates to patients and customers.
  • Uses effective service recovery skills to solve problems or service breakdowns when they occur.
  • Communicates effectively with others, respects diverse opinions and styles, and acknowledges the assistance and contributions of others.
  • Uses organizational and unit/department resources efficiently.
  • Facilitates collaborative care with other healthcare team members.
  • Manages work schedule efficiently, completing tasks and assignments on time.
  • Contributes to opportunities and processes for continuous improvement.
  • Participates in efforts to reduce costs, streamline work processes, improve and grow services we provide.

Demonstrates essential skill competencies in selecting the appropriate evaluation in the use of treatment modalities, equipment and protocols. Performs re-evaluations according to department guidelines, adjusting the treatment plan accordingly. Evidenced by chart review.

Demonstrates creative problem solving and diversity when adapting the treatment to special circumstances.

Assumes complete responsibility over the course of OT patient management from the time of initial contact to discharge for functional progress, safety and treatment outcome as evidenced by team feedback and documentation. Maintains primary responsibility over patient plans of care through timely and consistent collaboration with treating COTA(s).

Adheres to department policy regarding evaluations, progress notes, and discharge summaries. All notes reflect medical necessity and are accurately entered per policy into the electronic medical record.

Completes daily notes that reflect patient's response to treatment, actual performance, and an assessment as to status, relevant to the treatment plan and eventual discharge needs as evidenced by chart review, meeting all regulatory documentation requirements (e. g., allows other therapists to continue treatment, allows for interpretation by payers, supports reimbursement).

Provides educational materials and methods appropriate to the patient's level of understanding and motivation as evidenced by chart review, observation and team feedback.

Participates in committees, department processes, and special projects in accordance with clinical expertise and individual performance plan.

Creates a culture of respectful communication by listening, asking for input, open and honest conversation, approachability and timely acknowledgement of individual and team contributions.

Works to develop and maintain professional relationships with members of healthcare teams (ex: physician, nurse, case manager). Participates in internal and external marketing per department expectations.

Accepts constructive feedback and is able to make timely changes as evidenced by written coaching forms/chart audits and team feedback.

Proactively completes non-patient care responsibilities within established time frames consistently (e. g. coverage notes, PTO/schedule change requests, bonus pay forms, discharge checklists, follow up phone calls).

Contributes to educational efforts of department/clinic (e. g. in-services, Journal Club, new hire orientation, process improvement).

Actively participates in student clinical or observation programs by serving as a clinical instructor, mentor, or observation host as per department expectations

Maintains Productivity Standards per Department Expectations

  • Completes all NM required education, competencies and training within required timeframes.
  • Demonstrates willingness to accommodate patient care needs and department specific meetings as needed.

Demonstrates willingness to flex schedule or assignment to meet patient care needs, staff meetings, and department specific meetings outside normal work hours

Qualifications

Minimum Requirements:

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Therapy

Licensure

Occupational Therapist License in the state of Illinois

Certification

BLS from American Heart Association upon hire

Preferred

Masters or Doctoral degree in Occupational Therapy

Additional Information

Northwestern Medicine is an equal opportunity employer (disability, VETS) and does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of age, sex, race, color, religion, national origin, gender identity, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation or any other protected status.

Background Check

Northwestern Medicine conducts a background check that includes criminal history on newly hired team members and, at times, internal transfers.

If you are offered a position with us, you will be required to complete an authorization and disclosure form that gives Northwestern Medicine permission to run the background check.

Results are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, and we follow all local, state, and federal laws, including the Illinois Health Care Worker Background Check Act.

Artificial Intelligence Disclosure

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used in some portions of the candidate review process for this position, however, all employment decisions will be made by a person.

Benefits

We offer a wide range of benefits that provide employees with tools and resources to improve their physical, emotional, and financial well-being while providing protection for unexpected life events.

Click on or copy and paste URL to your browser to view detailed benefits information jobs.nm.org

Please refer to the Benefits Eligibility by Employment Classification to determine benefits eligibility for job postings.

If sign-on bonus is included in a job posting eligibility is as followed: Internal employees and rehires who left Northwestern Medicine within 1 year are not eligible for the sign-on bonus. Exception: New graduate internal employees seeking their first licensed clinical position as a Registered Nurse at NM may be eligible.

  • Hours Per Week / FTE: 1.2 hrs/wk - 0.03 FTE
  • Job Shift: Day Job (1st)
  • Salary Range Minimum: $54.00
  • Salary Range Maximum: $54.00
  • Compensation: USD 54 - USD 54 - hourly

Qualifications

Education
Doctoral or professional degree (postgraduate degree)

Key Skills

Patient EvaluationTreatment PlanningRehabilitationClinical DocumentationElectronic Medical RecordsPatient EducationInterdisciplinary CollaborationDischarge PlanningClinical Mentoring

Occupational Therapist Career Context

In Illinois, the Occupational Therapy weighted monthly median benchmark on WeekdayDoc is ~$93k (286 salary observations; 885 listings), vs ~$97k nationally (5,405 salary observations; 28,087 listings). Monthly aggregates cover 2026-01-01 through 2026-11-01; these are not the modal's selected comparable-job medians.

The cost-of-living index for Illinois is 100.0 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)). 62.6% of Illinois clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

What does the Occupational Therapy market look like in Illinois?
MeasureThis jobMarket
Work-life score5.1 / 10 · above average in occupational therapyranked against 8,973 Occupational Therapy listingslisting-based score, 0–10
Listed paynot listedOccupational Therapy median $130k (middle half $106k–$130k)13 comparable listings, Nov 2026
Illinois vs national$93k median in Illinois$97k nationally (−5%)286 state / 5,405 national salary observations
Cost of livingIllinois index 100.0US average = 100BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Occupational Therapy listings in Illinois298 active9,035 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Work settingon-sitepeers: 42% no call · 62% no weekends50 benchmarked listings
Sign-on & loan repaymentloan repaymentIllinois Occupational Therapist listings: 17% state a sign-on bonus (median $10k) · 14% offer loan repayment356 active listings, Nov 2026
New Occupational Therapy listings3,122 in the last 30 days1,573 the 30 days before (+98%)U.S., first seen on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Occupational Therapy pay trend+4.5% vs prior quarter—through Oct 2026
Sources: WeekdayDoc live listing index (8,973 Occupational Therapy listings), BEA Regional Price Parities (2024); as of Nov 2026. Same values as the Weekday Verdict and Market Insights on this page.

Top contract/1099 Occupational Therapist Jobs

49 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution

22 jobs
6
<$120k
5
$120k-130k
6
$130k-140k
3
$140k-150k
2
$150k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks

33 jobs · 27 employers
401k / retirement match
94% this job
CME allowance
58%
Loan repayment
15% this job
Sign-on bonus
9% this job
Relocation assistance
6%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Occupational Therapist, OT, Flexible Schedule, Home HealthContract

Concierge Home Care · Melbourne, Florida

$70-$75/hr
#2

School-Based Occupational Therapist (OT)

Strides Therapy and Educational Services · Baltimore, Maryland

$67-$73/hr
#3

Occupational Therapist, OT

$62-$72/hr
#4

Occupational Therapist

$57-$70/hr
+ 47 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 4.8this job 5.1
Better work-life than 50% of Occupational Therapy listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 8,973 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • No nights
  • On-site
  • Includes weekends
Northwestern Memorial Healthcare logo

About Northwestern Memorial Healthcare

Hospitals and Health Care
Chicago, Illinois
10,000+ employees

Benefits & Perks

Tuition reimbursement
Loan forgiveness
401(k) matching
Lifecycle benefits

Living in Lake Forest

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$919k
Typical market rent
$3,952/mo
Residents’ average commute
31 min
State income tax
Up to 5%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Sep 2026), Zillow market rents (Sep 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

City-level figures. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.