Lead Respiratory Care Practitioner - Full Time - Days

About the role

At Nebraska Methodist Health System, we focus on providing exceptional care to the communities we serve and people we employ. We call it The Meaning of Care – a culture that has and will continue to set us apart. It’s helping families grow by making each delivery special, conveying a difficult diagnosis with a compassionate touch, going above and beyond for a patient’s needs, or giving a high five when a patient beats a disease or conquers a personal health challenge. We offer competitive pay, excellent benefits and a great work environment where all employees are valued!

Responsibilities

• Performs routine and complex modalities of respiratory care independent of direct supervision.
• Demonstrates competency on all modalities performed at the Hospital.
• Aids in therapies and administering ventilator support to patients as needed.
• Upon notification, responds immediately to code blue and rapid responses.
• Performs airway management and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) as necessary.
• Performs arterial line insertions when ordered.
• Aids in inpatient and outpatient bronchoscopies as needed.
• Aids in Nitric Challenges in the absence of the Team Leader.
• Documents procedures in patient record according to departmental policies.
• Documents patient assessment, interventions and progress in the electronic medical record.
• Updates the patient care plans and goals to reflect appropriate patient care needs.
• Documentsation is pertinent, accurate, and completed in a timely manner.
• Assures all activities are completed by assigned staff by coaching, mentoring, and role modeling regarding patient care issues.
• Supervises/evaluates care provided during assigned shift.
• Redirects therapists to demonstrate core values to promote a positive work environment.
• Gives input and assists with completion of staff performance evaluations and developmental plans.
• Serves as a resource person to assigned care providers as needed.
• Reports issues/ trends to System Service Leader and/or follows-up with appropriate staff.
• Affirms positive customer relations are maintained with hospital personnel, patients, visitors and physicians.
• Affirms shift report, rounds and Situation Background Assessment Recommendation (SBAR) are complete, pertinent, and communicated to appropriate persons to maintain continuity of care.
• Collaborates and coordinates with other Respiratory leaders and hospital personnel to facilitate patient care.
• Affirms staff in dealing with customer concerns as needed.
• Affirms utilization of Situation Background Assessment Recommendation (SBAR) format to maintain continuity of care.
• Uses communication board and patient care plan to keep nurse or other caregivers updated on patient's progress.
• Communicates to appropriate personnel regarding unresolved issues.
• Affirms all departmental operational activities are completed.
• Ensures teamwork with all therapists, clinical coordinator, bronchoscopy therapist, and respiratory care assistant and getting their cooperation.
• Assigns therapies and miscellaneous duties to therapists.
• Maintains and responds to any patient or personnel issues as they arise.
• Maintains staff assignments and assures all staff complete assignments prior to the end of their shift.
• Manages environment and/or patient care situations to assure situations involving risks are addressed.
• Reports issues/ trends to System Leader.
• Provides input into the development and revision of policy and procedures.
• Affirms completion and follow up on Clinical Variance Reports, Patient / Family concerns, and staff issues.
• Maintains and monitors environmental safety issues and appropriate interventions take.
• e.g. refrigerator check and cleaning, microwave check and cleaning.
• Meets quality standards and Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (TJC), Centers for Medicare/Medicaid Service (CMS) guidelines (ready for survey at all times).
• Maintains and coordinates/assessment of all new/transfer employees within the care process to assure competency of new staff.
• Coordinates new hires orientation with clinical coordinator and shift preceptors.
• Affirms assistance with the mentoring, supervising, and training of all Respiratory Care students.
• Affirms appropriate utilization of human resources, supplies/equipment, and budget.
• Affirms assistance with scheduling and staffing by utilizing Kronos scheduling system and following departmental staffing procedures.
• Affirms assistance with initiating homecare setups for patients requiring respiratory needs.
• Affirms assistance with facilitating respiratory homecare setups.
• Affirms all staff is competent with trach teaching.
• Affirms all staff documents tracheostomy/laryngectomy teaching in the patient's electronic medical record.
• Affirms all staff updates patient care plans and goals to reflect appropriate tracheostomy/laryngectomy patients' needs are met.
• Develops/ reviews/revises plan of care as needed to provide optimum patient care outcome.
• Receives and interprets physician orders according to professional field of knowledge.
• Evaluates patients in cooperation with attending physician.
• Recommends appropriate care based on American Association of Respiratory Care (AARC) clinical practice guidelines.
• Implements Respiratory Care protocols.
• Helps mentor staff to attain Department Goals and abide by Hospital Core values.
• Conducts patient rounding to assure patient satisfaction.
• Reports patient feedback to therapists.
• Affirms employee satisfaction > 95% by survey.
• Affirms technical skills competently and independently to assure patient safety.

Qualifications

• Advanced knowledge of respiratory care principles, practices and procedures such as management skills, research results, diagnostic methodologies, and new techniques normally acquired through completion of an Associate of Science Degree in Respiratory Care required.
• Bachelor's of Science Degree preferred.
• Minimum 1-2 years of Respiratory experience required.
• Registered Respiratory Therapist (R.R.T.) with the National Board of Respiratory Care required.
• Respiratory Care Practitioner (RCP.NE or RCP.IA) license for work state required.
• Current American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS) required at time of hire.
• Current American Heart Association Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) Certification required.
• Current American Heart Association Pediatric Advanced Cardiac Life Support (PALS) Certification required within 6 months of hire.
• Current American Heart Association Neonatal Respiratory Program (NRP) Certification required within 6 months of hire.
• Satisfactory completion of annual mandatory education requirements required.

Skills/Knowledge/Abilities

• Requires a high degree of ability and skill in written and verbal communication to accurately relay appropriate and high quality recommendations to other members of the patient care team.
• Ability to multitask and prioritize work.
• Skill in the use of Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Outlook) and patient charting software as applicable.
• Knowledge of advanced respiratory care principles, practices and procedures.

Physical Requirements

• Weight Demands: Medium Work - Exerting up to 50 pounds of force.
• Physical Activity: Occasionally Performed (1%-33%): Climbing, Crawling, Kneeling, Sitting, Frequently Performed (34%-66%): Balancing, Carrying, Crouching, Distinguishing colors, Keyboarding/typing, Lifting, Pulling/Pushing, Repetitive Motions, Standing, Stooping/bending, Twisting, Constantly Performed (67%-100%): Grasping, Hearing, Reaching, Seeing/Visual, Speaking/talking.