Lead Respiratory Therapist - Full Time - Nights

About the role

Responsible for overseeing the coordination and delivery of quality care to patients according to their respiratory needs by the Advanced Respiratory Care Practitioners. Provide assessment of respiratory patients with acute and chronic illnesses, to ensure delivery of clinically appropriate respiratory care procedures as prescribed by the medical staff for neonate, pediatric, adolescent and adult patients.

Responsibilities

• Performs routine and complex modalities of respiratory care independent of direct supervision.
• Demonstrates competency on all modalities performed at the Hospital.
• Assists with 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.
• Assists with inpatient and outpatient bronchoscopies as needed.
• Assists with 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.
• 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 Director and/or follows-up with appropriate staff.
• Assures positive customer relations are maintained with hospital personnel, patients, visitors and physicians.
• Assures 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.
• Assists staff in dealing with customer concerns as needed.
• Encourages 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.
• Assures all departmental operational activities are completed.
• Demonstrates teamwork with all therapists, clinical coordinator, bronchoscopy therapist, and respiratory care assistant and getting their cooperation.
• Assigns therapies and miscellaneous duties to therapists.
• Monitors and responds to any patient or personnel issues as they arise.
• Monitors 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 Director.
• Provides input into the development and revision of policy and procedures.
• Assures completion and follow up on Clinical Variance Reports, Patient/Family concerns, and staff issues.
• Monitors on an ongoing basis 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).
• Works with Respiratory Care Coordinator to maintain and coordinate/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.
• Works with Coordinator to assist with the mentoring, supervising, and training of all Respiratory Care students.
• Assures appropriate utilization of human resources, supplies/equipment, and budget.
• Assists with scheduling and staffing by utilizing QGenda scheduling system and following departmental staffing procedures.
• Adjusts staffing appropriate to census/guidelines and budget on a shift-by-shift basis.
• Monitors department activities to ensure optimal patient care and appropriate use of end of shift overtime.
• Identifies supply and equipment utilization problems and ensures appropriate interventions.
• Orders, monitors, and returns rental equipment as needed.
• Completes schedule change requests and staffing requests to fill staff vacancies on the schedule.
• Assists with initiating homecare setups for patients requiring respiratory needs.
• Assures all staff is competent with trach teaching.
• Assures all staff documents tracheostomy/laryngectomy teaching in the patient's electronic medical record.
• Assures 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.
• Assists staff with implementing new protocols.
• Performs technical skills competently and independently to assure patient safety.

Schedule

Nights – rotating weekends and holidays.

Requirements

• Education: 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. Bachelors of Science Degree preferred.
• Experience: Minimum 1–2 years of Respiratory experience required.
• License/Certifications:
  • 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, Distinguish colors, Keyboarding/typing, Lifting, Pulling/Pushing, Repetitive Motions, Standing, Stooping/bending, Twisting, Walking
  • Constantly Performed (67%–100%): Grasping, Hearing, Reaching, Seeing/Visual, Speaking/talking

Job Hazards

• Not Related: Explosives (pressurized gas), Electrical Shock/Static, Radiation Alpha, Beta and Gamma (particles such as X-ray, Cat Scan, Gamma Knife, etc.), Radiation Non-Ionizing (Ultraviolet, visible light, infrared and microwaves that causes injuries to tissue or thermal or photochemical means)
• Rare (1%–33%): Chemical agents (Toxic, Corrosive, Flammable, Latex)
• Occasionally (34%–66%): Biological agents (primary air born and blood born viruses) (Jobs with Patient contact) Blood or Body Fluid (BBF), Physical hazards (noise, temperature, lighting, wet floors, outdoors, sharps) (more than ordinary office environment)
• Equipment/Machinery/Tools