Respiratory Care Practitioner, Nights

Come lead with us at Houston Methodist West Hospital.

About the role

The Respiratory Care Practitioner (RCP) performs routine respiratory care procedures of varying complexity, including preparation, administration, and monitoring of medication, treatment modalities, gas therapy, ventilator support, spirometry, and assistance with bronchoscopy. This role may also perform diagnostic testing of the cardiac respiratory system. As part of the direct patient care team, the RCP provides direct assistance to physicians and healthcare professionals with respiratory care-related procedures within the scope of professional licensure, ensuring exceptional patient care and adherence to standards set by respiratory and regulatory agencies.

Responsibilities

People

• Promotes a positive work environment and contributes to a dynamic, team-focused work unit.
• Collaborates with inter-professional team members using therapeutic communication and reporting pertinent patient care information.
• Communicates effectively to facilitate high-quality service during every patient and customer encounter.
• Serves as a patient advocate in resolving ethical issues and facilitates interventions for spiritual distress.
• Contributes to improving department scores for turnover, retention, and employee engagement.

Service

• Performs respiratory care procedures, including arterial blood gas analysis, pulse oximetry, spirometry, lung volume determination, airway resistance measurement, bronchoprovocation testing, and bronchodilator administration.
• Prepares, administers, and monitors treatment modalities and medication delivery.
• Implements, monitors, and evaluates ventilator support.
• Performs additional procedures such as electrocardiograms, Holter monitoring, and arterial blood gas testing if assigned.
• Provides care for patients' physical needs by executing respiratory care concepts, modifying technical factors to achieve desired outcomes, and recognizing complications or limitations.
• Uses peer-to-peer accountability to improve department scores for patient satisfaction.

Quality/Safety

• Troubleshoots, calibrates, and performs preventive maintenance and quality control on equipment and analyzers, documenting activities per department guidelines.
• Assembles, prepares, cleans, and operates bronchoscopy equipment and monitoring accessories in accordance with manufacturer recommendations and department guidelines.
• Reports equipment malfunctions.
• Provides direct assistance to physicians, performing tests as ordered, assessing and ensuring quality, acceptability, and reliability of results.
• Contributes to corrective action and improvement activities to meet department and hospital targets for quality and safety.
• Reports near misses and errors promptly into Patient Safety Net to improve processes and identify trends.

Finance

• Accurately documents all patient care and respiratory-related activities and procedures in the appropriate system.
• Enters charges at the time service is delivered.
• Uses resources efficiently and minimizes incidental overtime.
• Manages time effectively and prioritizes daily tasks with minimal supervision.

Growth/Innovation

• Participates in practice projects focused on innovation, efficiency, or improvement in patient care.
• Embraces and enacts new care pathways or service line implementations to improve community service.
• Identifies learning needs and seeks continuing education opportunities to expand knowledge beyond baseline competencies.
• Completes and updates the individual development plan (IDP) on an ongoing basis.

Requirements

• Graduate of an education program approved by the credentialing body for the required credentials.
• One year of experience as a Respiratory Care Practitioner preferred.

Qualifications

Licenses and Certifications

• Required:
  • RRT - Registered Respiratory Therapist (NBRC)
  • RCP - Licensed Respiratory Care Practitioner (Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation)
  • BLS - Basic Life Support (AHA)
  • ACLS - Advanced Cardiac Life Support (AHA)
• Preferred (depending on area assigned):
  • PALS - Pediatric Advanced Life Support (AHA)
  • NRP - Neonatal Resuscitation (AHA, AAP)

Skills and Abilities

• Demonstrates skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through ongoing assessments and evaluations.
• Proficient in speaking, reading, and writing English to perform essential job functions, particularly activities impacting patient or employee safety.
• Effectively communicates with patients, physicians, family members, and coworkers in a customer service-focused manner.
• Basic computer knowledge; operates multiple computer systems to maintain patient and exam documents.
• Strong interpersonal and team player skills with all levels of the healthcare team.
• Excellent customer service skills for patients, visitors, physicians, and coworkers.
• Demonstrates time management skills and adapts to multiple ongoing priorities with minimal supervision.
• Organizes workflow and actively participates in problem-solving.

Supplemental Requirements

• Work Attire: Scrubs (department approved).
• On-Call: Required during emergencies (e.g., disasters, severe weather events).
• Travel: May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area.