Respiratory Educator & Outpatient Clinic Support

About the role

The Respiratory Educator & Outpatient Clinic Support position at La Rabida Children’s Hospital is full-time with variable shifts. The annual compensation ranges from USD 77,597.81 to USD 124,156.49.

Responsibilities

• Staff Education
• Edits and maintains Respiratory Competency forms for all Respiratory Team members in advanced respiratory care modalities and departmental protocols
• Develops and delivers education on newly acquired respiratory equipment, ventilator management, and clinical procedures
• Delivers Ventilator Classes, Staff Competencies, In-Services, and Trainings to Respiratory Department staff, orientees, students, and multidisciplinary team members
• Performs Respiratory EMR audits and partners with Educators to maintain and update Staff Competency records
• Participates in Mock Codes and quality assurance activities
• Outpatient Clinic Support
• Collaborates with the Access Team for patient scheduling, screening, and rooming preparations
• Accurately inputs and maintains patient data in the EMR in a timely manner
• Spirometry & Asthma Management
• Assesses pediatric patient readiness and coaches spirometry testing to ensure acceptable results
• Generates spirometry reports and collaborates with Providers on Asthma Action Plans
• Provides self-management education to patients and caregivers on ACT tool usage, Asthma Action Plans, and Metered Dose Inhaler technique
• Maintains and cleans spirometry equipment per manufacturer and hospital guidelines; maintains quality control documentation
• Attends American Lung Association cohort meetings and submits required reports
• Tech Dependent Clinic & Walk-In-Clinic Support
• Evaluates patient oxygenation and ventilatory status; interviews patients and caregivers regarding home respiratory regimens
• Identifies and assesses pediatric patients experiencing acute respiratory distress; provides clinical support and monitors responsiveness to interventions
• Communicates patient status to the Multidisciplinary Team and makes recommendations for respiratory treatment plan adjustments
• Provides re-instruction to patients and caregivers on prescribed respiratory interventions and therapies
• Continuing Education & Professional Development
• Maintains current certifications (BLS, PALS, CEUs for IL State Licensure) and participates in mandatory continuing education and Skills Days
• Pursues advanced certifications (NRP, RRT, NPS) and participates in professional societies (AARC, ISRC) to support professional growth
• Quality Improvement & Departmental Operations
• Participates in Quality Improvement initiatives and hospital-wide safety programs; files SafePoints as indicated
• Ensures safe equipment operation through preventative maintenance and troubleshooting; submits work orders for repairs
• Identifies areas for improvement and escalates concerns to leadership; attends all departmental meetings

Qualifications

• Education: Graduate of an American Medical Association (AMA) approved Respiratory Care Program
• Related Work Experience: Familiarity with the concepts and performance of invasive and non-invasive mechanical ventilation management, inhaled medication administration, airway clearance administration, blood gas analysis, noninvasive monitoring, tracheostomy tube and tie exchange, etc. in a pediatric setting preferred
• Licensure/Certification:
• Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) required; Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) preferred; Registered Respiratory Therapist Neonatal Pediatric Specialist (RRT-NPS) preferred; only credentialing issued by the National Board for Respiratory Care will be accepted
• Certified Pulmonary Function Technologist (CPFT) or Registered Pulmonary Function Technologist (RPFT) preferred; only credentialing issued by the National Board for Respiratory Care will be accepted
• Completion of Implementation and Interpretation of Spirometry continuing education activity preferred; only CEUs issued by the American Lung Association will be accepted; must be obtained within 6 months of hire
• Asthma Educator Specialist (AE-C) preferred; only certifications issued by the American Lung Association and/or The National Board of Respiratory Care will be accepted; must be obtained within 18 months of hire
• Basic Life Support (BLS) certification required; Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) certification preferred; PALS must be obtained within 6 months of hire; Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) preferred; only certifications issued by the American Heart Association will be accepted
• Illinois Department of Professional and Financial Regulation (IDPFR) Respiratory Care Practitioner (RCP) license required