Respiratory Therapist

About the Role

Chenega Government Mission Solutions, LLC, a Chenega Professional Services’ company, is seeking a Respiratory Therapist to support Indian Health Services in Lawton, OK. This role can be structured as W2 or 1099.

Responsibilities

• Serves as a Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) and administers a wide variety of complex and exacting procedures to patients of all ages, including acute and critical care.
• Establishes and maintains mechanical ventilation for critical newborn, pediatric, and adult patients using a variety of pressure and volume ventilators.
• Makes ventilator adjustments based on diagnostic test results, observation, patient response, and ventilator status.
• Monitors patients for changes in cardio-pulmonary status and responds appropriately.
• Maintains a patent airway during resuscitation and mechanical ventilation.
• Assists with oral intubations; establishes and maintains stability of artificial airways, including appropriate cuff pressures.
• Applies advanced ventilator techniques such as CPAP, BiPAP, Pressure Support (PS), SIMV, PEEP, Pressure Control Ventilation (PC), and Adaptive Support Ventilation (ASV).
• Manages patients on life support systems and ensures total patient care and maintenance of equipment.
• Establishes ventilator weaning criteria for each patient and initiates weaning procedures; performs extubations when appropriate.
• Proficient in the use of a variety of ventilators specific to age and clinical application.
• Administers treatment modalities including PEP therapy, hand-held nebulizers, continuous nebulizers, oxygen therapy, chest percussion, and oxygen walk tests.
• Initiates and performs CPR effectively without physician direction.
• Uses manual resuscitation devices to ensure successful air exchange and respiration.
• Assists with patient education on home oxygen, MDI use, and other respiratory modalities.
• Performs cardiograms (12 Lead EKG) as ordered by the provider.
• Responds to hospital emergency calls, such as Code Blue or Code RRT (Rapid Response Team).
• Transports patients within the hospital while maintaining adequate ventilation and perfusion.
• Assesses cardio-pulmonary status using physical observation and interpretation of diagnostic test results.
• Determines effectiveness and/or need for therapy.
• Assists physicians with special procedures such as thoracentesis, tracheotomy, and thoracoscopy.
• Performs arterial punctures on adult and newborn patients for blood gas analysis, interprets results, and acts accordingly.
• Makes recommendations to the physician regarding treatment based on blood gas results.
• Obtains arterial blood samples from appropriate anatomical locations when arterial catheters are utilized.
• Participates in Outpatient Asthma Clinic by providing spirometry screening, pulmonary function testing, and education for asthmatic patients.
• Performs diagnostic testing for patients requiring Forced Vital Capacity (FVC), Slow Vital Capacity (SVC), Lung Volumes (FRC), and diffusing capabilities (DLCO).
• Serves as a consultant to nursing and medical staff regarding diagnostic information, patient status, and appropriate clinical application of therapies.
• Assesses inpatient oxygen requirements on Med-Surg Unit.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Hold at minimum the credentials of Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) and/or Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) by the National Board of Respiratory Care (NBRC).
• Maintain current Basic Life Support (BLS) CPR certification (ACLS, PALS preferred).
• Independently perform all respiratory procedures and document per Lawton Indian Hospital policy.

Benefits

The company offers a robust employee benefits program, management engagement, quality leadership, an atmosphere of teamwork, recognition for performance, and promotion opportunities.