Respiratory Therapist, Full Time Nights

About the Facility

Kindred Hospital Louisville is a 123-bed long-term acute care hospital offering the same in-depth care you would receive in a traditional hospital, but for an extended recovery period. The facility includes 16 Special Care Unit beds and 4 negative pressure rooms. We partner with your physician and provide 24-hour clinical care, 7 days a week. Located in the Original Highlands neighborhood, we are a short drive from downtown, Cherokee Park, and numerous boutique shops and restaurants.

Responsibilities

• Administer safe and competent respiratory care as ordered per physician, including monitoring mechanical ventilation, administering medications, and patient assessment.
• Understand ramifications of hemodynamic monitoring and blood work results.
• Deliver Respiratory Care procedures in all hospital areas as outlined in policies, procedures, and protocols.
• Maintain accurate and complete documentation and charge capture of all Respiratory Care procedures.
• Develop, document, and maintain respiratory care elements of the patient plan of care.
• Verify and initiate all physician orders for Respiratory Care.
• Demonstrate competency and working knowledge of all Respiratory Care instruments and equipment, including troubleshooting, problem resolution, and proper disinfection/sterilization.
• Initiate, monitor, and maintain oxygen/aerosol delivery devices, non-invasive and invasive mechanical ventilation devices.
• Perform effective airway management, including oral/nasal airway placement, bag/mask ventilation, intubation and/or intubation assistance, and tracheostomy tube changes (emergent and scheduled).
• Demonstrate safe and appropriate suction techniques and use of artificial airways.
• Initiate and perform CPR.
• Perform tracheostomy, endotracheal tube, and oral care.
• Implement one-way speaking valve trials per physician order.
• Assist physicians with diagnostic and therapeutic bronchoscopy procedures.
• Complete initial and ongoing decannulation risk assessments with appropriate interventions and documentation.
• Perform and document timely Spontaneous Breathing Trial assessments for weaning readiness.
• Initiate and advance mechanical ventilator weaning per protocol.
• Actively participate in the multidisciplinary early patient mobility program.
• Perform pulse oximetry and carbon dioxide gas monitoring.
• Perform arterial blood gas (ABG) sampling and analysis, including ongoing ABG analyzer quality control and maintenance.
• Perform and document patient and family teaching/education.
• Provide and receive accurate and complete patient handoff reports.
• Participate in department/hospital in-services, meetings, and patient care rounds.
• Notify immediate supervisor of changes in workload and patient acuity.
• Provide timely and accurate updates to healthcare team members and make recommendations for modification to patient therapy as clinically indicated.
• Assist in orientation and training of new employees/students and precept new employees during orientation.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Ability to work under stress and respond quickly in emergency situations.
• Utilize appropriate interpersonal communication skills when interacting with all healthcare team members, patients, and their families.
• Understand principles of lifespan growth and development with the ability to provide care appropriate for the adult and geriatric patient population.
• Ability to work cooperatively as a member of a team.
• Good and regular attendance.
• Must read, write, and speak fluent English.

Qualifications

• Postsecondary (Cert/Diploma/Program Grad) or Associate’s Degree from an accredited respiratory therapy program (Required).
• Licensed Respiratory Care Practitioner (RCP) or comparable certification in the state of practice (Required upon hire).
• Certified Radiologic Technologist (CRT) or Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credential (Preferred upon hire).
• Basic Life Support (BCLS) certification (Required upon hire or within facility-specified time frame).
• Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certification (Required upon hire or within facility-specified time frame).
• 1+ years of related experience (Preferred).