RESPIRATORY THERAPIST - INPATIENT

Responsibilities

• Performs comprehensive patient assessments to determine appropriate respiratory care interventions.
• Administers respiratory therapies such as oxygen therapy, aerosol therapy, humidification therapy, aerosolized medications, airway clearing techniques, and lung expansion procedures.
• Sets up, operates, monitors, and troubleshoots respiratory care equipment.
• Initiates, manages, and monitors invasive and noninvasive mechanical ventilation.
• Participates in ventilator weaning, spontaneous breathing trials, and extubation readiness assessments.
• Assists with airway management, including intubation, extubation, suctioning, tracheostomy care, and emergency airway support.
• Participates in emergency responses for Code Blue, Rapid Response, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
• Monitors patient response to therapy, reports changes in patient condition to healthcare team and modifies treatment plans in accordance with physician orders, clinical protocols, and evidence-based guidelines.
• Performs respiratory care in multiple hospital units, including Multi-Service Unit, Intensive Care Unit, Emergency Department, Obstetrical Unit, Surgical Unit, and potentially outpatient clinics or units.
• Performs arterial puncture, analyzes blood gas specimens and interprets arterial blood gases.
• Obtains and/or induces sputum specimens for clinical laboratory analysis.
• Performs, administers, and evaluates electrocardiogram diagnostic studies, pulse oximetry diagnostic studies, and capnography.
• May perform other diagnostic and monitoring as needed.
• Provides education and clinical support to patients and families about pulmonary illness, disease management, medication management, home equipment/supply use, and respiratory therapies.
• Assesses patient understanding, learning readiness, and health literacy, and adapts education accordingly.
• Performs maintenance, calibration, assembly, quality control of respiratory therapy equipment, cardiopulmonary diagnostic equipment, pulmonary function diagnostic and blood gas diagnostic equipment.
• Ensures proper cleaning, disinfection, maintenance and safe operation of respiratory equipment, completes repair requisition to Healthcare Technology Services for malfunctioning equipment.
• Complies with infection control, safety practices, licensing standards, accreditation and regulatory standards (CMS, CAP, State Licensing boards).
• Maintains patient confidentiality and complies with HIPAA regulations.
• Verifies current and appropriate medical provider orders, if necessary, contacts supervisor.
• Participates fully in quality assurance and performance improvement process and contributes to department goals.
• Participates in interdisciplinary care planning and patient rounds.
• Acts as consultant to the providers and healthcare team regarding respiratory care practices.
• Collaborates with providers, nurses, and interdisciplinary healthcare team to optimize the delivery of patient care.
• Maintains and demonstrates competency in required respiratory care skills, respiratory equipment and blood gas laboratory operations.
• Participates and completes required department and hospital training.
• Assists with training and orientation of new employees.
• Provides continuing education to hospital clinical staff on current and new developments in respiratory care.
• Maintains accurate and timely documentation of all patient encounters, assessments, treatments and patient responses in the electronic health record.
• Receives consults and orders from medical providers related to respiratory care services.
• Utilizes computers, printer, scanner, software and other applications to perform front office procedures.
• Assists with inventory control, ensures uninterrupted supply of necessary supplies and accessories.
• Participates in the development and revision of department protocols, policies and procedures.
• Attends department and hospital meetings.
• May be required to work in an outpatient setting as needed.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Experience: Two (2) years clinical respiratory therapy experience.
• Education: Associate’s Degree in Respiratory Therapy, accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC).
• Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) credential from the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC).
• Active and unrestricted Respiratory Care Practitioner State License, any U.S. State.
• Current American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS) Certification, maintain valid certification.
• Current American Heart Association Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) Certification,