Respiratory Therapist-NeoPeds Transport Team

Responsibilities

• Assess patients and provides interventions according to AirCare, PALS and NRP protocols in an emergent situation or after consultation with medical control and/or referring physician.
• Consults with medical control.
• Exercises independent judgment in situations when sudden clinical changes occur.
• Implements necessary interventions and understands the expected outcomes.
• Collaborates with other team members in the planning and provision of optimal patient care during the transport process including appropriate bed placement.
• Understands the age specific patient needs regarding their growth and development process.
• Applies analytical and critical thinking skills in interpreting patient labs, CXR, other radiologic studies, and overall patient assessment.
• Documents care during transport including all demographics, vital signs assessments, procedures, medications administered, pertinent history and physical exam, provisional diagnosis, plan, and orders for care along with response to any interventions provided.
• Maintains competency in the performance of designated medical procedures required during transport:
• Airway and ventilator management
• Respiratory and cardiac arrest management
• Cardiac rhythm monitoring, interpretation, and management
• Endotracheal intubation
• Needle decompression
• Intraosseous needle insertion
• Interpretation of X-ray reports
• Calculation, preparation, and initiation of drug therapy
• Umbilical venous catheterization
• Point of Care blood analysis testing
• Serves as a resource for neonatal and pediatric patient care units by utilizing clinical expertise and knowledge.
• Effectively communicates with parents and families throughout the transport process.
• Responds to air or ground transport requests.
• Completes medical record charting according to department procedures.
• Implements and provides mechanical ventilation:
• Provides detailed job responsibilities - sets up and checks out ventilators for stand-by according to department procedure.
• Consults with physicians to implement appropriate initial ventilator settings.
• Performs complete ventilator checks.
• Demonstrates an understanding of all modes of ventilation used at UI Health Care.
• Demonstrates ability to troubleshoot all ventilators and circuitry used in areas of assignment.
• Provides in-line drug therapy.
• Provides safe in-house transport of ventilated patients.
• CPAP & BiPAP Management:
• Implements and provides all forms of CPAP & BiPAP.
• Sets up and processes supplies for CPAP, BiPAP, and NPCPAP and nasal pharyngeal circuit systems according to department policy.
• Demonstrates an understanding of all CPAP/BiPAP therapy and its intended use.
• Demonstrates ability to troubleshoot systems.
• Delivers Medical Gas Therapy:
• Sets up, delivers, and assesses therapeutic value of oxygen, nitric oxide, and other medical gasses according to department procedures.
• Troubleshoots medical gas delivery systems according to department policies.
• Safe Delivery of Medicated Aerosol & General Therapies:
• Provides medicated aerosol and general therapies including Ribavirin therapy to patients according to department procedures.
• Assesses the appropriate delivery method of inhaled medications and recommends the use of metered dose inhalers, as indicated.
• Pulmonary Hygiene:
• Provides comprehensive chest physical therapy.
• Blood Gas Sampling & Analysis:
• Demonstrates acceptable technique in drawing venous, capillary, and arterial blood gases.
• Operates the blood gas analyzers according to manufacturer's directions.
• Demonstrates ability to calculate AVDO2 using monitor and calculator.
• Non-Invasive Monitoring:
• Sets up, operates, and troubleshoots Oximeters and Capnometers.
• Safety:
• Conducts equipment checks (including ambulance), quality control documentation, restocking and cleaning of supplies post transport.
• Regularly attends safety briefings and staff and other applicable meetings.
• Provides a safe environment while maximizing clinical expertise during inter-facility transports.
• Ensures regularly scheduled maintenance of equipment.
• Complies with universal precautions.
• Complies with infection control procedures.
• Other responsibilities as assigned.

  Qualifications

  • Graduate of a two- or four-year AMA approved Respiratory Therapy program, or completion of the requirements to become registered by the National Board for Respiratory Care.
  • Current State of Iowa Respiratory Care Practitioner license.
  • PALS Certification.
  • Current CPR certification.
  • Completion of Certified Neonatal Pediatric Transport (C-NPT) Specialty certification within two years of hire or completion of RRT-Neonatal/Pediatric Specialty (NPS) credential within two years of participating on transport team.
  • Obtain registry from the National Board for Respiratory Care within six (6) months of date of hire.
  • Greater than 3 years of recent NICU, Level III Nursery, Neonatal/Pediatric transport, or PICU experience within the last six months is required.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills are required.