Respiratory Therapist - PRN Status - Bronson Battle Creek

Love where you work! Team Bronson is compassionate, resilient, and strong. We are driven by positivity, inspiring us to go above and beyond for our patients, one another, and our community.

About the role

Under general supervision from the Respiratory Manager and/or Director, this role functions routinely in patient care areas of the hospital. The respiratory therapist follows provider prescriptions and/or established policies and procedures to initiate and administer respiratory care to patients with cardiopulmonary abnormalities and deficiencies. Serves as a knowledge resource to providers, nurses, and other hospital team members regarding advanced respiratory diagnosis and rehabilitation.

Work involves levels of mental and visual fatigue typical of jobs with frequent, significant, and uncontrollable deadlines. The role includes considerable standing or walking, regular lifting of light-weight objects (up to 50 pounds), and assisting with heavier tasks such as lifting and moving patients. Occasionally requires stooping, crouching, kneeling, and quick movement to gather equipment and respond to emergencies. Minor straining or fatiguing positions may be necessary.

Responsibilities

• Supports the mission, vision, and values of the hospital while working safely and protecting staff, patients, and self from environmental hazards.
• Provides respiratory therapy and communicates findings to appropriate personnel.
• Evaluates objective and subjective patient information logically and thoroughly, discussing conclusions with providers and nurses to resolve issues promptly.
• Evaluates blood gases (invasive and non-invasive) and suggests therapy changes based on results.
• Communicates ventilator recommendations to providers and nursing based on patient evaluation and blood gases.
• Ensures provider orders are complete and administers therapy accordingly.
• Performs all respiratory therapies (age-specific) in accordance with provider orders, protocols, or guidelines.
• Explains therapy to patients in understandable terms based on age and learning capabilities.
• Assesses patient response to therapy and makes recommendations to providers or adjusts therapy per protocol.
• Administers, assesses, and titrates oxygen therapy, modifying it according to respiratory protocols.
• Notifies Manager, nursing personnel, and providers of adverse patient reactions.
• Performs cardiopulmonary resuscitation and assists with "Code Blue" as necessary, following BLS, ACLS, NRP, and PALS guidelines.
• Assists with or performs tracheal intubation if competency is complete.
• Maintains artificial airways (endotracheal and tracheostomy tubes) per department policy, including suctioning and securing tubes.
• Ensures stability and security of artificial airways, repositioning endotracheal tubes as needed.
• Utilizes infant and pediatric resuscitation equipment appropriately in emergencies.
• Provides patient and family education alongside other healthcare team members.
• Performs basic pulmonary function testing, EKGs, arterial blood gases, pulse oximetry, end-tidal CO2 monitoring, and transcutaneous oximetry per department policies.
• Assists with bedside bronchoscopies, intubations, and extubations per department policies.
• Performs naso-tracheal, endo-tracheal, and tracheal suctioning, as well as sample collections per department policies.
• Assists with patient transport via walking, wheelchair, gurney, or crib for safe delivery of care, including ambulance transports between facilities.
• Accurately communicates patient diagnosis and therapy during shift change reports.
• Accurately charges patients for all therapies performed.
• Supervises and instructs Respiratory Care students, completing required preceptor training.
• Works flexibly in response to fluctuations in patient census and department needs, including overtime and shift changes.
• Maintains and cleans respiratory equipment to ensure readiness and supply availability.
• Orients and instructs new personnel, nursing staff, students, and other respiratory personnel in Respiratory Care procedures.
• Attends in-services, online learning, and meets minimal education requirements without prompting.
• Participates in departmental and hospital-wide process improvement activities.
• Actively engages in quality assurance and organizational performance improvement initiatives.

Requirements

• Associate’s degree in Respiratory Therapy (AS) required; Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• Current Respiratory Therapist license in the State of Michigan required.
• For hires after 2004, Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credentials required within 1 year of hire.
• Completion of an accredited Respiratory Therapy program (certificate, diploma, AS degree) and 5 years of experience (Bachelor’s preferred).
• Certifications required: BLS within 3 months of hire; ACLS, PALS, and NRP within 1 year of hire (site-specific).

Schedule

Part-time, variable shift with scheduled weekly hours of 10.