Respiratory Therapist RRT - 15K Sign-On Bonus!

Respiratory Therapists function in a physician-supervised environment following the American Association For Respiratory Care Clinical Practice Guidelines (AARC CPG) and established departmental standards. They provide critical care service to all patient age groups.

Job Relationships

Reports to the Technical Manager of Respiratory Therapy (or designee). Interacts with other healthcare professionals to plan, provide, monitor, and evaluate respiratory care services for patients.

Authority

Has the authority to provide all facets of critical care respiratory therapy based on patient assessment within hospital and department policies, as well as AARC CPG. In emergencies, the therapist will initiate appropriate protocols, notify the responsible physician and nurse, and remain with the patient until relieved.

Responsibilities

• Provides superior customer service to internal and external clients, customers, and patients.
• Reviews medical records, including physicians' orders, for completeness, indications, and contraindications prior to administering therapies or medications in accordance with AARC CPG.
• Conducts clinical patient assessments, including cardiac, pulmonary, and neurologic status, following AARC CPG for the ordered therapy.
• Assembles and confirms equipment functionality per manufacturers' specifications and departmental standards.
• Monitors equipment during use and applies corrective actions if malfunctions occur.
• Administers ordered therapy while clinically monitoring the patient for outcomes, hazards, or complications.
• Maintains, monitors, measures, and adjusts mechanical ventilators to ensure proper function and therapeutic effectiveness.
• Performs routine oxygen, aerosol, and emergent airway management, chest physiotherapy, postural drainage, and sputum induction to maintain patient airways.
• Performs regular assessments of patients and ventilator systems in accordance with AARC CPG and departmental standards.
• Documents patient assessments, therapies, responses, and complications in the medical record.
• Provides emergency response for cardiopulmonary arrest, respiratory emergencies, and hospital disasters.
• Delivers basic life support, including airway maintenance, cardiac compression, and manual ventilation techniques.
• Maintains AHA BLS certification annually.
• Assists in developing and implementing multidisciplinary patient care plans.
• Documents patient responses to ongoing care and participates in care reevaluation.
• Participates in the pulmonary rehabilitation of difficult-to-wean patients.
• Performs routine care, cleaning, disinfecting, and maintenance of departmental equipment.
• Documents equipment malfunctions and alerts supervisors.
• Assists in maintaining stock levels and notifying supervisors for replenishment.
• Measures pulmonary function, gas exchange, respiratory rate, tidal and minute ventilation, and other respiratory parameters using appropriate instrumentation.
• Calibrates and maintains pulmonary function and other departmental equipment.
• Assists in bronchoscopies, sleep studies, bronchial provocation, and exercise testing with appropriate training.
• Maintains departmental documentation, including patient charting, therapy records, quality assurance, and patient charges.
• Assists in developing, implementing, and maintaining departmental quality assurance programs and audits.
• Enhances professional growth through in-service meetings, educational programs, and current literature.
• Reports patient conditions, therapies, goals, and responses on a shift-to-shift basis.
• Reports adverse reactions to pharmaceuticals or therapies and hospital variance notifications.

Accountability

• Maintains confidentiality and security of all hospital, medical staff, and patient data.
• Abides by all hospital and department policies and procedures.
• Accurately measures and calculates pulmonary parameters.
• Demonstrates knowledge of critical care respiratory therapy and AARC CPG.

Qualifications

• Minimum Experience: Will consider applicants with less than one year of respiratory therapy experience.
• Skills/Abilities: Interpersonal and communication skills sufficient to explain respiratory therapy procedures to patients.
• Certification/Licensure: RRT License in respiratory therapy by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Certified in Basic Life Support (BLS) by the AHA or Red Cross; Advanced Life Support (ALS) certification preferred.
• Training: Must obtain sufficient annual Continuing Education to maintain licensure.

Pay

Compensation range: $39.04 - $58.00 per hour. This range is based on minimum job qualifications, with actual offers considering education, experience, and licensure/certifications. Benefits include medical, dental, vision, pharmacy, Flexible Spending Accounts, 403(b) savings matches, earned time cash out, paid time off, career advancement opportunities, and resources for employee and family wellbeing.