Team Lead Respiratory Therapist — NICU (Day Shift; Rotates to Nights as Needed)

Under the general supervision of the Manager and Assistant Manager of Respiratory Care, the Team Lead Respiratory Therapist – NICU provides clinical and operational leadership for respiratory therapy services within the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and other designated neonatal care areas.

About the role

This position serves as the lead respiratory therapist for the assigned shift, ensuring safe, efficient, and evidence-based respiratory care delivery while maintaining departmental workflow and operational excellence. The Team Lead functions as an expert neonatal clinician, providing direct patient care to critically ill neonates and serving as a clinical resource for respiratory therapists, nursing staff, physicians, and other members of the interdisciplinary care team.

The Team Lead collaborates closely with Neonatologists, Neonatal Nurse Practitioners, NICU leadership, nursing, and ancillary departments to ensure high-quality, family-centered care while fostering a culture of teamwork, accountability, professional development, and continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

Clinical Leadership / Staff Leadership and Development

• Coordinates and oversees daily respiratory therapy operations within the NICU during the assigned shift.
• Makes and adjusts staffing assignments based on patient acuity, census, therapist competency, admissions, deliveries, and anticipated workload.
• Ensures appropriate respiratory therapy coverage for all neonatal patient care areas, including labor and delivery, neonatal transport, and high-risk deliveries.
• Regularly rounds throughout the NICU to assess patient care needs, staff workload, and operational efficiency.
• Serves as the primary clinical resource for complex neonatal respiratory care, assisting staff with critical patient situations and advanced clinical decision-making.
• Provides expert respiratory care to neonatal patients utilizing evidence-based practices.
• Serves as a mentor, coach, and clinical resource for respiratory therapy staff.
• Assists with orientation, onboarding, and competency validation of newly hired respiratory therapists.
• Collaborates with the Clinical Educator and leadership team to support staff education, ongoing competency assessment, and professional development.
• Makes staffing assignments that support competency completion and continuing education.
• Promotes accountability, professionalism, teamwork, and respectful communication among staff.
• Provides timely feedback regarding staff performance and contributes to the performance evaluation process.

Clinical Practice

• Provides comprehensive respiratory care for premature and critically ill neonates requiring advanced respiratory support, including:
  • Conventional mechanical ventilation
  • High Frequency Oscillatory Ventilation (HFOV)
  • High Frequency Jet Ventilation (HFJV)
  • CPAP and Non-Invasive Positive Pressure Ventilation (NIPPV)
  • Oxygen therapy and nitric oxide administration
  • Blood gas analysis and ventilator management
  • Airway management and emergency stabilization
  • Delivery room attendance and neonatal resuscitation
  • Surfactant administration according to organizational protocols
• Collaborates with Neonatologists and Advanced Practice Providers to develop and implement individualized respiratory care plans.
• Participates in neonatal emergency response and stabilization during high-risk deliveries.
• Demonstrates professional accountability and serves as a role model for clinical excellence.
• Maintains current knowledge of neonatal respiratory care through continuing education and professional development.
• Meets all responsibilities outlined in the Respiratory Therapist job description and performs other duties as assigned.
• Demonstrates flexibility in scheduling, including rotating shifts, weekends, holidays, on-call responsibilities, and adjustment of work hours to support departmental needs.
• Adjusts one’s schedule to meet the education needs of both dayshift and night shift.
• Must schedule oneself in the Medical/Surgical Setting/PICU/ED for 2 full shifts in each 6-week schedule block.

Operational Excellence / Quality Improvement and Patient Safety

• Assists leadership in maintaining efficient departmental workflow and resource utilization.
• Coordinates respiratory therapy support for neonatal transports and communicates staffing needs with appropriate departments.
• Assists with inventory management of neonatal respiratory equipment and supplies to ensure operational readiness.
• Identifies equipment issues and collaborates with Biomedical Engineering and department leadership to resolve concerns.
• Supports implementation of departmental initiatives designed to improve efficiency, patient safety, and clinical outcomes.
• Participates in quality improvement, patient safety, regulatory compliance, and performance improvement initiatives.
• Assists in data collection, analysis, and reporting related to neonatal respiratory outcomes and departmental quality metrics.
• Supports evidence-based practice initiatives and collaborates with leadership to maintain current respiratory care policies, procedures, and clinical protocols.
• Identifies opportunities for process improvement and assists in developing and implementing sustainable solutions.
• Participates in research activities and departmental projects as appropriate.

Requirements

• Associate Degree in Respiratory Care (Bachelor’s Degree in Respiratory Care preferred).
• 3-5 years’ experience in an acute care setting (neonatal and pediatric experience in NICU/PICU required, minimum 3 years).
• 1 year of leadership experience preferred.
• Current State of Connecticut license as Respiratory Care Practitioner.
• Credentialed as a Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) by the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC).
• Credentialed by the NBRC as a Neonatal-Pediatric Specialist (required).
• Current Basic Life Support (BLS) / CPR in adult, child & infant.
• Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) required within 6 months of hire or before staff has completed department orientation if that is longer than 6 months.
• Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) required within 6 months of hire or before staff has completed department orientation.

Skills

• Advanced knowledge of neonatal cardiopulmonary physiology and respiratory disease processes.
• Thorough understanding of evidence-based neonatal respiratory care practices.
• Knowledge of ventilator management, blood gas interpretation, and advanced respiratory support modalities.
• Ability to independently prioritize patient care in a rapidly changing critical care environment.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• High level of communication skill, including expression of abstract/complex ideas, negotiation, and active listening.
• Critical thinking skills for complex problem-solving and clinical decision-making.
• Demonstrates expert neonatal respiratory therapy clinical skills.
• Functions independently while collaborating effectively with multidisciplinary teams.
• Responds rapidly and effectively during neonatal emergencies and high-risk deliveries.
• Works safely in environments with exposure to infectious diseases, bloodborne pathogens, and body fluids.

About Us

Connecticut Children’s is the only healthcare system in Connecticut 100% dedicated to children, providing more than 30 pediatric specialties along with community-based programs.