Ther Respiratory Lead

Responsibilities

• Supervises the delivery of cardiopulmonary care in accordance with applicable policy and procedure.
• Delivers timely therapy according to physician orders.
• Ensures the effectiveness of therapy administered with assessment and reassessment and monitoring patient progress.
• Recommends change in respiratory plan of care according to medical necessity.
• Completes clinical documentation including skin assessments and worklist tasks in a timely manner with special attention to detail.
• Monitors, instructs, and coaches patient before, during and after treatment delivery.
• Prevents and/or resolves untoward side effects.
• Adjusts therapies according to protocol and documented clinical criteria.
• Makes and/or recommends changes based on pulse oximetry, peak flow measurement, chest x-ray, lab work and other data relevant to optimal patient progress.
• Determines or guides the determination of ventilator mode and settings.
• Reevaluates patient/ventilator interface a minimum of every four hours.
• Responds to alarms and troubleshoots as needed.
• Establishes weaning readiness and facilitates weaning process and documents including VAE prevention requirements each shift.
• Attends interdisciplinary rounding and communicates findings with intensivist team.
• Performs advanced diagnostic and invasive procedures such as insertion and monitoring of arterial lines, assisting with and/or performing intubations, tracheostomy tube change, bedside bronchoscopies and bedside pulmonary function testing.
• Completes clinical documentation of procedures paying close attention to detail.
• Draws and analyzes arterial blood gases; performs other point of care testing to include lactic acid, chemistry, and troponin.
• Follows all safety and regulatory guidelines in the lab, with little to no errors.
• Critical Values are reported and documented.
• Makes or recommends changes in respiratory management according to blood gas results.
• Responds to all hospital emergencies including Fire Alarms, Code Yellow, Code STEMI, Rapid Response, and Code Blue; establishes and maintains airway and performs CPR.
• Stays up to date on all equipment functions and associated precautions and hazards of all equipment used.
• Takes initiative to place work orders for any preventative maintenance or equipment malfunction.
• Demonstrates the proper procedure for obtaining, charging for, and returning medications and supplies.
• Helps to maintain adequate supply levels at assigned locations for accurate inventory control.
• Participates in daily huddles, rounding, and hospital education activities by attending in-services, and training necessary to maintain clinical competency.
• Completes computer based learning and Net competencies as scheduled.
• Makes good use of any clinical downtime in performing duties needed within the department.
• Able to work independently and may be required to assume charge responsibilities including performing shift count and making assignment for upcoming shift, paying close attention to details.
• Forecasts upcoming shift needs, monitors productivity, flexes staffing up or down during census changes.
• Assists staff to prioritize patient care during extreme workloads.
• Will provides resources and guidance to staff to support patient centered care.
• Responsible for precepting students and new hires and teaches time management skills.

Qualifications

• Required education: Associate's degree from an accredited respiratory care program
• Preferred Experience: 1 year of adult critical care experience, 1 year of Level II NICU experience
• Required Certifications: BLS, ACLS, PALS, NRP
• Required License: Florida Registered Respiratory Therapist