Respiratory Therapist (RRT) - Southside Medical Center

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Respiratory Care Practitioner (RRT)

Job Summary:

The Respiratory Care Practitioner is responsible for providing respiratory care through patient assessment, planning, intervention, education and evaluation. Performs all respiratory care procedures including but not limited to oxygen and aerosolized medication delivery, ventilator care, bronchial hygiene therapy, diagnostic services and patient and staff education.  Monitors the patient's response to such therapies and makes recommendations to change or modify based on the assessment.

Essential Functions:

• May provide clinical instruction and/or in-service training to department staff, other healthcare team members, and students.
• Provides support to clinical learning through mentorship, clinical rounds and practice evaluation provides clinical leadership for the advancement of professional respiratory practice to staff in the intensive care, general care, and outpatient services.
• Provides feedback for coaching and performance evaluations of team members.
• Assists with identifying quality improvement initiatives and design programs that provide measurable outcomes. Leads clinical research initiatives ensuring education, training, and implementation of the study design.
• May be responsible for data collection and accurate record keeping as well as product evaluation and assessment.
• Actively participates in facility councils and committees.
• Serves as the shift “Charge Therapist” with responsibility of ensuring adequate number of respiratory care staff to cover patient care areas and needs. This may include assigning respiratory care staff to work areas and/or work assignments, modifying work assignments, assisting with meal coverage, fielding call offs and providing adequate staffing levels for the next shift.
• May assist physician performing procedures such as bronchoscopy, transtracheal catheter insertion, tracheotomy in intubation (if intubation is performed by respiratory therapy in the facility), and invasive monitoring.
• Performs CPR including closed chest compressions and airway management techniques in accordance with the AHA ACLS protocol.      
• Conducts prescribed therapeutic procedures to achieve maintenance of a patient airway, including use of appropriate airways including endotracheal tubes, nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal airways, maintenance of airway humidification, aspiration of secretions, extubation, maintenance of correct ETT cuff pressures and documents procedures in patient and department records. 
• Selects, assembles, monitors and evaluates mechanical ventilators for proper function and operation, including correction of malfunctions, cleanliness and determines appropriateness use for patient condition.
• May perform pulmonary function tests (PFT).
• Serves as a preceptor to new team members and/or students.
• Assesses patient's physical status by inspection, palpation, auscultation, percussion, patient behavior and reviewing existing data in patient's record.
• Performs treatments according to physician orders, explains therapy and therapeutic goals to patient; modifies treatment procedures based on patient response.
• Determines appropriateness of prescribed therapy and recommends methods to physician to achieve therapeutic goals including IPPB, Aerosol therapy, Postural drainage and percussion, ultrasonic nebulizer, incentive spirometry, metered dose inhalers and spacers, etc. 
• Sets up and maintains different modes of oxygen therapy, to maintain adequate PaO2’s with accurate inspired levels of oxygen.
• Administers intermittent positive pressure breathing (IPPB) or Aerosol Therapy by first preparing the prescribed medication ordered by the physician and adjusting the machine or device to accomplish patient’s individual clinical needs; document and observe patient’s vital signs, productivity of cough, relief of Dyspnea, improved breath sounds and any adverse reactions to therapy; and use judgement and technical skill to determine possible adverse reactions and suggestions for appropriateness of therapy.
• Gives postural drainage, vibration, percussion to ensure proper drainage of bronchial secretions by use of manual or mechanical percussion; check orders and X-rays for segments to be treated prior to initiating treatment; auscultation prior to and after procedure to note presence of clearance of secretions and response to therapy.
• Instructs patients and families in incentive spirometer, metered dose inhaler (MDI) administration, postural drainage and clapping, oxygen therapy, ventilator care and home aerosol therapy.
• Procurement of sputum for culture and sensitivity or airway clearance either by patient coaching, administration of mucolytics, aerosol therapy or endotracheal / nasopharyngeal suctioning.
• Evaluates normal and pathologic blood and urine laboratory value ranges.
• Performs arterial punctures and analysis; has an in-depth knowledge of analysis and arterial blood gas (ABG) interpretation. Performs arterial line procedures, takes safety precautions, sterile procedure, flushing, and ABG aspirations.
• May perform EKG’s; understands electronic monitoring, lead placement, and basic arrhythmias.
• Maintains all Respiratory Therapy equipment and supplies.
• Responds to cardio-pulmonary resuscitations and actively participates as indicated by clinical circumstances.

This document is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills, duties, requirements, or working conditions associated with the job. Employees may be required to perform other job-related duties as required by their supervisor, subject to reasonable accommodation.

Education:

• Graduate of an AMA approved school for Respiratory Care (required)
• Bachelor's Degree, Related to Respiratory Therapy/Health care/Healthcare Admin/Business Admin (preferred)
• Master's Degree, Related to Health care/Healthcare Admin/Business Admin (preferred)

Required Licensing & Certifications:

• Current Respiratory Care License in the state they are working (required)
• National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) credentialed (required)
• Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) (required)
• BLS Basic Life Support - American Heart Association (required)
• ACLS Advanced Cardiac Life Support - American Heart Association or Red Cross (required)
• PALS Pediatric Advanced Life Support - American Heart Association (required)
• NRP (Neonatal Resuscitation Program) - AAP/AWHONN (preferred)
• Certified Pulmonary Function Technologist (CPFT) (preferred)
• Registered Pulmonary Function Technologist (RPFT) (preferred)
• ACCS (Adult Critical Care Specialist) - NBRC (preferred)

Experience:

• Two years of experience as a Registered Respiratory Therapist or five years CRT; and demonstrated Clinical Competency in at least two of the following environments: Nursery/NICU, PICU, ICU/CCU, ED, and general care areas. (required)

Skills & Abilities:

• Strong interpersonal skills and able to effectively interact with patients, their families, physicians, and other staff members
• Good communication skills
• Able to effectively work with diverse people
• Good customer service skills
• Good organizational skills and time management skills
• Good oral and written communication
• Able to receive feedback
• Able to gather and interpret data
• Accountability
• Knowledge of non-invasive respiratory therapy equipment such as oximeters or end-tidal CO2 analyzers
• Therapeutic Procedures to include CPAP/BiPap, jet aerosol, oxygen therapy, incentive spirometry, chest physiotherapy, pulse oximetry, high flow oxygen, continuous aerosols, ventilator management, diagnostic testing.
• Understanding of EKGs, electronic monitoring, lead placement, and basic arrhythmias.
• Arterial blood gas punctures and testing
• Airway maneuvers
• Bedside pulmonary function
• Patient assessment
• Patient education
• Knowledge of chest suction equipment
• Knowledge of chest X-ray interpretation

Training:

• EPIC Electronic Health Record (EHR) training (preferred)