Respiratory Therapist

Job Description

Job Summary:

• Perform respiratory procedures under physician direction in all patient areas.
• Responsible for patient assessments, care plans, plan implementation and evaluation and revision of therapy plan as needed.
• Collaborates with other professional disciplines to ensure the most effective and efficient care delivery and achievement of desired patient outcomes.
• Utilizes knowledge of patient’s age and cultural diversity in the provision of patient care.
• Supports the organization vision and mission and practices performance improvement techniques to assure the delivery of the most effective patient care.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Delivers respiratory care procedures to patients in general, acute, critical care and emergency areas according to departmental policies and procedures.
• Performs therapeutic modalities including patient monitoring, medication delivery, ventilation management,expansion therapy, and bronchial hygiene.
• Performs diagnostic testing including ABG’s, PFT’s, EKG’s, cardiac, bronchoscopy, and pulse oximetry.
• Assists in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and emergency care by providing airway maintenance and management,cardiac support and other assistance as needed to expedite patient and physician needs.
• Responds to patient needs in a timely, effective manner.
• Provides patient and family education and teaching.
• Transports patients within the hospital or between facilities.
• Ability to provide on-call coverage outside of standard scheduled hours per department and/or facility policy.
• Develops care plan from thorough assessment via protocol criteria or directed physician order.
• Documents all patient care activities including evaluations, progress notes and detailed treatment records per standards of practice, legal requirements and regulatory/third party payer requirements.
• Documents ongoing status, interventions, patient response and outcomes to correctly capture billing charges.
• Coordinates and communicates effectively to all patients, families, staff, physicians, and other customers concerning respiratory therapy services by direct verbal and/or written communication respecting confidentiality at all times.
• Technical and interpersonal problem solving.
• Determines the proper function of all equipment used and make interventions as needed.
• Anticipates, recognizes and assists others in identifying patient complications and reactions related to respiratory care.
• Demonstrates effective time management and is proactive in prioritizing workload and meeting productivity requirements.
• Adapts to rapidly changing technologies, policies, regulations, census and staffing through priority setting and flexibility.
• Participates in personal, professional and program development by attending department in-services, meetings and by sharing professional expertise to enhance quality of professional services and staff development.
• Assists in training respiratory therapy staff, students and other hospital personnel.
• Acts as a resource for new staff members and co-workers by sharing information and providing education.

Education and Experience:

• High School GED is required.
• Trade/Technical School completion of accredited Respiratory Therapy Education Program, i.e. CoARC, JRCRTE, or CAAHEP required.
• Associate Degree preferred. 1 year of respiratory therapy experience, preferred.
• Prior use of electronic medical records (EMR), preferred.

License/Certifications Requirement:

• Must have current state Licensure (RLT) in applicable state of employment.
• Must have CRT by NBRC. American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS), and Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP).

Float Requirements:

• Floating may be required to any Client location within sixty (60) miles of the original assignment location or Client-identified “float zone”.
• Float assignments may include duties outside of original assignment job requirements (including skill set) in accordance with Client policy.