Respiratory Practitioner Therapy II

Built-in 1973, Dignity Health Methodist Hospital of Sacramento is committed to providing daily excellence in health care for residents of Sacramento’s southern suburbs, including the Elk Grove, Wilton, and Galt communities. Methodist Hospital is home to a 158 acute-care bed facility with 1,120 employees, 283 medical staff, and 29 Emergency Department beds. Methodist Hospital also owns and operates Bruceville Terrace – a 171-bed, sub-acute skilled nursing long-term care facility adjacent to the hospital that provides care for the elderly, as well as those requiring extended recoveries. Methodist Hospital is home to the Family Medicine Residency Program, an accredited and nationally recognized program which provides resident physicians with specialty training in primary care family medicine. Together, the hospital and residency program implemented a ground-breaking curriculum addressing the identification, treatment, and assistance of human trafficking victims and created a one-of-a-kind health clinic for victims, the Human Trafficking Medical Home.

One Community. One Mission. One California 

Position Summary:

Under general medical and supervisory direction, administers the full range of respiratory care modalities in all patient care areas.Initiates and terminates mechanical ventilation per Cardiac surgery protocol or physician orders. Operates and maintains blood gas analyzer. Provides quality respiratory care services including routine and complex diagnostic and therapeutic procedures designed to evaluate, stabilize, prevent or remedy neonatal, pediatric, adult and geriatric pulmonary abnormalities. Utilizes a multi-disciplinary plan of care, including respiratory care protocols, assesses indications, initiates appropriate therapeutic interventions and evaluates anticipated outcomes. Acts as a clinical resource person to department and hospital patient care team. Provides education to patients and their families. Willingness to work where needed in NICU, L&D, ED and ICU.

Job Duties: 

• Initiates and monitors mechanical ventilation to assure the patient is being ventilated adequately and according to protocol or the physician's written or verbal orders.
• Draws blood from arterial lines following appropriate infection control technique.
• Extubates patients as per Cardiac and ICU protocol or the physician's written or verbal orders.
• Organizes and gives a comprehensive patient report to the incoming shift.
• Approaches the physician to clarify prescribed therapy and recommends modification when indicated.
• Assesses and monitors the use of oxygen by performing pulse oximetry to verify medical need for oxygen. Recommends changes in therapy.
• Assesses breath sounds, heart rate, respiratory rate, sputum production and clinical condition of the patient before, during and after therapy administration.
• Checks physician's orders before administering therapy. Obtains appropriate orders if indicated.
• Evaluates efficacy of therapy being given and approaches the physician to recommend appropriate changes.
• Consults and discusses with the Medical Director of R.T. concerns about the management of patients receiving therapy.
• Interprets arterial blood gases correctly and makes/recommends appropriate and timely changes in ventilator settings or therapy.
• Performs daily and weekly preventive maintenance on blood gas analyzer. Informs incoming shift if unable to do so.
• Performs quality control on blood gas analyzer before it is used. Doesn't operate it if QC values are out of established limits.
• Maintains proper and timely documentation of preventive maintenance/quality control procedures.
• Fills out timecard accurately and on a daily basis.
• Documents accurately on the patient's chart and department's master all related information about therapy given.
• Entries in the medical record are to be completed accurately and in real time. Informs incoming shift or R.T. head if unable to do so.
• Assists with equipment cleaning and stocking of supplies.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Current California Respiratory Care Practitioner (RCP) license
• Completion of an American Medical Association-approved Respiratory Therapy program
• Minimum of two (2) years of experience in an acute care experience.
• One (1) year of experience in critical care
• Current Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiovascular Life Suport (ACLS) and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) certifications through the American Heart Association (AHA) are required
  • Neonatal Respiratory Program (NRP) certification is required based upon facility requirements

Preferred Qualifications:

• Current California Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) license required