As our Respiratory Therapist, you will be a vital member of our healthcare team, providing life-sustaining and life-enhancing respiratory care to patients with acute and chronic cardiopulmonary conditions across various clinical settings.
Every day you will assess patient respiratory function, administer therapeutic treatments such as oxygen therapy, nebulizer treatments, and mechanical ventilation, and educate patients and families on respiratory health. You will be expected to rapidly respond to emergencies, collaborate with physicians and nurses, perform diagnostic procedures, and ensure optimal respiratory outcomes for our diverse patient population.
To be successful in this role, you must possess advanced clinical competency in respiratory care, critical thinking skills for dynamic patient needs, and an unwavering commitment to patient safety and evidence-based practice.
- Patient Satisfaction: Is a role model for the Hospital's Patient Satisfaction effort, i.e. demonstrates AIDET principles when interacting with customers, subordinates and colleagues.
- Respiratory Care Knowledge and Skills: Demonstrates knowledge of department policy and procedure. Demonstrates knowledge regarding pulmonary disease processes and appropriate respiratory care interventions. Demonstrates knowledge of applicable ventilator modalities and applications. Demonstrates knowledge of respiratory pharmacology, including recommended dosing, indications, and contraindications of each drug. Verifies physician order and reviews patient clinical record prior to initiation of procedure/therapy. Provides safe and effective administration of breathing treatments (MDI, Med Neb, IPPB). Provides advanced aerosol medication delivery through high dose nebulized medication delivery systems (Spag/Virasol, Cont Med Neb, Pentamidine). Provides safe and effective administration of postural drainage in conjunction with chest physiotherapy. Provides for effective high humidification therapy, including heated and cool aerosol therapy, and pediatric tents. Provides for safe and effective clearance of pharyngeal and tracheal secretions through oropharyngeal, orotracheal,, nasopharyngeal, and nasotracheal suctioning. Provides safe and effective therapeutic oxygen administration. Provides safe technique in care and replacement of tracheostomy tubes. Provides safe and effective emergency airway management, including endotracheal intubation and extubation. Provides safe and effective monitoring and management of patients on mechanical ventilation under the supervision of the responsible physician. Provides for interventions and management of the neonate immediately following delivery, including initial resuscitation, assessment, oxygen therapy and airway management. Safely inserts and maintains oral and nasopharyngeal airways. Demonstrates proper function and use of all equipment used, as well as potential hazards and age-appropriate safety precautions. Processes respiratory care equipment for use according to departmental policies. Maintains appropriate respiratory care supplies in all patient care areas to ensure accessibility at all times.
- Pulmonary Diagnostics: Performs blood gas analysis. Safely performs arterial puncture for blood gas analysis. Safely performs sampling from arterial line for blood gas analysis. Safely performs capillary puncture for blood gas analysis. Performs transcutaneous O2/CO2 monitoring. Performs EKG testing. Performs pulmonary function testing for simple spirometry. Assists physicians in the performance of bronchos-copies, including set-up, specimen acquisition and preparation and post procedure monitoring of patient. Off Campus RCP: Demonstrates prompt response to scheduled Arterial Blood Gas (ABG) requests/physician orders from Out-Reach Facilities. Demonstrates knowledge and ability to perform ABG draw and analysis (within required 60 minutes post draw). Transports lab supplies, requisitions, forms, etc. to Out-Reach Facility and returns lab specimen to SBMC for analysis.
- Assessment: Performs and documents clinical assessment of the patient before and after all therapeutic treatments, communicating significant changes with the patient's physician and RN. Assesses patient's respiratory and ventilatory status through monitoring and interpretation of arterial blood gas results. Performs detailed respiratory assessment, including breath sounds, chest configuration and excursion, use of accessory muscles, sensorium, respiratory/oxygenation status, and circulatory status. Makes appropriate interventions and/or recommendations for therapeutics based on findings.
- Patient/Family Teaching: Independently assesses age-specific patient learning needs and seeks assistance in identifying/meeting learning needs of patients and families specific to management of chronic pulmonary disorders. Patient family education is to include disease management, proper use of medication and administration devices, oxygen and related equipment and accurate documentation. Identifies complex learning needs of patients and families specific to individual disease management. Incorporates teaching into the plan of care and performs the teaching during routine patient therapeutics and care. Functions as a resource in assisting others to identify learning needs and teaching strategies for patient, family and/or significant other. Determines specific learning needs associated with individual disease management and teaches others involved in the care of the patient and family. Practices age sensitive awareness when communicating with patients or customers of various age groups.
