Respiratory Therapist, Nights

OVERVIEW
This job involves caring for patients with breathing and lung problems by providing oxygen, medications, and breathing treatments. The respiratory therapist also manages ventilators, responds to emergencies, educates patients and families, maintains equipment, and documents patient care.

SCHEDULE: Full Time, 12 hours

SHIFT: Nights

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES   

• Performs routine therapies that aid in the treatment, diagnosis, and evaluation of their cardiopulmonary status.  

• Will Initiate, monitor, evaluate, and wean invasive and non-invasive ventilation. Makes parameter recommendations based on clinical assessment, technical assessment, patient compliance, patient response,laboratory values, and patient status. 

• Initiates and provides on-going evaluation of treatment regime including medication delivery and oxygen administration through therapist driven protocols by performing patient assessments to determine the needsrelated to treatment therapies, frequencies, and duration of treatment regime ordered by physician. 

• Assesses patients clinically before and after the administration or application of any medication, procedure, ordevice; recommends appropriate therapy including initial therapy, changes in therapy, and discontinuation. 

• Monitors, assesses, educates, and documents the patient and/or family on therapies, medications, goals of therapies, and equipment during treatment. 

• Documents work timely, completely, and accurately including documentation in thepatient electronic medical record and departmental records. 

• Demonstrates competence in the set-up, calibration, and troubleshooting of mechanical ventilators, noninvasive ventilation devices, therapeutic bronchoscopies and pulmonary function screens.  

• Cleans using high level disinfection, assembles, and maintains equipment and thestocking of departmental supplies. 

• Performs and documents emergency rounds, oxygen saturation checks, and titrates oxygen per protocol duringoxygen and aerosol rounds. 

• Performs therapies in strict compliance to universal precautions and proper body mechanics, using soundjudgment in evaluating situations, and taking appropriate action when necessary. 

• Responds to emergent care situations in the hospital and assists with resuscitation by providing chestcompressions, airway management, airway stabilization, and ventilatory support in accordance with theAmerican Heart association guidelines and as directed by the Code Team Leader. 

• Transports adult patients on mechanical ventilators, non-invasive ventilation devices, and critically ill to intrahospitalprocedures and testing. 

• Provides developmentally appropriate care to support the various patient populations during their hospitalization. Demonstrates competence in the care of pediatric and adult patients (when/if assigned to these patients) relativeto determining each patient’s age related and other physical, psycho-social, and cultural needs. 

• Maintains proficiency in the processing and interpreting of point of care (POC) blood gases, glucose, and electrolytes; and collaborates on quality control with the POC Coordinator(at applicable locations only). 

• May require on call coverage as needed. 

• Performs other duties as assigned.   

EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE   

Graduate of an accredited Respiratory Care Program