Respiratory Care Practitioner II - 12 Hour (0.75 - 60 Hours Per Pay Period) at AHMC Healthcare

This position is responsible for providing diagnostic and therapeutic procedures as defined by departmental policies and procedures for neonatal through geriatric patients. Responsibilities include general respiratory patient cart, emergency care, critical care, patient assessment, and patient plans of care, patient/family education and patient/family discharge instruction. This position also requires utilization of advanced practitioner skills to intervene in complex patient care situations. The Respiratory Care Practitioner assists in the development of policies and procedures, patient protocols, education/coaching of nursing, support personnel, patients, caregivers and participates in multidisciplinary patient care conferences and performance improvement activities.

• Administers general respiratory care to patients as appropriate and medically necessary and per physicians’ orders:
  • All modes of aerosolized bronchodilators and medications.
  • Volume expansion therapy (Incentive Spirometry, PEP therapy, IPPB).
  • Oxygen and bland aerosol therapy.
  • Pulse Oximetry.
  • Simple sleep study.
  • Arterial puncture for blood gas analysis.
  • Bedside pulmonary function.
• Provides patient/family education:
  • During admission and documents on plan of care.
  • Before discharge, provides discharge instruction and documents on the discharge instruction form.
• Assesses patients continuously for appropriateness and medical necessity of all therapy and documents accordingly:
  • Communicates with physicians when therapy orders need to be changed.
  • Turns MDI’s over to Nursing Services when patient demonstrates self-administration competency.
• Manages and maintains mechanical ventilation and non-invasive ventilation:
  • Interprets arterial blood gas analysis and responds appropriately in terms of making ventilation/oxygenation parameter changes.
  • Manages, interprets capnography/capnometry and responds appropriately in terms of making ventilation parameter changes.
  • Manages artificial airways.
  • Extubates tracheally intubated patients.
• Performs special procedures as required to meet the needs of the department:
  • Performs Bronchoscopy assistance.
  • Intra-tracheal intubation (Emergent).
  • Indirect calorimetry (Metabolic study)
• Documents concisely in medical records:
  • Medication administration appropriately.
  • Plans of Care are started and updated.
  • Education records are addressed.
  • Discharge instructions are documented.
  • Treatment forms are completed for each treatment entry.
  • Continuous therapy forms (Oxygen rounds) are completed correctly.
  • Ventilator flow sheets are completely filled out.
• Adhere to medication management policy:
  • Physicians’ orders are verified and signed off.
  • Verify that pharmacist has reviewed the order and check box on respiratory treatment form  RPh OK’d.
  • Verify patient identification prior to medication administration.
  • Adhere to medication administration times unless ordered otherwise by a physician.
  • Adhere to the storage and dispensing of respiratory medications on patient care units.
• Follows written and oral instruction.
• Works closely and compatibly and is respectful towards:
  • Fellow respiratory therapists.
  • Patients and their families.
  • Medical staff.
  • Nursing services.
  • Other ancillary staff.
• Performs all tasks of the position in a satisfactory manner.
• Possesses good time management skills.
• Can complete assignment and maintain quality care.
• Uses the following Policy and Procedure manuals as a reference:
  • Respiratory Services.
  •  
  • Human Resources.
  • Infection Control.
  • Environment of Care.
  • Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS).
  • Code Blue.
• Adheres to the American Association of Respiratory Care Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice for Respiratory Care.

EDUCATION:                                      

• Associate Degree in Respiratory Care from an accredited program.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Science is preferred.

CERTIFICATIONS/LICENSURE:

• Certificate of Completion from a 2-year accredited Respiratory Care Program.
• Registered as a Respiratory Care Practitioner with the National Board of Respiratory Care.
• Current BLS (Basic Life Support – BLS) certification with the American Heart Association (AHA).
• Certified in Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) with the American Heart Association
• Certified in Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP)
• Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) are preferred.

OTHER SKILLS, ABILITIES & KNOWLEDGE:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Positive interpersonal skills.
• Computer literacy.
• Legible handwriting.
• Substantial knowledge of:
  • Electronic and mechanical monitoring equipment as normally used relative to respiratory care.
  • Operating principles of the more commonly used ventilators and respiratory care equipment and specialized equipment.
  • Cardiopulmonary physiology, pulmonary function (along with its equipment and testing), and the physics and chemistry of gases.
  • Diseases, symptoms and pathophysiology common to patients with pulmonary disease.
  • Respiratory assessment and evaluation.
• Must have basic computer skills.