Certified Respiratory Therapist
Listed compensation
$24.88-$37/hr
The week · per this posting
Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations, weekend coverage and time off.
Job Description
Where You’ll Work
Welcome to Saint Joseph Hospital, a 433-bed hospital founded in 1877 by the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth as the first hospital in Lexington, Kentucky. Led by Sister Euphrasia Stafford, the mission to provide compassionate care to the underserved is still carried out today. Saint Joseph Hospital holds over two dozen national ranks and recognitions and is recognized as a 2024 Best Place to Work in Kentucky.
Saint Joseph is part of CommonSpirit Health, a non-profit, Catholic health system dedicated to advancing health for all people. With approximately 175,000 team members and 25,000 physicians and advanced practice clinicians.
Our commitment to serve the common good is delivered through the dedicated work of thousands of physicians, advanced practice clinicians, nurses, and staff; through clinical excellence delivered across a system of 140 hospitals and more than 2,200 care centers serving 24 states.
Job Summary and Responsibilities
As a Respiratory Therapist, you will join an established team of RTs who share your passion for delivering highly specialized cardiopulmonary care to patients experiencing breathing issues. You'll be instrumental in providing a range of treatments from breathing techniques and nebulizer treatments to ventilator management, oxygen therapies, and external ventilation support. Every day you will apply your keen assessment skills and critical thinking to manage diverse patient needs, develop and execute effective care plans, and ensure calm, focused intervention in both routine and emergent situations. To be successful in this role, you will demonstrate a strong sense of urgency, unwavering calm under pressure, and the ability to anticipate outcomes. Your dedication to patient well-being and exceptional problem-solving abilities will drive success in this vital role.
Plans and administers non-medicated aerosol and humidity therapy. Plans and administers oxygen therapy (including implementation of oxygen therapy protocol where appropriate).
Plans and administers aerosolized medication and specialty gas therapy. Plans and administers COPD care program.
Performs airway management. Plans and administers incentive spirometry.
Cleans and reprocesses respiratory therapy equipment and stocks supplies for immediate use. Plans and administers bronchial hygiene and performs chest physiotherapy (including implementation of bronchial hygiene protocol where appropriate).
Performs cardiopulmonary resuscitation and manual ventilation during resuscitation attempts and aides in rapid response calls when appropriate. Collects, analyzes and reports arterial blood samples.
Operates mechanical ventilators (invasive and non-invasive) and manages ventilator settings and weaning per protocols and provider orders. Performs electrocardiography studies.
- ## Sign On Bonus up to $25,000 and Educational Assistance (Student Loan Payback) up to $24,000 for eligible hires
- Job Requirements
Required
Associates Of Science in Cardiopulmonary Services, upon hire or
Respiratory Care from an accredited respiratory therapy educational program., upon hire
Respiratory Care Practitioner: KY, upon hire and
Certified Respiratory Therapist, upon hire and
Basic Life Support - CPR, within 14 - days and
Advanced Cardiac Life Support, within 90 Days
Key Responsibilities
Provide specialized cardiopulmonary care, including aerosolized medication, oxygen and specialty gas therapies, airway management, ventilator operation and weaning, and COPD care. Assess patient needs, develop and carry out care plans, collect and report arterial blood samples, perform electrocardiography, and support resuscitation and rapid response efforts.
Requirements
Requires an associate degree in Cardiopulmonary Services or Respiratory Care from an accredited respiratory therapy program, plus a Kentucky Respiratory Care Practitioner credential and Certified Respiratory Therapist certification upon hire. Basic Life Support CPR is required within 14 days, and Advanced Cardiac Life Support is required within 90 days.
Qualifications
- Experience
- 2+ years of experience
Certifications
Key Skills
Respiratory Therapy Career Context
Of the 40 active Respiratory Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 3% are remote, 63% have no call, 63% require no weekends.
The cost-of-living index for Kentucky is 90.2 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$64k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $71k in an average-cost state. 61.6% of Kentucky clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).
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