Respiratory Therapist

Provide respiratory care services that are covered under the employee's limited license to practice respiratory care.

Responsibilities

• Stores, assembles, disassembles, and maintains respiratory equipment.
• Transports gas cylinders safely.
• Sets up oxygen cylinders and assures proper usage and safety measures are in place.
• Sets up and monitors oxygen administration.

Familiar with oxygen delivery systems (i. e., nasal cannula, venturi mask).

Familiar with measuring devices to include, but not limited to, pulse oximeter, Wright respirometer, and oxygen blenders.

Responsible for the safe and effective administration of medically prescribed medication, knowing indications and contraindications.

Knows and follows the indications, contraindications, policies, and procedures for administering therapeutic modalities to include IPPB, IS, USN, HHN, and MDI.

• Administers hand-held nebulizer treatments.
• Instructs patients in the use of incentive spirometers and metered dose inhalers.
• Performs sputum inductions.
• Performs naso-tracheal suctioning.
• Familiar with CPAP and BiPAP set-up; performs subsequent applications of CPAP and BiPAP.

Responsible for the set-up, safety check, monitoring, and troubleshooting of mechanical ventilators in collaboration with a respiratory therapist.

Applies and maintains ventilators, with direct observation by preceptor until competency is validated, then independently.

• Provides manual ventilation during CPR and patient transport.
• Performs blood gas analysis.
• Performs daily/weekly preventive maintenance, calibration, and quality controls of ABG and co-oximeter analyzers.
• Performs arterial punctures and hemodynamic line draws.

Performs bedside PFT tests. May be requested to perform tests in the PFT lab following adequate training and/or orientation.

Serves as a member of the “code team” responding to arrest situations. May be expected to perform CPR (compressions). Must be certified in CPR annually.

• Maintains accurate and legible records, documenting clinical notes in patients’ charts.
• Participates in reporting patient progress and prioritizing patient condition to the next shift.
• Ensures proper documentation in department records.
• Participates in staff meetings and attends lectures, conferences, and seminars.
• Attends all required safety training programs and can describe his/her responsibilities related to general safety, department/service safety, and specific job-related hazards.
• Follows the hospital exposure control plans for bloodborne and airborne pathogens.

Demonstrates respect and regard for the dignity of all patients, families, visitors, and fellow employees to ensure a professional, responsible, and courteous environment.

Promotes effective working relations and works effectively as part of a department/unit team, inter- and intradepartmentally, to facilitate the department’s/unit’s ability to meet its goals and objectives.

Performs other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Education (experience can be substituted for education)
• High School Diploma or GED required
• Associate’s Degree in Respiratory Care required
• Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
• Working knowledge of problem solving and decision making skills.
• Working knowledge of digital literacy skills.

Outpatient Services

• Pulmonary Function test (PFT)
• Ankle Brachial Index (ABI)
• Stress test
• Home sleep study
• IN-Lab sleep study
• Electroencephalogram (EEG)
• Holter monitor
• Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG)
• Six minute walk test

Cardiac/Pulmonary Rehab

• Phase I-Initial assessment
• Phase II-individualized plan including monitored exercises
• Phase III-self-controlled long term maintenance
• Licenses and Certifications
• Kentucky Board of Respiratory Care, National Board of Respiratory Care Required
• BLS Required
• ACLS (cardiac and rehab staff) Required