Respiratory Therapist II - Tucson Medical Center

SUMMARY:

Under the supervision of the Respiratory Care Services Medical Director and Department Manager, the Respiratory Therapist II is responsible for providing respiratory care in accordance with physician orders, department policy and therapist driven protocols. The Respiratory Therapist II will assess, evaluate and administer respiratory care and life support to patients with deficiencies and abnormalities of the cardiopulmonary system in adult/pediatric general floor, adult/pediatric/neonatal intensive care, adult/pediatric emergency department, and all other care areas in the hospital. The Respiratory Therapist II will also complete preceptor training and work under the direction of the department educator to train and mentor new and existing staff members.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS :

Coordinate and manage respiratory care to ensure that patient’s needs are met and hospital policy is followed

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the differences in technique and treatment modalities as performed on all age-specific groups including neonate, pediatric, adolescent, adult and geriatric patient populations

Document all pertinent data in the medical record before, during and after patient interventions

Maintain a thorough knowledge of electronic health record, departmental forms, flow charts, logbooks and their proper usage

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of various methods of oxygen delivery, oxygen concentrations and flows for all age-specific groups including neonate, pediatric, adolescent, adult and geriatric patient populations

Administer inhaled medications through a variety of modalities and evaluate patient response to therapy

Perform arterial blood gas puncture, analysis and interpretation on neonate, pediatric and adult patients

Respond to airway emergencies, rapid response and cardiac arrest calls in all areas of the hospital

Initiate and manage mechanical ventilation along with associated critical care duties for all age-specific groups including neonate, pediatric, adolescent, adult and geriatric patient populations

Assist in bedside therapeutic bronchoscopy procedures in the pediatric and adult intensive care units

Manage, operate, clean and test equipment safely and correctly as outlined in hospital policy

Administer skin test antigens and measure response

Develop a plan of care and provide education on disease management to pediatric and adult patients and their families

Participate in daily interdisciplinary patient rounds with physicians, registered nurses, and allied health professionals

Attend department meetings, huddles, and education opportunities to maintain professional competency

Participate in performance and process improvement activities and provide feedback

Adhere to all organizational and departmental policies pertaining to safety, confidentiality, and standard of care

Performs related duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

EDUCATION: Associate degree from a CoARC accredited Respiratory Care Program required.  Additional relevant experience may substitute for lack of education upon Supervisory and HR approval.

EXPERIENCE: Associate Degree and one (1) year of experience delivering advanced respiratory care services to adult patient populations.

LICENSURE OR CERTIFICATION: Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credential from the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) and current Arizona License to Practice Respiratory Care required.  Current American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS), Advance Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS), and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) certifications required. Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NPR) preferred.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Function as a highly-skilled member of an interdisciplinary team with the common goal of providing exceptional care to all TMC patients.
• Knowledge of evidenced-based practices used to assess, evaluate, and treat patients with various disorders of the cardiopulmonary system.
• Perform all basic modalities of respiratory therapy to adults and pediatric patients as prescribed by physicians and/or other authorized personnel within the scope and guidelines established by department/hospital policies and procedure.
• Perform critical/advanced respiratory therapy interventions in the emergency department and adult intensive care units.
• Initiate and manage mechanical ventilation on adult patient population in collaboration with physicians and/or other authorized personnel within the scope and guidelines established by department/hospital policies and procedure.
• Perform diagnostic respiratory therapy procedures such as arterial blood gas puncture/analysis, bedside pulmonary function testing (PFT), peak expiratory flow maneuvers, and EtCO2 monitoring.
• Assemble, troubleshoot, and process respiratory therapy and other durable medical equipment in accordance with department/hospital policy and procedure.
• Prioritize and manage assigned patient workloads to ensure patients receive high-quality respiratory care services
• Provide feedback on department/hospital processes and procedures in both formal and informal settings.