Description:
OVERVIEW:
The Respiratory Therapist (RT) treats patients with breathing and cardiopulmonary problems all ages.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:
-
Provides instruction to patients and/or caregiver on the proper use of equipment and/or respiratory care procedures
-
Ensures patient and/or caregiver can effectively operate and maintain equipment. Performs clinical assessments and test such as pulse oximetry, ETCO2, spirometry, and vital signs
-
Responsible for routine patient follow-up contacts based on individual needs
-
Perform on-call duties
-
Prepares and maintains a record for each patient containing all pertinent information, care, plans, physician prescriptions and follow-up documentation
RESPONSIBILITIES/KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS:
-
Consults with physicians and other healthcare staff to help develop and modify individual patient care plans
-
Restores patient’s pulmonary function, alleviates pain, and supports life by planning and administering medically prescribed respiratory therapy
-
Provide complex therapy required by a great deal of independent judgement; meets patients’ goals and needs to provide quality care by conducting pulmonary function test, assessing, and interpreting evaluations and test results, determine respiratory therapy treatment plans
-
Administers respiratory therapy treatments by performing bronchopulmonary drainage, assisting with breathing exercises, and monitors physiological responses to therapy, such as vital signs, arterial blood gases, and blood chemistry changes
-
Evaluate patients by performing limited physical examinations and conducting diagnostic tests including those that measure lung capacity tests and acidity and alkalinity of the blood (arterial blood gas)
-
Documents patient care services by charting in the patient and departmental records
-
Maintains clean and safe work environment by complying with procedures, rules, and regulations
-
Confidentiality kept of the patient’s medical records
-
Treat patients by using oxygen, oxygen mixtures, chest physiotherapy, and aerosol medications
-
Advanced airway management through supraglottic airways like the Combitube, King Airway, Laryngeal mask airway (LMA), or esophageal-tracheal combination tube airway placed via preferred video laryngoscope or direct visual laryngoscope to create a patient airway to allow patient to be manually ventilated when apneic or compromised airway is present
-
Connect patients who cannot breathe on their own to ventilators that deliver pressurized oxygen into the lungs; and must also be able to interpret laboratory data that affects the care of settings of the mechanically ventilated patient and ventilator settings
-
Teach patients how to use medications and equipment
-
Performs regular checks on patients and equipment
-
Complies with federal, state, and local legal and certification requirement
-
Perform any other duties that may be necessary for the operation of the corporation and/or hospital
Requirements:
QUALIFICATIONS:
-
High school diploma
-
Associate degree with major Respiratory Therapy
-
License Respiratory Therapist in North Carolina
-
Six months of experience within the last two years
-
Current BLS
-
Current CPR Certification
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
-
Frequent mobility and/or sitting required for extended periods of time
-
Manual dexterity and use of a calculator or computer keyboard.
-
Varied activities including standing, walking, reaching, bending, lifting
-
Occasionally lifts to 50 pounds
-
Requires corrected vision and hearing to normal ranges
-
Requires working under stressful conditions or working irregular hours
-
Exposure to communicable diseases, toxic substances, ionization radiation, medicinal preparations, and other conditions common to a hospital and/or clinic environment
