Description
Penn Medicine is dedicated to our tripartite mission of providing the highest level of care to patients, conducting innovative research, and educating future leaders in the field of medicine. Working for this leading academic medical center means collaboration with top clinical, technical and business professionals across all disciplines.
Today at Penn Medicine, someone will make a breakthrough. Someone will heal a heart, deliver hopeful news, and give comfort and reassurance. Our employees shape our future each day. Are you living your life's work?
General Summary Statement
Respiratory Therapist position is responsible for the delivery of all aspects of respiratory care in accordance with departmental policy and procedures. Provides respiratory therapeutic modalities, inclusive of but not limited to: ABG acquisition, ventilator and airway management for adult, pediatric and infant patients, equipment maintenance, delivery of aerosol medication and chest physiotherapy, assessment of oxygen and medication requirements. This position is a member of the Rapid Response Team and the Code Team for all but Gray and PCI. Respiratory Therapists do not have the responsibility of intubation at Chester County Hospital.
This role practices implementation of systems and standards to promote patient’s safety and safe practices for delivery of patient care.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
- Responsible for delivery of all aspects of respiratory care in accordance with departmental policy and procedures.
- Identifies normal age related factors when planning/providing interventions such as safety, equipment, medication administration, and improving the functional status of the patient.
- Utilizes cutting edge knowledge, research, best practice, and thorough understanding of standards/processes to provide excellent respiratory patient care.
- Interacts with the patient in a manner that preserves patient dignity and privacy while meeting the patient’s psychosocial needs.
- Participates in best-staffing utilization during changes in workload and abides by departmental self-scheduling guidelines.
- Supports the development and maintenance of a written Quality Improvement Plan that supports a systematic, coordinated, outcome focused-improvement approach.
- Supports and implements systems/processes to monitor, evaluate, and improve respiratory practices and patient care outcomes.
- Demonstrates competency in all clinical modalities and procedures on an annual basis.
- Mentors students from local universities in clinical respiratory rotations through the department.
- Works with Respiratory Care Services management to practice continual clinical improvement through evidence-based medicine.
Education, Training, and Experience
1. Minimum of one (1) year of respiratory care experience with current acute care work preferred.
2. Strong teamwork abilities.
3. Possesses a high degree of clinical ability, motivation, self-direction, and initiative.
4. Good experience in all modalities of respiratory acute-care.
5. Experience in team-membership.
6. Excellent communication skills.
7. Ability to speak confidently to internal and external customers.
8. Ability to mentor, empower and inspire students and new staff.
9. Ability to participate in group processes toward defined outcomes.
10. Good computer program skills for documentation in EMR and Bar Code Medication Scanning.
11. Effective problem solving and conflict resolution skills.
Licensure/Certification
1. Current license to practice Respiratory Care in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
2. Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) or Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT)
3. BLS is required
4. ACLS and PALS required within 6 months from hire date.
5. NRP is required within 1 year from hire date for Respiratory Therapist assigned to NICU department.
Preferred
1. Participation with professional Respiratory Care Associations (AARC/PSRC) preferred.
2. Advanced certifications in Neonatal-Pediatric Specialist (NPS), Pulmonary Function Testing (RPFT or CPFT), Sleep Disorders Testing and Therapeutic Intervention Specialist (SDS) or Asthma Educator-Certified (AE-C) preferred.
3. Bachelor’s degree preferred.
4. ACCS (Adult Critical Care Specialty) preferred.
We believe that the best care for our patients starts with the best care for our employees. Our employee benefits programs help our employees get healthy and stay healthy. We offer a comprehensive compensation and benefits program that includes one of the finest prepaid tuition assistance programs in the region. Penn Medicine employees are actively engaged and committed to our mission. Together we will continue to make medical advances that help people live longer, healthier lives.
Live Your Life's Work
We are an Equal Opportunity employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, marital status, familial status, genetic information, domestic or sexual violence victim status, citizenship status, military status, status as a protected veteran or any other status protected by applicable law.
