Department
Respiratory Care

Location
Monroe County Hospital - Georgia

Summary/Objective:
The registered respiratory therapist is responsible for providing safe, effective, and economical respiratory care to patients. This position is a member of the interdisciplinary team for patient care.
Essential Functions:
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential function.

• Perform respiratory procedures accurately and in a timely manner as prescribed by a physician. These procedures include:
• Oxygen therapy: tank, nasal cannula, high flow nasal cannula, venturi mask, non-rebreather, etc.

• Coughing and deep breathing instruction and exercises and related maneuvers.

• Aerosol Therapy: bland and medicated, metered dose, ambient, ultrasonic, sputum induction.

• Pulmonary Function Testing.

• CPAP and BiPAP therapy.

• Airway maintenance, oral nasal, and tracheal suctioning.

• Arterial puncture and blood gas analysis, after proper certification.

• Non-invasive monitoring.

• Mechanical ventilation.

• Continuous mechanical ventilation of acute and critically ill patients in ER and Med-Surg. settings.

• Performs assessment of the patient, determining needs related to the frequency and duration of the treatment regime ordered by the physician. Requests re-orders when necessary and communicates with nurse and physician about discrepancies and concerns.

• Initiates and follows through with respiratory protocols as necessary.

• Observes the patient’s response to therapy, evaluates, and records in the patients’ record. Immediately reports adverse reactions following established procedures.

• Charts treatments and procedures accurately in the forms provided. Enters appropriate information into the hospital health information system accurately and timely.

• Makes oxygen rounds as necessary and appropriate, causing the safe and effective use of supplies and equipment.

• Provides instruction to patients, family, staff, and students about therapy and equipment used in respiratory care procedures and protocols; and documents as required.

• Provides complete report to on-coming personnel and takes a complete report from off-going personnel.

• Assists in the orientation of new nursing and respiratory personnel.

• Supports multidisciplinary quality assessment and improvement activities by participating in improving important aspects of care.

• Become proficient in and provide quality control and regular maintenance of the i-STAT blood gas machine as necessary and assigned.

Required Education and Experience:

• Minimum Associates degree in Respiratory Care.

• Current, valid certification in the state of Georgia as Registered Respiratory Therapist.

• Current, valid AHA Healthcare Provider training (BCLS, PALS and ACLS).

Schedule:

• 12 hour shift