Weekend Option Respiratory Therapist

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

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