Respiratory Therapist

Purpose Under the supervision of the Lead Respiratory Care Practitioner, the Respiratory Care Practitioner will provide the following services.

Emergency Care Major Tasks, Duties and Responsibilities:

Respiratory Care Practitioner staff members will respond immediately to all emergency calls within the subacute unit for the purpose of providing prompt resident assessment and the application of resuscitative care, as well as appropriate respiratory interventions.

Routine Care

• Administration of oxygen therapy via the devices & techniques described in the department Policy & Procedure manual as ordered by the physician.
• Administration of respiratory medications as ordered by the physician.
• Administration of medical gas mixtures by techniques listed and ordered by the physician.
• Assessment & administration of humidification and aerosol therapy as is appropriate to the resident condition.
• Set-up and maintenance of mechanical ventilation as ordered by the physician.
• Ventilator weaning and discontinuance as ordered by the physician.
• Ventilator and tracheostomy weaning assessments per department Policy & Procedure.
• Tracheostomy care.
• Tracheostomy tube changes per physician orders.
• Airway management, suctioning, and tracheostomy tube cuff pressure measurement, per department Policy & Procedure.
• Resident / Family education and training for discharge to home.
• Maintenance of bedside respiratory equipment in clean and safe condition.
• CPT, as well as other respiratory therapy treatments and procedures as ordered by the physician per department Policy & Procedure.
• Pulse oximetry, and other respiratory diagnostic procedures per department Policy & Procedure.

Upon written orders from the physicians for a service, the nursing personnel will notify the RCP on duty. It is the RCP's responsibility to perform this procedure in keeping with the departments Policy & Procedure. If the RCP is unable to perform this procedure, they are to contact the Respiratory Therapy Supervisor.

Qualifications

• Graduate of approved AMA School of Respiratory Care.
• Current State RCP license.
• Certified in Basic Life Support
• Must be able to relate to the care for the age specific population of geriatric residents.
• Must be able to work with and communicate well with the other healthcare providers in the unit.
• Must be able to organize their work assignment and adjust as needed to optimize the delivery of effective quality care to the resident.

Physical Demands

• Must be able to work under stress and in emergency situations.
• Must be able to work under conditions that require sitting, standing, walking, reaching, pushing, pulling, bending, and grasping.
• Visual acuity is required to observe details of instruments required for life support.