Respiratory Therapist Specialist

At Shenandoah Medical Center, we are seeking a highly skilled Respiratory Therapist to join our team. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in respiratory care and be able to work effectively in a fast-paced environment.

• Responsibilities:
• Initiates, conducts, modifies, and monitors the effects of respiratory care treatment plans, including therapeutic, diagnostic, monitoring, and rehabilitation based on healthcare provider-approved protocols and written physician orders.
• Determines requirements for treatment, such as type, method, and duration of therapy, precautions, and medication and dosages, compatible with healthcare provider orders.
• Explains treatment procedures to patients to gain cooperation and allay fears.
• Schedules and conducts Pulmonary Function Testing as ordered by the healthcare provider.
• Assesses and reviews patient conditions.
• Reports any adverse response to treatments to Registered Nurse, Director - Respiratory Therapy and Sleep Lab, or Health Care Provider.

Key Skills:

• Administers respiratory therapy medications via handheld nebulizers and large volume aerosols.
• Administers inhaled bronchodilators, corticosteroids, leukotriene inhibitors, and antiasthmatic aerosols using both metered dose inhalers and nebulizers.
• Administers the proper amounts of oxygen to patients.
• Monitors patient's oxygen levels in the patient's blood and works with the healthcare provider to provide and adjust treatment accordingly.

Additional Responsibilities:

• Provides Respiratory Therapy modalities within the respiratory therapy scope of practice.
• Conducts tests, such as electrocardiograms, Hellers Event Recodes 210 patches, and stress testing, to evaluate patient's cardiopulmonary function.
• Performs Percussion and bronchopulmonary drainage and assist or instruct patients in performance of breathing exercises.
• Provides services to obtain and analyze blood specimens for blood gases and co-oximetry.
• Provides emergency care, including artificial respiration and assistance with cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
• Performs endotracheal and tracheal suctioning as needed to maintain airway patency.
• Provides pulmonary function testing, including airway mechanics, flow-volume loops, diffusion capacity, peak flow measurements, and body box plethysmography data.
• Provides resuscitation and support services to all high-risk deliveries.
• Provides cardiac stress testing and pharmacologic stress testing.
• Assists in CPR as part of Trauma Team, primarily priming airway management, intubation, manual resuscitation, and arterial blood gas sampling and analysis.
• Draws ABGs if necessary.
• Conducts sleep study scheduling.
• Performs EKGs if necessary.

Equipment Management:

• Inspects, cleans, tests, and maintains respiratory therapy equipment to ensure equipment is functioning safely and efficiently.
• Educates hospitalized, outpatient, and their families about their conditions and teaches appropriate disease management techniques, such as breathing exercises and the use of aerosol medications and respiratory equipment.
• Places patients on ventilators.
• Demonstrates skill in use of equipment relevant to position.
• Diagnoses equipment problems.
• Informs appropriate person of problems encountered with repairs or calibration of equipment.

Communication:

• Communicates and collaborates effectively with other health team members regarding patient condition, nursing plan of care, patient satisfaction needs, and recommendations for meeting identified outcomes.
• Follows approved shift report format when communicating patient information.
• Identifies and recognizes abnormal symptoms/changes in patient condition, established priorities, and takes appropriate action. Appropriately reports condition changes to medical provider.

Patient and Staff Safety:

• Administers medications, treatments, and procedures in a timely and safe manner according to healthcare provider orders and nursing policy, including appropriate performance of standard precautions, using two patient identifiers, and performing patient risk assessments every shift.
• Utilizes proper body mechanics, transfer/lifting techniques to minimize fall risk to patient and injury to self.
• Implements infectious disease controls as appropriate, including isolation procedures, proper use of hand washing and gloves.
• Follows proper procedures for disposal of sharps and hazardous materials.

Other Duties:

• Performs other duties as assigned.