Respiratory Therapist

Job Summary:

Allina Health is a not-for-profit health system that cares for individuals, families and communities throughout Minnesota and western Wisconsin. Our mission is to provide exceptional care as we prevent illness, restore health and provide comfort to all who entrust us with their care.

This includes you and your loved ones. We are committed to providing whole person care, investing in your well-being, and enriching your career.

As a Respiratory Therapist at Allina Health, you will be an integral part of an essential team, ensuring optimal breathing from premature infants to the elderly, all driven by an unwavering commitment to respiratory well-being.

Key Position Details:

This position's primary duty is performing pulmonary function tests on patients.

0.6 FTE (48 hours per two-week period)

12-hour, Day/Evening shift

No weekends

SEIU-represented, benefit-eligible position

Job Description:

Assesses, diagnoses and treats patients suffering from cardiopulmonary respiratory disorders.

Under the direction of a physician, educates patients and staff regarding chronic and acute pulmonary disorders, provides consultative services to area hospitals/agencies, and provides technical and educational support to nurses regarding respiratory procedures.

Responsibilities:

• Provides respiratory assessment and therapeutic intervention.
• Identifies opportunities to improve outcomes by utilization/recommendation of appropriate therapies or interventions.
• Applies knowledge of approved protocols and clinical indications for interventions and routinely applies protocols to progress patients appropriately.
• Communicates with the care team to ensure exchange of essential information.
• Demonstrates competency with operation and troubleshooting of equipment used for therapy.
• Provides for safe/effective management and monitoring of all forms of mechanical ventilation.
• Provides mechanical ventilatory support safely and effectively to meet objectives identified by the provider and/or protocols.
• Demonstrates competency in operation and troubleshooting of ventilators.
• Identifies best mode of ventilation and opportunities to optimize patient-ventilator interface, makes recommendations to provider as appropriate.
• Assess readiness to wean, recognizes failure to wean and documents findings.
• Provides invasive and non-invasive ventilation, ventilation during transport, manual resuscitation by bag/valve device, weaning assessment, respiratory mechanics and waveform analysis, non-traditional modes and techniques.
• Manages airway appropriately to include positioning, securing, humidification selection and suctioning.
• Negotiates decisions within own scope of practice and in the best interest of the patient.
• Collaborates with nurses and providers to assure respiratory goals are not in conflict with other aspects of patient care.
• Provides disease management education to patients and families.
• Recognizes opportunity to increase patient knowledge of disease management and/or coping skills.
• Reinforces positive patient behaviors and skills during treatment interactions.
• Possesses and shares knowledge of asthma self-management and COPD education.
• Educates patient on inhaler techniques, peak flow monitoring asthma and COPD education to achieve patient compliance for self-administration.
• Educates patient on diaphragmatic and pursed lip breathing techniques to alleviate dyspnea.
• Conducts diagnostic testing and analysis.
• Completes necessary tests to assist in the medical management of the patient.
• Demonstrates competency in technique and technology to meet standards.
• Possesses clinical knowledge of interpretation of results and acts accordingly.
• Complies with policy and procedure as well as processing of report.
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements:

• Associate's or Vocational degree from a Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) accredited Respiratory Care Program or
• 0 to 2 years in a critical care setting

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree from a CoARC accredited Respiratory Care Program or other health science related program
• 0 to 2 years as a Respiratory Therapist

Licenses/Certifications:

• Licensed Respiratory Therapist - MN Board of Medical Practice required as required by location of employment
• Licensed Respiratory Therapist - WI Dept of Safety & Professional Services required as required by location of employment
• BLS Tier - Basic Life Support - Multisource required
• CLS/BLS Tier 2-Advanced Cardiac Life Support - Multisource preferred within 180 Days
• PEARS - Pediatric Emergency Assessment, Recognition & Stabilization - Multisource required required at sites providing pediatric care within 180 Days or
• PALS - Pediatric Advance Life Support - Multisource required required at sites providing pediatric care within 180 Days
• NRP - Neonatal Resuscitation - Multisource required required at sites providing neonatal care within 180 Days
• Credentialed by the National Board of Respiratory Care preferred

Physical Demands:

Medium Work*:

Lifting weightUp to 32 lbs. occasionally (*Allina Safe Patient Moving Policy), Up to 25 lbs. frequently