Certified Respiratory Therapist - Department of Medicine

Decypher•Fort Sam Houston, TX

9d•Onsite

About The Position

The Certified Respiratory Therapist provides advanced respiratory care to critically ill adult, pediatric, neonatal, trauma, and burn patients. The role includes conducting comprehensive assessments, managing airways and mechanical ventilation, administering specialized therapies, responding to respiratory emergencies, and collaborating with multidisciplinary healthcare teams. The therapist also maintains respiratory equipment, educates patients and staff, and documents care in accordance with applicable standards and protocols. The position is onsite and offers listed day, evening, and night shift schedules. Physical demands include standing and walking for extended periods, lifting and moving respiratory equipment and patients up to 50 pounds with assistance as needed, repetitive hand movements, and responding quickly in fast-paced clinical and emergency settings.

Requirements

Associate degree.
Graduate of a program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) or Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP), or graduate of a military Pulmonary Respiratory Therapist program.
Completion of an approved Respiratory Therapy educational program accredited by the National Board of Respiratory Care (NBRC), another approved organization, or their predecessors.
Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) certification from the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC).
Advance Life Support (ALS), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP), and Basic Life Support (BLS) certifications.
At least one year of experience within the last two years providing services as a Pulmonary Respiratory Therapist, with familiarity in adult, pediatric, and Level III NICU neonatal practices involving premature infants.
U.S. citizenship.
Ability to stand and walk for extended periods; lift and move respiratory equipment and patients up to 50 pounds with assistance as needed; perform repetitive hand movements; and respond quickly in clinical and emergency environments.

Responsibilities

Perform comprehensive respiratory assessments, reviewing medical histories, physical examination findings, diagnostic studies, and arterial blood gas (ABG) results.
Initiate, monitor, troubleshoot, and discontinue mechanical ventilation and other advanced respiratory life-support systems for adult, pediatric, neonatal, trauma, and burn patients.
Administer oxygen therapy, aerosolized medications, inhaled nitric oxide, Heliox, CPAP/BiPAP, high-flow oxygen, and lung expansion treatments.
Collect, process, and interpret arterial blood samples and ABG results, and recommend interventions and ventilator adjustments within established protocols.
Manage artificial airways, including endotracheal tubes and tracheostomies; perform suctioning, extubations, tracheostomy tube changes, and airway emergency response.
Operate, calibrate, maintain, and troubleshoot respiratory therapy equipment, monitoring systems, ventilators, and laboratory devices.
Respond to emergencies as a member of rapid response and resuscitation teams, providing airway management and manual ventilation support.
Collaborate with physicians, nurses, and multidisciplinary healthcare teams to develop, implement, and evaluate treatment plans and discharge planning activities.
Educate and train patients, families, respiratory therapy students, military personnel, and healthcare staff on respiratory care procedures, equipment, and best practices.
Document patient assessments, treatments, outcomes, quality improvement activities, and compliance requirements in electronic medical records and departmental reporting processes.