Coordinator, Pediatric Respiratory Care

Vanderbilt University Medical Center•Nashville, TN

3d•Onsite

About The Position

Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt is seeking an experienced Pediatric Respiratory Therapist to serve as the Coordinator, Pediatric Respiratory Care, with a specialized focus on tracheostomy and home ventilator patients transitioning from the hospital to home. This unique role combines direct clinical care, family education, discharge readiness coordination, outpatient support, and program development to create a seamless experience for medically complex children and their caregivers. The RT Coordinator serves as the respiratory care expert across the continuum of care, partnering with inpatient teams, outpatient clinics, families, durable medical equipment (DME) providers, and community resources to ensure patients are safely prepared for discharge and long-term success at home. This individual will lead respiratory discharge planning efforts, coordinate caregiver competency validation, support home ventilator and tracheostomy education programs, and assist in developing standardized workflows, educational resources, and quality improvement initiatives for the growing pediatric respiratory transition program.

Requirements

Experienced pediatric respiratory therapist
Expertise in pediatric tracheostomy and mechanical ventilation management.
Strong understanding of discharge planning and transitions of care for medically complex children.
Experience providing caregiver education and competency validation.
Ability to work collaboratively across inpatient and outpatient settings.
Strong organizational, communication, and program-development skills.
Passion for improving family preparedness and outcomes for children requiring long-term respiratory support.
LIC-Registered Respiratory Therapist - Tennessee
Graduate of an approved discipline specific program

Nice To Haves

Preferred years of experience is greater than 5 years.
Respiratory Therapeutic Procedures (Advanced)
Ventilator Management (Advanced)
Laboratory Testing & Analysis (Advanced)
Training & Development (Novice)

Responsibilities

Serve as the respiratory care lead for pediatric patients anticipated to discharge with tracheostomy and/or ventilator support.
Participate in pre-tracheostomy planning meetings, multidisciplinary discharge rounds, Blue Team meetings, and transition-of-care discussions.
Identify respiratory barriers to discharge and facilitate solutions in collaboration with providers, nursing, care coordination, case management, and families.
Develop and monitor respiratory discharge milestones and readiness indicators.
Support discharge huddles and care planning for patients with complex respiratory needs.
Collaborate with outpatient providers to ensure continuity of care following discharge.
Coordinate and provide tracheostomy and home ventilator education for patients' families and caregivers.
Develop, implement, and maintain caregiver respiratory competency tracking processes.
Monitor completion of required respiratory education and skills validation.
Document caregiver competency milestones and communicate progress to the multidisciplinary team.
Escalate concerns regarding education delays or barriers that may impact discharge readiness.
Promote consistency in respiratory education across inpatient units and care teams.
Serve as the primary respiratory equipment resource for tracheostomy and home ventilator patients.
Partner with respiratory DME vendors to coordinate equipment acquisition, setup, and training.
Ensure home ventilator and respiratory equipment readiness prior to discharge.
Participate in respiratory equipment check-off processes and family home equipment training.
Troubleshoot equipment-related barriers that may delay discharge or impact patient safety.
Support pediatric home ventilator and complex respiratory clinics.
Serve as a resource for respiratory questions from patients, caregivers, and clinic staff.
Assist with post-discharge follow-up and transition support.
Collaborate with outpatient providers to identify ongoing respiratory education and equipment needs.
Develop respiratory discharge readiness tools, standardized workflows, and best-practice processes.
Create educational materials and resources for families and staff.
Build and maintain respiratory equipment and caregiver competency tracking systems.
Evaluate current processes, identify gaps in care transitions, and recommend program enhancements.
Participate in quality improvement initiatives focused on discharge efficiency, family preparedness, patient safety, and reduction of respiratory-related readmissions.
Support the long-term growth and sustainability of the pediatric respiratory transition program.