Pulmonary Function Lab Respiratory Therapist

Mass General Brigham•Boston, MA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Brigham and Women's Hospital is recruiting a 20-hour-per-week Respiratory Therapist/Pulmonary Function Technologist to support quality patient care. This fully functional respiratory therapist performs simple and complex pulmonary testing, including spirometry, lung volume, diffusion capacity, body plethysmography, arterial blood gas testing, six-minute walk testing, exhaled nitric oxide analysis, metabolic measurement studies, and hypoxia altitude simulation testing. The position may also support sputum induction and other respiratory care services, participate in research, and provide coverage in the main PFT laboratories and satellite clinics. The role includes performing and documenting ordered diagnostic tests, explaining procedures and addressing patient concerns, supporting lab policies and scheduling, contributing to quality improvement and education, and coordinating with vendors and technical teams on software and systems. The therapist must provide age-appropriate care from young adulthood through geriatrics and follow applicable hospital, legal, regulatory, accreditation, and ethical standards.

Requirements

Current Massachusetts Respiratory Therapist license.
Registered Respiratory Therapist credential.
Associate of Science degree in Respiratory Therapy or higher.
BLS certification.
Excellent interpersonal skills for interacting with physicians, nurses, and other health care team members.
Strong patient assessment skills.
Professional and technical skills to work as a staff therapist.
Strong organizational skills to help prioritize staff therapists' work.
Ability to motivate and direct professional and technical staff.
Ability to provide age-appropriate care and assess patient-related data for young adult through geriatric patients.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's degree in Respiratory Therapy.
1–3 years of experience; recent graduates will also be considered.
ACLS certification.
CPFT or RPFT credential.
Previous pulmonary function testing experience.

Responsibilities

Comply with department, Joint Commission (TJC), and Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) standards.
Perform pulmonary function tests and arterial blood gas punctures.
Assist with developing, reviewing, and revising PFT Lab policies and procedures.
Assist with scheduling for the main PFT laboratories and satellite clinics.
Provide diagnostic testing that obtains optimal patient effort and results.
Explain procedures to patients and address their concerns and anxieties, including desired actions and possible adverse effects.
Perform ordered tests and document and report results.
Provide educational materials demonstrating device use.
Participate in clinical research projects and quality improvement activities.
Perform staff Respiratory Therapist duties and other duties assigned by the clinical coordinator or department director.
Assist in coordinating educational programs, including new staff orientation, clinical student education, and in-service education.
Maintain continuing education related to age-specific care and assess patient data and care needs according to age-specific requirements.
Work with vendor representatives, system analysts, and Information Technology representatives on software upgrades, troubleshooting, and problem-solving.
Monitor systems for potential billing and documentation errors and participate in the Epic process.
May supervise respiratory therapy students.
Follow hospital policies and safe practices, complete required training, and report potential non-compliance.