PULMONARY PHYSIOLOGY TECHNOLOGIST II

Los Angeles County (CA)•Los Angeles, CA

66d

About The Position

The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services (DHS) is the second largest municipal health system in the nation. Through its unified system of 23 health centers and four hospitals - and expanded network of community partner clinics - DHS annually provides direct care for over 500,000 outstanding patients, employs over 23,000 staff, and has an annual budget of over $8.4 billion. For additional information regarding DHS please visit www.dhs.lacounty.gov. Through academic affiliations with the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), the University of Southern California (USC), and the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Sciences (CDU), DHS hospitals are training sites for physicians completing their Graduate Medical Education in nearly every medical specialty and subspecialty. In addition, to its direct clinical services, DHS also runs the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Agency and the County's 911 emergency response system, as well as Housing for Health and the Office of Diversion and Re-entry, each with a critical role in connecting vulnerable populations, including those released from correctional and institutional settings, to supportive housing. To advance the health of our patients and our communities by providing extraordinary care. Performs a full range of diagnostic pulmonary function examinations to measure the pulmonary physiological capacities of adult and pediatric patients in inpatient and outpatient settings.

Requirements

Two (2) years of experience performing respiratory and/or pulmonary procedures, including one year of experience at the level of a Pulmonary Physiology Technologist I.
A current California State Respiratory Care Practitioner's License issued by the Respiratory Care Board of California. (If a County employee is assigned to a Sleep Laboratory and does not have a current California State Respiratory Care Practitioner's License issued by the Respiratory Care Board of California, he or she must maintain registration as a polysomnographic technologist, technician, or trainee with the Medical Board of California.)
A current Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare providers (CPR & AED) program certification issued by the American Heart Association.
A valid California Class C Driver License or the ability to utilize an alternative method of transportation when needed to carry out job-related essential functions.

Nice To Haves

Additional credit will be given to applicants who have additional years of experience at the level of Pulmonary Physiology Technologist I - in excess of the Selection Requirements.

Responsibilities

Performs full range of pulmonary function tests, as requested by a physician, such as closing volumes, static compliance, oxygen desaturation, cardio-pulmonary exercise studies, methacholine challenge, and CO2 or O2 response to measure the effect of exercise induced stress on oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production, and the amount of physiological dead space in lungs; obtains valid, replicated results in accordance with established laboratory testing procedures and regulatory guidelines.
Participates in the performance of polysomnographic studies to diagnose sleep disorders when assigned to a Sleep Laboratory.
Conducts shunt studies to determine the pulmonary oxygenation efficiency of patients in intensive care units according to established laboratory procedures.
Sets up and calibrates equipment using precision gas mixtures or other methods to ensure equipment complies with regulatory testing guidelines.
Performs quality control tests on equipment according to established laboratory procedures to ensure equipment complies with regulatory testing guidelines; records result in laboratory database or manual quality control log.
Prioritizes patients and samples to be tested under the direction of a higher-level technologist or supervisor and verifies that arterial and venous samples correspond to the patient.
Performs special procedures, including administering bronchodilators or oxygen during pulmonary testing, or drawing arterial or venous blood samples and compliance testing, according to established laboratory procedures.
Performs analysis of arterial and/or venous blood gas samples by operating electronic and mechanical equipment; examines specimens for rejection criteria and verifies patient identification before performing testing and analysis.
Analyzes tests results by applying normal, abnormal, and/or critical values for tests performed and reports critical values or problems with the sample or test to the appropriate medical staff; records all test results and notes the effort made by the patient and enters information into the pulmonary physiology laboratory computer system; generates reports and graphics as requested.
Performs minor preventive maintenance and troubleshooting of laboratory equipment in accordance with laboratory guidelines and reports performance issues to a higher-level technologist or supervisor for resolution; records results of the preventive maintenance in maintenance log.
Assists, as directed, in on-the-job training of students and technologists in the performance of respiratory studies and related pulmonary procedures involving acute patients.
Keeps laboratory areas and equipment clean and orderly in accordance with approved infection control, laboratory, and hospital procedures.
Replenishes laboratory solutions and supplies as necessary.