Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) | Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) | 36 Hours Per Week | Respiratory Care

Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center•West Burlington, IA

About The Position

Respiratory Therapists assess patients with respiratory disorders, conduct diagnostic testing, develop treatment plans, and administer respiratory therapy. They operate medical devices, monitor patient responses, provide emergency care, and work with healthcare teams to manage respiratory conditions and improve lung function and respiratory health. This position is scheduled for 36 hours per week, from 6:00 p.m. to 6:30 a.m., with every-third-weekend and holiday rotations. No call rotation is required for the FM Respiratory Therapy role described in the posting. The role includes respiratory therapy across patient populations, diagnostic and outpatient services, and support for pulmonary and cardiac rehabilitation. Duties include respiratory assessment and treatment, pulmonary function testing, blood gas collection and analysis, ventilation management, patient and family education, equipment maintenance and troubleshooting, documentation in the EMR, and response to medical alerts. The role may also include precepting students and completing quality assurance activities. A $10,000 sign-on bonus is available to qualified candidates. Candidates must graduate from a CoARC-approved respiratory therapy program, hold an active Iowa respiratory care license, and be credentialed by the National Board for Respiratory Care. The posting lists an associate degree and 1–2 years of prior acute-care experience as preferred qualifications. The RRT registry exam must be passed within one year or the employee will move to the CRT wage scale. Additional credential and duty details are listed for several related department assignments in the posting.

Requirements

Associate degree and graduation from a CoARC-approved respiratory therapist program.
Current license from the State of Iowa as a Respiratory Care and Polysomnography Respiratory Care Practitioner, as applicable to the listed role.
Credentialing by the National Board for Respiratory Care as a Registered Respiratory Therapist; the posting also references CRT credentials for certain assignments.
Pass the RRT registry exam within one year; otherwise, the employee will move to the CRT wage scale.
Registered Respiratory Therapist credential required upon hire for the listed assignment.
Driver’s license required upon hire for the listed assignment.
Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) through the American Heart Association within 90 days for the listed assignment.
Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) through the American Academy of Pediatrics within 90 days for the listed assignment.
Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) through the American Heart Association within 90 days for the listed assignment.
Iowa mandatory reporter training for child abuse and dependent adult abuse within 90 days for the listed assignment.
Ability to perform respiratory assessments, analyze abnormal findings, anticipate potential problems, and evaluate patient responses to care and therapy.
Ability to use appropriate respiratory care equipment, troubleshoot equipment, and follow department and hospital policies.
Ability to document respiratory care clearly and accurately using an EMR, correct medical terminology, and accepted abbreviations.
Effective written and verbal communication with healthcare personnel and patients; ability to relay information clearly and communicate delays or wait times.
Sound judgment, critical thinking, problem-solving, and use of evidence-based practices when applicable.
Ability to work as a team member with hospital care personnel and act within ethical guidelines and scope of practice.
Knowledge of customer service principles, human injuries and diseases, diagnosis and treatment, medications and preventive healthcare, and teaching and training methods.
Ability to arrange items or actions in a specified order or pattern according to rules.
Current Iowa license and NBRC certification as a Certified or Registered Respiratory Therapist for the FM Respiratory Therapy assignment described.
Maintain ACLS, BLS, PALS, NRP, and mandatory reporter qualifications within the timelines stated for the applicable assignment.
For the sleep-services assignment, current Iowa PSGT board status and required Registered Polysomnographic Tech (RPSGT) certification through BRPT at hire or within 12 months, subject to the alternatives described in the posting.
For the sleep-services assignment, BLS is preferred at hire and required within three months.

Nice To Haves

One to two years of prior acute-care experience.
For cardiac rehabilitation duties, two or more years of critical-care or cardiac-care experience is preferred.
BLS certification on hire for the sleep-services assignment is preferred, but required within three months of hire.

Responsibilities

Assess patients with respiratory disorders and perform respiratory assessments, distinguishing normal from abnormal findings and initiating appropriate responses.
Conduct tests supporting the evaluation of cardiopulmonary function, including pulmonary function testing and oxygen requirement testing.
Determine and administer respiratory treatments according to physician orders, including therapy type, method, duration, precautions, medication, and dosage.
Provide respiratory treatments across patient populations, including chest percussion, nebulizer treatments, oxygen titration and qualification, inhaler treatments, incentive spirometry, respiratory force measurements, peak flow testing, tracheostomy care, ECGs, arterial blood gas collection and analysis, and suctioning.
Initiate, manage, and discontinue non-invasive and invasive ventilation as requested by a physician or procedure.
Set up, operate, evaluate, and communicate with providers about ventilators, NIV apparatus, therapeutic gas equipment, environmental control systems, and aerosol generators.
Monitor patients’ physiological responses to therapy, including vital signs, arterial blood gases, and blood chemistry; consult physicians about adverse reactions and notify them of critical results.
Provide emergency care, including artificial respiration, external cardiac massage, and assistance with CPR; respond to medical alerts and emergencies according to hospital procedures.
Educate patients and families about conditions and disease management, including breathing exercises, medications, respiratory equipment, disease entities, risk factors, and behavior modifications.
Explain procedures to patients, communicate delays or wait times, and evaluate patients’ responses to care and understanding of education.
Work with physicians, nurses, and other healthcare personnel to manage patient care and assist with medical procedures and related duties.
Maintain accurate, clear, timely documentation of respiratory care and patient information in the EMR or appropriate hospital forms.
Inspect, clean, test, maintain, and troubleshoot respiratory equipment; arrange repairs when necessary and ensure equipment functions safely and efficiently.
Perform pulmonary rehabilitation assessments, develop treatment plans, and support exercise training, patient education, program administration, and referrals to providers.
For cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation, monitor patients during exercise sessions, support patient education, communicate clinical changes to physicians, and participate in performance improvement.
Perform or assist with diagnostic and outpatient services listed in the posting, including EEG, EKG, cardiac stress testing, Holter monitoring, pulse oximetry, fit testing, six-minute walks, and pulmonary/cardiac rehabilitation.
Transport patients while they are using respiratory machines.
Demonstrate respiratory care procedures and teach, train, supervise, or precept students, technicians, and other healthcare personnel, including respiratory care and EMS students.
Complete quality assurance measures and maintain competencies, including those specified for pulmonary rehabilitation.
Accurately perform and score polysomnography tests when assigned to the sleep-services role described in the posting.
Maintain regular and reliable attendance and follow hospital safety rules, policies, procedures, dress code, and professional conduct expectations.

Benefits

$10,000 sign-on bonus for qualified candidates.
Competitive base pay.
Matching retirement programs.
Health, dental, and vision plans.
Health Savings and Flexible Spending Accounts.
Employee discounts, including car rental and cell-phone plans.
Employer-paid long-term disability, life, and AD&D insurance.
Paid time off (PTO).
Education Assistance Program.
Employee Assistance Program.
Employee Referral Bonus Program.
Discounted cafeteria meals.
Paid Parental Leave.
Employee Service Recognition program.
Voluntary life, AD&D, short-term disability, critical illness, accident insurance, and hospital indemnity plans.