Registered Respiratory Therapist

Department of Veterans Affairs•Louisville, KY

31d•Onsite

About The Position

The Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) is a specialized healthcare practitioner who has completed education and training to provide treatment, assessment, monitoring, and management of patients with cardiopulmonary disorders. They hold a Registry from the National Board of Respiratory Care. This position is in the Pulmonary Section of the Medical Service in the Robley Rex VA Medical Center. The Registered Respiratory Therapist will utilize respiratory skills and knowledge to provide direct patient care to both inpatients and outpatients undergoing pulmonary diagnostic and treatment procedures.

Responsibilities

Selects, assembles, and checks all respiratory equipment for proper function and operation and ability to correct any equipment problems as needed assuring work orders are entered and information is forwarded to the appropriate parties.
Ability to troubleshoot all equipment and adjust as needed to meet patient needs.
Collects and reviews relevant clinical information (blood gas data, chest x-rays, electrocardiograms) along with patient assessments and make recommendations regarding changes in all respiratory related therapy based on patient observation and data.
Performance with emergency and acute Respiratory Care procedures in both the inpatient and outpatient setting in accordance with departmental guidelines, protocols, and industry standards.
Ventilator and non-invasive management including indications for use and discontinuation, settings and alarms, prevention of ventilator associated events, ability to adjust and suggest needed changes and or interventions based on data to ensure the patient obtains the maximum benefit from the ventilator, and safe patient transport.
Administers all aerosolized breathing treatments, evaluation, and monitoring of patient response to therapy and recommendations for needed changes in therapy.
Ability to set-up and monitor patients on CPAP/BIPAP therapy per policy, troubleshoots equipment, and educates patients on the importance of compliance at home.
Performs oxygen certification for inpatients and to rotate to respiratory therapy outpatient clinics (home oxygen and 6-minute walk) when needed.
Assist with routine maintenance required for functioning of equipment, including oxygen tanks, and are delivered to wards or clinic a needed.
Other duties may be assigned within the scope of practice for respiratory care to ensure efficient daily operations.
Assign workload by zone for the shift, writing assignments, VOCERA/pager numbers, on the board in the department.
Assign lunch coverage for all therapists on tour.
Facilitate safe care by ensuring that patient report is given according to policy.
Engage co-workers/team in active problem solving regarding clinical issues assuring best care for the patients.
Facilitate teamwork throughout the shift and/or reallocate work as needed to ensure the completion of the work.