Respiratory Care Practitioner I Registered

Kaiser Permanente • Modesto, CA

98d

About The Position

Under physician supervision, in accordance with policies and procedures approved by the Medical Director, is expected to assume primary clinical responsibility for all respiratory care modalities and to exercise considerable independent clinical judgment in the respiratory care of patients. Must be capable of serving as a technical resource person to the physician regarding current practices in respiratory care and to the hospital staff regarding effective and safe methods for administering respiratory care. Works under the general supervision of an administrative supervisor or the direction of a technical lead to deliver respiratory care services to patients in all areas of the hospital. Must be able to adapt to the particular area of duty assignment and to perform special duties required by the assignment. Standards of performance for the area to which the individual is assigned must be maintained. Special duties may include provision of basic and advanced respiratory care to neonatal and pediatric patients in the intensive care unit and during transport, which frequently requires making rapid decisions and assisting physicians to respond to status changes in neonatal and pediatric patients. Special duties may include performance of a variety of diagnostic tests of the cardiopulmonary system and to determine the effect of disease and treatment on that system.

Requirements

• High school diploma or General Education Equivalent (GED) required.
• Respiratory Care Practitioner License (California).
• Registered Respiratory Therapist Certificate.
• Basic Life Support certification.
• Ability to read and comprehend simple instructions, technical manuals, and short correspondence or memos.
• Ability to write simple correspondence.
• Ability to speak and understand spoken English.
• Ability to effectively present information in one-on-one and small group situations.

Nice To Haves

• Keyboard skills preferred.
• At least one year of recent critical care experience preferred.
• At least one year of clinical experience in neonatal/pediatric respiratory care preferred.
• Registered by the National Board for Respiratory Care.
• Certified or Registered Pulmonary Function Technologist by the National Board for Respiratory Care preferred.
• Registered by the Board of Registered Polysomnographic Technologists preferred.
• Neonatal/Pediatric Specialist by the National Board preferred.
• Graduate from a respiratory care education program supported by CoARC or accredited by CAAHEP required.

Responsibilities

• Reads and evaluates physicians orders, clarifying as needed.
• Accurately transcribes physician orders to electronic charting system or departmental patient master.
• Reviews patient information including history, lab data, radiologic studies, progress notes, respiratory and cardiovascular monitoring data and performs assessment/data collection in systematic manner.
• Systematically assesses patients overall cardiopulmonary status by inspection, palpation, percussion, auscultation, and patient interview.
• Interprets data to formulate goal-directed plan of care and determines requirements for treatment such as type and duration of therapy, precautions to be observed, equipment required, and medication and dosages.
• Determines modifications to physician orders, which optimize patient care and makes recommendations to physician.
• Recommends procedures to obtain additional data including radiographs, bronchoscopy, Gram stain and C&S, spirometry, blood gas analysis, lung mechanics, work of breathing, EKG, non-invasive monitoring.
• Performs procedures and interprets results; ABG sampling and analysis, co-oximetry, spirometry, pressure-volume and flow-volume loops, cuff pressure, sputum induction.
• May perform EKGs, place Holter monitor, perform pulmonary function, and sleep diagnostic tests, Exercise Stress Tests, and indirect calorimetry.
• Selects, assembles and checks equipment for cleanliness, proper function and safe operation.
• Ensures proper function and ready availability of respiratory related life support equipment.
• Troubleshoots and performs minor repairs of equipment.
• Participates in routine departmental programs of cleaning, disinfecting and sterilizing of respiratory care and other related equipment.
• Operates all medical equipment within manufacturer and department guidelines to safely treat patients.
• Checks and adjusts alarms, observes established safety and security procedures and protects patients from nosocomial infection.
• Explains planned therapy or procedure and goals to patient in understandable terms to achieve optimal therapeutic outcome.
• Conducts therapeutic procedures to maintain a patent airway, remove bronchopulmonary secretions, and/or achieve adequate ventilation and oxygenation.
• Monitors patients physiological responses to therapy, recognizes patient adverse reaction and stops or modifies or recommends modification to procedure based on patient response.
• Documents all required information in the medical record according to departmental policy and procedure.
• Initiates pressure-cycled/volume-cycled/high frequency ventilation.
• Weans/modifies mechanical ventilation according to assessment and physician orders.
• Assists with or performs extubation.
• Conducts patient education and disease management.
• Performs cardiopulmonary resuscitation according to resuscitation guidelines.
• May assist with or perform intubation, bronchoscopy, thoracentesis, tracheostomy, cardioversion, and intubation.
• May participate in land/air critical care transport, high risk deliveries, surfactant replacement in neonates, pulmonary rehabilitation, home care, discharge planning, and community outreach.
• May initiate and implement therapist driven protocols.
• May assign, organize and coordinate the work of assigned Respiratory Care Practitioners.
• May demonstrate respiratory care procedures to trainees and other healthcare personnel.
• May train assigned practitioners and complete assigned practitioner competency reviews.
• Contributes to departmental quality improvement activities.
• May schedule staff and perform staffing functions.
• Assesses priorities for delivery of patient care and redistributes resources as necessary throughout shift.
• Maintains a current knowledge base of departmental information management systems, including collection, maintenance, and dissemination of information, as well as appropriate audit trails.
• May develop policies and procedures, both clinical and administrative.

What This Job Offers

• Industry: Ambulatory Health Care Services
• Education Level: High school or GED