Respiratory Care Practitioner III - Respiratory Therapy - St. Rita's Medical Center

Mercy Health BSMH•Bath Township, OH

11d

About The Position

The Respiratory Care Practitioner III provides respiratory care through patient assessment, planning, intervention, education, and evaluation. The role performs a broad range of respiratory care procedures, including oxygen and aerosolized medication delivery, ventilator care, bronchial hygiene therapy, diagnostic services, and patient and staff education. The practitioner monitors patient responses to therapies and recommends changes or modifications based on assessment. The position also provides clinical leadership and support through staff instruction, mentorship, clinical rounds, practice evaluation, precepting, coaching feedback, quality improvement initiatives, and clinical research. It may serve as shift Charge Therapist, coordinating staffing assignments and coverage. The practitioner supports physicians during certain procedures and provides airway management, resuscitation, diagnostic testing, equipment maintenance, and patient and family education.

Requirements

Current Respiratory Care license in the state of employment.
National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) credential.
BLS Basic Life Support certification from the American Heart Association.
ACLS Advanced Cardiac Life Support certification from the American Heart Association or Red Cross.
PALS Pediatric Advanced Life Support certification from the American Heart Association.
Two years of experience as a Registered Respiratory Therapist or five years as a CRT.
Demonstrated clinical competency in at least two of the following: Nursery/NICU, PICU, ICU/CCU, ED, and general care areas.
Strong interpersonal skills and ability to interact effectively with patients, families, physicians, and staff.
Good communication skills, including oral and written communication.
Ability to work effectively with diverse people, receive feedback, gather and interpret data, and demonstrate accountability.
Good customer service, organizational, and time management skills.
Knowledge of non-invasive respiratory therapy equipment, such as oximeters and end-tidal CO2 analyzers.
Knowledge of therapeutic procedures including CPAP/BiPAP, jet aerosol, oxygen therapy, incentive spirometry, chest physiotherapy, pulse oximetry, high-flow oxygen, continuous aerosols, ventilator management, and diagnostic testing.
Understanding of EKGs, electronic monitoring, lead placement, and basic arrhythmias.
Ability to perform arterial blood gas punctures and testing, airway maneuvers, bedside pulmonary function testing, patient assessment, and patient education.
Knowledge of chest suction equipment and chest X-ray interpretation.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's degree related to respiratory therapy, healthcare, healthcare administration, or business administration.
Master's degree related to healthcare, healthcare administration, or business administration.
Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credential.
Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) certification from AAP/AWHONN.
Certified Pulmonary Function Technologist (CPFT) credential.
Registered Pulmonary Function Technologist (RPFT) credential.
Adult Critical Care Specialist (ACCS) credential from NBRC.
EPIC Electronic Health Record (EHR) training.

Responsibilities

Provide respiratory care through patient assessment, planning, intervention, education, and evaluation.
Perform respiratory care procedures, including oxygen and aerosolized medication delivery, ventilator care, bronchial hygiene therapy, and diagnostic services.
Monitor patient responses to therapies and recommend changes or modifications based on assessment.
Provide clinical instruction and in-service training to department staff, healthcare team members, and students.
Support clinical learning through mentorship, clinical rounds, and practice evaluation, and provide clinical leadership to respiratory care staff.
Provide feedback for coaching and performance evaluations of team members.
Help identify quality improvement initiatives, design programs with measurable outcomes, and lead clinical research initiatives.
Collect data, maintain accurate records, and participate in product evaluation and assessment as assigned.
Participate in facility councils and committees.
Serve as shift Charge Therapist, coordinating respiratory staff coverage, work assignments, meal coverage, call-offs, and staffing for the next shift.
Assist physicians with procedures such as bronchoscopy, transtracheal catheter insertion, tracheotomy, intubation when performed by respiratory therapy, and invasive monitoring.
Perform CPR, closed chest compressions, and airway management in accordance with AHA ACLS protocol.
Conduct procedures to maintain a patient airway, including airway use, humidification, secretion aspiration, extubation, ETT cuff pressure maintenance, and documentation.
Select, assemble, monitor, and evaluate mechanical ventilators; correct malfunctions and assess cleanliness and suitability for the patient's condition.
Perform pulmonary function tests as assigned.
Serve as a preceptor to new team members and students.
Assess patients using inspection, palpation, auscultation, percussion, observation of behavior, and review of medical records.
Perform prescribed treatments, explain therapies and goals to patients, and modify procedures based on patient response.
Assess prescribed therapies and recommend methods to physicians for achieving therapeutic goals.
Set up and maintain oxygen therapy modes to support adequate oxygenation and accurate inspired oxygen levels.
Administer IPPB and aerosol therapy, prepare prescribed medications, adjust devices to individual clinical needs, monitor and document patient response, and identify adverse reactions.
Provide postural drainage, vibration, and percussion; review orders and X-rays, and assess before and after treatment.
Instruct patients and families on incentive spirometry, MDI administration, postural drainage and clapping, oxygen therapy, ventilator care, and home aerosol therapy.
Obtain sputum specimens or facilitate airway clearance through coaching, mucolytics, aerosol therapy, or endotracheal or nasopharyngeal suctioning.
Evaluate normal and pathological blood and urine laboratory values.
Perform arterial punctures and analysis, interpret ABGs, and perform arterial line procedures using appropriate safety and sterile techniques.
Perform EKGs as assigned and apply knowledge of electronic monitoring, lead placement, and basic arrhythmias.
Maintain respiratory therapy equipment and supplies.
Respond to cardiopulmonary resuscitations and participate according to clinical circumstances.