Respiratory Care Practitioner III - Fairfield Hospital

Mercy Health • Fairfield, OH

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The Respiratory Care Practitioner III provides respiratory care through patient assessment, planning, intervention, education, and evaluation. The role performs respiratory procedures including oxygen and aerosolized medication delivery, ventilator care, bronchial hygiene therapy, diagnostic services, and patient and staff education. The practitioner monitors responses to therapy and recommends changes or modifications based on assessment.

The position provides advanced clinical support and leadership through staff training, mentorship, clinical rounds, practice evaluation, precepting, quality improvement, research initiatives, and participation in facility councils and committees. As shift Charge Therapist, the practitioner helps ensure appropriate staffing coverage and may assign or adjust work assignments and support shift coverage.

The practitioner also conducts airway management and respiratory treatments, assists physicians with certain procedures when needed, responds to cardiopulmonary resuscitations, and maintains respiratory equipment and supplies. The role includes patient and family education, documentation, and collaboration with physicians and other healthcare team members.

Requirements

• Current respiratory care license in the state of employment.
• National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) credential.
• Current BLS Basic Life Support certification from the American Heart Association.
• Current ACLS Advanced Cardiac Life Support certification from the American Heart Association or Red Cross.
• Current 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 environments: Nursery/NICU, PICU, ICU/CCU, ED, and general care areas.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to interact effectively with patients, families, physicians, and other staff.
• Good communication skills, including oral and written communication.
• Ability to work effectively with diverse people.
• Good customer service, organizational, and time-management skills.
• Ability to receive feedback, gather and interpret data, and demonstrate accountability.
• Knowledge of non-invasive respiratory therapy equipment such as oximeters or 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, and bedside pulmonary function testing.
• Ability to perform patient assessment and 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, diagnostic services, and patient and staff education.
• Monitor patients’ responses to respiratory therapies and recommend changes or modifications based on assessment.
• Provide clinical instruction and in-service training to department staff, healthcare team members, and students as needed.
• Support clinical learning through mentorship, clinical rounds, and practice evaluation, and provide clinical leadership for professional respiratory practice.
• Provide feedback for coaching and performance evaluations of team members.
• Help identify quality improvement initiatives and design programs with measurable outcomes; lead clinical research initiatives, including education, training, and implementation of study designs.
• Collect data and maintain accurate records; evaluate and assess products as needed.
• Participate in facility councils and committees.
• Serve as shift Charge Therapist, ensuring staffing coverage, assigning or modifying work assignments, assisting with meal coverage, responding to call-offs, and supporting staffing for the next shift.
• Assist physicians with procedures such as bronchoscopy, transtracheal catheter insertion, tracheotomy, intubation where performed by respiratory therapy, and invasive monitoring as needed.
• Perform CPR, including closed-chest compressions and airway management, in accordance with AHA ACLS protocol.
• Maintain patient airways using appropriate airway devices; provide humidification, secretion aspiration and extubation; maintain correct endotracheal tube cuff pressures and document procedures.
• Select, assemble, monitor, and evaluate mechanical ventilators; correct malfunctions, maintain cleanliness, and determine appropriateness for patient condition.
• Perform pulmonary function tests as needed.
• Serve as a preceptor to new team members and students.
• Assess patients through inspection, palpation, auscultation, percussion, observation of behavior, and review of medical records.
• Perform treatments according to physician orders, explain therapies and goals to patients, and modify procedures based on patient response.
• Evaluate prescribed therapies and recommend methods to physicians to achieve therapeutic goals, including IPPB, aerosol therapy, postural drainage and percussion, ultrasonic nebulizers, incentive spirometry, and metered-dose inhalers and spacers.
• Set up and maintain oxygen therapy modes to maintain adequate PaO2 at accurate inspired oxygen levels.
• Administer IPPB and aerosol therapy, prepare prescribed medications, adjust devices to patient needs, document and observe patient responses, and identify adverse reactions or concerns about therapy appropriateness.
• Perform postural drainage, vibration, and percussion; review orders and X-rays, and assess before and after treatment for secretion clearance and response.
• Instruct patients and families in incentive spirometry, MDI administration, postural drainage and clapping, oxygen therapy, ventilator care, and home aerosol therapy.
• Obtain sputum specimens for culture and sensitivity or airway clearance using coaching, mucolytics, aerosol therapy, or endotracheal or nasopharyngeal suctioning.
• Evaluate normal and pathologic blood and urine laboratory value ranges.
• Perform arterial punctures and analysis, interpret arterial blood gases, and perform arterial line procedures with appropriate safety precautions, sterile technique, flushing, and ABG aspiration.
• Perform EKGs as needed and apply understanding of electronic monitoring, lead placement, and basic arrhythmias.
• Maintain respiratory therapy equipment and supplies.
• Respond to cardiopulmonary resuscitations and participate as indicated by clinical circumstances.

Benefits

• Competitive pay, incentives, referral bonuses, and 403(b) with employer contributions when eligible.
• Medical, dental, vision, and prescription coverage; HSA/FSA options; life insurance; mental health resources; and discounts.
• Paid time off, parental and FMLA leave, short- and long-term disability, and backup care for children and elders.
• Tuition assistance, professional development, and continuing education support.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed