Respiratory Care Practitioner III - Southern Virginia Regional Medical Center - PRN

Bon Secours Mercy Health•Emporia, VA

5d•Onsite

About The Position

The Respiratory Care Practitioner III provides respiratory care through patient assessment, planning, intervention, education, and evaluation. The role performs respiratory care procedures including oxygen and aerosolized medication delivery, ventilator care, bronchial hygiene therapy, diagnostic services, and patient and staff education. The practitioner monitors patients’ responses to treatment and recommends adjustments based on assessment findings. The practitioner provides clinical leadership and support through staff and student instruction, mentorship, clinical rounds, practice evaluation, precepting, and participation in research, quality improvement initiatives, councils, and committees. As shift Charge Therapist, the practitioner helps ensure adequate staffing and assigns or adjusts work to meet patient-care needs. The role may also assist physicians with procedures and perform CPR and other airway-management interventions. Clinical duties include airway maintenance, ventilator setup and monitoring, oxygen and aerosol therapy, pulmonary hygiene, patient and family education, sputum collection, arterial punctures and blood gas analysis, arterial-line procedures, and, when applicable, pulmonary function testing and EKGs. The practitioner assesses patients, evaluates laboratory and monitoring data, documents care, maintains respiratory equipment and supplies, and responds to cardiopulmonary resuscitations. The position is PRN in the Respiratory Therapy department at Virginia RMC in Emporia. Compensation range: $33.31–$51.63.

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.
Two years of experience as a Registered Respiratory Therapist or five years as a Certified Respiratory Therapist (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.
Good customer-service, organizational, and time-management skills.
Ability to receive feedback 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, 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.
NRP Neonatal Resuscitation Program certification from AAP/AWHONN.
Certified Pulmonary Function Technologist (CPFT) credential.
Registered Pulmonary Function Technologist (RPFT) credential.
ACCS Adult Critical Care Specialist credential from NBRC.
EPIC Electronic Health Record 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 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, practice evaluation, and precepting new team members and students.
Provide clinical leadership to advance respiratory practice in intensive care, general care, and outpatient services.
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 and support study education, training, implementation, data collection, record keeping, and product evaluation as applicable.
Participate in facility councils and committees.
Serve as shift Charge Therapist, helping ensure adequate staffing, assigning staff and work areas, modifying 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 applicable.
Perform CPR, closed-chest compressions, and airway-management techniques in accordance with AHA ACLS protocol.
Maintain patient airways using appropriate airways and techniques, including humidification, secretion aspiration, extubation, ETT cuff-pressure maintenance, and documentation.
Select, assemble, monitor, and evaluate mechanical ventilators; correct malfunctions and maintain cleanliness; determine suitability for patient condition.
Perform pulmonary function tests when applicable.
Assess patients using inspection, palpation, auscultation, percussion, behavior, and review of patient-record data.
Carry out physician-ordered treatments, explain therapies and goals, and modify procedures based on patient response.
Evaluate prescribed therapy and recommend methods to physicians to achieve therapeutic goals, including IPPB, aerosol therapy, postural drainage and percussion, ultrasonic nebulizer, incentive spirometry, and metered-dose inhalers with spacers.
Set up and maintain oxygen-therapy modes to support adequate PaO2 levels and accurate inspired oxygen concentrations.
Administer IPPB and aerosol therapy, prepare prescribed medications, adjust devices for individual clinical needs, monitor and document vital signs and treatment response, and identify possible adverse reactions.
Perform postural drainage, vibration, and percussion; review orders and X-rays; and assess secretion clearance and response to treatment before and after procedures.
Teach patients and families about incentive spirometry, MDI administration, postural drainage and clapping, oxygen therapy, ventilator care, and home aerosol therapy.
Obtain sputum specimens or assist airway clearance through coaching, mucolytics, aerosol therapy, or endotracheal/nasopharyngeal suctioning.
Evaluate normal and pathologic blood and urine laboratory values.
Perform arterial punctures and analysis, interpret arterial blood gases, and perform arterial-line procedures using safety precautions and sterile technique, including flushing and ABG aspiration.
Perform EKGs when applicable and understand electronic monitoring, lead placement, and basic arrhythmias.
Maintain respiratory therapy equipment and supplies.
Respond to cardiopulmonary resuscitations and participate as indicated by clinical circumstances.