Jackson West

Jackson Health•Miami, FL

6d•Onsite

About The Position

The Respiratory Registered Therapist Specialty performs respiratory care duties in an assigned specialty under the direction of an attending physician or CMO. Duties include setting up and administering routine and complex respiratory therapy procedures and providing respiratory therapy coverage. The therapist may operate acute-care ventilators for short- and long-term mechanical ventilation of adults, pediatric patients, and neonates. The role requires the ability to care for patients in a specialty area such as Pediatrics, Trauma, Transplant, or ECMO, or to provide Nitricoxide Therapy or Sunshine Therapy. Work is generally guided by administrative policies and procedures and performed under the supervision of a department head or director. Therapists are expected to work independently when the full-time Team Leader is absent and may take on charge or lead-worker responsibilities as needed. Independently performed medical duties must be under the direction of an attending physician or CMO. The position may include patient transport duties for Pediatric and Neonatal patients, including ground and air transports for Holtz Pediatric units. Therapists assigned to the Pediatric ER may also perform duties such as EKGs, I-Stat testing, glucose checks, maintaining respiratory supplies and equipment, and assisting with patient transport. Other duties may be assigned. The role requires extended standing or walking, frequent visual acuity for computer-related activities, and the ability to carry objects weighing 21 to 50 pounds and to lift or move objects weighing 51 to 100 pounds using appropriate devices. The work takes place in a fast-paced hospital environment with occasional high-pressure, emergent, or stressful situations; frequent interaction with a diverse population; and possible exposure to communicable diseases, toxic substances, medicinal preparations, needle sticks, airborne infections, medical gases, X-rays, chemicals, and other hospital hazards. Personal protective equipment must be worn in infectious or clinical environments. Reasonable accommodations may be available through the home unit or department in collaboration with the Reasonable Accommodations Committee.

Requirements

Generally requires 3 to 5 years of related experience.
An associate's degree is required for employees hired after March 1, 2020; the minimum degree verified for employees performing Point of Care testing in specified areas is an associate's degree.
Valid Florida State Respiratory License.
Registered Respiratory Therapist credential from the National Board for Respiratory Care.
Ability to analyze, organize, and prioritize work accurately while meeting multiple deadlines.
Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing.
Ability to handle difficult and stressful situations with critical thinking and professional composure.
Ability to understand and follow instructions and exercise sound, independent judgment.
Knowledge and skill in using job-appropriate technology and software applications.
Must meet and maintain unit-specific and organizational skills, competencies, certifications, and licensures required by the assigned area.
Must be capable of caring for patients in Pediatrics, Trauma, Transplant, or ECMO, or be able to provide Nitricoxide Therapy or Sunshine Therapy.
AHA Basic Life Support (BLS) with at least 6 months of validity.
AHA Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS).
AHA Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS).
Additional applicable healthcare-provider life support certification may be required at the unit level upon hire, with at least 6 months of validity and maintained at Jackson Health System for the duration of employment.
Ability to carry objects weighing 21 to 50 pounds and to lift or move objects weighing 51 to 100 pounds using appropriate devices.
Must wear personal protective equipment when exposed to infectious or clinical hospital environments.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's degree is strongly preferred.
STABLE certificate is preferred for RRTs assigned to NICU.

Responsibilities

Set up, assess, and monitor patients receiving ventilator or oxygenation support.
Assist with orientation, training, and education of new respiratory care staff, including through in-service presentations.
Obtain and analyze arterial, pulmonary artery, venous, or capillary blood samples for blood gas determinations when approved and ordered by an attending physician, where applicable.
Participate in interdepartmental and intradepartmental quality assessment and improvement activities.
Administer aerosolized medications using small-volume nebulizers, metered-dose inhalers, or intermittent positive-pressure breathing machines.
Administer bronchial hygiene therapy using percussion and vibration, postural drainage, coughing, suctioning, and PEP mask therapy.
Communicate with physicians and nursing staff to maintain or improve the quality of processes and outcomes.
Document accurately and completely assessment and monitoring data for patients, equipment, and alarm settings.
Maintain knowledge, skills, and competency in line with patient population needs and advances in science and technology.
Monitor respiratory care practices in the assigned area and notify a supervisor of deviations.
Perform hemodynamic monitoring, where authorized and applicable, after training.
Perform pulmonary monitoring in authorized areas after training.
Operate electrocardiography equipment, perform safe cardiological testing, prepare electrocardiograms for physician interpretation, and record patient visits and tests where applicable.
Verify equipment safety, performance, and preventive maintenance status before use for patient testing.
Follow organization-wide and unit-specific age-related, safety, security, and infection-control standards, and attend required orientation and training.
Respect the rights, privacy, property, and confidentiality of others and interact appropriately with people based on their age-specific, physical, and psychosocial needs.
Perform unit-specific policies and procedures and use job- and unit-specific equipment as required.
When assigned charge or lead-worker duties, liaise with other departments in delivering respiratory care services.
For Holtz Pediatric unit assignments, attend ground and air transports for pediatric and neonatal patients as needed, assist with patient assignments during staffing shortages, and respond to other areas under the Pedi Respiratory Care Department or other assigned specialty areas.
For Pediatric ER assignments, perform additional duties as assigned, potentially including EKGs, I-Stat tests, glucose checks, supply and equipment maintenance, and patient transport assistance.
Demonstrate service excellence and CARE values: Compassion, Accountability, Respect, and Expertise.
Perform other related job duties as assigned.