Respiratory Therapist II Up to $20,000 Sign on

Yale New Haven Health•New Haven, CT

About The Position

The Respiratory Therapist II assesses, treats, and educates patients with respiratory problems, providing age-specific respiratory care. The role requires expertise in the therapies and services offered by the department and includes serving as a role model, mentor, and expert resource to Level I therapists and other members of the patient care team. The therapist also supports departmental and interdepartmental quality improvement efforts. The position includes ECMO Specialist responsibilities: continuously monitoring and assessing the ECMO circuit, related technology, and patient status; identifying and correcting problems; and initiating and evaluating interventions consistent with protocol. The specialist consults with the ECMO physician when the patient’s condition or protocol guidance is in question and collaborates with the ECMO team to provide care consistent with the patient’s individualized care plan.

Requirements

Associate of Science degree and certificate of completion from a Respiratory Care Program approved by the Committee on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC).
Current active Connecticut license as a Respiratory Care Practitioner.
Registration by the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) as a Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT).
At least 1 year of experience as an RRT in Critical Care, Pediatric, or Neonatal care.
Expert knowledge of respiratory care assessments, procedures, equipment, application, and appropriate documentation.
Excellent oral and written communication skills.
Organizational, leadership, supervisory, and interpersonal skills.
Ability to work under stressful conditions.
Computer literacy.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor of Science degree.
BLS and Advanced LS related to the assigned patient population (preferred).

Responsibilities

Assess patients’ pulmonary status using chart review, patient interviews, physical examinations, blood gas interpretation, imaging interpretation, and other diagnostic procedures.
Provide optimum age-specific respiratory care and demonstrate proficiency in the department’s therapies, services, procedures, and equipment.
Document care, changes in clinical status, and therapeutic objectives accurately in the electronic medical record while maintaining patient confidentiality.
Communicate patient status and clinical information to colleagues, including giving and receiving reports in SBAR format and providing safe handoffs between shifts.
Maintain clinical competency through continuing education, professional growth, and development; stay informed about professional trends and departmental procedures and equipment.
Serve as a role model, mentor, and expert resource to Level I therapists and support other patient care team members.
Support departmental and interdepartmental quality improvement efforts.
Monitor and adjust ECMO circuit settings, including heat exchanger temperature, pump flow, and sweep gas, to maintain parameters established by the ECMO physician.
Identify and correct ECMO-related problems and initiate and evaluate interventions consistent with protocol.
Consult with the ECMO physician when the patient’s condition or protocol limits or directives are in question.
Provide ECMO patient handoffs covering patient care and the status of the ECMO circuit.