Respiratory Therapist – RRT/CRT – Edgewood

Saint Elizabeth Medical Center•Edgewood, KY

About The Position

At St. Elizabeth Healthcare, every role supports our mission to provide comprehensive and compassionate care to the communities we serve. For more than 160 years, St. Elizabeth Healthcare has been a trusted provider of quality care across Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio. We’re guided by our mission to improve the health of the communities we serve and by our values of excellence, integrity, compassion, and teamwork. Our associates are the heart of everything we do. Upon physician’s orders, assesses patients’ pulmonary status, determines appropriateness of orders and administers various modes supportive or restorative of therapy, with or without medical gases or pharmacological agents to restore normal cardio-pulmonary function. Upon physicians’ orders conduct various cardio-pulmonary diagnostic tests to determine existence or extent of cardio-pulmonary disease. Demonstrate respect, dignity, kindness and empathy in each encounter with all patients, families, visitors and other employees regardless of cultural background.

Requirements

Certified by the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC)
Holds current mandatory certificate to practice Respiratory therapy in the state where work is being performed
If the applicant is not a CRT upon employment or promotion, the Associate must pass the next entry level exam, as defined by the published NBRC test administration dates, for which the applicant is eligible as a condition of continued employment.
All registry eligible CRTs employed or promoted after August 31, 2009, as a condition of continued employment, must successfully complete the RT registry examination administered by the NBRC within twelve (12) months of employment.
CRTs employed at Grant County Critical Access Hospital can maintain CRT credential without required promotion.
All Certified Respiratory Therapists must maintain their credential as described in the Continuing Competency of the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC). Failure to maintain the credential will result in a demotion transfer to a Respiratory Technician until their credential is reinstated by the NBRC.
ACLS Certification
Previous hospital/critical care experience.
RTs employed at Grant County must have minimum of 18 months ICU/Critical Care experience.

Nice To Haves

Associate degree or equivalent in applied science.
Specialty credentialing in cardio-pulmonary diagnostic testing
Documented training or specialty credential in pediatric, neonatal or geriatric Respiratory Therapy.

Responsibilities

Meets customer relations expectations:
Is accountable for his/her behavior.
Actions contribute to improved customer satisfaction outcome
Interacts with internal and external customers.
Uses background knowledge and clinical skills to assess patients’ cardiopulmonary status to implement a Respiratory Care Plan is appropriate for the patient’s age groups.
Compares ordered therapy to patients' cardio-pulmonary status recommending, when necessary, more appropriate, more cost effective or less invasive therapy to achieve the therapeutic objective.
Explains the purpose and benefits of ordered therapy, teaching the patient proper therapy techniques, to elicit patient cooperation and insure effective therapy.
Administers safe, effective respiratory treatments, consistent with current standards of practice, to restore normal cardio-pulmonary function.
Administers safe, effective medical gas therapy, consistent with current standards of practice, to treat hypoxia.
Upon physicians' orders uses background knowledge and clinical skills to provide mechanical ventilatory support to sustain patients' cardio-pulmonary function objective.
Documents and communicates effects and effectiveness of therapy administered to ensure continuity of care between other members of the health care team.
With indirect supervision uses background knowledge, clinical skills and specialized training to conduct a variety of diagnostic tests to determine patients' cardio-pulmonary function.
May perform bedside spirometry for the PFT lab when needed.
Maintains equipment and supplies
Initiates and maintains cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (BLS)
Performs other duties as assigned.