Per Diem Respiratory Therapist
About The Position
Provides routine and complex respiratory care according to established plans of care, including treatments, procedures, and assessments that require professional judgment and initiative. Care activities include suctioning, administering prescribed medications during respiratory therapy, chest percussion, postural drainage, and incentive spirometry. The role delivers patient-focused care, assesses patients, applies clinical judgment, documents care and outcomes, educates patients and families, and collaborates with the health care team. The therapist may serve as a resource and preceptor, contribute to policies, procedures, clinical pathways, quality improvement, and evaluation of new respiratory technology, and maintain professional development and credentials. Must be willing to float or be reassigned as needed and be available for call-in or other emergency duties.
Requirements
- Completion of a two-year AMA-approved associate or bachelor's level program.
- At least one year of experience in respiratory care.
- NBRC Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credential.
- Connecticut State License as a Respiratory Care Practitioner.
- Computer literacy and experience entering and retrieving PC data.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Good mathematics, analytical, and organizational skills.
- Ability to read, comprehend, and follow written and oral instructions.
- Ability to be floated or reassigned as needed and to be available for call-in or other emergency duties.
- Ability to remain on one's feet for most of the day; perform moderate lifting up to approximately 30 pounds; and walk, stoop, and bend repetitively throughout the workday.
Responsibilities
- Provide clinical care consistent with patient-focused care concepts and established plans of care.
- Assess patients using chart review, history, bedside spirometry, clinical examination, and invasive or non-invasive respiratory monitoring as indicated.
- Identify and validate clinical problems, assist with clinical pathways, evaluate patient and family outcomes, and monitor for variances from pathways.
- Use respiratory and technical skills to deliver care and apply sound judgment based on policies, procedures, and accepted standards.
- Apply clinical knowledge to complex care situations, resolve care issues, and establish priorities for care delivery.
- Teach patients and families about respiratory care, evaluate their progress, and initiate respiratory care education.
- Assist with activities of daily living as needed.
- Document respiratory care and cross-trained activities clearly, consistently, and on time, including outcomes and variances in clinical pathways and required formats.
- Provide information in accordance with JCAHO and Connecticut State requirements.
- Collaborate with health care team members to plan, implement, and evaluate clinical pathway interventions; communicate therapeutic regimens and patient outcomes or variances to case managers in a timely manner.
- Confer regularly with physicians and write verbal and telephone orders.
- Use colleagues’ ideas and knowledge in patient care; serve as a resource to colleagues and new employees, precept fellow employees, and assist with new employee orientation.
- Share information from off-site educational opportunities and provide colleagues with respiratory care guidance.
- Assist coworkers with clinical problem-solving and respiratory equipment troubleshooting.
- Participate in the development, revision, and implementation of policies, procedures, and clinical pathways.
- Support patient-focused care and adhere to unit policies and procedures.
- Evaluate and recommend new respiratory technology.
- Participate in quality improvement activities, including indicator development, chart review, patient interventions, and implementation and evaluation of improvements.
- Participate on hospital or unit committees and communicate relevant committee activities to colleagues.
- Maintain responsibility for professional growth; assess strengths and development needs and pursue opportunities to improve.
- Attend staff meetings, in-services, workshops, and conferences; keep current with respiratory care skills, technology, technical publications, and mandatory in-service requirements.
- Maintain advanced professional credentials and set and regularly evaluate annual professional goals.
- Float or be reassigned to another department, unit, office, or location as needed, and be available for call-in or other emergency duties.
Stand Out From the Crowd
Upload your resume and get instant feedback on how well it matches this job.
What This Job Offers
Career Level
Mid Level
Education Level
Associate degree
