Respiratory Therapist (RT)

Advocate Health and Hospitals Corporation • Port Washington, WA

6d • Onsite

About The Position

The Respiratory Therapist (RT) position is responsible for utilizing respiratory therapy processes to support patient assessment, including pulmonary diagnostics, chest radiograph interpretation, hemodynamic values, and laboratory values, correlating blood gases and electrolytes. The RT must identify and address the special needs of patient populations specific to department services and operate specialized ventilators in critical and non-critical care settings. This role involves assisting physicians with bedside procedures, administering medication treatments and therapies per physician order or patient-driven protocols, and maintaining respiratory equipment. Additionally, the RT will educate and instruct patients on therapy, self-care, and disease management, facilitate clinical problem-solving, and collaborate with other departments. The therapist must adapt to policies and procedures across various service areas, perform required tasks, and maintain performance standards. Effective communication, feedback, and conflict resolution skills are essential, as is providing clear, concise, and accurate patient handoffs. Promoting a culture of safety by applying proper safety measures, reporting patient safety events, and identifying potential safety issues is crucial. The RT will also teach, educate, and precept new teammates, orientees, and students, demonstrating knowledge and skills appropriate for the age of the patients served and understanding principles of growth and development across the lifespan.

Requirements

• Respiratory Care Practitioner (RCP) license issued by the state in which the team member practices.
• Active Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credential issued by the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) within 12 months OR active Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) credential issued by the NBRC if credential received prior to January 1, 2023.
• Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Providers certification issued by the American Heart Association (AHA).
• Graduate from an accredited respiratory care program, with a minimum of an associate degree.
• No experience required.
• Effective organizational, interpersonal and problem-solving skills.
• Problem solving and decision making for patient care and equipment use.
• Proficient computer skills, use of e-mail and electronic medical record systems.
• Excellent communication (written and verbal), listening and interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrates human relation skills with the ability to develop rapport and maintain positive, professional relationships with a variety of patients, team members, and physicians.
• Ability to take initiative and work collaboratively with others.
• Demonstrates time management skills with an ability to multi-task and prioritize in an environment with frequent interruptions.

Nice To Haves

• See Education/Certification Addendum for any additional site-specific requirements.

Responsibilities

• Uses Respiratory therapy processes to support assessment of patient utilizing a variety of skills such as pulmonary diagnostics, chest radiograph, hemodynamic values, laboratory values, and correlates blood gases and electrolytes.
• Can identify and address the special needs of patient population specific to department services.
• Operates specialized ventilators in critical and non-critical care venues.
• Assists physician with bedside or other procedures as applicable to facility.
• Provides medication treatments and therapies per physician order and/or patient driven respiratory protocols as prescribed.
• Cleans, maintains, and ensures proper functionality of equipment.
• Troubleshoots equipment as necessary and identifies the need for service and/or repair.
• Educates and instructs patients in purpose, technique, self-care, goal of therapy, and disease management.
• Facilitates clinical problem solving and collaborates with other departments to provide education on managing patients.
• Under physician direction, the respiratory therapist must be able to adapt and comply to policies and procedures for a variety of different service areas, perform tasks and/or special duties as required by assignment and maintain performance standards and organizational behaviors.
• Demonstrates effective communication, feedback, and conflict resolution skills.
• Provides clear, concise, timely, and accurate patient handoff.
• Promotes a culture of safety by recognizing and applying proper safety measures to prevent patient harm.
• Reports patient safety events and near misses in a timely manner.
• Seeks to identify potential safety issues and assists in the implementation of corrective actions.
• Teaches, educates, and precepts new teammates, orientees, and students.
• Must be able to demonstrate knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients served.
• Must demonstrate knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span and possess the ability to assess data reflective of the patient's status and interpret the appropriate information needed to identify each patient's requirements relative to his/her age-specific needs.

Benefits

• Shift differentials for PM, Nights, Weekends (based on job profile)
• 401(k) company contribution: 3% of your eligible annual salary AND 401(k) employer match: Dollar for dollar match up to 3%
• Opportunity for yearly merit increases within the salary range
• Paid Time Off programs
• Health and welfare benefits such as medical, dental, vision, life, and Short- and Long-Term Disability
• Flexible Spending Accounts for eligible health care and dependent care expenses
• Family benefits such as adoption assistance and paid parental leave
• Defined contribution retirement plans with employer match and other financial wellness programs
• Educational Assistance Program

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Associate degree