Respiratory Therapist

Great Plains Health•North Platte, NE

17d

About The Position

The Licensed Respiratory Care Practitioner (LRCP) performs complex respiratory therapy procedures and evaluates and assesses patients’ needs for therapy. The role provides age-appropriate respiratory care across the lifespan, including assessment, care planning, implementation, evaluation, documentation, patient and family education, and coordination with the multidisciplinary health care team. The LRCP supports continuity and quality of care, participates in shared leadership and improvement activities, and may contribute to research and the education, orientation, and development of personnel, patients, students, families, and visitors.

Requirements

Formal respiratory therapy training and registration or certification as a Respiratory Therapist by the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC).
Graduation from an approved respiratory therapy training program accredited by the Committee on Accreditation for Respiratory Care in collaboration with the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs.
Nebraska licensure as a Licensed Respiratory Care Practitioner (LRCP).
BLS certification from the American Heart Association is required when hired.
ACLS, PALS, and NRP are required.
Ability to meet the listed physical demands, including frequent lifting, carrying, pushing, and pulling, and constant standing and/or walking, reaching, and gripping and/or pinching.

Responsibilities

Assess patients’ physical, psychological, social, spiritual, educational, developmental, cultural, and discharge-planning needs; review patient histories, physicals, information from other team members, and diagnostic and laboratory data.
Report abnormal diagnostic or laboratory results to physicians and appropriate caregivers; complete respiratory assessments and reassessments according to patient needs and policy.
Develop and revise respiratory plans of care, including discharge plans, using assessment data and input from patients, families, and the health care team.
Initiate patient-specific care plans and establish realistic, measurable goals with patients and families, considering the patient’s physical, cultural, psychosocial, spiritual, age-specific, and educational needs.
Coordinate respiratory care with the multidisciplinary team and implement care through direct patient care, coordination, delegation, and supervision of health care team activities.
Provide care in accordance with physician orders, nursing plans of care, policies, procedures, standards of care, and regulatory requirements.
Promote continuity of care by communicating patient status accurately and completely to other caregivers.
Evaluate patients’ and families’ responses to care and teaching, assess progress toward goals and expected outcomes, and revise the plan of care as needed.
Document assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation in patient records in a legible and timely manner and according to policy; record objective and subjective data, respiratory interventions, patient responses, and physician orders accurately.
Provide evidence-based care and potentially participate in research activities within clinical practice.
Participate in unit or facility shared leadership and quality improvement activities, including efforts to improve national quality indicators and outcomes.
Contribute to the education, role development, orientation, precepting, and mentoring of facility personnel, patients, students, families, and visitors, as appropriate.
Support excellent patient outcomes through timely, effective, efficient, equitable, and safe care; professional organization participation may be included.