Respiratory Therapist (RT) PT Days - 4 on, 10 off

Vibra Travels•Madisonville, KY

10d

About The Position

The Respiratory Therapist provides respiratory care to adult and geriatric patients ages 18 and over. Under the supervision of the Respiratory Therapy Manager and/or Lead Respiratory Therapist, and upon physician request, the therapist sets up and operates respiratory care equipment used to diagnose and treat respiratory disease and illness. The schedule is part-time days: four days on followed by ten days off, working every other Friday through Monday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. The role includes delivering prescribed respiratory treatments, operating and monitoring ventilators, supporting ventilator weaning, providing tracheostomy care, performing diagnostic studies and blood gas analysis, and maintaining respiratory equipment. The therapist documents treatments, patient responses, education, equipment checks, and procedures in the appropriate records. The position also involves communicating patient updates and new orders to relief staff and nurses, preparing patients for transport and activity, attending departmental meetings and in-services, and following hospital policies, safety practices, compliance requirements, and patient privacy standards.

Requirements

Licensed to practice as a Respiratory Practitioner in the state of employment.
Must have BLS upon hire.
Must obtain ACLS certification within 90 days of employment.
Must maintain licenses and certifications for the duration of employment.
Must maintain annual continuing education related to laboratory practices.

Responsibilities

Provide respiratory care to adult and geriatric patients ages 18 and over while respecting each patient’s rights, dignity, and individuality.
Explain the purpose and procedure of treatments, tests, and equipment to patients, and document education provided to patients and caregivers.
Conduct physician-prescribed treatments, including handheld nebulizer therapy, oxygen and humidity administration, and chest physical therapy.
Set up, operate, and monitor ventilators; participate in ventilator weaning according to protocols and physician direction; and adjust ventilator setup to meet patient respiratory demand.
Maintain ventilation during cardiopulmonary resuscitation and intubate as necessary.
Document treatments and patient responses in respiratory care records and patient charts, and place MARs in the proper order in the chart.
Perform tracheostomy care and change tracheostomy tubes as required by hospital policy and procedure, documenting changes in respiratory progress notes.
Change tubing and inline suction devices, including suction canisters, according to hospital policy and procedure.
Report treatments, patient conditions, changes, and new orders to relief personnel, and keep the patient’s primary care nurse informed.
Process respiratory therapy equipment, including ENT/bronchoscope equipment; clean, sterilize, and package equipment as required; and prepare scopes for transport to and from the cleaning area.
Verify that Cidex OPA is functional, including a test strip check within the prior 24 hours.
Perform preventive maintenance and equipment repairs, including ventilator EST and SST pre-use checks, and document them in the cleaning log.
Make regular rounds; check ventilators at least every four hours and oxygen equipment at least once per shift; fill room humidifiers; change suction canisters daily; and spot-check other respiratory equipment as required.
Perform and evaluate arterial and venous blood gas analyses, demonstrate competency with blood gas devices, and maintain annual continuing education related to laboratory practices.
Assist respiratory care and ventilator patients with preparation for physical therapy, ambulation, transport, and similar activities.
Store oxygen tanks according to OSHA and hospital guidelines.
Attend monthly Respiratory Care departmental meetings, general staff meetings, and in-services.
Follow the Hospital Compliance Plan and report violations or suspected violations to the Compliance Officer.
Maintain professional conduct and comply with hospital and departmental policies, procedures, and attendance requirements.
Follow bloodborne pathogen precautions and participate in the Hazardous Material Program and established safety and patient safety practices.
Recognize potential patient abuse and follow policy for appropriate referrals or interventions.
Participate in Performance Improvement activities.
Limit access to protected health information to what is reasonably necessary for work and share it only on a need-to-know basis.
Perform other incidental and related duties as required or assigned.