Respiratory Therapy Supervisor - St. Francis Downtown

Bon Secours Mercy Health•Greenville, SC

About The Position

The Supervisor, Respiratory Therapy supervises department staff and provides respiratory care through patient assessment, planning, intervention, education, and evaluation. The supervisor performs respiratory care procedures including oxygen and aerosolized medication delivery, ventilator care, bronchial hygiene therapy, diagnostic services, and patient and staff education. They monitor patient responses to therapy and recommend changes or modifications based on assessment. The role includes ensuring respiratory care coverage, assigning and adjusting staff work, maintaining adequate staffing, and potentially hiring, orienting, training, scheduling, coaching, counseling, and disciplining employees. The supervisor contributes to operational standards and improvement initiatives, provides clinical instruction and mentorship, supports professional practice and performance evaluations, and may lead clinical research and quality improvement activities. The position also performs a broad range of clinical respiratory therapy procedures, including airway management, ventilator setup and monitoring, prescribed treatments, oxygen therapy, patient and family education, airway clearance, arterial punctures and blood gas analysis, and participation in cardiopulmonary resuscitations. The supervisor maintains respiratory therapy equipment and supplies and may assist physicians with procedures or perform pulmonary function tests and EKGs.

Requirements

Current respiratory care license in the state of employment.
National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) credential.
Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credential.
BLS Basic Life Support (American Heart Association) or ACLS Advanced Cardiac Life Support (American Heart Association or Red Cross).
PALS Pediatric Advanced Life Support (American Heart Association).
Demonstrated clinical competency in at least two of the following environments: Nursery/NICU, PICU, ICU/CCU, ED, and general care areas.
One year in a charge or leadership role.
Strong interpersonal skills and ability to interact effectively with patients, families, physicians, and other staff.
Good communication, organizational, and time-management skills, including oral and written communication.
Ability to work effectively with diverse people, receive feedback, gather and interpret data, and demonstrate accountability.
Knowledge of non-invasive respiratory therapy equipment such as oximeters or end-tidal CO2 analyzers.
Knowledge and ability to perform therapeutic procedures including CPAP/BiPAP, jet aerosol, oxygen therapy, incentive spirometry, chest physiotherapy, pulse oximetry, high-flow oxygen, continuous aerosols, ventilator management, and diagnostic testing.
Understanding of EKGs, electronic monitoring, lead placement, and basic arrhythmias.
Ability to perform arterial blood gas punctures and testing, airway maneuvers, bedside pulmonary function testing, patient assessment, and patient education.
Knowledge of chest suction equipment and chest X-ray interpretation.
Ability in staff training, active listening, leadership, logical problem solving, mentoring, Microsoft Office, office equipment, people leadership, scheduling, service orientation, social perceptiveness, training and development, employee training, and onboarding.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree related to Respiratory Therapy, Healthcare, Healthcare Administration, or Business Administration.
Master’s degree related to Healthcare, Healthcare Administration, or Business Administration.
NRP (Neonatal Resuscitation Program) certification from AAP/AWHONN.
Certified Pulmonary Function Technologist (CPFT) credential.
Registered Pulmonary Function Technologist (RPFT) credential.
ACCS (Adult Critical Care Specialist) credential from NBRC.
EPIC Electronic Health Record (EHR) training.

Responsibilities

Ensure respiratory care coverage for patient care areas by assigning staff and work areas, modifying assignments, assisting with meal coverage, handling call-offs, and providing adequate staffing for the next shift.
May interview, select, hire, orient, train, assign, schedule, coach, counsel, and discipline employees; communicate job expectations and adhere to policies and procedures.
Contribute to respiratory therapy operational standards, strategic plans, productivity, quality, customer service, problem resolution, and system improvements.
Provide clinical instruction and in-service training to department staff, healthcare team members, and students.
Mentor staff, conduct clinical rounds and practice evaluations, and provide clinical leadership across intensive care, general care, and outpatient services.
Provide feedback for coaching and performance evaluations of team members.
Help identify quality improvement initiatives and design programs with measurable outcomes; lead clinical research initiatives, including education, training, and implementation of study designs.
May collect data, maintain accurate records, and evaluate products.
Participate in facility councils and committees.
May assist physicians with bronchoscopy, transtracheal catheter insertion, tracheotomy, intubation when performed by respiratory therapy at the facility, and invasive monitoring.
Perform CPR, including closed chest compressions and airway management, according to AHA ACLS protocol; respond to and participate in cardiopulmonary resuscitations as indicated.
Conduct therapeutic procedures to maintain patient airways, including use of airways, humidification, secretion aspiration, extubation, ETT cuff-pressure maintenance, and documentation.
Select, assemble, monitor, and evaluate mechanical ventilators; correct malfunctions, maintain cleanliness, and determine suitability for the patient’s condition.
May perform pulmonary function tests.
Assess patients using inspection, palpation, auscultation, percussion, observation of behavior, and review of medical records.
Perform treatments according to physician orders, explain therapies and goals to patients, and modify procedures based on patient response.
Evaluate prescribed therapies and recommend methods to physicians to achieve therapeutic goals, including IPPB, aerosol therapy, postural drainage and percussion, ultrasonic nebulizers, incentive spirometry, and metered-dose inhalers with spacers.
Set up and maintain oxygen therapy modes to maintain adequate PaO2 levels with accurate inspired oxygen concentrations.
Administer IPPB and aerosol therapy; prepare prescribed medications, adjust devices to individual clinical needs, document and observe patient responses and vital signs, identify adverse reactions, and recommend therapy adjustments as appropriate.
Perform postural drainage, vibration, and percussion; review orders and X-rays, and assess before and after treatment for secretion clearance and response.
Instruct patients and families in incentive spirometry, MDI administration, postural drainage and clapping, oxygen therapy, ventilator care, and home aerosol therapy.
Obtain sputum samples for culture and sensitivity or airway clearance through patient coaching, mucolytics, aerosol therapy, or endotracheal/nasopharyngeal suctioning.
Evaluate normal and pathologic blood and urine laboratory value ranges.
Perform arterial punctures and analysis, interpret ABGs, and perform arterial line procedures using appropriate safety and sterile techniques, flushing, and ABG aspiration.
May perform EKGs and use electronic monitoring, lead placement, and basic arrhythmia knowledge.
Maintain respiratory therapy equipment and supplies.