Respiratory Therapist Jobs

About The Position

Requirements

• Associate’s degree in Respiratory Therapy; an accredited Respiratory Therapy program certificate, diploma, or associate degree is accepted for the specified BLH and BSH requirements.
• Current Respiratory Therapist license in the State of Michigan.
• Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credentials required within one year of hire for employees hired after 2004.
• BLS certification required within three months of hire at all sites.
• AHA courses and certifications in BLS, ACLS, PALS, and AAP-NRP are required according to site requirements; ACLS, PALS, and NRP certifications are required within one year of hire for BLH and BSH only.
• For BLH and BSH only: five years of experience.
• Ability to meet age-specific competency requirements for the patient population served.
• Ability to meet physical demands including considerable standing or walking, lifting objects up to 50 pounds, assisting with heavier patient-lifting and moving tasks, and occasionally stooping, crouching, kneeling, or moving quickly during emergencies.
• Ability to perform work involving mental and visual fatigue, frequent significant uncontrollable deadlines, and use of a personal computer or CRT for up to 40 percent of the time.
• Ability to work overtime when necessary and change shift hours to meet department needs.
• Ability to complete the required preceptor course when taking on student instruction responsibilities.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor’s degree in Respiratory Therapy.

Responsibilities

• Provide respiratory therapy and communicate findings to appropriate personnel.
• Evaluate objective and subjective patient information and discuss conclusions with providers and nurses to address patient problems promptly.
• Evaluate invasive and non-invasive blood gases and discuss conclusions and suggested therapy changes based on results.
• Communicate ventilator recommendations to providers and nursing based on patient evaluations and blood gases.
• Verify provider orders and administer therapy accordingly.
• Perform age-specific respiratory therapies in accordance with provider orders, protocols, or guidelines.
• Explain therapies to patients in understandable terms suited to their age and learning capabilities.
• Assess patients’ responses to therapy, make recommendations, and modify therapy according to respiratory protocols when appropriate.
• Administer, assess, and titrate oxygen therapy; notify the manager, nursing personnel, and providers of adverse patient reactions.
• Perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation and respond to Code Blue events in a timely manner, providing life support according to applicable BLS, ACLS, NRP, and PALS guidelines and site-specific responsibilities.
• Assist providers with tracheal intubation or perform it when competency requirements are complete.
• Maintain and stabilize artificial airways, including endotracheal and tracheostomy tubes, and ensure tube security and repositioning according to policy.
• Use infant and pediatric resuscitation equipment appropriately in emergencies, including PEEP adaptations and pop-off valves.
• Assist with patient and family education alongside the healthcare team.
• Perform basic pulmonary function testing, EKGs, arterial blood gases, pulse oximetry, end-tidal CO2 monitoring, and transcutaneous oximetry according to department policies and procedures.
• Assist with bedside bronchoscopies, intubations, and extubations according to department policies and procedures.
• Perform nasotracheal, endotracheal, and tracheal suctioning and sample collection according to department policies and procedures.
• Assist with safe patient transport by walking, wheelchair, gurney, or crib; may assist with ambulance transports between facilities.
• Accurately communicate patient diagnosis and therapy during change-of-shift reports and accurately charge patients for therapies performed.
• Take an active role in supervising and instructing Respiratory Care students, complete the required preceptor course, and help students develop clinical skills.
• Respond to fluctuations in patient census and relative value units; work overtime when necessary and change shift hours to meet department needs.
• Maintain and clean respiratory equipment to ensure readiness and supply availability.
• Orient and instruct new department personnel, nursing staff, students, and respiratory personnel in Respiratory Care procedures as required.
• Attend in-services and online learning and complete minimum work and education requirements.
• Participate in departmental quality assurance and hospital-wide performance-improvement initiatives and other organizational process-improvement activities.
• Work safely and protect patients, coworkers, and the environment from safety and environmental hazards.
• Participate in self-development and continuous education, including mandatory in-services, educational activities, and community service as required.

Benefits

• Sign-on bonus of up to $5,000 for external candidates only.
• Retention bonus of $10,000 for external candidates only.