Registered Respiratory Therapist

Job Description Summary

Provides respiratory care to patients as assigned by supervisors and given on the physician's order for both in-house and out-patient care.

• 1 - Responsible for the safe and effective administration of medically prescribed medications, knowing their indications and contraindications.
• a - Assures proper physician order before administration of medication as evidenced by Process Improvement.
• b - Demonstrates proper procedures for the procurement of respiratory medications and reconciliation of medication count variances.
• c - Completes Respiratory Care Patient Assessments before treating patients (except in an emergency) as evidenced by process improvement reviews
• 2 - Knows and follows the indications and contraindications, the policy and procedures in administering therapeutic modalities including but not limited to: IPPB, IS, HHN, CPAP & BiPAP, Heliox.
• a - Assures proper physician order before treatment administered as evidenced by Process Improvement review.
• b - Discontinues treatment if any adverse or contraindication noted and documented in patient chart at time of occurrence as well as notifying the appropriate staff member, i.e., nurse, physician.
• 3 - Safe utilization of gas cylinders and piped in gas outlets.
• a - Sets up gas cylinders and assures proper usage and safety measures are in place.
• b - Lifts and moves gas cylinders utilizing proper body mechanics.
• c - Demonstrates knowledge of the setup, use and problems associated with oxygen, air and vacuum outlets, regulators, flowmeters and devices.
• 4 - Performs arterial punctures using radial, brachial and femoral sites independently. Draws off arterial lines to obtain sample for blood gas analysis.
• a - Obtains sample upon a physician's order as directed. As determined by direct observation, the sample is obtained according to policy and in compliance with universal precautions.
• b - Follows all National Patient Safety Goals regarding patient identification, labeling of the specimen and dealing with critical value results when performing an arterial puncture and blood gas analysis as evidenced during the process improvement reviews.
• c - Proficient in interpreting arterial and venous blood gas results and conveys the information to the medical team.
• 5 - Be a member of both the "code team" and the "rapid response team" responding to arrest and patient in crisis situations.
• a - Maintains current BLS/ACLS card as evidenced by card.
• b - Performs external compression when needed in a code situation.
• c - Proper handling and usage of ambu and assures proper function during code. Utilizes proper technique as observed/reported by code team participants.
• d - Demonstrates the ability to assist with endotracheal tube and LMA insertion and removal as observed/reported by code team participants.
• e - Demonstrates the ability to verify endotracheal tube placement by use of an end tidal CO2 detector, breath sounds and a chest x-ray.
• 6 - Performs all aspects of artificial airway care. Demonstrates ability to perform naso-tracheal and endo-tracheal suctioning on patients.
• a - Fully competent in explaining benefits and complications of various airway devices.
• 7 - Documents all maintenance, calibration, problems, and quality controls performed on the blood gas analyzers.
• a - Performs maintenance on ABG analyzer as documented in the lab policy.
• b - Changes IQM cartridges when directed by the instrument.
• c - Reports critical values according to the hospital policy and procedures.
• 8 - Familiar with measuring devices to include, but not limited to, ETCO2, pulse oximeter, Wrights respirometer, oxygen blenders.
• a - Demonstr to perform weaning mechanics utilizing a respirometer, manometer and cuff pressure manometer and documents the data in the medical record.
• b - Measures and records the static compliance and dynamic resistance of the airways for all mechanically ventilated patients.
• 9 - Responsible for the set-up, safety check, monitoring and troubleshooting of mechanical ventilators.
• a - Demonstrates the ability to set properly set up and check the functionality of all ventilators at South Shore Hospital.
• b - Demonstrates the ability to proficiently…