Clinic Respiratory Therapist

NMC is currently recruiting a Clinic Respiratory Therapist. The position is Full-time (80 hours bi-weekly), Hours are days and vary based on need, Northwestern Medical Center’s mission is to provide exceptional health care to our community. Join our high reliability team! With “people” as one of our core values, valuing our employees is a top priority for Northwestern. We care about our employees, their families, and their overall health & well-being. We are proud to offer a generous benefits package, with recognized national carriers, designed to help our people stay healthy, balance work & life responsibilities, protect your assets & plan for a secure financial future.

Hourly Range: $26.92 USD - $37.61 USD 

Clinic Respiratory Therapist

JOB SUMMARY:

The Clinic Respiratory Therapist (RT) provides therapeutic and diagnostic respiratory procedures under the direction of a provider or by protocols. The RT is expected to quickly adapt to technical advances in the field and to learn the use of new equipment and procedures. The Clinic RT is expected to have prior training and competence in the current range of tests provided. Primary work environment is outpatient pulmonary lab with some support possible in outpatient pulmonary clinic setting or consult to discharging inpatient populations for continuity of care after discharge. Participation in supply ordering, equipment maintenance and quality assurance, patient appointment scheduling and charge capturing processes, policy development and maintenance, and development of new tests or procedures in conjunction with Medical Director may be required in addition to outpatient direct patient services.

PRE-REQUISITES:

Education: Must have graduated from an accredited Respiratory Care program and have a current licensure as a Respiratory Care Practitioner in the State of Vermont.

Experience: 5 years of hospital level outpatient pulmonary lab experience, expected to have prior training and competence in the current range of tests provided. Experience with computerized charting, patient scheduling, patient charge capturing, supply ordering

Certifications Required: The Respiratory Therapist must demonstrate knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients served on his or her assigned unit. The individual must demonstrate knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span. He or she must be able to assess and interpret data about the patient's status in order to identify each patient's age specific needs and provide the care needed by the neonate, pediatric, adolescent, adult and/or geriatric patient group. BLS, ACLS required.

Other: Typing 40 wpm. Training in medical terminology required. Microsoft Windows computer skills required. Excellent verbal and written communication skills required. Excellent organizational and customer service skills required.

RELATIONSHIPS:

Reports To: Respiratory Therapy Manager

Other Contacts: Patients and their families, Physicians, public, students and Hospital employees.

SCOPE:

Machinery or Equipment Used: Nebulizer equipment, etco2 monitors, pulse oximeters, bag-valve mask manual resuscitators, pulmonary function testing equipment, pressure manometers, oxygen analyzers, regulators for therapeutic gases, humidifiers, blood gas and pH analyzers, suction equipment, and electrocardiographs.

Physical Demands: Good manual dexterity, and mobility is necessary; repetitive physical effort of lifting, pushing, pulling and walking briskly.

Working Conditions: Regularly exposed to the risk of blood-borne disease. Frequent exposure to infectious respiratory organisms. Office and storage space is limited and work in special care areas is demanding and stressful. Due to the size of the department, extra hours on short notice may be assigned in order to maintain adequate staffing of clinical responsibilities.

Required Protective Equipment: Lab coats, masks, face and eye protection. Sterile and non-sterile gloves and aprons.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

1. Incorporates appropriate assessment and intervention skills in all interactions and delivery of respiratory care including:

• Safety & protection
• Assessment
• Intervention Skills
• Evaluation
• Equipment use and management

2. Communicates with patients, team members, and management in an accurate and timely manner evidenced by:

• Talks with and listens to patients/team members
• Reports pertinent, concise information with applicable follow-up
• Complete timely, accurate clinical documentation/order entry
• Protects confidentiality of patient/colleagues

3. Applies critical thinking skills and utilizes best practices and current research.

• Organizes multitask workload
• Prioritizes and customizes patient plan of care
• Appropriately seeks assistance
• Collects/integrates data from patient and/or multiple sources
• Organizes/delivers care for multiple patient assignment

4. Develops and maintain human care relationships.

• Adapts care management for diverse populations and environment
• Advocates for needs of patients and/or families
• Provides care in ethical and legal manner
• Refers concerns/issues to appropriate resources
• Collaborates with all members of the multidisciplinary care team
• Demonstrates a therapeutic relationship for patients well being

5. Manages self and resources effectively.

• Acknowledges and adheres to limits of experience and capability
• Identifies learning needs and seeks resources
• Utilizes equipment and supplies appropriately
• Maintain clean, orderly environment of care
• Ensures noise and traffic control in “sensitive areas”
• Seeks out and accepts feedback
• Requests assistance appropriately

6. Applies leadership skills.

• Appropriately utilizes scope of practice for self and others
• Interacts with others in professional manner
• Manages conflict
• Delegates and assigns care
• Coordinates care within multi-disciplinary team
• Maintains professional conversation/conduct in environment of care

7. Incorporates teaching in delivery of care with a focus on health promotion by:

• Provides appropriate information to patient
• Assesses for barriers to learning
• Uses colleagues as a learning resource
• Provides counseling about health behaviors
• Supports the preceptorship program, students and job shadow experiences

8. Applies knowledge integration skills for the patient population served within unit.

• Provides age specific care
• Adults/Pediatric/infant medication dosages
• Using appropriate age-specific equipment
• Applies knowledge of expected norms in planning care
• Applies new data to improve care
• Integrates technical, psychological, social, intellectual and physical skills

9. Demonstrates the unit specific skills requisite for unit/patient population served.

• See unit specific competencies.