Pulmonary Function Technologist

Communicates effectively with all medical staff members, the Manager of Respiratory & Pulmonary Services, director of Pulmonary Function Lab, the Medical Director of Respiratory Therapy and Pulmonary Function Lab and the Clinical Coordinator for Respiratory Therapy and Pulmonary Lab Services. Performs all testing modalities provided in the pulmonary function lab. Assists in the development and implementation of new testing procedures/equipment and policies. Helps to oversee and train/teach the respiratory therapy students assigned to a clinical rotation in the PFT Lab, participates in biologic control testing in the PFT lab and clarifies any ambiguous testing orders. Maintains compliance with charge on documentation policy/procedure. Assists manager, Clinical Coordinator and Administrative Systems Coordinator with the performance of PFT Lab Daily Transaction Activity Reports (DTAR), and compilation of monthly statistics. Ensures accurate patient registration in accordance with CMS and Covenant policies. Stays abreast of the latest technology for pulmonary function testing and Respiratory Therapy education.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Supports and promotes the mission and values of Covenant Health Ministry.
• Annual Competency/Training: Completes annual competency related to all job duties for PFT technologists and for ABG lab. Assists in scheduling and overseeing the training of Respiratory Therapy program students in the Pulmonary Function lab.
• Communication: Effectively communicates with providers, ambulatory care offices, and staff members for scheduling of specialty exams in the Pulmonary Lab.
• Customer Support/Outreach: In absence of Administrative Systems Coordinator: Confirms patient appointments on day prior to scheduled testing and provides testing instructions when necessary. Participates in hospital-wide and interdepartmental in-services.
• Recognizes trends which impact quality delivery of services and recommends courses of action to help correct them.
• Provides accurate documentation of testing performed and billing in the electronic medical record.
• In absence of Administrative Systems Coordinator- contacts interpreting physicians from Pulmonary group and informs Manager/Director if delays are noted with PFT interpretation time. Confirms patient appointments on day prior to scheduled testing and provides testing instructions when necessary. Assists with the following: Scheduling and/or rescheduling of patients for complex testing procedures or because of lab closures. Receives patients for testing, completes patient registration to include verification of insurance and validation of patient information and proper testing to be performed. Notifies providers of high priority testing and reworks schedules to accommodate such tests.
• Assists in ordering of supplies, checking to prevent accumulation of over stock to help maintain expense budget.
• Helps to maintain monthly log sheet for compilation of monthly statistics for Respiratory and Pulmonary Function testing for reporting by 4th day of the month.
• Assists in the compilation of the monthly stats for annual reports. Runs DTAR for Pulmonary Lab in absence of manager/Administrative Systems Coordinator/Clinical Coordinator and verifies their correctness with the manager.
• Assists in monitoring the daily operation of the Blood Gas Lab to assure adherence to the College of American Pathologists (CAP) Guidelines.
• Prepares, maintains, and calibrates pulmonary function testing equipment.
• Ability to perform pulmonary function tests for demonstration purposes and for the collection of biological control data for QC purposes.
• Troubleshoots equipment problems and reports needed repairs/replacements.
• Other duties as consistent with this role.

Job Requirements

Job Knowledge and Skills

• Completes Covenant, hospital, and department assigned Computer Based Learnings in a timely manner.
• Maintains initial and annual equipment competencies.
• Requires critical thinking skills, decisive judgment, and the ability to work with minimal supervision.
• Excellent understanding of the field of pulmonary function testing and respiratory therapy.
• Able to communicate with all staff members.

Education and Experience

• Maintain a current New Hampshire license as a Respiratory Care Practitioner, RCP, required.
• Credentialed by the National Board of Respiratory Care (NBRC) or Registered Pulmonary Function Technologist (RPFT) required.
• Maintains CPR Certification.
• Graduate of an approved AMA school of Respiratory Therapy or a Cardiopulmonary Technologist training program preferred.
• Three to five years of experience in the Respiratory Therapy field and Pulmonary Function Testing preferred.