RRT

Respiratory Therapist

The Respiratory Therapy Department has formally adopted the American Association For Respiratory Care Clinical Practice Guidelines (AARC CPG) for patient care. Respiratory Therapists function in a physician supervised environment following AARC CPG (where applicable) as well as established departmental standards and practices. Respiratory Therapists provide critical care service to all patient age groups.

Reports to the Technical Manager of Respiratory Therapy (or his/her designee). Interacts with other health care professionals to plan, provide, monitor, and evaluate respiratory care services for out patients.

Has the authority to provide all facets of critical care respiratory therapy based upon patient assessment and within hospital/department policies procedures and the American Association for Respiratory Care Clinical Practice Guidelines. In the event of an untoward response to therapy the therapist will institute appropriate emergency procedures/protocols and notify the physician and nurse responsible for the patient while remaining in constant attendance at the patients bedside until relieved.

Responsibilities/Essential Functions:

• Provides superior customer service to internal and external clients customers and patients as referenced in the Service Excellence Standards.
• Reviews the medical record including: Physicians orders for completeness indications for therapy as well as potential contraindications prior to administering therapies/medications in accordance with AARC CPG.
• Conducts a clinical patient assessment including but not limited to cardiac pulmonary and neurologic status.
• Assembles equipment in accordance with manufacturers specifications and departmental standards. Confirms that equipment is functioning per manufacturers specifications prior to use. Monitors equipment function during use and applies appropriate corrective action in the event of malfunction.
• Administers ordered therapy while clinically monitoring patient for outcome hazards or complications arising during or immediately following therapy. Maintains monitors measures and adjusts mechanical ventilators appropriately to assure proper function and to ascertain therapeutic effectiveness.
• Performs routine oxygen aerosol and emergent airway management chest physiotherapy postural drainage and/or sputum induction to maintain patient airways (in accordance with AARC CPG).
• Performs assessments of patients and deliver systems (i.e. Ventilator Systems) on a regular basis in accordance with AARC CPG and departmental standards and practice.
• Documents patient assessments therapies delivered patient monitoring responses to therapies and complications within the medical record in accordance with AARC CPG.
• Provides emergency response for cardiopulmonary arrest respiratory emergencies hospital disasters and other emergencies as needed. Delivers basic life support maneuvers such as maintenance of a patent airway external cardiac compression manual ventilation by way of mouth-to-mouth bag-valve-mask and related ventilation techniques. Maintains AHA BLS certification on an annual basis.
• Acts as a member of the health care delivery team assisting in the development and implementation of multidisciplinary patient care plans. Documents assessment of patient response to ongoing care and participates in the reevaluation of care delivery. Acts as an integral part of the health team that partakes in the pulmonary rehabilitation of the difficult to wean patient.
• Provides routine care cleaning disinfecting and maintenance of departmental equipment. Documents equipment malfunction and alerts supervisor. Assists with maintaining stock levels by notifying supervisor as levels require replenishment.
• Measures using appropriate available instrumentation pulmonary function gas exchange respiratory rate tidal and minute ventilation alveolar-to-arterial PO2 gradient intrapulmonary shunt fraction respiratory mechanics (including static and dynamic compliance) pulse rate blood pressure arterial blood gases end-tidal CO2 and pulse oximetary Calibrates and maintains pulmonary function equipment and other departmental equipment in accordance with manufacturers recommendations and departmental standards.
• With appropriate training the therapist assists in the performance of bronchoscopes sleep studies bronchial provocation and exercise testing for evaluation of hypoxemia and/or desaturation studies.
• Maintains departmental documentation including but not limited to: Patient Charting Departmental Therapy Records Quality Assurance Patient Charges.
• Assists in the development implementation and maintenance of departmental quality assurance programs and audits as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Minimum Experience: Will consider applicants with less than one year of respiratory therapy experience.
• Minimum skills/abilities: Interpersonal and communication skills sufficient to satisfactorily explain respiratory therapy/pulmonary function test procedures to patients.
• Certification/Licensure: RRT License in respiratory therapy by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Certified in Basic Life Support by the AHA or Red Cross required Advanced Life Support Certification preferred.
• Training: Must obtain sufficient annual Continuing Education to maintain license.

Compensation Range: 33.64- 49.98 This range offers an estimate based on the minimum job qualifications. However our approach to determining base pay is comprehensive and a broad range of factors is considered when making an offer. This includes education experience and licensure/certifications directly related to position requirements. In addition BMCHS offers generous total compensation that includes but is not limited to benefits (medical dental vision pharmacy) contract increases Flexible Spending Accounts 403(b) savings matches earned time cash out paid time off career advancement opportunities and resources to support employee and family wellbeing.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Disabled/Veterans According to the FTC there has been a rise in employment offer scams. Our current job openings are listed on our website and applications are received only through our website. We do not ask or require downloads of any applications or apps job offers are not extended over text messages or social media platforms. We do not ask individuals to purchase equipment for or prior to employment.