Registered Respiratory Therapist - Long-term Acute Care

Respiratory Therapist Position in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

Join a dedicated Respiratory Therapy team in a long-term acute care (LTAC) setting in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where you will provide specialized care to medically complex patients who require extended acute-level treatment and ongoing respiratory support. This is an excellent opportunity to deepen your expertise in ventilator management, tracheostomy care, and high-acuity respiratory interventions while helping patients progress toward recovery and a lower level of care. The city sits along the scenic Susquehanna River, giving you easy access to riverfront walking and biking paths, kayaking, and beautiful sunset views. Downtown Harrisburg features historic architecture, museums, the performing arts, and a growing food scene with local restaurants, cafés, and breweries. Just a short drive away, you can enjoy Hershey's major attractions and family-friendly theme parks, as well as the rolling countryside and farm markets of central Pennsylvania. The region offers a comfortable cost of living, diverse neighborhoods, and convenient access to larger metropolitan areas like Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, DC.

In this LTAC environment, you will work with a multidisciplinary team of physicians, nurses, rehabilitation therapists, case managers, and other allied health professionals. Together, you will focus on long-term ventilator management, complex respiratory care, and gradual weaning, supporting patients who have experienced critical illness, major surgery, or prolonged ICU stays and still need intensive, hospital-level services over an extended timeframe.

Typical responsibilities for this Respiratory Therapist role include:

• Performing comprehensive respiratory assessments and contributing to individualized care plans
• Managing and adjusting ventilators and other respiratory support equipment in collaboration with the medical team
• Providing ongoing tracheostomy care, including suctioning, monitoring, and participation in decannulation and weaning plans
• Administering aerosolized medications, oxygen therapy, and chest physiotherapy as indicated
• Obtaining and interpreting arterial blood gases and other diagnostic data to guide therapy
• Participating in daily interdisciplinary rounds to review progress, update goals, and plan transitions of care
• Educating patients and families on respiratory conditions, equipment use, and strategies to optimize breathing and quality of life
• Documenting all assessments, interventions, and patient responses in the EMR in a timely, accurate manner
• Supporting a culture of safety, quality improvement, and evidence-based practice within the respiratory team

The LTAC unit typically cares for adult patients with high-acuity needs, including complex pulmonary conditions, multi-organ involvement, and rehabilitation goals that require extended recovery time. Patient ratios are designed to allow for focused ventilator management and close monitoring, supporting both patient safety and your ability to deliver high-quality, individualized care. You can expect to work closely with other disciplines on a consistent patient assignment, allowing you to build rapport and see tangible progress over time. Shifts are generally structured as 12-hour blocks, with full-time schedules offering a mix of days, nights, and weekends based on department needs and your availability.

The long-term acute care environment is ideal for Respiratory Therapists who enjoy a blend of ICU-level complexity and the satisfaction of seeing patients gradually stabilize, improve, and transition to lower levels of care. Therapists in this setting can further develop strong critical-thinking skills, gain deeper expertise in ventilator and airway management, and position themselves for future growth into lead, supervisory, or specialized roles.