Sign on Bonus for Respiratory Therapists

Respiratory Therapist II, Registered

UofL Health is a fully integrated regional academic health system with five hospitals, four medical centers, nearly 200 physician practice locations, more than 700 providers, the Frazier Rehab Institute and Brown Cancer Center. With more than 12,000 team members—physicians, surgeons, nurses, pharmacists and other highly skilled health care professionals—UofL Health is focused on one mission: delivering patient-centered care to each and every patient each and every day.

Job Description

The Respiratory Therapist II, Registered possesses working knowledge of respiratory care and has displayed age-specific competence for all age groups serviced by the facility. The incumbent conducts himself/herself in a professional manner and is courteous to patients, physicians, visitors, members of the department and all other healthcare personnel. The incumbent supports and contributes to departmental productivity and organizational objectives by functioning as an integrated member of the respiratory care team and performs services consistent with his/her scope of licensure. The incumbent supports and exhibits behaviors consistent with the organization's mission and values.

Essential Functions:

• Plans and administers non-medicated aerosol and humidity therapy
• Plans and administers oxygen therapy (including implementation of oxygen therapy protocol where appropriate)
• Plans and administers aerosolized medication and specialty gas therapy
• Performs airway management
• Plans and administers incentive spirometry
• Cleans and reprocesses respiratory therapy equipment
• Plans and administers bronchial hygiene and performs chest physiotherapy (including implementation of bronchial hygiene protocol where appropriate)
• Performs cardiopulmonary resuscitation and manual ventilation during resuscitation attempts and aides in rapid response calls when appropriate
• Provides patient, family, staff and physician education
• Collects arterial blood samples for blood gas analysis
• Operates mechanical ventilators and manages ventilator settings and weaning per protocols and provider orders

Shift Requirements:

Shift Length (in hours): 12

# Shifts/Week: 3

Overtime Required: Infrequently Sometimes Often n/a (exempt position)

Other Functions:

• Performs electrocardiography studies and places Holter and event monitors as assigned by facility leadership
• Assists in cardiopulmonary procedures
• Serves as a preceptor to newly hired employees and/or respiratory therapy students
• Serves in the charge respiratory therapist role when assigned
• Assists in research projects and take a lead role in performance improvement projects
• Provides patient, family, hospital staff and physician education as appropriate
• Takes an active role in assisting with education of RT's and RN's in respiratory procedures
• Complies with HIPAA privacy and security requirements to maintain confidentiality at all times
• Maintains compliance with all company policies, procedures and standards of conduct
• Performs other duties as assigned

Additional Job Description

Education:

• Bachelor's Degree in Health Science – Respiratory Therapy (required)
• Master's in Health Science – Respiratory Therapy (preferred)

Experience:

• Must have 6 months of Critical Care experience (required)
• Desired 1 year of Critical Care experience (preferred)

Licensure:

• Active license as a Respiratory Care Practitioner from the Kentucky Board of Respiratory Care (KBRC) (required)

Certification:

• Registered Respiratory Therapist by the National Board of Respiratory Care (NBRC) and must be kept current, if applicable (required)
• Basic Life Support (BLS) accredited by the American Heart Association (AHA) (required)
• Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) accredited by the American Heart Association (AHA) (required)
• New graduates have 6 months to obtain ACLS
• Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) accredited by the American Heart Association (AHA) required within 1 year of orienting to the Neonatal ICU (UofL only)
• Advanced credential such as Adult Critical Care Specialist (ACCS) (preferred)