Lead Registered Respiratory Therapist

Job Title

Duties

Services are rendered in collaboration with the ordering provider, either by specific orders, policy, or established protocol. These functions and responsibilities are supported by education and administrative oversight. Periodically, specific functions may change. The primary services include, but are not limited to:

• Make recommendations in the absence of the Chief or Assistant Chief and will have full responsibility to modify the workload to accomplish the assigned duties.
• Responsible for selecting and adapting equipment and techniques to individual patients to comply with the physician's instructions.
• Works independently and is expected to resolve staffing problems using appropriate guidelines for staffing.
• Reviews work performed on the units by conducting daily rounds to ensure compliance with established policies and procedures and to ensure technical accuracy and compliance with physician's instructions.
• Monitor leave and attendance for assigned team, taking special note of excessive leave and/or tardiness of team members and will report these to supervisor for review.
• Ensure work is distributed among employees in accordance with established workflow or job specialization.
• Prepare work assignments for oncoming shift.
• Collect, review, and evaluate relevant clinical data from the medical records, care team, patient, and patient's family to ensure appropriate care when indicated, reporting to the supervisor any discrepancies noted.
• Capable of performing both basic and complex therapeutic procedures for adults and geriatric patients. May assist with bronchoscopy and percutaneous tracheotomies.
• Apply clinical expertise in such a manner as to upgrade patient care were indicated and assist the provider in formulating an appropriate respiratory care plan based upon patient assessment, history, lung auscultation, chest x-ray, pulse oximetry, etc.
• Communicate changes in the respiratory therapy plan and/or patient status to other health care team members as appropriate.
• Provide effective and relevant education to the patient, family, students, and facility staff when appropriate.
• Perform both fundamental and advanced diagnostic procedures.
• Perform emergency and acute respiratory therapy procedures in accordance with departmental guidelines and industry standards.
• Actively participate in departmental quality assurance and hospital organizational performance improvement.
• Maintain clinical and professional competencies based upon established standards of practice.
• Assembles, checks, and corrects malfunctions and performs quality controls on all respiratory care equipment.
• Participate with the in-service education pertaining to respiratory therapy; maintaining a close relationship with other disciplines and students who may rotate through the health care facility.
• Responsible to perform chart audits and monthly documentation submission, to include monthly encounters for assigned team.
• Attend and represent Respiratory Therapy at meetings, such as, Critical Care Committee, Patient Safety, and other meetings where presence and expertise of Respiratory Therapy is expected, or when supervisor is unable to attend.
• May assist in transport of patients on mechanical ventilation for procedures.

Work Schedule: Rotating Schedule 6:30p.m. to 7:00a.m., may include weekends and holidays

Telework: Not Available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 53067-F

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

US Department of Veterans Affairs