Registered Respiratory Therapist II

Job Description Summary

The Registered Respiratory Therapist II (RRT II) provides respiratory care to patients in a high-acuity inpatient hospital setting, including intensive care, emergency department, and step-down units. This role is responsible for managing patients with complex and rapidly changing cardiopulmonary conditions, requiring strong clinical judgment, critical thinking, and the ability to respond quickly in emergent situations.


The RRT II reports directly to the Respiratory Therapy Manager and indirectly to the Respiratory Therapy Shift Lead (RTSL). The RRT serves as a key member of the interdisciplinary critical care team, supporting patients requiring advanced life-support therapies such as mechanical ventilation, airway management, patient transport, and specialty respiratory interventions in a comprehensive academic medical center providing tertiary-level care.


Weekend, holiday, and disaster team coverage as required based on department needs.

Entity

Medical University Hospital Authority (MUHA)

Worker Type

Employee

Worker Sub-Type​

PRN

Cost Center

CC000710 CHS - Therapy - Respiratory Adult (ART)

Pay Rate Type

Hourly

Pay Grade

Health-27

Scheduled Weekly Hours

12

Work Shift

Rotating (United States of America)

Job Description

Delivers respiratory care across ICU, Emergency Department, step-down, and acute care settings in a fast-paced, high-acuity environment. Routinely cares for critically ill patients in rapidly changing clinical conditions, including those with highly complex disease processes. Maintains strict adherence to infection prevention standards and PPE use while working in close collaboration with interdisciplinary critical care teams to ensure timely, coordinated, and high-quality patient care. Provides airway management, responds to emergent situations, including rapid response and code events, supports intubation, and ventilatory support. 

Administers a full range of respiratory therapies, including advanced modalities that require expert level clinical judgement. Assists with bedside procedures (e.g., bronchoscopy, bedside tracheostomy, arterial lines). Performs and interprets diagnostic studies, including arterial blood gases and bedside respiratory measurements, to guide clinical decision-making.

Safely manages high-acuity patients during transport and mobility, including those dependent on life-support equipment and complex airways. Ensure accurate documentation, compliance with safety and quality standards, and participation in performance improvement initiatives. 

Serves as an integral member of the care team through real-time communication and care planning. Provides education to patients and families, supports family-centered care, assists in the training of students and new staff. Maintains ongoing clinical competency in a high-performance, critical care environment.

Ashley River Tower:

• Heart and Vascular, Oncology, Digestive Health Acute Care Floors 

• Heart and Lung Transplantation 

• Cardiothoracic ICU, Medical Surgical ICU, Cardiac ICU,

• Cath Lab, PACU, IR 

• CT surgery stepdown, Medical Surgical Stepdown 

• Specialty and Women’s Emergency Department 

• Rapid and Code Response Team member 

Additional Job Description

Minimum Qualifications

• Graduate of an NBRC-approved Respiratory Therapy program.

• Associate degree in Respiratory Care from a CoARC-accredited program required 

• Minimum of two (2) years of acute care respiratory therapy experience required.

Licensure / Certifications

• RRT (NBRC)

• South Carolina Respiratory Care License

• BLS and ACLS required (Adult)
• AARC membership preferred

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities 

• Strong critical care knowledge and ventilator management skills 

• Ability to recognize and respond to life-threatening conditions 

• Proficiency with respiratory equipment and airway devices 

• Excellent critical thinking, prioritization, and decision-making skills 

• Effective communication in high-pressure, team-based environments 

• Ability to manage multiple complex patients simultaneously 

• Maintain required clinical competencies and continuing education 

• Adapt to evolving technology and advanced respiratory therapies 

• Support high documentation demands related to critically ill patients and complex therapies 

Physical Requirements: 

1. (C) Continuous – 6-8 hours per shift.

2. (F) Frequent – 2-6 hours per shift.

3. (I) Infrequent– 0-2 hours per shift. 

• Ability to perform job functions while standing. (C)

• Ability to perform job functions while sitting. (C)

• Ability to perform job functions while walking. (F) 

• Ability to climb stairs. (I) 

• Ability to work indoors. (C) 

• Ability to work outside in temperature extremes. (I)

• Ability to work from elevated areas. (F)

• Ability to work in confined/cramped spaces. (F) 

• Ability to perform job functions from kneeling positions. (I) 

• Ability to bend at the waist. (F)  Ability to twist at the waist. (F) 

• Ability to squat and perform job functions. (F)

• Ability to perform “pinching” operations. (F)

• Ability to fully use both hands/arms. (C)

• Ability to perform repetitive motions with hands/wrists/elbows and shoulders. (C) 

• Ability to fully use both legs. (C) 

• Ability to reach in all directions. (C)

• Possess good finger dexterity. (C)

• Ability to maintain tactile sensory functions. (C) 

• Ability to maintain good olfactory sensory function. (C) 

• Ability to lift and carry 50 lbs. unassisted. (I) 

• Ability to lift/lower objects 50 lbs. from/to thirty-six inches unassisted. (I) 

• Ability to lift from thirty-six” to overhead 25 lbs. (I)

• Ability to exert up to 50lbs. of force. (F) 

• Ability to maintain vision 20/40 corrected. (C) 

• Ability to see and recognize objects close at hand or at a distance. (C)

• Ability to match or discriminate between colors. (C) 

• Ability to determine distance/relationship between objects; depth perception. (C)

• Good peripheral vision capabilities. (C) 

• Ability to maintain hearing acuity, with correction. (C)

• Ability to perform gross motor functions with frequent fine motor movements. (C) 

• Ability to deal effectively with stressful situations. (C)  Ability to work rotating shifts. (F)

• Ability to work overtime as required. (F)

• Ability to learn and use new processes, tools, and equipment as required. (F)

• Ability to work in a latex safe environment. (C) 

• Ability to be qualified physically (by medical personnel) for respirator use, initially and as required. 

If you like working with energetic enthusiastic individuals, you will enjoy your career with us!

The Medical University of South Carolina is an Equal Opportunity Employer. MUSC does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion or belief, age, sex, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, protected veteran status, family or parental status, or any other status protected by state laws and/or federal regulations. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment based upon applicable qualifications, merit and business need.

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