Respiratory Registered Nurse

Respiratory Therapist (RT) / Respiratory Nurse (RN)

We are searching for a highly motivated, flexible, organized, skilled respiratory therapist who has experience in a rehab center and possesses great communication skills to put the "therapy" into respiratory therapy. If you are looking for a challenging and rewarding opportunity, this opportunity can be for you. The position is within a Skilled Nursing facility. As a Post Acute and Long Term Care respiratory therapist, your role would involve providing specialized care and treatment to patients with cardio-pulmonary, respiratory conditions neurological disorders and physical conditions that manifest into respiratory disorders over an extended period. Your primary responsibility would be to assess, provide diagnostic testing, develop treatment plans, and provide treatment to our Skilled Nursing Facility population.

Essential Job Functions:

1. Provides patient treatments which meet patient needs and uses current treatment knowledge in accordance with facilities clinical procedures. This includes but is not limited to:

• Performing accurate, comprehensive patient evaluations.
• Developing an effective plan of treatment and obtaining appropriate approvals from a referring physician.
• Communicating with supervisor and interdisciplinary team members regarding patient progress, problems, and treatment plans.
• Instructing patient's families and/or nursing staff in specified follow through programs.
• Interviewing patients and families regarding previous level of functioning, lifestyle and current and future expectations for recovery.
• Demonstrating knowledge of appropriate resources for problem-solving and clinical best practice.
• Evaluating patients within the required timeframe as per facility policies.
• Provides patient care as appropriate and necessary, following the position description for the applicable clinical discipline in which licensure or certification is held.

2. Writes accurate, complete, and clear documentation in accordance with the facility's regulatory, licensing, payor, and accrediting requirements. This includes but is not limited to:

• Recording Screens/Resident Needs Reviews, evaluations, daily treatment notes, discharge summaries and walking rounds in accordance with facility Policies and Procedures.
• Recording treatment charges accurately and ensuring that documentation is consistent with billing data.
• Writing specific, objective documentation that is outcome oriented and details the patient's needs, potential to benefit from treatment, and progress achieved to date. Includes specific, objective measurable goals.

3. Consistently demonstrates facility interdisciplinary approach to patient care. This includes but is not limited to:

• Integrating findings of other members of the interdisciplinary team in treatment assessment and recommendations.
• Integrating input from patient and family in treatment assessment and recommendations.
• Preparing for and providing meaningful contributions to the rehab team conferences, patient care conferences, utilization review meetings, family conferences, and caregiver training sessions.
• Collaborating with and informing facility staff in areas of patient progress.
• Educating members of the team in areas of expertise.
• Working with a facility to teach documentation practices which assist the respiratory therapy team.
• Communicating effectively with discharge planners.

4. Contributes to professional development of self.

• Maintaining current professional status and licensure.
• Adhering to professional standards of conduct and clinical code of ethics and practice.
• Implementing in-services and training.
• Maintaining a current body of knowledge in areas of clinical expertise through seminars, professional journals, and peers.
• Meeting continuing education requirements of regulatory agencies.

5. Aids in building and maintaining the facility's reputation as the unparalleled respiratory therapy provider by contribution as a professional member of the staff.

• Consistently demonstrating the facility's core values by interacting with co-workers, patients and families, with all other persons involved with the patient's care.
• Consistently demonstrating professional standards as outlined in the facility's Employee Handbook and as communicated by the facility's management.
• Contributing to a positive work team by sharing information, using problem solving methods and accepting new ideas, constructive criticism, or advice from others.
• Maintaining close communications within the facility with the director of nursing, nurse managers, and admissions coordinator to assist in development of the respiratory therapy program.
• Establishing and maintaining an effective rapport with the facility administrator, MDS, Rehab Director, DON, and medical director.
• Demonstrating superior customer service through courtesy, consistent follow-up and positive communication.

6. Demonstrates safe working practices. This includes but is not limited to:

• Identifying and correcting safety hazards or notifying the facility or the admin so that safety hazards will be immediately remedied.
• Maintaining work areas in safe and orderly fashion.
• Maintaining equipment in safe working order by facilitation annual calibration.
• Using proper body mechanics during treatments of patients and during support activities.
• Using universal safety precautions.
• Wearing appropriate protective equipment.

Qualifications:

Skills, Knowledge and Abilities:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Knowledge of the respiratory community.
• Skills applicable to clinical discipline.
• Knowledge of medical terminology.
• Knowledge of respiratory disease and diseases that affect the respiratory system.
• Ability to use respiratory therapy equipment.
• Ability to exercise judgment and discretion in devising, installing and interpreting rules, regulations, policies, or procedures.
• Ability to express ideas and information, clearly, concisely, verbally and writing.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with superiors, and officials of other departments.

Program development and implementation

Management and administration of therapies as prescribed by a physician and according to the standard procedure.

Preferred experience with the following skilled interventions:

• Oxygen weaning therapy
• Omni flow – Biofeedback
• Group respiratory therapy
• Standardized respiratory testing
• Aerosol therapy
• Incentive Spirometry
• Chest physiotherapy
• Deep breathing and coughing
• Bronchial hygiene therapy
• PEP therapy
• OPEP therapy
• Postal Drainage
• Positioning
• Oro/Naso-pharyngeal suctioning
• Airway clearance/management techniques
• Trachea-bronchial suctioning
• Tracheostomy care
• Spirometry Bedside Testing
• CPAP/BIPAP
• High-Flow Oxygen
• Cardiac Program
• Pulmonary Program
• 6-minute walk test
• 2-minute walk test
• Spirometry testing
• Cardio-pulmonary resuscitation

Education and Experience:

Graduation from an accredited program for Respiratory Therapy preferred

Must possess and maintain a current license in the state of practice as required

Other education and experience may be considered.