Job Description

Summary

As a educator - this incumbent provides staff orientation and education on a wide variety of equipment and topics - including but not limited to - evidence based respiratory practice - clinical guidelines - clinical procedures - protocols - equipment - research - emerging knowledge from publications - standards of care - regulatory standards - Cerner electronic health record training and writing and maintaining departmental policies. They develop and plan formal curriculums and clinical training programs.

Duties

• Performs RRT duties 50% of the time
• These duties include the following: Prepares - calibrates - interfaces - and operates all equipment used in polysomnographic Home Sleep Testing procedures and complex respiratory therapy equipment
• Applies advanced ventilator techniques
• Performs various procedures to control and maintain artificial airways
• Performs bedside pulmonary diagnostic tests
• Performs oxygen shunt studies - stress testing with oximeter - and night sleep monitored by oximeter
• Responds to all Code Blue and Rapid Response calls/pages
• Inserts and manages artificial airways in accordance with the National Out of Operating Room Airway Management (OOORAM) Directive
• Provides Cardiopulmonary resuscitation as required per BLS/ACLS guidelines
• Performs routine respiratory therapy treatments in all hospital ward areas including but not limited to the Intensive Care Unit - Emergency/Urgent Care - Medical - and Post-Operative
• Provides bronchopulmonary hygiene including cough assist - acapella valve - CPT - incentive spirometry - PEP valve and other devices and therapies
• Monitors patient physiological responses
• Provides respiratory care when requested by performing patient care assessments
• Based on Physician or Nurse Practitioner's orders - makes adjustments in home PAP therapy equipment to maintain the patient's respiratory stability
• Collects specimens of sputum for bacteriological and cytological studies as ordered by the physician
• Integrates pulmonary care with Anesthesiology - Surgical Services and Medicine Services in pre and post-operative care
• Records significant observations
• Annotates seizures - abnormal sleep behavior and significant respiratory events
• Instructs patients on home sleep study equipment - downloads and interrupts data (in a clinic setting or remotely) - enters results into the patients electronic medical record for physician review
• Observes guidelines for infection control and safety policies
• Keeps current with recent advances in Respiratory Care
• Attends CME programs in the hospital
• Rotates \"On-Call\" day and night assignments
• Works varied shifts as needed/requested to provide 24 hour coverage of the acute patient care areas of the facility including weekends and holidays
• Performs instruction for hook up of overnight oximetry testing for patient and/or caregiver
• downloads data from oximetry and inputs results into the electronic medical record for physician review
• Draws arterial - venous and mixed venous blood samples from patients using a needle and syringe or via an arterial line
• Researches the patient electronic medical record - remote PAP data - Vista Imaging and/or Joint Legacy Viewer for medical reports from VA's throughout the country - makes telephone calls to facilities if information is not available or to the patient if no information is found
• Performs positive airway pressure (PAP) mask fitting and adjusting and performs re-evaluation of patient for equipment usage and function
• The incumbent is responsible for filling orders for replacement masks - tubing - filters - humidifier chambers - cushions etc
• that the veteran requires to maintain use of his/her PAP therapy device according to policy
• Assists the Supervisory Respiratory Therapist - Service Chief - or Service Administrative Officer with administrative duties as assigned
• Performs Educator duties 50% of the time
• These duties include the following: Provides staff the guidance and technical direction necessary to complete the daily workload
• Initiates new equipment purchases (EER) and supply (CPRC) request and tracks requests to completion and implementation/training
• Is responsible for providing initial departmental training and orientation as well as ongoing annual competency review
• Assists in the planning of staff work schedules - sequence of operations - and ability to recommend and implement staffing coverage changes to improve efficiency of departmental operations and patient care experience
• Assists in developing and updating departmental policies - procedures - and guidelines for routine - non-routine - and/or complex assignments
• Assists in data collection and reporting for quality assurance reviews - peer reviews and root cause analysis determinations including collection of relevant clinical data from medical records - care team - patients and patients family members to ensure appropriate and safe care is provided
• Evaluates the work performance of developmental and full performance level employees - resolves conflict with/among staff members - and proposes disciplinary actions to the Supervisory Respiratory Therapist/Chief when necessary
• Work Schedule: Monday-Friday - 8am-4:30pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care at 1,321 health care facilities, including 172 VA Medical Centers and 1,138 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics) to over 9 million Veterans enrolled in the VA health care program. VHA Medical Centers provide a wide range of services including traditional hospital-based services such as surgery, critical care, mental health, orthopedics, pharmacy, radiology and physical therapy. In addition, most of our medical centers offer additional medical and surgical specialty services including audiology & speech pathology, dermatology, dental, geriatrics, neurology, oncology, podiatry, prosthetics, urology, and vision care. Some medical centers also offer advanced services such as organ transplants and plastic surgery.

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Job Tags

Permanent employment, Remote work, Relocation package, Monday to Friday, Shift work, Night shift

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