Neonatal ICU Respiratory Therapist
Saint Louis, Missouri
Saint Louis Children's Hospital

Job Opportunity: Respiratory Therapist (RRT-NICU)

Location: Saint Louis, Missouri
Employment Type: Travel/Contract
Contract Length: 13 weeks

Position Details

• Specialty: Respiratory Care (Respiratory / Neuro Diagnostics)
• Required Years of Experience: 2 years
• First-timers Accepted: Yes
• Weekend Requirement: Every other weekend
• On-call: No
• Floating: Yes, as needed within scope to meet facility needs
• Locals Accepted: No
• Pending License Accepted: Yes
• Guaranteed Hours: 36 hours per week
• Special Requirements: Must have NICU and/or PICU experience
• Skills Required: Experience in Emergency Department (ED), Level 1 Trauma Facility, NICU, Pediatric Critical Care, Pediatrics

Required Certifications

• BCLS (Basic Cardiac Life Support)
• RRT (Registered Respiratory Therapist)
• ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support) - AHA only
• PALS (Pediatric Advanced Life Support) - AHA only, PALS RQI acceptable with standard 2-year expiration
• NRP (Neonatal Resuscitation Program) - AHA or AAP approved
• Other certifications may be required depending on unit (e.g., Trauma Nursing Core Course, Electronic Fetal Monitoring, Management of Assaultive Behavior, CPI)

Required Licenses

• Must hold a valid Respiratory Therapist license for Missouri (pending licenses accepted)
• Primary source verification of professional license required (NURSYS verification for Missouri licenses)

Prior Travel Experience

• Not explicitly required

Compliance and Background Checks

• Criminal background check within 6 months of start date (7-year search including statewide and nationwide checks)
• EPLS/GSA/SAM and HHS/OIG checks required quarterly
• Education verification of highest related degree required before start
• State-specific searches and registries as applicable (Missouri and Illinois)
• Fingerprinting required for assignments in Illinois long-term care or rehab units
• Drug testing within 1 year of start, must include specific panels and be valid throughout assignment

Health and Immunization Requirements

• Physical exam within 1 year of start (not required for APN candidates)
• Fit mask test required and must be on file by end of first week of orientation
• Tetanus/Diphtheria/Tdap vaccine or declination required
• Negative TB test or chest X-ray within 1 year, with yearly TB questionnaire
• Measles (Rubeola), Mumps, Rubella, Varicella immunity or vaccination required; no exemptions allowed for NICU or newborn nursery staff
• Hepatitis B declination required (vaccination not mandatory)
• Seasonal flu vaccination or approved exemption required during flu season

Competency Exams

• Medication/Pharmacology competency exam required (Peds Pharmacology exam required for RNs, not NICU)
• Unit-specific competency exams required and must be updated annually
• Pediatric competency exam required if joint pediatric/unit exam not available

Additional Requirements

• Two professional references required (supervisors preferred)
• Employment application must be submitted and uploaded
• Unit-specific skills checklist required within 1 year of start
• Various facility-specific documents and acknowledgements (HIPAA, confidentiality, hand hygiene, dress code, latex allergy questionnaire, regulatory compliance education, etc.) must be completed prior to start
• Badge photo required (head and shoulders, white background, no obstructions, taken within 6 months of start)

Work Environment

• Children's Acute Care Hospital with 400 staffed beds
• Teaching hospital
• Charting system: EPIC
• Facility requires wearing any scrub color or facility-branded apparel

This position is ideal for respiratory therapists with NICU/PICU experience looking for a travel contract in a pediatric acute care setting.