Respiratory Therapist
Elizabethtown, Kentucky
Baptist Healthcare System, Inc. - 913 North Dixie Avenue

Respiratory Therapist

Location

• Elizabethtown, Kentucky

Schedule

• 6a-6p
• 36 hours per week

Contract Length

• 13 weeks

Role Summary

• Assesses, treats, and monitors patients with respiratory diseases and conditions.
• Provides medicated and non-medicated therapy as ordered by the provider.
• Provides invasive and non-invasive mechanical ventilator support for acute respiratory failure.
• Performs diagnostic test procedures and supports departmental operations.

Required Qualifications

• Certified respiratory therapist
• Follows applicable rules and regulations established by the licensure board for the state in which respiratory therapy is practiced

Key Responsibilities

• Responds to emergency situations, including code blue and rapid response situations.
• Provides patient support in high-risk delivery situations, including care of the compromised newborn.
• Performs airway management, including care and maintenance of endotracheal and tracheostomy tubes.
• Assesses and monitors patients on invasive and non-invasive ventilatory support.
• Performs or assists with advanced specialty procedures such as endotracheal tube insertion, arterial line, and bronchoscopy.
• Performs provider-prescribed medicated therapy, including small volume nebulizer and meter dose inhaler.
• Performs therapeutic procedures such as chest physiotherapy, oscillating positive expiratory pressure, and positive expiratory pressure.
• Provides oxygen therapy.
• Completes patient assessments and provides recommendations to providers.
• Provides education on therapy, respiratory disease, and medications to patients and significant others.
• Completes pulmonary function testing.
• Completes neurodiagnostic studies such as electroencephalogram.
• Completes cardiac testing such as 12-lead electrocardiogram and holter monitoring.
• Performs arterial and capillary blood gas sampling.
• Analyzes and interprets laboratory tests such as blood gases.
• Completes and documents oximetry studies.
• Documents patient assessment, therapy, and other pertinent patient information in the medical record.
• Provides pertinent patient information for ongoing care and shared decision making.
• Provides education to peers and students.
• Participates in quality improvement, risk and safety processes.
• Attends departmental meetings, huddle board, and in-services.
• Cleans and prepares equipment for use, including invasive and non-invasive mechanical ventilators and therapeutic gas delivery devices.
• Ensures proper functioning of departmental analyzers.
• Evaluates and communicates equipment or supply needs.