Respiratory Therapist - NICU
Charleston, South Carolina
Medical University of South Carolina - Children's Hospital

Job Opportunity: Registered Respiratory Therapist - NICU

Location

• Charleston, South Carolina

Employment Type

• Travel/Contract
• Contract Length: 13 weeks

Specialty

• Respiratory / Neuro Diagnostics
• Pediatrics / NICU (Level 4 NICU required)

Shift Details

• Night shift: 3 shifts per week, 12 hours each (7:00 PM – 7:30 AM)
• Holiday rotation required
• Weekend requirement: every other weekend
• No on-call required
• Floating within scope may be required depending on experience

Facility Type

• Teaching hospital
• Magnet status
• Level 1 Trauma center
• Total staffed beds: 865
• Electronic health record system: Epic

Required Qualifications

• Valid Registered Respiratory Therapist license in South Carolina
• Minimum 2 years of Respiratory Therapist experience, including experience within the last year
• Experience working with Pediatric, Neonate, and Infant patients
• Experience in an inpatient setting
• BLS (American Heart Association or American Red Cross)
• PALS (Pediatric Advanced Life Support, AHA only)
• NRP (Neonatal Resuscitation Program, AHA/AAP only)

Schedule and Work Conditions

• Guaranteed hours with allowance for facility to call off 1 shift per 2 weeks
• Radius rule: 60 miles; local candidates considered case-by-case
• Block scheduling possible with prior approval (not guaranteed)

Compliance and Documentation Requirements

• Proof of work eligibility (I-9 attestation and completed form)
• Copy of Driver’s License/State ID and Social Security Card
• Annual background check covering last 7 years with multiple searches (SSN trace, state, national, sex offender registry, FACIS, international if applicable)
• Education verification or diploma/transcripts as placeholder
• Drug screening: 10-panel urine drug screen within 90 days of start (no instant tests)
• Physical exam updated annually, attesting ability to meet job demands
• Fit test for N95 mask (O&M Halyard FLUIDSHIELD or 3M Aura 1870+) within 90 days of start, renewed annually
• Required immunizations and titers:

  • Tdap within 10 years or declination form
  • Measles, Mumps, Rubella (positive titer or vaccination series with boosters if low/negative titer)
  • Varicella (positive titer or vaccination series with boosters if low/negative titer)
  • Hepatitis B (titer, vaccine series, or declination)
  • Annual flu vaccine or medical/religious exemption (no declinations accepted)
• Negative TB test (T-spot or Q-Gold) within 90 days or chest x-ray if prior positive
• Annual TB questionnaire
• Color blindness test prior to start
• Medication/pharmacology competency exam required
• Competency exam required
• Clinical references: proof of 2 clinical references or hospital evaluations
• Employment application with complete work history including PTO, contract assignments, agency names, and no unaccounted gaps
• Work history verification of last 3 clinical employers (or all if fewer than 3)

Facility-Specific Requirements

• Clear, passport-style badge photo with solid light background, business casual attire, no hats or sunglasses, frontal view only
• Completion of orientation modules (approx. 2 hours) prior to start; must be done on computer/laptop, not phone
• Upload COVID vaccination records if available; if not, complete vaccination declination form
• Radiation badge required only if assigned to units requiring it (not applicable for this role)
• Physical assessment form required for sterile processing only (not applicable here)

Additional Notes

• Hurricane season (June-November) may require emergency response team participation; peak months August-September
• Parking available with a one-time $20 pass for nights and weekends

This summary includes all relevant information for healthcare recruiters and workers considering this Registered Respiratory Therapist position in a pediatric NICU setting.