NICU Respiratory Therapist
Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital

Job Opportunity: Respiratory Care Practitioner (RRT-NICU)

Location

• Santa Barbara, California

Employment Type

• Travel/Contract
• Contract Length: 13 weeks

Unit & Patient Population

• Unit Type: NICU Level III
• Patient Age Group: Neonates to Adolescents

Shift Details

• Primarily 3x12 hour night shifts (7:00 PM to 7:30 AM)
• Some flexibility for occasional day shifts may be needed

Required Experience

• Minimum 5 years of experience as a Respiratory Care Practitioner
• Experience in the following settings is required:

  • Emergency Room (ER)
  • NICU
  • Pediatric Critical Care
  • Pediatrics
  • Transports

Required Certifications and Licenses

• Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) license (must be able to intubate neonates; this is a strict requirement)
• California State Respiratory Care Practitioner licensure
• BLS (Basic Life Support)
• PALS (Pediatric Advanced Life Support)
• NRP (Neonatal Resuscitation Program)
• Intubation certification

Documentation System

• EPIC experience required

Clinical Skills & Equipment Proficiency

• Ventilators: Drager VN 500, Hamilton G5 & T1
• Oscillator: 3100A
• Airway management including:

  • Direct intubation (neonatal and pediatric)
  • Endotracheal tube suctioning
  • Extubation
  • Intubation assistance
  • Nasal and oral airway placement and suctioning
  • Pulmonary hygiene and sputum specimen collection
  • Tracheostomy suctioning
• Ventilator management including:

  • BiPAP, CPAP, Flow-by
  • High frequency oscillator
  • IMV (Intermittent Mandatory Ventilation)
  • Troubleshooting high pressure alarms
  • Weaning from mechanical ventilation
• Neonatal/pediatric specific procedures:

  • Apnea monitoring
  • Assistance in high-risk deliveries
  • Bubble CPAP, Bivent, Capillary blood gases
  • Neonatal transports (inter-departmental)
  • Umbilical blood gases

Patient Care Focus

• Care for patients with:

  • Aspiration
  • Cystic fibrosis
  • Pneumonia
  • Bronchopulmonary dysplasia
  • Near drowning
  • Respiratory distress syndrome
  • Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
  • Transient tachypnea of the newborn

Medication Administration Experience

• Albuterol, Atrovent, Inhaled Flolan, Inhaled steroids
• Lidocaine, Mucomyst, Nitric Oxide (INo)
• Pulmicort, Racemic epinephrine, Spiriva, Terbutaline Sulfate

Medication Delivery Systems

• Aerosol setup mask and trach
• Medihaler
• Metered dose inhaler

Nebulizer Types

• Cold, handheld, heated, T-piece, trach collar

Professional Knowledge & Skills

• Arterial Blood Gas (ABG) interpretation
• Basic EKG
• Chest physiotherapy
• Drawing arterial blood gases

Required Pre-Employment and Ongoing Compliance Documents

• Background checks covering last 7 years (criminal, social security trace, sex offender registry, etc.)
• E-Verify compliance
• Drug screening (10-panel including marijuana) within 30 days of start
• Physical exam within last 12 months
• Negative TB test or chest X-ray within required timeframes
• Fit mask test within 12 months of start (specific mask models required)
• Seasonal flu vaccination or documented declination (required during flu season: Sept 15 - April 30)
• Respirator clearance (facility-specific respiratory safety questionnaire and possible in-person medical evaluation)
• Photo for badge (shoulders up, plain background, no filters)
• Facility-specific job description completion
• Harassment prevention training certificate (California requirement)
• Competency exams and skills checklists as applicable annually
• Verification of all required licenses and certifications prior to start

Additional Notes

• Must be able to work at the top of the RRT license scope, including neonatal intubation (non-negotiable)
• Flexibility on shift scheduling is preferred
• Prior travel experience is not explicitly required for this position

This position is ideal for experienced Respiratory Care Practitioners with strong neonatal and pediatric critical care skills, comfortable working night shifts in a Level III NICU environment.

Requirements/Qualifications

• Valid Respiratory Therapist license in California
• Minimum 5 years of experience as a Respiratory Therapist
• Respiratory Therapist experience within the last year
• BLS (Basic Life Support) certification
• NRP (Neonatal Resuscitation Program) certification
• PALS (Pediatric Advanced Life Support) certification
• Experience with EPIC documentation system