Respiratory Therapist

POSITION SUMMARY

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Under the direction of the Care Team Manager, the Respiratory Therapist is responsible for working closely with the hospital staff and acting as a leader providing knowledge and advice in the therapeutic/diagnostic principles and technical skills. The Respiratory Therapist sets up, operates and assesses proper application of respiratory therapy equipment, making modifications as required and always assuring patient safety and optimum care.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Overview :

ADVISORY

Provides consultation to new medical and nursing staff in respiratory clinical applications when requested. Provides input and follow-up for home care respiratory patients, their families and their physicians. Evaluates and advises on new respiratory and related equipment.
TECHNICAL Performs functional checks on all respiratory and related equipment to ensure quality performance. Repairs and troubleshoots respiratory and related equipment as required (in hospital). Provides emergency repair back-up in the in the event of anesthetic equipment breakdown or failure, plus emergency repair for home care respiratory equipment as required. Calibrates blood gas analyzers daily, performs daily and monthly maintenance and quality control procedures and records all work performed. Calibrates and a checks all procedures on pulmonary function analyzers, computer and printer to ensure accuracy and records all work done. Washes, dries, re-assembles, checks and packages for gassing, respiratory equipment.
CLINCAL/THERAPEUTIC Instructs and demonstrates various aspects of respiratory therapy. Works directly with medical staff and nursing staff in planning respiratory therapy and management in order to provide optimum respiratory care. Attends ICU rounds and initiates ventilator management plans in consultation with ICU physician. Assesses respiratory status of all respiratory patients and charts all findings. Performs various tests in diagnosing patients’ illnesses. Administers therapeutic procedures in the treatment and management of patients. Assists and advises in organizing long and short-term transportation of high-risk patients (air or land ambulance). Determines equipment requirements and special techniques. Modifies and adapts equipment to meet individual patient requirements. Is responsible for the application of life support mechanical ventilation, including the set-up and any modification or adjustment, plus the daily monitoring and management of patients. Is a member of the “Code Blue” resuscitation team and responds to all “Code Blue” calls 24 hours a day, intubates, ventilates, obtains and analyzes arterial blood gas samples as required. Instructs patients in the proper use of self-administered respiratory therapy devices and aids in and provides follow-up instruction as required. Maintains an awareness of the latest changes in techniques in equipment in order to bring about better and more efficient methods of respiratory care. Participates in seminars and workshops, etc. Required to be on-call when scheduled, and to be called back to the hospital if required, providing a daily 24 hours’ coverage for respiratory services.
DIAGNOSTIC Carries out diagnostic procedures, evaluates respiratory conditions and responses to drugs and therapy. Draws arterial and capillary samples, arterial line samples and cord and scalp samples on a 24 hour basis. The therapist is responsible for interpretation of results and suggesting appropriate measures to correct abnormal results. Conducts and leads patients through all lung function testing, reports all results to the medical staff. Obtains oxygen assessment measurements and advises of appropriate oxygen therapy. Performs sleep monitoring studies. Obtains electrocardiograms in all areas of the hospital on evenings and nights during the absence of the Technologist and reports any life threatening cardiac abnormalities to the nursing or medical staff promptly. 
OTHER SERVICES AND RESPONSIBILITIES REQUIRING SPECIALIZED TRAINING, SKILL AND EXPERIENCE Airway Management: Permanent trach changes including tracheal lavage and proper suctioning, removes soiled trach and inserts clean trach using a sterile technique Arterial Line Insertions: In a critical care situation and under the supervision of the ICU physician or anesthetist, inserts an arterial line to obtain arterial blood gas samples and for determining the patient’s respiratory status on a frequent basis Air and Ground Ambulance Transports: Maintains patient’s ventilator status en route: by bag and mask, by ventilator or by emergency endotracheal intubation and bagging should the patient arrest Maintains patient airway and administers oxygen en route if needed Applies proper suction technique in the event of aspiration en route Weaning and Extubation: Weans patients off ventilator and removes the endotracheal tube on extubation Monitors patient via blood gases to determine patient stability off ventilator support Prepares for emergency intubation if patient’s status deteriorates Hemodynamic Monitoring: Has a thorough understanding of all aspects of hemodynamic monitoring Respiratory Mechanics: Calculated and applies respiratory mechanics analysis for all mechanically ventilated patients Machines: Blood gas analyzers Pulmonary function analyzer Volume ventilators – infant and adult End tidal CO2 monitors Pulse oximeters O2 analyzers Pressure alarms and monitors Oxygen flow devices suction equipment controlled environment equipment Spirometers sleep monitoring equipment CPAP/BiPAP equipment

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