Lead Respiratory Therapist (RT) – Adults

Major Responsibilities:

• Collaborates with leadership within the department with the planning and management of operations to ensure patient safety, quality outcomes, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness.
• Demonstrates effective collaboration working in multidisciplinary teams to support site and/or organizational goals.
• Oversees respiratory therapists’ day-to-day operations and acts as a clinical resource.
• Acts as a resource for respiratory therapy processes to support assessment of patient utilizing a variety of skills such as pulmonary diagnostics, chest radiograph, hemodynamic values, laboratory values, and correlates blood gases and electrolytes. Can identify and address the special needs of patient population specific to department services.
• Operates specialized ventilators in critical and non-critical care venues. Assists physician with bedside or other procedures as applicable to facility.
• Provides medication treatments and therapies per physician order and/or patient driven respiratory protocols (PDRP's) as prescribed.
• Cleans, maintains, and ensures proper functionality of equipment. Can troubleshoot equipment as necessary and identifies the need for service and/or repair.
• Educates and instructs patients in purpose, technique, self-care, goal of therapy, and disease management. Facilitates clinical problem solving and collaborates with other departments to provide education on managing patients.
• Under physician direction, the respiratory therapist must be able to adapt and comply to policies and procedures for a variety of different service areas, perform tasks and/or special duties as required by assignment and maintain performance standards and organizational behaviors.
• Demonstrates effective communication, feedback, and conflict resolution skills. Promotes a culture of safety by recognizing and applying proper safety measures to prevent patient harm. Report’s patient safety events and near misses in a timely manner. Seeks to identify potential safety issues and assists in the implementation of corrective actions.
• Must be able to demonstrate knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients served. Must demonstrate knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span and possess the ability to assess data reflective of the patient's status and interpret the appropriate information needed to identify each patient's requirements relative to his/her age-specific needs, and to provide the care needed as described in the department's policies and procedures. Age-specific information is developed further in the departmental job standards.

Licensure, Registration, and/or Certification Required:

• Respiratory Care Practitioner (RCP) license issued by the state in which the team member practices.
• Active Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credential issued by the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC).
• Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Providers certification issued by the American Heart Association (AHA).
• See Education/Certification Addendum for any additional site-specific requirements.

Education Required:

Associate's Degree in Respiratory Therapy.

Experience Required:

Typically requires 3 years of experience in Respiratory Care.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Required:

• Effective organizational, interpersonal, and problem-solving skills.
• Problem solving and decision making for patient care and equipment use.
• Basic computer skills.

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions:

• Operates all equipment necessary to perform the job.
• Must be able to lift 50 lb. object from knee to waist.
• Must be able to lift 50 lb. from floor to waist height occasionally.
• Must be able to lift 40 lb. at waist height and carry it across various distances.
• Must be able to lift 20 lb. from waist to overhead.
• Must be able to push/pull while utilizing 30# of force occasionally for long distances.
• Must demonstrate stand-pivot transfer from bed to chair.
• Must perform sliding transfer of 150 lbs. person on a sheet across 2 feet with a second person.
• Must utilize safe body mechanics at all times.

This job description indicates the general nature and level of work expected of the incumbent. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the incumbent. Incumbent may be required to perform other related duties.