Respiratory Care Practitioner I Registered

Job Summary: Under physician supervision, in accordance with policies and procedures approved by the Medical Director, is expected to assume primary clinical responsibility for all respiratory care modalities and to exercise considerable independent clinical judgment in the respiratory care of patients. Must be capable of serving as a technical resource person to the physician regarding current practices in respiratory care and to the hospital staff regarding effective and safe methods for administering respiratory care. Works under the general supervision of an administrative supervisor or the direction of a technical lead to deliver respiratory care services to patients in all areas of the hospital. Must be able to adapt to the particular area of duty assignment and to perform special duties required by the assignment. Standards of performance for the area to which the individual is assigned must be maintained. Special duties may include provision of basic and advanced respiratory care to neonatal and pediatric patients in the intensive care unit and during transport, which frequently requires making rapid decisions and assisting physicians to respond to status changes in neonatal and pediatric patients. Special duties may include performance of a variety of diagnostic tests of the cardiopulmonary system and to determine the effect of disease and treatment on that system.Essential Responsibilities:Selects Reviews, Obtains and Interprets Data:Reads and evaluates physicians orders, clarifying as neededAccurately transcribes physician orders to electronic charting system or departmental patient masterReviews patient information including history, lab data, radiologic studies, progress notes, respiratory and cardiovascular monitoring data and performs assessment/data collection in systematic mannerSystematically assesses patients overall cardiopulmonary status by inspection, palpation, percussion, auscultation, and patient interviewInterprets data to formulate goal-directed plan of care and determines requirements for treatment such as type and duration of therapy, precautions to be observed, equipment required, and medication and dosagesDetermines modifications to physician orders, which optimize patient, care and makes recommendations to physicianRecommends procedures to obtain additional data including radiographs, bronchoscopy, Gram stain and C&S, spirometry, blood gas analysis, lung mechanics, work of breathing, EKG, nonivsasive monitoringPerforms Diagnostic Modalities:Performs procedures and interprets results; ABG sampling and analysis, co-oximetry, spirometry, pressure-volume and flow-volume loops, cuff pressure, sputum inductionMay perform EKGsMay place Holter monitorMay perform pumonary function, and sleep diagnostic testsMay perform Exercise Stress TestsMay perform indirect calorimetrySelects Assembles and Check Equipment for Proper Function, Operation and Cleanliness:Selects, assembles and checks equipment for cleanliness, proper function and safe operationEnsures proper function and ready availability of respiratory related life support equipmentTroubleshoots and performs minor repairs of equipmentMay perform Quality control procedures for blood analysis devicesMay perform Quality control, calibrate, maintain and troubleshoot pulmonary function diagnostic equipmentParticipates in routine departmental programs of cleaning, disinfecting and sterilizing of respiratory care and other related equipmentParticipates in routine departmental preventive maintenance program and performs basic repairsOrders/stocks departmental suppliesInitiates, Conducts and Modifies Prescribed Therapeuti or Diagnostic Procedures:Operates all medical equipment within manufacturer and department guidelines to safely treat patientsChecks and adjusts alarmsObserves established safety and security procedures and protects patients from nosocomial infectionExplains planned therapy or procedure and goals to patient in understandable terms to achieve optimal therapeutic outcomeConducts therapeutic procedures to maitain a patent airway, remove bonchopulmonary secretions, and/or achieve adequate ventilation and oxygenationMonitors patients physiological responses to therapy, recognizes patient adverse reaction and stops or modifies or recommends modification to procedure based on patient responseDocuments all required information in the medical record according to departmental policy and procedureInitiates pressure-cycled/volume-cycled/high frequency ventilationWeans/modifies mechanical ventilation according to assessment and physician ordersAssists with or performs extubationConducts patient education and disease managementPerforms cardiopulmonary resuscitation according to resuscitation guidelinesMay assist with or perform intubationMay assist the physician when performing bronchoscopy, thoracentesis, tracheostomy, cardioversion, and intubationMay participate in land/air critical care transportMay assist with high risk deliveriesMay assist with surfactant replacement in neonatesMay participate in pulmonary rehabilitaiton, home careMay assist with discharge planningMay assist with community outreachMay initiate and implement therapist driven protocolsSupervision and Administration:May assign, organize and coordinate the work of assigned Respiratory Care PractitionersMay demonstrate respiratory care procedures to trainees and other helath care personnelMay train assigned practioners and complete assigned practitioner competency reviewsContributes to departmental quality improvement activitiesMay schedule staff and perform staffing functionsAssesses priorities for delivery of patient care and redistributes resources as necessary throught shiftProtects data from intentional or unintentional destruction, modification, or disclosureMaintains a current knowledge base of departmental information management systems, including collection, maintenance, and dissemination of information, as well as appropriate audit trailsMay develop policies and procedures, both clinical and administrativeMay serve as Timekeeper for TIME system

Created: 2025-11-06