Respiratory Therapist 4

The Respiratory Therapist 4 administers advanced respiratory care therapeutics and diagnostic services with skill and proficiency. Integrates knowledge, skills, and experience to promote optimum patient care. Utilizes standards, guidelines, protocols, and pathways for optimal care delivery. Incorporates data and information to continually improve care and practice to enhance outcomes. Works effectively and appropriately communicating with other healthcare team members, patients, and families.

Job Responsibilities

• Integrates the respiratory care plan into complete care plans.
• Consistently performs thorough / advanced cardiopulmonary clinical assessments with appropriate inclusion of other systems (e.g. cardiovascular, nutritional, neurologic, etc.).
• Administers all respiratory therapeutic interventions (e.g. heliox, nitric oxide, CNB, Chest Wall Oscillation, etc.) with high proficiency and virtually no supervision in multiple age groups.
• Establishes and manages all forms of mechanical ventilation (e.g. HFO, NPPV, PRVC, transport) with proficiency and virtually no supervision in multiple age groups.
• Demonstrates proficiency in operating all mechanical ventilators.
• Performs weaning mechanics as ordered with high proficiency in more than 90 percent of ventilator patients cared for.
• Reviews the need for continuing ventilation of patients in more than 90 percent of the patients cared for with a high degree of proficiency on a daily basis.
• Performs tests, collects specimens / data, validates and interprets basic / complex diagnostic testing (e.g. bronchoscopy samples, complex PFTs), and validates the quality of the results with high proficiency and no supervision.
• Routinely integrates patient diagnostic data, response to therapy and the physiologic profile to create plans of care that are sound and consistent with the department's standard of care.
• If Applicable, takes an active role in data capturing and analysis.
• Applies statistical analysis to workflow or quality projects.
• Routinely records data for the quality improvement processes within the department (i.e. SBT screening, ARDS / ALI screening, PDP bronchodilator assessment).
• Takes a leadership role in multiple projects that advance the science and practice of respiratory care.
• Coordinates project plans, timelines, and all aspects of logistics.
• Documents more than 95 percent of care provided with a high degree of accuracy in 100 percent of patients cared for.
• Documents according to protocols and / or charting templates.
• Provides advanced educational training to staff, patients and / or family members as appropriate.
• Consistently communicates with healthcare team members on care plans and does so in a manner consistent with Inova Health System standards.
• May perform additional duties as assigned.

Additional Requirements

Certification - Basic Life Support; Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT); Bachelors Degree OR an advanced credential (ACCS, NPS, RPFT, CPFT or SDS); In addition, must possess one of the following : two Advance Certifications (ACLS, PALS and NRP) or one specialized certification (AEC, COPD, SCC, etc)Licensure - Licensed Respiratory Therapist Upon Start Licensed in the Commonwealth of Virginia as a Respiratory TherapistExperience - Five years of critical care and / or advanced diagnostics experience with multiple age populationsEducation - Respiratory Therapy Graduate of an accredited CoARC (The Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care) respiratory care program.