Description: 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 needed
Accurately transcribes physician orders to electronic charting system or departmental patient master
Reviews patient information including history, lab data, radiologic studies, progress notes, respiratory and cardiovascular monitoring data and performs assessment/data collection in systematic manner
Systematically assesses patients overall cardiopulmonary status by inspection, palpation, percussion, auscultation, and patient interview
Interprets 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 dosages
Determines modifications to physician orders, which optimize patient, care and makes recommendations to physician
Recommends procedures to obtain additional data including radiographs, bronchoscopy, Gram stain and C&S, spirometry, blood gas analysis, lung mechanics, work of breathing, EKG, nonivsasive monitoring
Performs Diagnostic Modalities:
Performs procedures and interprets results; ABG sampling and analysis, co-oximetry, spirometry, pressure-volume and flow-volume loops, cuff pressure, sputum induction
May perform EKGs
May place Holter monitor
May perform pumonary function, and sleep diagnostic tests
May perform Exercise Stress Tests
May perform indirect calorimetry
Selects Assembles and Check Equipment for Proper Function, Operation and Cleanliness:
Selects, assembles and checks equipment for cleanliness, proper function and safe operation
Ensures proper function and ready availability of respiratory related life support equipment
Troubleshoots and performs minor repairs of equipment
May perform Quality control procedures for blood analysis devices
May perform Quality control, calibrate, maintain and troubleshoot pulmonary function diagnostic equipment
Participates in routine departmental programs of cleaning, disinfecting and sterilizing of respiratory care and other related equipment
Participates in routine departmental preventive maintenance program and performs basic repairs
Orders/stocks departmental supplies
Initiates, Conducts and Modifies Prescribed Therapeuti or Diagnostic Procedures:
Operates all medical equipment within manufacturer and department guidelines to safely treat patients
Checks and adjusts alarms
Observes established safety and security procedures and protects patients from nosocomial infection
Explains planned therapy or procedure and goals to patient in understandable terms to achieve optimal therapeutic outcome
Conducts therapeutic procedures to maitain a patent airway, remove bonchopulmonary secretions, and/or achieve adequate ventilation and oxygenation
Monitors patients physiological responses to therapy, recognizes patient adverse reaction and stops or modifies or recommends modification to procedure based on patient response
Documents all required information in the medical record according to departmental policy and procedure
Initiates pressure-cycled/volume-cycled/high frequency ventilation
Weans/modifies mechanical ventilation according to assessment and physician orders
Assists with or performs extubation
Conducts patient education and disease management
Performs cardiopulmonary resuscitation according to resuscitation guidelines
May assist with or perform intubation
May assist the physician when performing bronchoscopy, thoracentesis, tracheostomy, cardioversion, and intubation
May participate in land/air critical care transport
May assist with high risk deliveries
May assist with surfactant replacement in neonates
May participate in pulmonary rehabilitaiton, home care
May assist with discharge planning
May assist with community outreach
May initiate and implement therapist driven protocols
Supervision and Administration:
May assign, organize and coordinate the work of assigned Respiratory Care Practitioners
May demonstrate respiratory care procedures to trainees and other helath care personnel
May train assigned practioners and complete assigned practitioner competency reviews
Contributes to departmental quality improvement activities
May schedule staff and perform staffing functions
Assesses priorities for delivery of patient care and redistributes resources as necessary throught shift
Protects data from intentional or unintentional destruction, modification, or disclosure
Maintains a current knowledge base of departmental information management systems, including collection, maintenance, and dissemination of information, as well as appropriate audit trails
May develop policies and procedures, both clinical and administrative
May serve as Timekeeper for TIME system
Other Assessment Criteria:
Complies with attendance and punctuality expectations and with meal and break schedules
Accurately documents time in/out in TIME keeping system or time card
Maintains a professional appearance, displays professional conduct and ehtical behavior
Participates in continuing education for professional development in Respiratory Care and related fields
May serve on hospital committees
May participate in professional organizations
This job has no supervisory responsibilities

Grade 750

Basic Qualifications: Experience

Ability to read and comprehend simple instructions, technical manuals, and short correspondence or memos.
Ability to write simple correspondence
Ability to speak and understand spoken English
Ability to effectively present information in one-on-one and small group situations to customers, clients, and other employees of the organization
Must be willing to work in a Labor Management Partnership environment
Also refer to Position Specifications outlined in the appropriate collective bargaining agreement.
Education
High school diploma or General Education Equivalent(GED) required. License, Certification, Registration Respiratory Care Practitioner License (California)
Registered Respiratory Therapist Certificate
Basic Life Support
Additional Requirements:
Depending on the particular specialty, ACLS, NRP or PALS may be required for this position. Preferred Qualifications:
Keyboard skills preferred. At least one year of recent critical care experience preferred, may be required for this particular position. At least one year of clinical experience in neonatal/pediatric respiratory care preferred, may be required for this particular position.Registered by the National Board for Respiratory Care. Certified or Registered Pulmonary Function Technologist by the National Board for Respiratory Care preferred, may be required for this particular position. Registered by the Board of Registered Polysomnographic Technologists preferred, may be required for this particular position. Neonatal/Pediatric Specialist by the National Board preferred, may be required for this particular position. Respiratory Care Practitioners who received their RCP license prior to 1986 and currently working at Kaiser Permanente are exempt from obtaining their CRT credential.Graduate from a respiratory care education program supported by CoARC or accredited by CAAHEP required, with 62 semester hours of college credit, including a background in the basic sciences, or a baccalaureate degree in an area other than respiratory care or Associates of Arts of Science degree, preferred. Respiratory Care Practitioners who received their RCP license prior to 1986 and currently working at Kaiser Permanente are exempt from this educational requirement.