The Respiratory Care Assistant role is designed for first-year respiratory therapy students to gain exposure to an inpatient setting, with a flexible work schedule that is set around classes. Shifts are 4 hours, 4 days per week and can be during day shift or evening shift.

Purpose:
Under the general direction of a respiratory therapist, and in accordance with the PA Practice Act or NY State guidelines, the student respiratory care assistant will perform a variety of functions. Some of these functions include ordering, inventorying, and distributing equipment to include medical gases. In addition, this position can assist the clinical staff with varies tasks as directed. The student respiratory care assistant works under the direction of a respiratory therapist and is responsible for performing multiple duties that require an expertise in the assembly, transport, disinfection, calibration, and troubleshooting of respiratory related equipment. The student respiratory care assistant is responsible for maintaining an appropriate level of equipment in the various respiratory work areas and assisting the respiratory therapists and clinical staff with various tasks, as directed.

Responsibilities:

Exhibit and practice service excellence by actively seeking, listening, responding to the needs of patients, their family, physicians, staff, and others. Maintain supply of transport oxygen and maintain the supply of oxygen cylinders on all inpatient units, emergency department, and clinic areas. Perform routine assembly, maintenance, and cleaning of various types of respiratory care equipment; disinfect equipment prior to calibration and assembly; and maintain appropriate levels of equipment in the various respiratory care work areas daily. Transport dirty equipment to appropriate area using appropriate infection control techniques Appropriately handles and uses cleaning and disinfecting solutions and equipment Demonstrates appropriate use of personal protective equipment Reports equipment malfunctions to respiratory leadership Inspect equipment for correct assembly, assure all parts are in proper working order, and perform preventative maintenance according to established protocols. Check equipment to ensure appropriate function. Calibrate equipment to department or manufactures specifications. Transport equipment between in-patient units and procedure areas as directed by a respiratory therapist May assist the bio-medical technician in tracking of respiratory care equipment. Is responsible for all identification, cataloging, and tracking of all respiratory care equipment. Assist the respiratory therapist with bronchoscope procedures: Setup before & after procedure and processing of the bronchoscopy scopes per manufacture recommendations. Assist the respiratory therapist with setting up for non-emergent intubations & extubations. Assist the respiratory therapist with downloading and documenting 4 channel sleep studies. Perform smoking cessation counseling per department policy. Deliver home care supplies such as oxygen tanks/compressors Maintain proficiency in Microsoft Office products, electronic health record platform, ePro system for ordering, and system for ordering prints