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Bronson Methodist Hospital

Southwest Michigan health system

Registered Respiratory Therapist

Nursing & Frontline Patient CarePosted on Nov 10
Full-timeKalamazoo, MI, USANo salary listedIn-person

About the Job

Requirements

  • An Associate's degree in Respiratory Therapy is required.
  • A current Respiratory Therapist license in the State of Michigan is required.
  • For employees hired after 2004, Registered Respiratory Therapist credentials are required within one year of hire.
  • BLS certification is required within three months of hire; ACLS, PALS, and NRP certifications are required within one year of hire according to site requirements.
  • For BLH and BSH only, completion of an accredited Respiratory Therapy program (certificate, diploma, or Associate's degree) and five years of experience are required.
  • The employee must demonstrate competencies to provide services appropriate to the ages of the patient population served.
  • The role requires considerable standing or walking, lifting objects up to 50 pounds, assisting with heavier patient-lifting tasks, and occasional stooping, crouching, kneeling, and rapid movement to obtain equipment and medication during emergencies.
  • The employee must comply with the hospital's customer-service standards and participate in self-development and continuing education, including mandatory in-services and other educational activities.

Responsibilities

  • Initiate and administer respiratory care to patients with cardiopulmonary abnormalities and deficiencies in accordance with provider prescriptions and established policies and procedures.
  • Provide knowledge and guidance to providers, nurses, and other hospital team members regarding advanced respiratory diagnosis and rehabilitation.
  • Provide patients with respiratory therapy, evaluate objective and subjective information, and discuss findings with providers and nurses to resolve patient problems promptly.
  • Evaluate invasive and non-invasive blood gases and discuss conclusions and therapy-change recommendations based on ABG results.
  • Communicate ventilator recommendations to providers and nursing staff based on patient evaluations and blood gases.
  • Verify that provider orders are complete and administer therapy accordingly.
  • Perform age-specific respiratory therapies in accordance with provider orders, protocols, and guidelines; explain therapies in terms appropriate to patients' ages and learning capabilities; assess responses and recommend or modify therapy as appropriate.
  • Administer, assess, and titrate oxygen therapy, and notify the manager, nursing personnel, and providers of adverse patient reactions.
  • Perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation and assist with Code Blue events; arrive promptly and perform life support according to applicable BLS, ACLS, NRP, and PALS guidelines and site-specific responsibilities.
  • Assist providers with tracheal intubation or perform it when competency requirements are met.
  • Maintain artificial airways, including endotracheal and tracheostomy tubes, through suctioning, securing, and repositioning in accordance with department policy.
  • Use infant and pediatric resuscitation equipment appropriately in emergencies, including PEEP adaptations and pop-off valves.
  • Assist with patient and family education as part of the healthcare team.
  • Perform basic pulmonary function testing, EKGs, arterial blood gases, pulse oximetry, end-tidal CO2 monitoring, and transcutaneous oximetry according to departmental policies and procedures.
  • Assist with bedside bronchoscopies, intubations, and extubations according to departmental policies and procedures.
  • Perform nasotracheal, endotracheal, and tracheal suctioning and sample collection according to departmental policies and procedures.
  • Assist with patient transport by walking, wheelchair, gurney, or crib to ensure continuity of care; may assist with ambulance transports between facilities.
  • Accurately communicate patient diagnoses and therapy during change-of-shift reports and accurately charge patients for therapies performed.
  • Supervise and instruct Respiratory Care students, complete the required preceptor course, and help students develop clinical skills.
  • Adjust work in response to patient-census and relative-value-unit fluctuations, work overtime when necessary, and change shift hours to meet department needs.
  • Maintain and clean respiratory equipment to ensure readiness and supply availability.
  • Orient and instruct new department personnel, nursing staff, students, and respiratory personnel in Respiratory Care procedures as required.
  • Attend in-services and online learning, and complete minimum work and education requirements.
  • Participate in department and hospital-wide process-improvement activities, quality assurance, and organizational performance-improvement initiatives.
  • Perform related duties as assigned according to site-specific requirements.

Desired Qualifications

  • A Bachelor's degree is preferred.

About the Company

Bronson Methodist Hospital

Southwest Michigan health system

Bronson Methodist Hospital is a nonprofit health system serving southwest Michigan. The system provides hospital, primary, specialty, emergency, outpatient, rehabilitation, and community health services through regional care locations. It serves patients, families, clinicians, referring providers, and communities throughout southwest Michigan. Its operating model centers on coordinated hospitals and practices supported by clinical programs, technology, facilities, supply chain, and administration. Teams work across nursing, physicians, allied health, rehabilitation, technology, facilities, administration, and patient access. Work depends on coordination among clinical, operational, technical, and support teams across its care settings and communities.

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