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Bronson Methodist Hospital

Southwest Michigan health system

Registered Respiratory Therapist

Full-TimeUpdated on 10/24/2026
No salary listed
Mid
Bachelor's, Associate's
Kalamazoo, MI, USA
In Person
Medical, Clinical & VeterinaryNursing & Frontline Patient Care

About the job

Requirements
  • An associate’s degree in Respiratory Therapy is required; a bachelor’s degree is preferred.
  • A current Respiratory Therapist license in 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 AAP-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 degree) and five years of experience are required.
  • The employee must demonstrate competencies appropriate to the age groups served in direct patient care.
  • The role requires considerable standing or walking, regularly lifting objects up to 50 pounds, and assisting with heavier tasks such as moving patients. It may also require stooping, crouching, kneeling, and moving quickly to obtain equipment and medication during emergencies.
  • The employee must be able to assist with patient transport by walking, wheelchair, gurney, or crib, and may assist with ambulance transport between facilities.
  • The employee must work overtime when necessary and change shift hours to meet department needs.
Responsibilities
  • Initiate and administer respiratory care to patients with cardiopulmonary abnormalities and deficiencies, following provider prescriptions and established policies and procedures.
  • Serve as a resource to providers, nurses, and other hospital team members on advanced respiratory diagnosis and rehabilitation.
  • Provide respiratory therapy, evaluate objective and subjective patient information, and discuss findings and conclusions with providers and nurses to resolve patient problems.
  • Evaluate invasive and non-invasive blood gases and discuss conclusions, suggesting therapy changes based on arterial blood gas results.
  • Make ventilator recommendations to providers and nursing based on patient evaluations and blood gases.
  • Verify that provider orders are complete and administer therapy accordingly.
  • Perform age-specific respiratory therapies according to provider orders, protocols, or guidelines.
  • Explain therapy to patients in understandable terms appropriate to their age and learning capabilities; assess their responses and recommend or modify therapy according to provider direction or respiratory protocols.
  • Administer, assess, and titrate oxygen therapy.
  • Notify the manager, nursing personnel, and providers of adverse patient reactions.
  • Perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation and assist with Code Blue events; respond promptly and provide life support according to applicable BLS, ACLS, NRP, and PALS guidelines and site responsibilities.
  • Assist providers with tracheal intubation or perform it when competency requirements are met.
  • Maintain endotracheal and tracheostomy airways, including suctioning, securing, and repositioning endotracheal tubes according to department policy.
  • Use infant and pediatric resuscitation equipment appropriately during emergencies, including PEEP adaptations and pop-off valves.
  • Assist with patient and family education alongside the healthcare team.
  • Perform basic pulmonary function testing, electrocardiograms, arterial blood gases, pulse oximetry, end-tidal carbon dioxide 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.
  • Communicate patient diagnoses and therapy accurately during change-of-shift reports.
  • Accurately charge patients for therapies performed.
  • Supervise and instruct respiratory care students, complete the required preceptor course, and help students develop clinical skills.
  • 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 required work and education requirements without prompting from the manager.
  • Participate in departmental and hospital-wide process improvement and quality assurance initiatives, and perform other related duties as required or assigned.
Desired Qualifications
  • A bachelor’s degree is preferred.

About the company

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Bronson Methodist Hospital

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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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