Advanced Respiratory Therapist - Pediatric

Advanced Respiratory Care Practitioner - Duke Life Flight

Duke Life Flight seeks to hire an Advanced Respiratory Care Practitioner who will embrace our mission of Advancing Health Together.

Duke Life Flight is a CAMTS accredited critical care and Emergency Air and Ground transport agency in Durham, NC, providing services to North Carolina and its surrounding states. We operate two state-of-the-art rotor wing aircraft and a fleet of critical care, and advanced life support ambulances. We are one of few rotor-wing aeromedical Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) capable flight programs in North Carolina. Our respiratory care practitioners with our Life Flight team transport pediatric, and neonatal patients 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We provide rapid access to health care for patients when time, specialized skills, and/or specialized resources are critical for survival.

General Description of the Job Class

Perform and evaluate diagnostic and therapeutic clinical procedures as defined in the Respiratory Care Services scope of clinical practice, performing work in accordance with physician orders in the neonatal, pediatric and adult patient populations.

Duties and Responsibilities of this Level

• Perform all duties and responsibilities required of a Respiratory Care Practitioner I.
• Evaluate appropriateness of medical orders.
• Proficient in the application of mechanical ventilator modalities.
• Proficient in the application of Non-Invasive Positive Pressure Ventilation (NPPV); Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) and Bi-Level Positive Airway Pressure (BiPAP)
• Perform endotracheal intubation under the observation of a Supervisor or Advanced Practitioner. Perform extubations.
• Serve as member of the code/ emergency team. Administer medical gases.
• Insert nasogastric and orogastric tubes.
• Perform tracheotomy tube changes. Perform capnography monitoring.
• Transport patients requiring mechanical ventilation or airway protection.
• Interpret clinical data to optimize patient clinical objectives.
• Participate in clinical rounds with physicians, nurses and other health care providers
• Assist with Bronchoscopy. Assist with orientation and training of Level II RT.
• Assure safe operations of devices in the MRI.
• Qualified for certification in the hyperbaric chamber if applicable to the institution scope of practice

Required Qualifications at this Level

Education

• Completion of a two year AMA approved Respiratory Care Program - (Associates Degree or the equivalent).
• Must maintain annual skill maintenance and annual safety/compliance requirements
• Must maintain North Carolina annual license requirements for CEUs

Experience

• A minimum of three years (preference of four years) experience in clinical respiratory therapy, including a minimum of one year in intensive care respiratory therapy within a neonatal or pediatric ICU.
• Advanced certification required (C-NPT) within two years of hire. If hired with critical care transport experience, C-NPT or NPS certification highly preferred. 

Degrees, Licensure, and/or Certification

• North Carolina State Licensure
• Registry (RRT) by the National Association for Respiratory Care (NBRC)
• Certification in Basic Life Support (BLS)
• Certification in Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS)
• Certification in Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS)
• Certification in Neonatal Resuscitation (NRP) 

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge necessary to make appropriate clinical decisions and interaction relative to the specific age of a patient.
• Skills validation/certification of competencies for the duties and responsibilities required for a Level I RT.
• Skills validation / certifications of competencies for the duties and responsibilities of this level. Work involves contact with patients of all ages, family members, physicians, nursing, and all other members of the health care team.
• Work is performed in all areas of the hospital.
• Work may require lifting or pushing in excess of 30 pounds.
• Required to carry emergency airway bag weighing approximately 20 pounds.
• Work requires walking, running, climbing and bending. Customer service and communication expertise.