Registered Respiratory Therapist - IU Sleep Apnea Education Center

The IU Sleep Apnea Education Center RT works to provide comprehensive education, evaluation and treatment of sleep disorders including in center comprehensive patient care and direct patient education. In addition to proficiency in all competencies, the IU Sleep Apnea Education Center RT participates with clinical patient education, compliance management, and patient follow up. Education and management of our patients with sleep disorders requires understanding of the multifaceted disease processes that affect both sleep and wakefulness. The RT is credentialed and able to provide oversight help of other sleep center staff and is able to interact with physicians and other health care providers in a professional manner. 

 

1. Competency with Practice Parameters and Clinical Guidelines for sleep health and disorders 

• Patient education and compliance monitoring 
• Proficient in pathophysiology, epidemiology, and clinical guidelines for sleep disorders and treatment options. 

 

2. Comprehensive Understanding of Teaching and Motivational Skills 

• Apply principles of motivational teaching to facilitate patient self-management. 
• Provide patient education for sleep disorders, comorbidities, therapeutic equipment and processes, therapy options, sleep hygiene and self-help. 
• Encourage family/bed partner participation with patient treatment plan. 
• Promote community education on general sleep hygiene, sleep disorders and treatment options. 

 

3. Program and Business Management 

• Confirm insurance verification/authorization requirements and patient financial responsibility. 
• Utilize electronic medical records programs. 
• Maintain accurate, pertinent, accessible, confidential and secure patient records in accordance with privacy and security standards. 
• Assure patient records contain documentation of all patient interactions. 

 

4. Participate in professional development activities. . Evaluation/management of patient education and compliance 

• Monitor patient adherence to prescribed treatment. 
• Collect, analyze and integrate patient information. . 
• Implement and follow-up on physician orders. 
• Communicate effectively and professionally with the patient’s healthcare team regarding new or continued symptoms, treatment concerns or management of optimal care. 
• Develop programs and provide education to assist patients with treatment compliance including how to track health improvement indicators.
• Educate on equipment/supply replacement schedules. 
• Assist with acclimation to PAP; proper usage of PAP, interface troubleshooting, pressure relief options, cleaning and safety education. 

 

5. Service Management and Essential Skills: 

• Maintain proficiency in the domains of practice in sleep medicine and technology. 
• Comply with professional standards of conduct. 
• Comply with applicable laws, regulations, guidelines, and standards regarding safety and infection control. 
• Meet all industry registry, certification and state licensure requirements. 
• Maintain current CPR or BLS certification. 
• Demonstrate proficient use of medical terminology. 
• Demonstrate advanced knowledge of the pathophysiology of sleep disorders and associated comorbidities. 
• Demonstrate effective patient assessment techniques. 
• Demonstrate ability to provide age appropriate patient education. 
• Use a variety of communication and teaching techniques to optimize patient education and motivate self-management. 
• Demonstrate age appropriate written and verbal communication skills. 
• Demonstrate appropriate social skills; cultural competency. 
• Demonstrate customer service skills; health literacy. 
• Demonstrate critical thinking and ability to work with minimal supervision. 
• Demonstrate the ability to analyze complex situations and apply policy. 
• Demonstrate teamwork skills and ability to work collaboratively with other healthcare providers. 
• Develop and implement policies to maintain the privacy and security of patient information. 
• Adhere to sleep center policies related to quality assurance, clinical procedures and emergency preparedness and safety. 
• Demonstrate computer skills appropriate for the position. 

 

What You'll Need: 

• Requires current license as a Respiratory Care Practitioner from the state of Indiana.
• Requires graduation from a CoARC (Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care) and regionally accredited respiratory care program.
• Requires that the N.B.R.C. (National Board for Respiratory Care) registry exam be passed within 13 months of hire date. The 13 month