Outpatient Pulmonary RRT

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Outpatient Pulmonary Services
PRN
Day Shift
0800-1630

Consistently named best hospital, Lexington Medical Center anchors an expansive health care network that includes nearly 600 physicians and advanced practice providers at nearly 80 locations across the Midlands of South Carolina, making it the region’s third largest employer. From general medicine and orthopaedics to oncology, cardiology and neurosurgery, these dedicated professionals combine the highest quality care with advanced medicine and state-of-the-art technology to help patients achieve the best possible outcomes.  Its postgraduate medical education programs include family medicine and transitional year residencies.

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Job Summary

Performs duties within the scope of respiratory care, to include but not limited to, diagnostic studies within Outpatient Services and Pulmonary Rehab to include patient assessment, planning, intervention, follow-up, evaluation and discharge planning.

Minimum Qualifications

Minimum Education: 2 Year Associate's Degree (AMA accredited program for Respiratory Care and registered through the National Board for Respiratory Care)
Minimum Years of Experience: None
Substitutable Education & Experience (Optional): Associate's Degree may be substituted for active RRT credential through National Board for Respiratory Care, active license through SC LLR, and 10 years of direct experience as a Respiratory Therapist.
Required Certifications/Licensure: Licensed by the Board of Medical Examiners for the State of South Carolina (biennial renewal required);

Infant/Child and Adult Basic Life Support (BLS) Certified - ACLS for Pulmonary Rehab, Pulmonary Lab. (Within six months or first available class).
Required Training: None

Essential Functions

• Demonstrates competence to provide developmentally appropriate care/treatment for the following patient populations (vary by area):
  • Infant (Birth to 1 year)
  • Child (1 year through 12 years)
  • Adolescent (13 years through 17 years)
  • Adult (18 years to 65 years)
  • Geriatric (over 65 years). 
• Supervises clinical exercise programs using a variety of tools including telemetry, BP, pulse oximetry, dyspnea scale, and perceived exertion. 
• Document participants medical history, individualized treatment plan (ITP), responses to treatment, progress and complications for the individual patient.                
• Works towards enhancing the patients functional level and lowering the risk for future events as well as a better understanding of disease process.
• Provides individualized counseling and education to outpatients and family members to meet identified needs. Teach group education classes as a part of outpatient pulmonary rehab program. Assist in the development and revision of education materials.
  • Assists the Respiratory Patient Care Navigator with inpatients that may require additional assistance with ambulation, and if referral received to Outpatient Pulmonary Rehab
• Performs routine therapy, administers medication, follow protocols. Administers specialty gases.
• Assesses patients in accordance with clinical practice guidelines and makes recommendations to physician for the most appropriate therapy.    
• Interprets prescriptions and/or confers with physician to determine requirements for therapy. Accepts verbal respiratory care orders from physician.
• Makes adjustments using clinical decision-making skills based on response from treatments.
• Performs arterial punctures to obtain blood gas samples in outpatient lab. Analyzes samples on blood gas systems and interprets results. Performs routine daily preventive maintenance and QC.
• Performs diagnostic procedures, interprets results and makes recommendations based on set criteria (Example: pulse oximetry, bedside spirometry, flow studies, and peak flows).

Duties & Responsibilities

• Demonstrates proficiency in assessment and management of the critical care patient. Knowledge of ventilator modalities and their operation while performing Indirect Calorimetry.
• Responds to Emergency Codes and Alerts as medically necessary; performs cardio-pulmonary resuscitation.
• Documents all patient-care related activities in medical record.
• Assists with patient/family education as pertinent to Respiratory Care and documents progress, including patient evaluation, orientation, and follow-up.
• Utilizes, maintains, calibrates and troubleshoots all equipment to ensure proper function.
• Assists in orientation of new personnel, serves as clinical instructor for students, and supervises necessary programs.
• Identifies opportunities for improvement, participates and contributes to the de