Pulmonary Diagnostics RCP III - Northern Virginia

About the Role

The Pulmonary Diagnostics RCPIII will report to the Manager, Pulmonary Diagnostics Lab, for operational oversight. The Manager will provide oversight of the assessment of technical competencies and training. The RCPIII will be responsible for any additional training required at time of hire or promotion within time criteria determined by manager. They will be experienced and able to provide clinical support for diagnostic services and respiratory care needs at the time of hire or promotion. They will be familiar with all lab processes and procedures and how to access assistance or reference expertise when needed by end of probationary period.

• Assessment of a patient's respiratory status
• Provision of all standard respiratory care treatments
• Performing full spectrum of pulmonary function studies (spirometry, plethysmography, DLCO, LCI, MIP/MEP, FOT)
• Metabolic studies
• Hypoxic challenges
• All forms of exercise testing (GXT, 6 minute walk, EIB, cold air challenge)
• Methacholine challenges
• Transcutaneous Carbon Dioxide monitoring
• Indirect measurement of hemoglobin
• Exhaled nitric oxide measurement
• Bronchoscopy support in the OR, cath lab or ICU's
• Assist with ERBOKRYO CA during OR procedures
• Assessment and adjustment of patient settings on home ventilators including report generation from the ventilator memory during visit
• Comply with ATS standards of testing, DOH and JCH standards and hospital policies and procedures
• Transition work sites to include the main lab, the inpatient lab, the OR/ICU, Regional Outpatient Centers (ROC) and the Muscular Dystrophy (MDA) Center program held in Physical Medicine
• Provide educational encounters for patients and their families covering all forms of Airway Clearance Techniques (ACT), respiratory medications and equipment used in the home
• Host medical and respiratory care students providing educational experiences
• Knowledgeable of High Level Disinfection (HLD) processes practiced in our hospital
• Troubleshoot any equipment in use in our department
• Familiar with CPAP/BIPAP equipment and apnea monitors
• Acquire and maintain CITI credentialing to qualify for providing support on research protocols
• May assume role of Charge Therapist when assigned by manager
• Mentors new hires during probationary period

What You'll Bring

Minimum Education: Associate's Degree. Completion of a minimum of two years of college training in an AMA approved Respiratory Care Program required. Bachelor's Degree preferred.

Minimum Work Experience: 6 years experience in respiratory care environment providing care for inpatients or outpatients (Required). 5 years experience in a pulmonary lab environment (Required). 2 years experience in a pediatric pulmonary lab environment (Required).

Required Skills/Knowledge: CITI training must be completed within probationary period. Demonstrates knowledge of regulatory agency requirements (e.g. JCHO, DCDOH, ATS).

Required Licenses and Certifications: Registered Respiratory Therapist RCP DC license Upon Hire (Required). Registered Respiratory Therapist RCP MD or VA (if required for position applied for) 90 Days (Required). Basic Life Support for Healthcare Provider (BLS) Upon Hire (Required). Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) Upon Hire (Required). Registered Pulmonary Function Technologist (RPFT) Upon Hire (Required).

Functional Accountabilities

Organization and Planning: Ensure equipment, supplies, and staff are prepared and ready to provide all services as required. Act as lead therapist when requested by manager. Prioritize multiple requests for services. Utilize manager for assistance in priority-setting as needed. Monitor and maintain supplies at any site assigned to. Participate in the interdisciplinary team huddle to ensure lab is informed and prepared to provide services as requested for patients. Flows all recycled equipment correctly for HLD reprocessing according to hospital policy.

Patient Care: Assess patient respiratory status. Interpret clinical signs and symptoms for patients with a variety of respiratory illnesses. Contribute to plan of care based on assessments. Administer aerosolized medications and treatments as ordered. Provide instruction to patients and families regarding respiratory treatments, equipment, and pulmonary diagnostic testing, ventilatory support devices, both invasive and non-invasive. Evaluate effectiveness and outcomes of interventions.

Technical Proficiency: Perform full range of pulmonary function testing in accordance with ATS standards. Maintain CITI training certification. Perform oscillography, metabolic studies, and specialty studies in accordance with ATS standards. Provide assistance during bronchoscopy procedure including maintenance of equipment following HLD guidelines. Perform daily, weekly and monthly calibration of any equipment to use at site assigned. Develop and implement competency check offs for new services, in collaboration with manager, as needed. Ability to utilize BREEZESITE, CORNERSTONE, ENDOWORS/PROVATION, CERNER, PYXIS, access to protected folder on "S" drive. Operate the Cold Air Challenge system correctly. Operate the Dosimeter for methacholine delivery independently. Able to perform all types of exercise testing. Assist in the use of the ERBOKRYO CA during bronchoscopy. Collaborate and provide research protocol support complying with all hospital policies and procedures.

Documentation: Document assessments, medications, treatments, procedures, and teach appropriately in accordance with departmental and hospital policies. Evaluate and document ventilator patient encounters including any downloads done during time of visit. Verify any entry in the EMR to ensure accuracy and a complete reflection of services rendered. Review all orders for clinical and protocol testing to ensure correct information/documentation is done with each patient encounter. Maintain accurate encounter logs for tracking verification of services at any site assigned to.

Professionalism: Attend rounds, in-services, and conferences to maintain and upgrade clinical knowledge base and technical skills. Serve as a resource person to clinic personnel in respiratory-related matters. Actively participate in staff/departmental meetings; participate in departmental performance improvement activities. Maintain all competencies and annual training requirements. Assist to maintain departmental readiness for regulatory surveys. Keep up to date Circum Vitae in personnel file. Maintain patient confidentiality at all times, ensuring all patient data meets HIPPA standards. Provide assistance and oversight in lab to ensure troubleshooting of techniques, documentations, and testing quality is consistent.

Educational: Participate in a hospital sponsored volunteer event, committee, or provide an educational encounter for pulmonary team annually. Provide educational encounters for medical students, residents, and respiratory care students. Act as a mentor providing procedure review and competency check off for RCPI and RCPII staff and new employees. Identify and develop training module for one testing procedure, in collaboration with manager, that all staff are required to be competent in. Mentor new employees during probation period, providing training and competency assessment. Attend one educational event in our field and prepare a presentation for team on new info gathered.

Communication: Reach out to create partnerships across teams to provide seamless care. Practice closed loop communication, SBAR, STAR, Peer check, or any effective tool available to ensure the lab staff, bronch team, inpatient service team and manager are aware of any variances in services or coverage. Contact correct department or entity to ensure any equipment, software, or employee failure is correctly reported and addressed immediately to include Biomed, Cardiology IT, RL, all vendors and manager. Review schedules at all sites to ensure coverage requirements and contact manager when needed. Ensure all members of staff are informed of any pertinent information throughout clinic day affecting covering or service.

Safety: Demonstrate integrity and focus on what is safe. Exhibit safe practice at all times when working with patients using equipment and gases. Be able to enact any CODE, as defined by our organization, when needed. Practice HLD safety when working with equipment and chemicals in OR/ICU. Comply with Universal Precautions and Hand washing guidelines in all clinical environments.