Registered Respiratory Therapist II

Job Description Summary

Provide total clinical care for critically ill children during transportation. Communicating and coordinating care with multidisciplinary team members from sending and receiving facilities. Under medical control supervision, the Respiratory Therapist II provides individualized, goal-directed patient care to families and patients at a competent level utilizing the principles and practices of the nursing process; delivers safe and effective care and interacts with other members of the health care team to achieve desired results.

Scheduled Work Hours/Shift: Rotating – 24hr or 12 Hour Shifts, including nights and weekends.

Job Description

Provides professional care for patients in the clinical setting. Provides leadership to nursing staff members and collaborates with other members of the health care team to assure quality care for the patients. Promotes, plans, directs, and implements medical management and safe transportation for critically ill/injured neonates, infants or children, in consultation with the attending physician. Maintain standards of professional practice.

• Assesses, plans, implements and evaluates delivery of care in accordance with the medical plan of care, practice standards, care standards, and policy and procedures to achieve optimum patient outcomes for patients of all ages.
• Collaborates with other transport team members to ensure the safety of all transport operations.
• Provides rapid assessment, emergency measures and transportation for the critically ill/injured patient, utilizing the latest technique and state-of-the-art equipment.
• Acquires and maintains advanced neonatal skills such as intubation, ventilation, insertion of UAC/UVC's, and chest needle aspirations.
• Maintains all required certifications, licenses, and continuing education.
• Organizes, prioritizes, directs, supervises and evaluates nursing care delivered by various levels of staff both in hospital and on transport.
• Participates in providing outreach education.
• Maintains pediatric transport quality data.
• Functions as patient advocate, protector of patient rights and provider of psychosocial support.

Frequent direct contact and communication within and outside the MUSC with patients, families, physicians, nurses, EMS personnel, aviation personnel, administrators, and the public. Some communication and coordination with community agencies. Transport work is performed under high tension and sometimes adverse conditions due to the critical nature and location of the patients. Moderate physical effort is required for frequent moving and lifting of transport equipment. Requires substantial walking and standing. Frequently uses mechanical devices. High risk of danger involved in working in and around an aircraft and on an ambulance. Physical requirements include weight restrictions, good general health, and high tolerance to stress.

Required Licensure, Certifications, Registrations

Licensed respiratory therapist license with a minimum of 5 years of pediatric critical experience in NICU, PICU, PCICU or similar relevant field. If selected, candidate must maintain current BLS, ACLS, PALS, NRP and complete an advanced trauma course (ex: PATC or TNCC) within 1 year of orientation.