Respiratory Therapist

Respiratory Care Practitioner Department:
Cardiopulmonary Status:
Full-Time | 1.0 FTE (40 hours/week)
FLSA Status:
Non-Exempt

Reports To:

Manager:
Emergency Department / Med Surg and Respiratory Services

Location:

Pagosa Springs Medical Center – Pagosa Springs, Colorado

Schedule:

40 hours/week + On-Call (at least 14 days/month) with a 30-minute expected response time Position Highlight Bring your respiratory care expertise to a close-knit hospital where your skills truly matter. This role requires strong acute care, ventilator management, and Pulmonary Function Testing (PFT) experience and offers the opportunity to provide respiratory and cardiopulmonary care across inpatient, outpatient, and emergency settings.

Position Summary Pagosa Springs Medical Center (PSMC) is seeking an experienced Respiratory Care Practitioner to join our Cardiopulmonary  this role, you will provide assessment, treatment, education, and diagnostic respiratory services to patients and families. You'll use your clinical judgment to assess patients, make appropriate decisions, and modify care in accordance with established protocols. As an integral member of the multidisciplinary care team, you'll also serve as a respiratory care resource to providers and other healthcare professionals.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced respiratory therapist who enjoys clinical variety, values autonomy, and is comfortable caring for adult and pediatric patients in emergency and acute care settings.

Why Join PSMC?

Practice across a broad range of respiratory and cardiopulmonary services

Work with adult, pediatric, adolescent, and geriatric patient populations

Utilize advanced skills in airway and ventilator management

Perform both inpatient and outpatient pulmonary diagnostic testing

Work closely with physicians, nurses, and other members of the multidisciplinary care team Serve as a clinical resource and mentor to other staff

Participate in patient education, care coordination, and clinical decision-making

Maintain and grow specialized respiratory care knowledge through continuing education

Make a meaningful impact in a Critical Access Hospital serving a rural mountain community

Key Responsibilities Respiratory & Acute Care Perform respiratory care modalities as prescribed by physicians and licensed independent practitioners

Assess patients and evaluate their response to respiratory care and treatment

Recommend appropriate respiratory therapies and modifications based on changes in a patient's clinical condition

Apply and manage mechanical ventilation and noninvasive ventilation

Collaborate with providers to recommend adjustments that improve clinical condition and patient comfort

Perform airway and ventilator management

Interpret information from invasive and noninvasive monitors and ventilators

Adapt procedures and treatments to meet the needs of pediatric, adolescent, adult, and geriatric patients

Pulmonary & Cardiopulmonary Diagnostics Perform pulmonary and cardiology diagnostic testing in accordance with established policies and procedures

Perform spirometry and box pulmonary function testing

Perform walk testing and methacholine challenge testing

Perform arterial blood gas (ABG) draws and analysis

Support diagnostic services such as Holter monitoring, stress testing, and pulmonary function testing

Operate, maintain, troubleshoot, clean, and adjust respiratory and cardiopulmonary equipment and circuitry

Patient Assessment & Education Complete respiratory-specific patient assessments and required documentation

Monitor patient response to therapy and recognize changes requiring intervention

Provide patient and family education regarding disease processes, treatment plans, medications, and respiratory therapies

Reinforce provider instructions and previous patient teaching

Develop teaching plans based on individual patient learning needs

Promote wellness and help patients and families understand their plan of care Participate in interdisciplinary care coordination and communicate concerns to providers and leadership

Medication & Patient Safety Safely administer respiratory medications and understand appropriate doses, indications, contraindications, and potential side effects

Follow established medication administration rights and patient identification procedures

Follow National Patient Safety Goals and infection prevention practices

Utilize universal precautions and appropriate infection-control measures

Promote an environment that optimizes patient safety and reduces the…