Respiratory Care Practitioner; NRP - NIghts

Overview

At Houston Methodist, the Respiratory Care Practitioner (RCP) position is responsible for performing routine respiratory care procedures as assigned, varying in complexity which include, but are not limited to, preparation, administration and monitoring of medication and treatment modalities and gas therapy, ventilator support, spirometry and assistance with bronchoscopy. This position may perform diagnostic testing of the cardiac respiratory system, as appropriate.

As a member of the direct patient care team, the RCP position provides direct assistance to physicians and other care health professionals, with respiratory care-related procedures within the scope of the professional licensure. This position delivers exceptional patient care and adheres to standards and guidelines established by respiratory and regulatory agencies and Houston Methodist to ensure optimal patient safety and customer service.

• Promotes a positive work environment and contributes to a dynamic, team focused work unit that actively helps one other to achieve optimal department results. Collaborates with all members of the inter-professional team by using progressive skills in therapeutic communication and reporting pertinent patient care information and data in a comprehensive manner, which includes active listening and teaching.
• Communicates effectively with others to facilitate providing the highest quality service during every customer and patient encounter.
• Serves as a patient advocate in preventing/resolving ethical issues. Facilitates interventions to relieve the patient's/family spiritual distress.
• Provides contributions towards improvement of department scores for turnover/retention/employee engagement, i.e. peer-to-peer accountability.

• Performs respiratory care to include but not limited to: arterial blood gas and analysis, pulse oximetry, spirometry and flow volume loops, lung volume determination, airway resistance measurement, breath diffusion capacity, bronchoprovocation testing, maximal inspiratory and expiratory pressures, bronchodilator administration, diagnostic radiology procedures. Prepares, administers and monitors treatment modalities and medication delivery. Implements, monitors and evaluates ventilator support.
• Performs other procedures and tests as needed and if assigned, such as Electrocardiograms, Holter's, and Arterial Blood Gas.
• Provides care for the physical needs of patients by executing various respiratory care concepts to maximize performance, which includes positioning, physiology, procedure preparation, and technical factors. Modifies technical factors to achieve desired results and recognizes complications / limitations associated with certain procedures. Proactively identifies how to address these for optimum outcomes.
• Uses peer-to-peer accountability to contribute towards improving department score for patient satisfaction.

• Troubleshoots, calibrates and performs preventive maintenance and quality control on all equipment and analyzers per department guidelines, documenting activities. Assembles, prepares, cleans and operates bronchoscopy equipment, monitoring equipment and accessories in accordance with manufacturing recommendations and department guidelines. Reports malfunctions.
• Provides direct assistance to physicians, performing tests as ordered, assessing and assuring quality, acceptability and reliability of results; takes corrective action and involves others as needed toward achievement of this end.
• Contributes to identification of corrective action and improvement activities and to meet department and hospital targets for quality and safety, focusing on the task at hand and reporting near misses, and inputting errors promptly into Patient Safety Net to improve processes and identify trends.

• Accurately documents all patient care and respiratory-related activities and procedures in the appropriate documentation system. Enters charges at the time service is delivered.
• Uses resources efficiently; does not waste supplies. Self-motivated to independently manage time effectively, minimizing…