Respiratory Therapist - RRT

Respiratory Therapy
PRN
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Consistently named best hospital, Lexington Medical Center dedicates itself to providing quality health services that meet the needs of its communities. Ranked #1 in the Columbia metro area by U.S. News & World Report, Lexington Medical Center is the only hospital named one of the Best Places to Work in South Carolina and the first hospital in the state to achieve Magnet with Distinction status for excellence in nursing care.

The 607-bed teaching hospital anchors a health care network that includes six community medical centers and employs more than 8,700 health care professionals. The network includes a cardiovascular program recognized by the American College of Cardiology as South Carolina’s first Heart

CARE Center

TM and an accredited Cancer Center of Excellence affiliated with MUSC Hollings Cancer Center for research and education. The network also features an occupational health center, the largest skilled nursing facility in the Carolinas, an Alzheimer’s care center and nearly 80 physician practices. Its postgraduate medical education programs include family medicine and transitional year.

Performs duties within the scope of respiratory care, to include but not limited to inpatient assessments, oxygen and routine therapy, arterial blood gases, and mechanical ventilation. Outpatient Services to include diagnostic studies and Pulmonary rehab to include patient assessment, planning, intervention, follow-up, evaluation, and discharge planning.

•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:
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, CVICU therapist, and for the Rapid Response Team. (Within six months or first available class). All Employees assigned to Special Care Nursery must have NRP certification.
•Required Training:
None

• 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.

• Documents participants medical history, care plan (ITP), responses to treatment, progress and complications. Evaluate and report patients’ outcomes including functional capacity, risk reduction, behavior modification, and follow-up assessments to evaluate individual progress and program effectiveness.

• Works toward returning patients to previous functional level and having lower risk for future events as well as a better understanding of disease process.

• Provides individualized counseling and education to inpatients, 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.

• Performs routine/oxygen 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 and documents on order sheet.

• Makes adjustments using clinical decision making skills based on response from treatments.

• Performs arterial punctures and draws from arterial lines to obtain…