Registered Respiratory Therapist ll (Pulmonary Function) - FT-Day/$10K Sign On

About ChristianaCare:
ChristianaCare is the one of the Mid Atlantic's largest academic health care providers and consists of 3 campuses: Wilmington, Newark and Union at Cecil County. Through our values of love and excellence, ChristianaCare is consistently identified as a regional center of excellence for cardiology, cancer and women's health services and ranked by US News & World as Best Hospital

ChristianaCare is recruiting for a Respiratory Therapist with Neonatal Experience to work in our newly designed, state of the art, private-room Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit located within the new Center for Women's & Children's Health at our Newark Campus and our Level II Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.  ChristianaCare is the state of Delaware's only tertiary care center for high-risk pregnancies and has over 6300 deliveries per year.  We are proud to have 6 couplet suites located in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit that are solely dedicated to the care of both the mother and neonate.

As a Respiratory Therapist, you will become a member of our collaborative team compromising of neonatologists, nurse practitioners/physician assistants, nurses, residents, fellows and other ancillary team members who are dedicated to the care of neonates and their families. 

The Respiratory Care Department provides service for the Christiana and Wilmington hospitals. Respiratory Therapists provide service to all areas of the hospital as part of a specialized team including adult and infant critical care units, medical-surgical floors and emergency care.

PRIMARY FUNCTION:

This role is reserved for a respiratory therapist who is licensed, professional, competent, and assumes responsibility and accountability for diagnostic pulmonary function testing including: hemodynamic monitoring, assisting with diagnostic procedures, administering pharmacologic agents related to respiratory care procedures. Maintains pulmonary function equipment; assures quality control, monitors performance improvement, provides community service and education; charts and keeps records; educates other healthcare providers, and conducts research.

Shift: Dayshift, no weekends, no holidays

Location: Primarily at Newark PFT lab, with occasional rotation to Wilmington PFT lab.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Exhibits love and excellence core behaviors with patients, families, and other team members.
• Strives to provide the highest quality in all aspects of work performance.  Learns and utilizes new knowledge and skills. Assumes responsibility for improving care and services.
• Demonstrates actions that are professional, trustworthy, and dependable.   Creates a positive impression in dress and manner.  Serves as an ambassador for our health system.
• Performs pulmonary function test and procedures in compliance with American Thoracic Society (ATS) recommendations.
• Performs pulmonary function tests including spirometry, diffusion capacity, lung volumes, maximal respiratory pressures, and body plethysmography.
• Performs arterial blood gas sampling and analysis and performs capillary sampling for hemoglobin analysis.
• Performs pulse oximetry with exercise tests including oxygen determination study for home oxygen therapy, six-minute walk and oxygen titration.
• Performs or assists in cardiopulmonary stress test including electrocardiogram tracings, blood pressure monitoring, power output, expired gas analysis, and arterial blood gas sampling at rest and during exercise
• Performs bronchoprovocation test including methacholine challenge, exercise-induced asthma and cold air challenge. 
• Performs High Altitude Simulation Test (HAST).
• Performs Exhaled Nitric Oxide Test.
• Assists physicians during bronchoscopy, pleuroscopy and tracheostomy tube change.
• Responds to emergency situations and performs cardiopulmonary resuscitation and airway management.
• Performs cleaning and disinfecting procedures. Reassembles and prepares equipment.
• Performs quality control including equipment maintenance, calibration, and record keeping.
• Verifies registration information and patient identification during appointment check-in.
• Proficiently uses Powerchart and Breeze software.
• Understands and follows standard precaution guidelines when administering patient care and processing equipment.
• Completes Annual Mandatory Education Lessons via the Education Center including, but not limited to, Infection Prevention, Fire Safety, and Utilities Management.
• Performs assigned work safely, adhering to established departmental safety rules and practices. Reports to team leader in a timely manner any unsafe activities, conditions, hazards, or safety violations that may cause injury to oneself, other employees, patients, and visitors.
• Schedules patient appointments, enters information into electronic Patient Schedule and makes appropriate changes to the Patient Schedule as needed.
• Performs other related duties as required.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:

Graduate of JRCRTE Education Accreditation Committee approved School of Respiratory Therapy.

Registered Respiratory Therapist (preferred).

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Maintains active certified Respiratory therapist (RRT) Credential
• Certified Pulmonary Function Technician (CPFT) and Registered Pulmonary Function Technician (RPFT) preferred
• Maintain current BLS certification
• Current AARC Member preferred
• Licensure in the State of Delaware required