(Archived) Respiratory Therapist

Efficiently administer all types of respiratory care, and efficiently draw blood, in accordance with professional qualifications, and as directed by the Respiratory Therapist (Advanced) or physician.

Operate and troubleshoot all types of respiratory equipment to include proper disassembly, cleaning, sterilization, and packaging of all respiratory therapy equipment to ensure safe patient care.

Maintain equipment, to include performing examinations to detect worn tubes, loose connections or other indications of disrepair and notify the Government supervisor of need for maintenance. Start equipment and observe gauges measuring pressure, rate of flow and continuity of test equipment. Notify the Government supervisor of malfunctions.

Be familiar with the functions and modes of equipment, ensuring equipment is cleaned, reassembled, and returned to storage.

Receive, set-up, operate, and maintain various devices and systems such as ventilators, nebulizers, oxygen therapy systems, humidity and aerosol therapy, sterilizers, and aeration chambers.

Administer prescribed doses of medical gases and aerosolized drugs intermittently and continuously. Perform airway management and hygiene including chest percussion postural drainage. Obtain arterial blood gas specimens.

Perform patient assessments and monitoring and provide patient instructions including breathing exercises. Make therapeutic recommendations. Examine patient records and report and identify changes in the clinical status of patients. Identify contraindications and report adverse responses/reactions.

Change nebulizers on nursing wards and reset oxygen flow as prescribed by physician.

Stock shelves in department and other departments of the MTF as needed for the provision of respiratory therapy.

Assess each patient's condition upon presentation to the Pediatric Pulmonology Clinic to determine need for respiratory therapy intervention.

Perform appropriate pulmonary function studies as requested by the provider. Perform routine respiratory therapy procedures including, aerosol therapy, airway clearance techniques, use of equipment such as aerosol masks, cannulae, nebulizers, and humidifiers and other pulmonary function studies requested by the provider. Set up, maintain, and clean oxygen pressure devices and related airway/ventilator equipment, administer aerosolized respiratory medications as prescribed, and monitor patients for adverse reactions and recommend adjustments of therapy in cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Recommend purchase of consumables such as spirometer filters and capital equipment such as bronchoscopes, end tidal carbon dioxide (CO2) monitors and pulse oximeters.

Interview patients and families to determine level of understanding of the techniques for performing home respiratory interventions such as use of a nebulizer or inhaler therapy and assist in educating patients and parents in proper techniques as indicated.

Assist in preparing patients and family for treatment procedures and diagnostic tests.

Provide appropriate patient and family education and review any new changes in home treatment plans with physician supervision including complex home respiratory therapy plans, use of mechanical ventilation, tracheostomies, suction equipment, pulse oximeters and other home therapy devices.

Coordinate provision of respiratory care to pediatric pulmonology inpatients by making contact with the family of new asthma patients, providing instruction in proper performance of inhalation treatments and pulmonary assessments such as peak flow. Provide patient and family with written materials about asthma therapy, and assist in providing respiratory treatment.

Participate in education of nurses, medical students, residents and other staff in the care of asthma and other chronic pulmonary patients, proper techniques for performing respiratory treatment such as chest physiotherapy and suctioning, proper operation and maintenance of respiratory care equipment, including oxygen delivery systems, nebulizers, peak flow meters, and metered dose inhaler (MDI)/spacer combinations.

Assist with bronchoscopies and other inpatient procedures to include preparation, assisting with the procedure, handling specimens, post-procedure assistance, and maintenance of the bronchoscopy equipment and record keeping.

Ensure that bronchoscopy equipment is properly maintained and available for use at all times.

Contact necessary support personnel, (i.e., anesthesia and bronchoscopy suite personnel) for the purpose of ensuring that all facility, personnel and equipment support are in place for performance of procedures.

Ensure that all patient samples obtained are properly labeled, that the proper diagnostic tests are ordered, and that the material is taken to the laboratory for analysis in a timely fashion.