The Respiratory Therapist's role is to be an effective team player in assisting physicians and other healthcare professionals in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiopulmonary diseases. 

Duties and Responsibilities (Subject to Change)

The following duties are to be performed upon a physician's order, as appropriate:

•                Provide and administer supplementary oxygen or other therapeutic gas equipment using a wide variety of administering equipment, coupled with appropriate humidifying and nebulizing equipment.

•                Perform aerosol treatments as required. This involves consulting patients' charts, assembling machinery and circuitry, mixing and dispensing drugs for nebulization, monitoring patient's cardiopulmonary status during the course of treatment and charting appropriate remarks of efficacy of treatment.

•                Attend all cardiac and respiratory arrests and resuscitation attempts while in hospital. Intubate or assist with intubation appropriately.

•                Provide and monitor continuous ventilation, invasive and non-invasive, in the intensive care unit of the hospital, ER or Recovery Room. Change machine parameters in accordance with the maintenance of adequate blood gas and acid-base values and other physiological parameters upon consultation with the attending physician. Involves the knowledge of function and application of two different ventilators and three BIPAP generators presently used at Blanche River Health. Participate in virtual critical care when needed.

•                Withdraw a blood sample by the technique of arterial puncture for determination of blood gas and acid-base status. Insert arterial lines as appropriate.

•                Assist with cardiac stress testing. Includes the maintenance of equipment used and the procurement of necessary supplies.

•                Maintain knowledge of the Cardiac Rehabilitation and Secondary Prevention Clinic. Rotate regularly into this program to maintain skills and relieve as needed in consultation with the Coordinator.

•                Exchange all equipment in accordance with accepted infection control procedures. Use appropriate infection control procedures as per the relevant policies.

•                Perform routine checking of all oxygen, humidifying and nebulizing equipment at regular intervals.

•                Counsel patients on purchase, sterilization, operation and maintenance of a variety of home therapy units prescribed by physicians

•                Promote patient well-being through education. Re-assess patients receiving treatments, ie: suggest better alternatives to the physician.

•                Perform full pulmonary function testing with or without bronchodilator or exercise.

•                Monitor and test patients at bedside to determine lung functions ie: spirometry, inspiratory effort measurements, peak flow measurements, etc ...

•                Perform ambulatory blood pressure monitoring measurements.

•                Assess and/or monitor patient's oxygenation status via pulse oximetry at rest, with exercise, with sleep and with incremental levels of oxygen. Arrange home respiratory setups if needed

•                Administer maneuvers such as incentive spirometry, especially used in post-operative situations, or sputum inductions, (in consultation with the Infection Control)

•                Perform aspirations of patient's airway in the course of any of the assigned treatment modalities

•                Perform preventative and regular maintenance of oxygen and air outlets as required

•                Provide assistance with scheduling of all departmental activities including out-patient and in-patient appointments. Perform all necessary clerical duties including statistics as required

•                Assist with daily or weekly inventories and order necessary supplies as required

•                Evaluate and make recommendations regarding all respiratory therapy related equipment, in conjunction with the Manager, prior to distribution to any patient care area

•                Orient or teach other members of the health-care team in dealing with equipment and procedures. Introduce new equipment and its functions

•                Participate in programs of continuing education or other activities relating to training in order to meet continuing education requirements of the CRTO.

•                Participate in patient transfers to other hospitals as required

•                Ensure the highest quality of patient care by the Respiratory Therapy Department through commitment to the quality assurance/continuous quality improvement program

•                Other duties as assigned.

Education:

Certifications and Registrations

•                Completed a three-year accredited Respiratory Therapy program successfully

•                Certified by the C.S.R.T as a Registered Respiratory Therapist (R.R.T)

•                Registered and licensed to practice with the College of Respiratory Therapists of Ontario (CRTO)

•                Bilingualism is an asset.