RESP. CHARGE THERAPIST - RESPIRATORY SERVICES

North Oaks Health System - Hammond, LA

Hammond, LA

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations

About the position

The Charge Therapist will assist with the coordination of all daily routine activities for the Respiratory Care Department with minimal supervision. The Charge Therapist is responsible for assessing; distributing and monitoring the respiratory care workload during his/her assigned shift and projecting the relationship between work and staffing for upcoming shifts. The Charge Therapist is responsible for assessing all phases of respiratory care and making recommendations for care.

Responsibilities

• Demonstrates communication and interpersonal skills and proficiency.
• Assists staff and directs assignment to promote staff to complete all procedures before end of the shift.
• Assist staff on decision making pertaining to patient care.
• Counts points and assigns workloads evenly and fairly among staff.
• Reviews staffing and makes appropriate changes to minimize overtime and over staffing.
• Assists in orientation of new employees to specific aspect of care assigned by department management.
• Contacts administrative person when needed.
• Supervises care administered to patients. Assures appropriate care provided.
• Monitors staff competency and patient acuity to ensure patient safety.
• Notifies management team of concerns.
• Assist Management with inventory control, equipment availability/maintenance, and oxygen tank supply.
• Communicates with other healthcare providers as needed relevant to employee issues or patient issues.
• Ensures safe environment frequently communicates with staff and others to address concerns as they occur.
• Monitors staff compliance with Patient Services, Department and Administrative Policies/Procedures and Programs.
• Provides immediate/confidential corrective action and competency demonstration and communicates concerns to management team.
• Completes Charge Therapist Report Sheets and shift log each shift.
• Ensuring all employees are at report on time and promptly complete shift change.
• Maintains a professional and responsible attitude.
• Promotes team work and work assignment completion.
• Promotes positive relationships with unit staff and ancillary departments providing service to the department.
• Monitors meal periods and breaks to ensure adequate staffing at all times.
• Monitors staff productivity. Adjust as patient volume changes.
• Demonstrates ability to influence others to perform a task effectively.
• Assist in ensuring the disaster box is complete with all necessary forms and materials.
• Assist in initiation of Emergency Disaster Plan when necessary.
• Notifies Administrative Nursing Supervisor for all staff injuries.
• Immediately notifies management with beginning investigative findings and follow-up on all pertinent data relating to above unexpected events.
• Initiates ideas, asks appropriate questions, makes suggestions, and gives instructions as appropriate.
• Responsible for calls and procedures in ancillary departments that are not assigned to floor therapist (PACU, Cath Lab, Admitting, Endo, Radiology).
• Responsible for cleaning/ensure portable bronchoscope is cleaned timely after each use and completing cleaning log.
• Performs the duties of a floor therapist as assigned.
• Keeps management informed of staff, patient, and physician issues.
• Contacts operator at beginning of shift to report beeper assignment.
• Participates in Performance Improvement.
• Responds and assures appropriate staff is present at Codes, Traumas, Rapid Response and Stroke alerts.
• Ensures that any medication errors occurring on their shift are entered into Quantros.
• Assists in assuring that staff adheres to Hospital policies and procedures, especially in the areas of infection control and safety.
• Assist leadership with enforcement of professional behavioral standards and job role responsibilities for care delivery team.
• Assists in assessing that all work areas are kept clean, orderly and safe.
• Assures that work list are all updated and audited.
• Assists in providing appropriate input to management staff on performance.
• Participates in interviews as requested and provides input to employee evaluations as requested by manager.
• Collects safety call data and performs the call as needed.
• Performs any other duties as assigned by leadership.
• Directly responsible for the safety of patients and self during the administration of patient care.
• Responsible for safety in regards to the use and administration of oxygen and other medical gases.
• Responsible for Department equipment assigned to him/her (e.g. beeper) and indirectly responsible for all department equipment by assisting in tracking of such, especially pulse ox units and beepers.
• Maintains the confidentiality of patient and employee information to which she/he is privy.
• This job has a high degree of responsibility for performing work without immediate supervision.
• Follows North Oaks Health System's Compliance programs and all Federal and State Regulatory guidelines.

Requirements

• Must be licensed by the State of Louisiana.
• Must be a Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) or a Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT).
• A minimum of two years of clinical experience.
• Graduate of an AMA approved Program in Respiratory Therapy.
• Current Louisiana license as a Respiratory Therapist.
• Completed BCLS certification and Airway Management required.
• NRP, PALS and ACLS certifications are optional.
• Demonstrated effective communication skills and leadership abilities.