Assess, treat, and care for patients with breathing disorders. Assume primary responsibility for all respiratory care modalities, including the supervision of respiratory therapy technicians. Initiate and conduct therapeutic procedures; maintain patient records; and select, assemble, check, and operate equipment.
|
- Conduct tests, such as electrocardiograms (EKGs), stress testing, and lung capacity tests, to evaluate patients' cardiopulmonary functions.
- Demonstrate respiratory care procedures to trainees and other health care personnel.
- Determine requirements for treatment, such as type, method and duration of therapy, precautions to be taken, and medication and dosages, compatible with physicians' orders.
- Educate patients and their families about their conditions and teach appropriate disease management techniques, such as breathing exercises and the use of medications and respiratory equipment.
- Enforce safety rules and ensure careful adherence to physicians' orders.
- Explain treatment procedures to patients to gain cooperation and allay fears.
- Inspect, clean, test and maintain respiratory therapy equipment to ensure equipment is functioning safely and efficiently, ordering repairs when necessary.
- Maintain charts that contain patients' pertinent identification and therapy information.
- Make emergency visits to resolve equipment problems.
- Monitor patient's physiological responses to therapy, such as vital signs, arterial blood gases, and blood chemistry changes, and consult with physician if adverse reactions occur.
- Perform bronchopulmonary drainage and assist or instruct patients in performance of breathing exercises.
- Perform pulmonary function and adjust equipment to obtain optimum results in therapy.
- Provide emergency care, including artificial respiration, external cardiac massage and assistance with cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
- Read prescription, measure arterial blood gases, and review patient information to assess patient condition.
- Relay blood analysis results to a physician.
- Set up and operate devices such as mechanical ventilators, therapeutic gas administration apparatus, environmental control systems, and aerosol generators, following specified parameters of treatment.
- Teach, train, supervise, and utilize the assistance of students, respiratory therapy technicians, and assistants.
- Use a variety of testing techniques to assist doctors in cardiac and pulmonary research and to diagnose disorders.
- Work as part of a team of physicians, nurses and other health care professionals to manage patient care.
- administer medications or treatments
- analyze medical data
- analyze patient activity
- assist patient in performing breathing exercises
- collect clinical data
- communicate technical information
- direct and coordinate treatment program activities
- document medical prognosis
- draw blood
- evaluate patient response to therapy
- follow life support procedures
- follow patient care procedures
- identify body response variations
- maintain records, reports, or files
- maintain therapy equipment
- make decisions
- make presentations on health or medical issues
- monitor medical oxygen equipment
- observe patient condition
- perform safety inspections in health care setting
- plan therapy treatment program
- position patient for therapy
- practice preventive procedures in medical therapy setting
- set up incubators in hospitals
- set up medical oxygen equipment
- take vital signs
- understand technical operating, service or repair manuals
- use computers to enter, access or retrieve data
- use interpersonal communication techniques
- use knowledge of medical terminology
- use medical equipment in direct patient care
- use respiratory equipment
- use sanitation practices in health care settings
- work with persons with mental disabilities or illnesses
|
