Associate Respiratory Therapist

About NYC Health + Hospitals

NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue is America’s oldest public hospital, established in 1736. Affiliated with the NYU School of Medicine, the 844-bed hospital is a major referral center for highly complex cases, with its 6,000 employees including highly skilled, interdisciplinary clinical staff. It sees more than 110,000 emergency room visits and 500,000 outpatient visits annually. Bellevue is an academic medical institution of international renown. We have served as an incubator for major innovations in public health, medical science, and medical education. Bellevue is a Level I Trauma Center delivering around-the-clock care in adult, pediatric, psychiatric and pediatric psychiatric emergencies as well as in the nationally-designated categories of cardiology, neurology, toxicology, and neonatology. In addition to providing comprehensive inpatient and outpatient state-of-the-art care Bellevue is a city-wide medical specialty referral source. Bellevue’s clinical centers of excellence include: Emergency Medicine and Trauma Care; Cardiovascular Services; Designated Regional Perinatal Center and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (ICU); Comprehensive Children’s Psychiatric Emergency Program; and Cancer Services. 

At NYC Health + Hospitals, our mission is to deliver high quality care health services, without exception. Every employee takes a person-centered approach that exemplifies the ICARE values (Integrity, Compassion, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence) through empathic communication and partnerships between all persons.

Job Description

Position Summary: 
Provides therapeutic, diagnostic and educational respiratory services for patients of all populations in all patient care areas and others as required. Responsible for performing clinical assessments to modify care in accordance with clinical protocols in a timely manner. Demonstrates knowledge of the organization’s Service Standard and incorporates them into the performance of duties.
 

Responsibilities:
1. Perform comprehensive patient assessment and review of the patient’s medical record to recommend and provide clinically indicated therapy. 
2. Perform routine respiratory therapy procedures that include, but are not limited to, administration of oxygen by various modalities; equipment set up for the administration of aerosolized pharmaceuticals; administration of aerosol and heated humidification therapies and performance of various modalities of chest physiotherapy. 
3. Initiate and maintain medical gas therapy including Oxygen, Heliox, Nitric Oxide
4. Initiate, maintain, monitor, and adjust mechanical ventilators appropriately to ensure proper function and to ascertain therapeutic effectiveness. 
5. Initiate, monitor and adjust mechanical ventilators used in conjunction with advanced therapies such as Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO)
6. Perform effective and atraumatic endotracheal and nasotracheal suction to maintain bronchopulmonary hygiene. 
7. Perform procedures related to the care and maintenance of an airway. 
8. Under medical supervision, assist with the insertion and removal of artificial airways as part of emergent or elective procedures. 
9. Perform arterial puncture for the purpose of determining the arterial blood gas/acid-base status
10. Perform bedside and outpatient diagnostic procedures such as sputum induction and pulmonary function testing. 
11. Set up, calibrate and troubleshoot select invasive monitoring and therapeutic delivery devices. 

Minimum Qualifications

1. Graduation from an Associate Degree program in Respiratory Therapy approved by the New York State Board of Education or a program determined equivalent in accordance with the Commissioner of the State Board of Education's regulations; and, 
2. Possession of a current license to practice as a Respiratory Therapist in the State of New York; and, 
3. Possession of current registration as a Respiratory Therapist issued by the National Board of Respiratory Care. 



Special Notes: 
Individuals providing respiratory therapy services in New York on or after January 1, 1994 who believe they will meet, and submit documented evidence from the State Education Department, Division of Professional Licensing Services, of receipt of an application for licensure under the so-called grandparenting provisions of the new licensing law may continue to practice until either December 31, 1994 or receiving notice from the State Education Department of denial of licensure, whichever occurs first. 
At the time of appointment, and to maintain the position of Associate Respiratory Therapist, individuals must meet and maintain the licensure requirements set forth by the New York State Education Department covering the practice of respiratory therapy.