Career Central

Duke University Hospital is consistently rated as one of the best in the United States and is known around the world for its outstanding care and groundbreaking research. Duke University Hospital has 1,048 licensed inpatient beds and offers comprehensive diagnostic and therapeutic facilities, including a regional emergency/trauma center; a major surgery suite containing 65 operating rooms; an endo-surgery center; a separate hospital outpatient surgical department with nine operating rooms and an extensive diagnostic and interventional radiology area.

For 2021-2022, U.S. News and World Report ranked Duke University Hospital nationally in 11 adult specialties: cancer, cardiology & heart surgery, diabetes & endocrinology, ear, nose & throat, gastroenterology & GI surgery, gynecology, neurology & neurosurgery, ophthalmology, orthopedics, pulmonology & lung surgery, and urology. Duke University Hospital is also ranked first in North Carolina and first in the Raleigh-Durham area.

In addition to its hospitals, Duke Health has an extensive, geographically dispersed network of outpatient facilities that include primary care offices, urgent care centers, multi-specialty clinics and outpatient surgery centers.

Job Title:  Duke Pediatric Life Flight - Advanced Respiratory Therapist

Shift: Days 

36 hours week 
Job Code: 4250
FLSA: N
Job Level: F1
Revised Date: 03/06/2018
Supervisory Responsibility: No

Duke Hospital is looking for Respiratory Care Practitioners to join our team.  Duke employees are part of a premier organization dedicated to excellence in education, research, and patient care.  This is a full-time position. Duke Hospital is located in Durham, NC, centrally located between the beaches and mountains.  

Continuing Education:

Over 100 free CEU's offered onsite each year including ventilation and airway management, pulmonary disease management, patient / family education and high-frequency ventilation symposium.  

General Description of the Job Class

Perform diagnostic and therapeutic clinical procedures as defined in the Respiratory Care Services scope of clinical practice. Work performed in accordance with physician orders. Defined duties are performed working strictly with adult populations or working only with neonatal, pediatric populations.   

Duties and Responsibilities of this Level

• Verify physician orders for appropriateness and accuracy.
• Understand pharmacological indications, dosages and response to adverse drug reactions.
• Consults with providers based on patient care assessments and in accordance to accepted protocols. Provides education to patients, families, physicians, nursing and other members of the health care team.
• Monitors response to all therapy. Documents in the patient medical record. Communicates all pertinent clinical information during patient rounds and handoff.
• Perform diagnostic cardiopulmonary procedures; inclusive of nasotracheal and artificial airway suctioning and samples, arterial blood gas punctures, pulse oximetry and EtCO2 monitoring, pulmonary function and bedside pulmonary mechanics, and EKG's.
• Recognizes life threatening situations and initiates appropriate response, perform CPR and bag- mask ventilation
• Safe transport of critical patients within the hospital.
• Assure correct set-up, safety and function of all equipment/ supplies necessary in the provision of patient care.  Inclusive of all mechanical ventilators, NIV devices and hi-flow oxygen devices.  
• Assure adherence to all infectious disease standards in the delivery of all patient care procedures.
• Participates in quality improvement activities.
• Maintains all necessary safety and life support certifications per required increment

Required Qualifications at this Level

Education

• A minimum of three years (4 years preferred) in clinical respiratory therapy including a minimum of one year in intensive care respiratory therapy within a neonatal or pediatric ICU. Advanced certification required (C-NPT) within two years of hire. If hired with critical care transport experience, certification required upon hire.
• Currently registered by the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC)  

Experience

• A minimum of three years (4 years preferred) in clinical respiratory therapy including a minimum of one year in intensive care respiratory therapy within a neonatal or pediatric ICU. Advanced certification required (C-NPT) within two years of hire. If hired with critical care transport experience, certification required upon hire.
• Currently registered by the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC)  

Degrees, Licensure, and/or Certification

• Current certification in BLS, ACLS, PALS, NRP

Obtain pertinent history and perform a physical examination based on comprehensive knowledge, advanced skills and sound professional judgement.

• Obtain historical data from an environmental survey, attending medical personnel, patient or significant other, and existing documentation.

• Complete a systematic, rapid primary assessment and a prioritized secondary survey.

• Analyze and assess available diagnostic data.

• Revise plan of care as new information becomes available.

Provide a critical care environment with qualified nursing personnel capable of initiating advanced procedures in the transport of the critically ill or injured neonatal or pediatric patient.

• Initiate appropriate, timely interventions, per program protocols, in a priority sequence

• Utilize Advanced Skills prioritizing the patient's needs based on potential or actual needs. (I.e. intubation, Rapid Sequence Intubation, needle decompression of tension pneumothoraces, placement of intraosseous and central or umbilical lines.

• Proficient and competent use of advanced and basic life support equipment. i.e. intravenous infusion pumps, noninvasive blood pressure monitor, EKG monitor and defibrillator, external pacemaker, ventilator, portable suction, intubation equipment, pulse oximeter.

• Communicate essential information to all appropriate members of the healthcare team.

• Evaluate patient progress, analyze data, and modify the planning and implementation of care based on patient response throughout the transfer process.

• Maintain contact with and utilize Medical Control to deviate from established protocols

Provide comfort and optimal physiological and psychological support in a changing environment.

• Provide protection and adapt patient care in response to changing weather conditions. (i.e. noise, precipitation, wind, heat, cold and humidity).

• Assess the immediate emotional status of the patient and anticipate possible transport responses or changes. Provide patient and family with information regarding transport process.

• Communicate between referring and receiving healthcare professionals to ensure continuity of care.

• Obtain report from medical professionals responsible for care of hospitalized patient.

• Document patient assessment, re-assessment and care provided on the transport record.

• Utilize appropriate radio procedures to communicate during transport.

Maintain contact with patients, families and referring healthcare professionals as needed.

• 24-48 hour follow up of transported patients still within Duke Hospital.

• Act as a liaison between patients, families, referring healthcare professionals and DUHS staff.

Plan, organize and maintain equipment and supplies for use before, during and after transport.

• Perform inventory of transport vehicle every shift with restocking after each transport.

• Plan for special equipment needs for each transport. (I.e. external pacemaker, intravenous infusion pumps, isolette, baby pod, ventilator). Maintain equipment repair as needed.

Provide and maintain a safe environment for fellow crewmembers, the patients, assisting agencies, and ancillary personnel.

• Provide and maintain aircraft and ambulance safety by general knowledge and practice of:

  • Federal Aviation Administration (site specific), Department of Transportation and Office of Emergency Medical Services rules and regulations

  • Usage of all safety equipment (i.e. fire extinguishers)

  • Ground operations (procedures, landing areas, dispatch)

  • Environmental survival

  • Weather minimums, day and night

  • Preparation and loading of the patient.

  • All persons and equipment are secured at all times

  • Assist pilot and driver to maintain safety

Develop, implement and evaluate safety policies and procedures.

• Identify specific capabilities, limitation and safety measures for each transport vehicle used.

• Participation as educators, preceptors and role models, preparing and presenting safety programs for healthcare team members and laypersons.

Maintain certifications and advanced skills.

• RRT, BLS, ACLS, PALS, NRP, Advanced Certification

  • ADVANCED SKILLS: Intubations (nasal, endotracheal), RSI, needle decompression of pneumothoraces, insertion of percutaneous Melker cricothyrotomy tube, placement of percutaneous thorocostomy tube (Cook Emergency Pneumothorax Set), umbilical line placement, and intraosseous line placement.

  • Mandatory participation in laboratory, clinical and teaching experiences to maintain certifications.

  • Mandatory attendance in Surgical Skills Lab, Skills Day bi-annually and Safety Day. When identified to maintain competencies, participation in patient care in clinical areas to include the Operating Room, ICU's, Labor and Delivery and Emergency Department to maintain advanced skills as required.

Provide scheduled and unscheduled staffing coverage to meet program needs.

Assist units within Duke University Hospital as necessary.

Identify, develop, implement and evaluate clinical and operational protocols, policies and procedures.

• Participation in Performance Improvement.

• Mandatory review (80% attendance per year required) of clinical cases, policies, protocols and procedures in Monthly Peer Review with Medical Director.

Develop, implement and evaluate educational offerings related to LIFE FLIGHT for internal and external groups.

• Develop, implement and evaluate research studies.

• Collect, compile and evaluate clinical and demographic data

• Complete required transport paperwork

• Participate in multi-institutional research studies

• Formulate research studies as needed

The intent of this job description is to provide a representative and level of the types of duties and responsibilities that will be required of positions given this title and shall not be construed as a declaration of the total of the specific duties and responsibilities of any particular position. Employees may be directed to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically presented in this description.

Job Code: 4250

Job Title: Duke Pediatric Life Flight - Advanced Respiratory Therapist

Job Level: F1

Duke University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas-an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

Essential Physical Job Functions

Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essential job functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.

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About Duke University Health System

As a world-class academic and health care system, Duke Health strives to transform medicine and health locally and globally through innovative scientific research, rapid translation of breakthrough discoveries, educating future clinical and scientific leaders, advocating and practicing evidence-based medicine to improve community health, and leading efforts to eliminate health inequalities.

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