RESPIRATORY THERAPIST, X37

BASIC PURPOSE:

Positions in this job family are assigned responsibilities involving a specialized therapeutic respiratory treatments prescribed by professional staff in a state hospital or institution.

TYPICAL FUNCTIONS:

The functions within this job family will vary by level, but may include the following:

• Administers specialized therapeutic treatments as prescribed by attending medical staff.
• Maintains constant watch over patients undergoing treatments to observe reactions.
• Takes immediate steps to alleviate adverse conditions during treatments at own initiative and notifies attending physician as soon as possible in extreme cases.
• Provides technical advice to the medical staff when called upon and instructs nursing personnel in proper respiratory therapy techniques.
• Maintains respiratory therapy equipment, reports any failure of equipment and institutes measures for its immediate repair.
• Maintains cleanliness and orderliness of respiratory therapy area.
• Handles inventory control of respiratory therapy equipment.
• Maintains necessary respiratory therapy records and makes entries in patient's medical record.
• Keeps a file of manuals of operation and repair of all departmental equipment, a repair parts manual and an apparatus and parts order manual.
• May train and supervise respiratory technicians.

LEVEL DESCRIPTORS:

The Respiratory Therapist job family consists of two levels which are distinguished by the complexity of the duties performed, the depth and breadth of accountability and the expertise required to perform assigned duties.

Level I:                                                Code:  X37A                                         Salary Band:   H

This is the career level where incumbents function at the full performance level in providing prescribed respiratory treatments.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities required at this level include knowledge of respiratory therapy; of the operation and maintenance of respiratory therapy equipment; and of patient reactions to various medical gases and signs of medical complications.  Ability is required to use and maintain all respiratory therapy equipment and to keep necessary equipment and medical records.

Education and Experience requirements at this level consist of eligibility for registration with the National Board of Respiratory Therapists.

Level II:                                   Code:  X37B                                         Salary Band:   I

This is the specialist level where incumbents perform advanced level technical work in respiratory therapy. Incumbents at this level perform as a consultant to, and may be designated lead worker for other respiratory therapists.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities required at this level include those identified in Level I plus the ability to perform advanced, technical respiratory therapy treatments.

Education and Experience requirements at this level consist of those identified in Level I plus three years of experience as a registered Respiratory Therapist.