As our NICU Respiratory Care Practitioner, you will be a vital member of our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit team, providing specialized respiratory therapy to our most vulnerable and smallest patients. You will be instrumental in supporting the critical lung function and overall well-being of newborns in a highly acute environment.Every day you will manage and monitor mechanical ventilation, administer respiratory medications, perform airway care, and implement other advanced respiratory interventions for neonates. You will be expected to conduct comprehensive respiratory assessments, interpret blood gases, collaborate closely with neonatologists and the interdisciplinary team, and adapt treatment plans with precision and compassion, often in rapidly changing clinical situations.To be successful in this role, you must possess advanced clinical skills in neonatal respiratory care, an in-depth understanding of neonatal physiology, exceptional attention to detail, the ability to work effectively under pressure, and a deep commitment to providing life-saving care to critically ill infants.

• • Initiates and monitors mechanical ventilation to assure the patient is being ventilated adequately and according to protocol or the physician's written or verbal orders.
  • Blood gas sampling following appropriate infection control technique.
  • Intubates and extubates neonatal patients as per NICU protocol or the physician's written or verbal orders.
  • Organizes and gives a comprehensive patient report to the on coming shift.
  • Approaches the physician to clarify prescribed therapy and recommends modification when indicated.
  • Assesses and monitors the use of oxygen by performing pulse oximetry to verify medical need for oxygen. Recommends changes in therapy.
  • Assesses breath sounds, heart rate, respiratory rate, sputum production and clinical condition of the patient before, during and after therapy administration.
  • Checks physician's orders before administering therapy. Obtains appropriate orders if indicated.
  • Evaluates efficacy of therapy being given and approaches the physician to recommend appropriate changes.
• • Interprets arterial blood gases correctly and makes/recommends appropriate and timely changes in ventilator settings or therapy.
  • Performs daily and weekly preventive maintenance on blood gas analyzer. Informs incoming shift if unable to do so.
  • Performs quality control on blood gas analyzer before it is used. Doesn't operate it if QC values are out of established limits.
  • Entries in the medical record are to be completed accurately and in real time. Informs incoming shift or R.T. head if unable to do so.
  • Assists with equipment cleaning and stocking of supplies.
  • May assist with ensuring necessary staffing
  • Assign appropriate work assignments and levels of equipment as needed
  • Responds to neonatal or pediatric respiratory emergencies of infants less than three (3) months of age in the Emergency Department and Pediatrics as requested as a member of the Neonatal Resuscitation Team.

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Respiratory Care, Health Sciences.
• At least five years of clinical experience in a level 3 NICU
• Respiratory Care Practitioner: CA
• Basic Life Support - CPR
• Neonatal Resuscitation Program
• Registered Respiratory Therapist
• Pediatric Advanced Life Support
• Advanced Cardiac Life Support
• Stable Program, within 12 - months