Job Summary:

Assists in the planning, development, and implementation of Respiratory Care programs, and or education, for inpatient or outpatient staff. Will coordinate high quality, cost-effective care for patient population with COPD, asthma, Cystic Fibrosis, sleep disorders, and home oxygen. Coordinates all aspects of Respiratory Care, and or Respiratory Care Blood Gas Laboratory. Collaborates with managers, physicians, and patient care staff to identify and resolve Respiratory & Pulmonary Care system issues. Directly facilitates Respiratory & Pulmonary Care functions that expedite the patients work-up and follow-up in both the hospitals and clinics.

Essential Responsibilities:

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• Develops, implements, coordinates, and evaluates an education program for Respiratory Therapy & Pulmonary Care staff.
  
  
• Develops, implements, coordinates, and evaluates an education program for patients pulmonary rehabilitation (COPD), asthma, and sleep disorders.
  
  
• Develops, implements, coordinates, maintains, and evaluates Blood Gas Lab program for Respiratory Care Department Blood Gas Lab to assure regulatory and governing body compliance.
  
  
• Communicates with Department manager and Blood Gas Laboratory peer group to develop and maintain appropriate workflows and practice.
  
  
• Coordinates with Blood Gas Lab device vendor and Technical Support to assure optimal device and data management software performance.
  
  
• Develops quality programs and performs maintenance to ensure optimal operation of instruments.
  
  
• Proficient in troubleshooting, correcting, repairing, and maintaining the Blood Gas Lab equipment and data management system.
  
  
• Acts as a resource to staff regarding all Blood Gas Lab education, troubleshooting, implementation, workflow, and orientation.
  
  
• Coordinates and provides ongoing in-services for equipment, procedures, workflow for inpatient and out-patient staff.
  
  
• Coordinates and administers Annual Blood Gas Competencies for staff.
  
  
• Coordinates and administers departmental orientation for new staff.
  
  
• Coordinates patients Plans of Care in compliance with regional best practice guidelines and in conjunction with multi-disciplinary care team, including an Asthma Action Plan and Asthma Management Plan.
  
  
• Assesses status and compliance with Plans of Care for all patients with a diagnosis of Asthma after hospitalizations, Hospital Out-patient Services stays or emergency room visits.
  
  
• Coordinates out-patient pulmonary function screening.
  
  
• Coordinates out-patient clinic follow-up program for patients with Asthma/COPD and sleep disorder to include phone communication, one-on-one and group management.
  
  
• Provides in-hospital respiratory consulting to recommend an education plan prior to discharge of a patient to home health, nursing home or the outpatient environment.
  
  
• Acts as a resource to the health care team regarding patient education, occurrence reporting and quality assessment.
  
  
• Coordinates a respiratory education program for the public schools and the community promoting continuity, developing awareness and direction especially for those at risk for increased pulmonary related illnesses.
  
  
• Consistently supports compliance and the Principles of Responsibility (Kaiser Permanentes Code of Conduct) by maintaining the privacy and confidentiality of information, protecting the assets of the organization, acting with ethics and integrity, reporting non-compliance, and adhering to applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations, accreditation and licenser requirements (if applicable), and Kaiser Permanentes policies and procedures.
  
  
• In addition to defined technical requirements, accountable for consistently demonstrating service behaviors and principles defined by the Kaiser Permanente Service Quality Credo, the KP Mission as well as specific departmental/organizational initiatives.
  
  
• Also accountable for consistently demonstrating the knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors necessary to provide superior and culturally sensitive service to each other, to our members, and to purchasers, contracted providers and vendors.
  
  
• Kaiser Permanente is an EEO/AA Employer.

Basic Qualifications:

Experience

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• Minimum one (1) year of Respiratory Care experience required.
  
  

Education

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• Graduate of an approved 2 year Respiratory Care Accrediting Board (RCAB) approved school, or 2 year Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) school.
  
  
• Bachelors degree in respiratory care, or health/business care administration or management OR a minimum four (4) years of experience in a directly related field.
  
  
• High School Diploma or General Education Development (GED) required.
  
  

License, Certification, Registration

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• Basic Life Support - Instructor OR Basic Life Support
  
  

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• Respiratory Care Practitioner License (California)
  
  

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• Registered Respiratory Therapist Certificate from National Board of Respiratory Care
  
  

Additional Requirements:

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• Knowledge of federal, state, and local regulations.
  
  
• Computer skills and experience with nasal CPAP and BIPAP equipment required.
  
  
• Must be able to work in a Labor/Management Partnership environment.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications:

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• Respiratory Care experience in an acute care setting preferred.
  
  
• Recent experience facilitating performance improvement projects and experience planning, coordinating and implement programs preferred.
  
  
• Training in pulmonary functions, sleep disorders, and asthma education preferred.
  
  
• Recent experience in patient education in respiratory disease and sleep disorders preferred.
  
  

Notes:

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• Experience in NICU, PICU, Adult ICU, and Educator background