Pulmonary Rehab Specialist

GENERAL SUMMARY:

Identifies patient needs and priorities for care through assessment, planning and delegating care, executing therapeutic and discipline interventions, and evaluating the patient's response to care and progress toward outcomes. Communicates essential information between other professional disciplines as needed and uses available resources and innovative strategies to provide care.

PRINCIPAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

1. *Commits to the mission, vision, beliefs and consistently demonstrates our core values.

2. *Initiates assessment based on the patient's presenting problems/needs and the physician's medical diagnosis.

3. *Initiates physician referral to pulmonary rehabilitation for seamless entry process for clients.

4. *Seeks knowledge in relation to patient condition, disease entity, diagnostic tests or intervention and shares that information with team members.

5. *Determines priorities for care with special consideration given to patient teaching, goal setting, psychosocial well-being and functional status.

6. *Assesses and applies interpretation of diagnostic/monitoring data to the plan of care.

7. Involves family and or significant individuals in assessment activities; empowers patient/significant other to make informed decisions about health-related behaviors.

8. Interacts with patients/families with a variety of developmental and sociocultural backgrounds in a non-judgmental manner.

9. Provides information to patients and families to reduce anxiety and conveys an attitude of acceptance, sensitivity and caring; provides education to patients and significant others regarding disease entities, risk factor management and behavior modification; promotes primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention in individual and group settings.

10. *Collaborates and communicates with health care team members and appropriate resource personnel to formulate and update treatment plans and work toward positive outcomes; keeps appropriate health care team members (including physicians) informed of patient's condition.

11. Assumes clinical/non-clinical assignments based on departmental workload and the qualifications and competencies of self and of other staff members.

12. Responds to problems/opportunities to improve patient care and/or processes.

13. *Utilizes problem-solving and conflict resolution skills to foster effective work relationships with health team members and peers.

14. *Assesses individual educational needs, barriers for learning, and learning styles and provides appropriate learning experiences; reviews, develops and provides educational materials appropriate to patient needs.

15. Contributes to staff development by serving as a resource person in area of expertise; assists in employee, intern and student observation/orientation.

16. Advances work knowledge by participating in continuing education inservices, reading periodicals/literature and seeking ongoing development opportunities.

17. Performs therapeutic interventions consistent with LifePointe Clinical Services and hospital wide policies and procedures, demonstrated competencies, and with consideration given to risk management, infection control and emergency procedures.

18. *Determines the impact of interventions on the patient's condition and recognizes the patient's progress towards meeting desired outcomes; evaluates patient's changing needs and responses to therapeutic interventions, modifies the treatment plan, and documents results.

19. *Documents care based on standards of care and practice and/or patient care problems and achievement toward outcomes.

20. Involved in outcome measurement to identify the success of the program.

21. Serves as a resource to rehabilitation programs both locally and regionally.

22. Performs other related projects and duties as assigned.

(Essential Job functions are marked with an asterisk "*". Refer to the Job Description Guide for the definition of essential and non-essential job functions.) Attach Addendum for positions with slightly different roles or work-specific differences as needed.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

1. Knowledge of pulmonary disease process and respiratory therapy treatments.

2. Knowledge of computer hardware equipment and software applications relevant to work functions.

3. Knowledge of hospital, staff and community based agencies and resources necessary to support the patient/family education.

4. Skill in delivering patient teaching and providing education.

5. Ability to work in a fast-paced environment.

6. Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.

7. Ability to work with patients' growth and development needs, particularly related to patients who are undergoing lifestyle changes, adjusting to a chronic illness, and pursing health promotion/prevention behaviors.

8. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with all levels of personnel, medical staff, volunteer and ancillary departments including diverse patient populations.

9. Ability to manage the care of patients with acute and chronic conditions including pulmonary disease and other co-morbid conditions (coronary, arthritis, diabetes, obesity, etc.)

10. Ability to maintain regular and punctual attendance.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

Graduate of an AMA program of Respiratory Care required. Current Respiratory Care Practitioner licensure from the State of Nebraska required. Active Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credential required (RRT required on or before 10/1/2018 for individuals hired before 7/1/2018). Pulmonary Rehabilitation certificate (AARC) required.

OTHER CREDENTIALS / CERTIFICATIONS:

Basic Life Support (CPR) certification required. Bryan Health recognizes American Heart Association (for healthcare

professionals), American Red Cross (for healthcare professionals) and the Military Training Network.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

(Physical Requirements are based on federal criteria and assigned by Human Resources upon review of the Principal Job Functions.)

(DOT) - Characterized as sedentary work requiring exertion up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects, including the human body.