Respiratory Therapist
Atrium Health Levine Children's
Charlotte, NC

Overview

Successful candidates will hold an RN or RCP license from an accredited school, have three years of acute care experience in their specialty. Preference given to candidates with Neonatal, Pediatric, or Adult Critical Care experience. Candidates will be required to earn and/or maintain ACLS, PALS, and NRP certifications. Schedule requires rotating weeknights, weekends, and call shifts.

Atrium Health Levine Children’s Hospital (LCH) has taken the community to another level of service to provide care for the growing population of children in our region.  At 247 beds, LCH is the largest children’s hospital between Atlanta and Washington DC.  It serves high acuity patients as the flagship children’s hospital within the innovative Atrium Health and offers a full complement of over 125 pediatric subspecialists in over 30 different pediatric specialties.  We have 4 pediatric hospitalist teams, a 10 bed PICU, a 10 bed Cardiac ICU (expanding to 24 bed PICU and 20 bed CVICU by the end of 2024), an 85-bed Level IV NICU, and an inpatient pediatric rehabilitation floor.  Levine Children’s Hospital is also Charlotte’s only Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center.  LCH has been named a Best Children’s Hospital by U.S. News & World Report for 17 consecutive years and is nationally ranked in 10 pediatric specialties. Currently, LCH is ranked as the #1 children’s hospital in North Carolina and tied for #1 in the southeastern United States. Additionally, Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center and Atrium Health Levine Children’s Hospital have earned Magnet re-designation from The American Nurses Credentialing Center’s (ANCC) Magnet Recognition Program®. Magnet designated health care organizations showcase excellence in nursing practice and patient outcomes.  

Job Summary

Operates extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) equipment and performs ECMO therapy according to physician orders, provides care through skillful assessment, diagnosis, outcomes identification, planning, implementation and evaluation in accordance with facility and department policies, procedures, and/or protocols under the supervision of the ECMO team manager.

Essential Functions

• Monitors pump functioning throughout patient therapy and maintains pump integrity; monitors circuit volume and administers products, medications and/or volumes as ordered; monitors anticoagulation, electrolyte acid-base balance and blood gas composition volumes and adjusts ECMO circuit to maintain physician orders.
• Recommends appropriate changes to current patient management based on new information or changing patient status.
• Generates and compiles appropriate documentation and charges related to ECMO.
• Operates point of care laboratory equipment; interprets and acts on results based upon physician orders.
• Sets up and primes ECMO circuits; initiates and maintains extracorporeal life support according to protocols. Assists with logistics of cannulation, decannulation, and in-house transport of patients on ECMO.
• Manages planned and emergent disruption of ECMO. Replaces circuit components under normal and emergent conditions.
• Facilitates a multidisciplinary approach in the care of ECMO patients.
• Assures to maintain competency with ECLS/ECMO procedures at least 24 hours quarterly and 96 hours annually of pump time. If these can not be met with patient care, specialist will participate in drills to meet requirements.
• Provides CRRT in neonatal and pediatric populations. Will assist with provision of CRRT in adult cardiac patients on ECMO as requested.
• Utilizes appropriate resources to plan and provide services that are safe, effective and financially responsible.
• Participates in committees, shared governance or other facility decision making activities.
• Utilizes appropriate resources to plan and provide services that are safe, effective and financially responsible. 

Physical Requirements

Work requires walking, standing, sitting, lifting, reaching, stooping, bending, pushing and pulling. Must be able to lift and support 35 pounds in handling patients, medical equipment and supplies. Must speak English in good, understandable terms. Intact sense of sight, hearing, smell and touch. Finger dexterity. Critical thinking and ability to concentrate. Must be able to respond quickly to changes in patient and/or conditions. Additional department specific physical requirements may be identified for unique responsibilities within the department by the nurse leader. 

Education, Experience and Certifications

Graduate of an accredited Registered Nurse or Respiratory Therapy program is required with current licensure and certification as appropriate. Required to maintain active and unencumbered licensure from their respective State Board.

Must maintain current Basic Life Support for Healthcare Provider, Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support, Pediatric Life Support and Neonatal Resuscitation Program certifications. 

2 years of direct patient care experience in neonatal, pediatric or adult ICU setting is required.

For ECMO Specialist that are RTs, teammates must obtain State Board Endorsement for ECMO within 90 days of completion of ECMO orientation.

BSN/BSRT preferred but not required.