Manager Of Respiratory Services - Registered Respiratory Therapist

Brattleboro Memorial Hospital /

Southern Vermont Health Services Corporation

Job Description

Job Title: MGR RESP SRVS - RRT

Job Code: 901

Hours: Mon-Fri 

Weekend Schedule: Rotating

Holiday Schedule: Rotating

Call Schedule: No

FTE: .9 (36 hours/week)

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Department Name: Respiratory Therapy

Location: Brattleboro, Vermont

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Manager, Respiratory Services, is responsible for the overall leadership, strategic direction, and daily operations of the Respiratory Services Department for both inpatient and outpatient services, ensuring high-quality, evidence-based patient care in compliance with regulatory and accreditation standards. This role oversees the recruitment, retention, and professional development of respiratory therapy staff, ensuring competency, compliance, and continuous improvement. The Respiratory Services Manager manages departmental resources, including equipment, staffing, and budgeting, while implementing policies and protocols that align with best practices and hospital-wide initiatives. Additionally, this position supervises the Blood Gas Laboratory, overseeing testing personnel, maintaining quality control, and ensuring compliance with College of American Pathologists (CAP) standards. The Respiratory Services Manager collaborates closely with physicians, nursing, and other healthcare professionals to promote interdisciplinary care, patient safety, and clinical excellence.

The Manager, Respiratory Services, is also a Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) which plays a critical role in assessing, stabilizing, and managing the respiratory status of patients across all age groups, including neonates. RRTs respond to medical emergencies such as code blues and rapid responses, managing mechanical ventilation, non-invasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV), oxygen therapy, and various respiratory procedures. They obtain and analyze Blood Gas samples (including arterial, venous, and cord bloods), ensuring accurate interpretation and treatment adjustments while maintaining compliance with CAP standards. Additionally, RRTs are responsible for setting up, troubleshooting, and maintaining respiratory therapy equipment, as well as educating patients and families on disease management and home care strategies. Working collaboratively with the entire healthcare team, RRTs ensure that Respiratory Care Clinical Practice Guidelines are followed to provide safe, effective, and standardized care for all patients.

DEPARTMENT SCOPE OF SERVICE:

The Respiratory Care staff is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and is scheduled for 24-hour shifts. The responsibilities of the department include: patient assessment and treatment decisions, irricath suctioning, mechanical ventilation, arterial line placement, critical care transport, PFTs, ambulatory oxygen monitoring, continuous bronchodilator therapy, intubation, oximetry cooximetry, oxygenation, blood gases, humidification, nasal/mask CPAP, sputum induction, and asthma management. Respiratory Care also does Holter monitoring, stress testing, including Persantine Thallium, stress echo, EKGs, ambulatory BP monitoring, and signal averaged EKGs. Practitioners follow standards of care that are outlined in the “Clinical Practice Guidelines” established by the American Association of Respiratory Care and are approved by the Medical Director-Respiratory Care.  EEG testing is provided to all patients upon the order of a physician and under the Medical Direction of a Neurologist. Patients include general medical, surgical, oncology, orthopedic, cardiac, pediatric and geriatric patients in both inpatient and outpatient settings.

JOB SPECIFIC PERFORMANCE STANDARDS:

• Contributes to the achievement of excellence in health care by successfully developing and implementing both strategic and operational department goals for his/her department, including but not limited to Operational Improvement, Recruitment & Retention, Staffing, Budget, Quality & Performance Improvement, and Team Building & Effective Communication.
• Operational Improvement        
• Identifies and clearly communicates departmental vision, which demonstrates a high commitment to improving patient experience and the work environment.
• Successfully develops, communicates and achieves departmental goals and objectives.
• Cooperates with other departments to support and enhance patient flow and works well with the Leadership Team for a unified approach to management.
• Designs and implements planning processes at departmental level, which integrates into the Hospital’s strategic plan.
• Contributes to the effective management of the department through the consistent application of Hospital policies and procedures.
• Participates actively in Hospital councils, committees and task forces.
• Demonstrates staff and physician satisfaction improvement through measurable venues.
• Demonstrates staff participation in improvement initiatives.
• Uses unit data to creatively improve patient care as evidenced through PI plans and reports.
• Uses creativity and professional interdependence in decision-making.
• Remains visible to staff and offers assistance when needed.
• Recruitment and Retention
• With input from staff, develop an annual department-specific recruitment and retention plan to enhance communication and interpersonal relationships, improve productivity and departmental systems to improve morale and reduce turnover.
• Assists staff in developing goals and objectives for individual growth and development to meet current and future department needs.
• Provides orientation and in-service training for department staff to promote professional growth.
• Creates a positive work environment, which promotes bilateral communication and recognizes/rewards excellence.
• Proactively and timely addresses conflict through use of the Hospital’s conflict resolution program.
• Provides ongoing constructive feedback regarding performance/behavior, including timely completion of probationary and annual performance reviews and timely resolution and management of performance issues. Responsible for completion of 95% of department performance evaluations by annual evaluation due date.
• Supports collaborative, patient-centered interdepartmental relationships.
• Maintains positive interpersonal relationship with staff.
• Supports professional growth of staff and self.
• Staffing
• Supervises staff to ensure a high level of productivity and quality of work.
• Interviews and recommends for hire competent staff according to Human Resource policies and employment laws.
• Determines the staffing needs, work methods and performance standards to ensure appropriate coverage to meet operational needs.
• Verifies annually Licensure/Certification for staff where required.
• Reduces sick calls, tardiness and instills a committed work ethic to staff.
• Promotes teamwork among unit staff and staff in other departments.
• Budgetary
• Achieves budgetary and financial goals through establishing and effectively managing variable departmental budget within 2% of budget, according to utilization assumptions.
• Ensures effective utilization of staff to maximize productivity while maintaining quality operations.
• Plans effectively the use of the department’s staff resources, supplies, capital equipment and other non-labor expenses.
• Eliminates/minimizes the use of temporary agency nursing staff.
• Eliminates/minimizes the use of staff overtime, bonus or mandatory overtime.
• Quality/Performance Improvement
• Identifies and implements quality improvement programs to enhance services and improve both efficiency and effectiveness of operations.
• Supports the Quality Improvement initiatives by providing coverage for team members to attend meetings and complete assignments, as appropriate.
• At a department level, reviews and approves, as appropriate, performance improvement changes and ensures ongoing monitoring and evaluation to meet stated objectives and improve patient experience.
• Promotes a customer-oriented staff by encouraging the staff to be responsive to customer needs.
• Participates in interdisciplinary and department projects to improve patient care and the hospital environment.
• Demonstrates department audits show compliance with all Regulatory Agency and quality standards at required compliance levels (percentage).
• Team Building and Effective Communications
• Clarifies roles, responsibilities and expectations within the team
• Encourages team members to share best ideas and practices in order to help one another
• Recognizes and rewards both individual and team achievements
• Fosters an environment of teamwork and collaboration through mutual respect and effective communication
• Listens and effectively interacts with others without alienation of others
• Demonstrates an effective communication style with all levels of personnel
• Actively builds upon the feedback of others
• Maintains clinical competency as a Registered Respiratory Therapy to care for patients when needed.

EDUCATION:

• Graduate of a Respiratory Therapy Program (RRT) approved by a state or national accrediting agency is required 

EXPERIENCE/SKILL SETS:

• Minimum 3 years as an RRT in an acute care inpatient or emergency setting required.
• Leadership or supervisory experience preferred

LICENSURE/CERTIFICATION(S):

• Vermont Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) license required.
• BLS, ACLS, PALS and NRP within 3 months of hire (or required).

OSHA CATEGORY:

• OSHA Category I - Tasks that involve exposure to blood, body fluids, or tissues require use of techniques of Universal Precautions as evidenced with blood borne pathogens standards

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

On-the-job time is spent in the following physical activities. Show estimated time spent by checking appropriate boxes below.

• Standing - 2/3 or more
• Walking - 2/3 or more
• Sitting - Up to 1/3
• Talking or Hearing - 2/3 or more
• Use of hands to finger, handle or feel - 2/3 or more
• Pushing/Pulling - 1/3 to 1/2
• Stooping, kneeling, crouching or crawling - 1/3 to 1/2
• Reaching with hands and arms - Up to 1/3
• Tasting or smelling - None

This position requires that weight be lifted or force be exerted. Show how much and how often by checking the appropriate boxes below.

• Up to 10 pounds - 2/3 or more
• Up to 25 pounds - 1/3 to 1/2
• Up to 50 pounds - Up to 1/3
• Up to 100 pounds - None
• More than 100 pounds – None

This position has special vision requirements.

• Vision Requirements - No Special Vision Requirements

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• This position requires exposure to the following environmental conditions.
• Wet, humid conditions (non-weather) - None
• Work near moving mechanical parts - None
• Fumes or airborne particles - None
• Toxic or caustic chemicals - None
• Outdoor weather conditions - None
• Extreme cold (non-weather) - None
• Extreme heat (non-weather) - None
• Risk of electrical shock - None
• Work with explosives - None
• Risk of radiation - None
• Vibration - None
• The typical noise level for the environment is:
• Quiet
• Moderate Noise
• Loud Noise
• Hearing
• Ability to hear alarms on equipment
• Ability to hear calls
• Ability to hear instructions from physician/department staff/others

NOTE: Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.

EEO/ADA STATEMENT

Brattleboro Memorial Hospital provides equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees and strictly prohibits any type of harassment or discrimination in regard to race, religion, age, color, sex, disability status, national origin, genetics, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, gender expression, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected under federal, state, and/or local laws.

Consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), it is the policy of Brattleboro Memorial Hospital to provide reasonable accommodation when requested by a qualified applicant or employee with a disability, unless such accommodation would cause an undue hardship. The policy regarding requests for reasonable accommodation applies to all aspects of employment, including the application process. If reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact Human Resources.

Your employment with Brattleboro Memorial Hospital is on an at-will basis, meaning either you or the Company can terminate the employment relationship, at any time, for any or no reason, and with or without cause or notice. As an at-will employee, your employment with Brattleboro Memorial Hospital is not guaranteed for any length of time.

I understand the description of this job and the essential functions, as given above. I also understand that not all of the duties are described above, and that I will perform those above and other related duties as directed by my supervisor and management. I further understand that employment is at-will, and that either I or my employer may terminate the employment relationship at any time.

Compensation Disclosure in Accordance with Vermont Act 155 

In compliance with Vermont Act 155, Brattleboro Memorial Hospital provides the compensation range for this position in good faith. The listed range represents the pay scale reasonably expected for a successful candidate based on factors such as relevant experience, education, internal equity, and market competitiveness. Final compensation will be determined during the hiring process.