Lead Respiratory Therapist, RRT - UPMC Children's

UPMC; Pittsburgh (Allegheny County); On-site; USD 90,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh is seeking a Lead Respiratory Therapist to guide clinical excellence, support team development, and enhance pediatric respiratory care. You will serve as a clinical resource and mentor while partnering with multidisciplinary teams to ensure the highest standards of patient care.

In this leadership role, you will lead staff evaluations, assist with hiring, manage daily performance, and provide service-based education and coordination of clinical activities.

Qualifications

• Requires ARC-approved Respiratory Therapy program.
• Associate's degree required; Bachelor’s preferred.
• 4 years total respiratory care experience with at least 2 years in critical care.

Responsibilities

• Lead staff evaluations and onboarding; coordinate shift assignments and professional development.
• Provide education and clinical guidance to staff and students; supervise daily respiratory care operations.
• Participate in quality improvement, research activities, and coordination with multidisciplinary teams.

Skills

Leadership

Mentoring

Clinical collaboration

Education

ARC-approved RT program

Associate's degree

Bachelor's degree preferred

Job description

Are you an experienced Respiratory Therapist ready to take the next step in your career? UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh is seeking a dedicated and collaborative Lead Respiratory Therapist to help guide clinical excellence, support team development, and enhance the delivery of exceptional respiratory care to our pediatric patients. In this leadership role, you'll serve as a clinical resource and mentor for respiratory staff while partnering with multidisciplinary teams to ensure the highest standards of patient care. Join a nationally recognized pediatric hospital where innovation, teamwork, and professional growth are at the heart of everything we do. If you're passionate about leading others, advancing respiratory care, and making a meaningful impact on the lives of children and families, we invite you to be part of our team.

Why UPMC Children's?

• Work alongside some of the region's top pediatric healthcare professionals.
• Lead and support a highly skilled respiratory care team.
• Make a direct impact on patient outcomes across a variety of specialized pediatric care areas.
• Grow your leadership career within a nationally ranked children's hospital.

Lead with purpose. Inspire excellence. Transform pediatric respiratory care.

The Lead Respiratory Therapist has direct responsibility in the achievement of a culture of excellence and patient care. The Lead is a highly developed role model of professional practice. Under the general direction, the Lead will complete and deliver employee evaluations, may assist with selection and hiring of staff, and manage the daily performance for a group of direct reports. The Lead may assist with providing service-based education and clinical expertise for staff including orientation and training, consultation on practice issues, and general coordination of clinical activities. Additionally, the Lead may have shift accountability for delivering respiratory care.

Responsibilities:

• Takes formal leadership roles in quality improvement, onboarding, or evidence-based practice. Assists with or completes staff performance evaluations. Leads clinical practice improvements and supports staff through change. Participates in shared leadership and drives unit of system-level initiatives. Completes required development courses offered by Learning & Development,
• Coordinates scheduling needs and directs shift assignments; resolves problems, completes all records and reports and ensures hospital and department policies and procedures are followed. Functions as a Supervisor based on department needs. Coaches new Respiratory Therapists and students during their orientation and training. Assists with the evaluation process for staff and students.
• May participate in quality improvement activities and initiatives. May assist with special projects. May assist with the planning and implementation of clinical research activities and initiatives.
• Performs the duties of an Expert Respiratory Therapist. Reads prescription, measures arterial blood gases, and reviews patient information to assess patient condition and determine requirements for treatment, such as type and duration of therapy, and medication dosages. Determines most suitable method of administering inhalants, precautions to be observed, and modifications which may be needed that will be compatible with physician's orders. Sets up and operates devices, such as mechanical ventilators, therapeutic gas administration apparatus, environmental control systems, and aerosol generators. Operates equipment to ensure specified parameters of treatment, such as volume, gas concentration, humidity, and temperature, and to administer medicinal gases and aerosol drugs to patients. Observes equipment function and adjusts equipment to obtain optimum results to therapy. Inspects and tests respiratory therapy equipment to ensure equipment functions safely and efficiently.
• Monitors patient's physiological responses to therapy, such as vital signs, arterial blood gases, and blood chemistry changes. Performs bronchopulmonary drainage and assists patient in performing breathing exercises. Performs pulmonary function tests to be used by physician in diagnosis of case. Consults with physician in the event of adverse reactions. Maintains patient's chart that contains pertinent identification and therapy information. Orders repairs when needed. Demonstrates respiratory care procedures to trainees and other health care personnel. Supervises students during training. Assists to transport mechanically ventilated patients. Responds to all code situations.
• Under indirect supervision, is responsible for the utilization of departmental resources. Participates in the evaluation and purchase of new equipment, coordinates major equipment repair and preventive maintenance, and maintains records and reports of equipment maintenance.
• Graduate of a Co ARC (Committee on Accreditation for Respiratory Care) approved Respiratory program requiredAssociate's degree is required; Bachelor's degree is preferred
• 4 years of total respiratory care experience with a minimum of 2 years in critical care is required
• Must successfully complete 2 approved projects from the department's Project List during each annual performance review period
• Respiratory Care Practitioner (RCP) license in the practicing state required.
• Basic Life Support or Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation required
• Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) from the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) required
• Respiratory therapists who receive their RRT credential from the NBRC after July 1, 2002 are required to maintain certification under the NBRC requirements

Licensure, Certifications, and Clearances:

• CPR required based on AHA standards that include both a didactic and skills demonstration component within 30 days of hire
• Basic Life Support (BLS) OR Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
• Osteopathic Respiratory Care OR Respiratory Care Practitioners (RCP)
• Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT)
• Act 33 with renewal
• Act 34 with renewal
• Act 73 FBI Clearance with renewal

UPMC is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Disability/Veteran