Respiratory Therapist (Full-time)

Pagosa Springs Medical Center; Pagosa Springs (CO); On-site; USD 40,000 - 61,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous paid time off

Sick leave

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life and AD&D insurance

Long-term disability

Retirement plan

Job summary

Pagosa Springs Medical Center in Pagosa Springs, CO seeks an experienced Respiratory Care Practitioner to join the Cardiopulmonary team. You will assess, treat, educate, and diagnose respiratory needs across inpatient, outpatient, and emergency settings.

Ideal candidates bring PFT experience, ventilator management skills, and the ability to work independently within a multidisciplinary team, including adults and children.

Qualifications

• Graduate of an accredited CoARC school for respiratory therapy.
• Bachelor's degree in Respiratory Therapy desired.
• NBRC certification as an RRT or CRT.
• Current Colorado license as a Respiratory Care Practitioner.
• AHA BLS, ACLS, and PALS certifications.

Responsibilities

• Perform respiratory care modalities as prescribed.
• Assess patients and evaluate response to respiratory care and treatment.
• Manage mechanical and noninvasive ventilation.
• Perform spirometry, PFTs, walk testing, ABG draws.
• Provide patient and family education regarding therapies.
• Collaborate with providers to adjust therapy for best outcomes.
• Maintain Cerner documentation and departmental records.

Skills

Ventilator management

Pulmonary Function Testing

Acute care

Pediatric care

Collaboration with care team

Education

CoARC respiratory therapy program

Bachelor's degree in Respiratory Therapy

Tools

Cerner EHR

Respiratory therapy equipment

Job description

Job Details

Job Location: Pagosa Springs Medical Center - PAGOSA SPRINGS, CO 81147

Position Type: Full Time

Salary Range: $28.75 - $44.45

Hourly

Job Shift: Day

Respiratory Care Practitioner

Department: Cardiopulmonary

Status: Full-Time | 1.0 FTE (40 hours/week)

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Reports To: Manager: Emergency Department / Med Surg and Respiratory Services

Location: Pagosa Springs Medical Center – Pagosa Springs, Colorado

Schedule: 40 hours/week + On-Call (at least 14 days/month) with a 30-minute expected response time

Position Highlight

Bring your respiratory care expertise to a close-knit hospital where your skills truly matter. This role requires strong acute care, ventilator management, and Pulmonary Function Testing (PFT) experience and offers the opportunity to provide respiratory and cardiopulmonary care across inpatient, outpatient, and emergency settings.

Position Summary

Pagosa Springs Medical Center (PSMC) is seeking an experienced Respiratory Care Practitioner to join our Cardiopulmonary team.

In this role, you will provide assessment, treatment, education, and diagnostic respiratory services to patients and families. You'll use your clinical judgment to assess patients, make appropriate decisions, and modify care in accordance with established protocols. As an integral member of the multidisciplinary care team, you'll also serve as a respiratory care resource to providers and other healthcare professionals.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced respiratory therapist who enjoys clinical variety, values autonomy, and is comfortable caring for adult and pediatric patients in emergency and acute care settings.

Why Join PSMC?

• Practice across a broad range of respiratory and cardiopulmonary services
• Work with adult, pediatric, adolescent, and geriatric patient populations
• Utilize advanced skills in airway and ventilator management
• Perform both inpatient and outpatient pulmonary diagnostic testing
• Work closely with physicians, nurses, and other members of the multidisciplinary care team
• Serve as a clinical resource and mentor to other staff
• Participate in patient education, care coordination, and clinical decision-making
• Maintain and grow specialized respiratory care knowledge through continuing education
• Make a meaningful impact in a Critical Access Hospital serving a rural mountain community

Key Responsibilities

Respiratory & Acute Care

• Perform respiratory care modalities as prescribed by physicians and licensed independent practitioners
• Assess patients and evaluate their response to respiratory care and treatment
• Recommend appropriate respiratory therapies and modifications based on changes in a patient's clinical condition
• Apply and manage mechanical ventilation and noninvasive ventilation
• Collaborate with providers to recommend adjustments that improve clinical condition and patient comfort
• Perform airway and ventilator management
• Interpret information from invasive and noninvasive monitors and ventilators
• Adapt procedures and treatments to meet the needs of pediatric, adolescent, adult, and geriatric patients

Pulmonary & Cardiopulmonary Diagnostics

• Perform pulmonary and cardiology diagnostic testing in accordance with established policies and procedures
• Perform spirometry and box pulmonary function testing
• Perform walk testing and methacholine challenge testing
• Perform arterial blood gas (ABG) draws and analysis
• Support diagnostic services such as Holter monitoring, stress testing, and pulmonary function testing
• Operate, maintain, troubleshoot, clean, and adjust respiratory and cardiopulmonary equipment and circuitry

Patient Assessment & Education

• Complete respiratory-specific patient assessments and required documentation
• Monitor patient response to therapy and recognize changes requiring intervention
• Provide patient and family education regarding disease processes, treatment plans, medications, and respiratory therapies
• Reinforce provider instructions and previous patient teaching
• Develop teaching plans based on individual patient learning needs
• Promote wellness and help patients and families understand their plan of care
• Participate in interdisciplinary care coordination and communicate concerns to providers and leadership

Medication & Patient Safety

• Safely administer respiratory medications and understand appropriate doses, indications, contraindications, and potential side effects
• Follow established medication administration rights and patient identification procedures
• Follow National Patient Safety Goals and infection prevention practices
• Utilize universal precautions and appropriate infection-control measures
• Promote an environment that optimizes patient safety and reduces the potential for healthcare errors

Clinical Operations & Documentation

• Communicate with ordering providers to ensure orders are accurate and complete
• Review and enter provider orders into the electronic health record as appropriate
• Complete required Cerner documentation
• Verify appropriate charges for respiratory treatments, oxygen, and diagnostic testing
• Manage Respiratory Therapy supply inventory
• Assist providers and other hospital departments as needed
• Participate in departmental goals and daily clinical operations

Team Support & Professional Development

• Serve as a respiratory care resource to providers and other healthcare professionals
• Mentor staff and provide continuous learning support
• Assist with training and competency development for new respiratory care practitioners and multidisciplinary team members
• Participate in the development, review, and implementation of cardiopulmonary policies and procedures as assigned
• Maintain specialized knowledge and skills through continuing education, in-service training, and professional development

Qualifications Education

• High school diploma or equivalent required
• Graduate of an accredited CoARC school for respiratory therapy required
• Bachelor's degree in Respiratory Therapy desired, but not required

Experience

• Minimum of five (5) years of technical experience in an Emergency Department/Acute Care hospital setting caring for adult and pediatric patients
• Pulmonary Function Testing (PFT) experience required, including experience with:
  • Box pulmonary function testing
  • Spirometry
  • Walk testing
  • Methacholine challenge testing
• Intensive care and ventilator management experience required
• Must be able to function independently
• Working knowledge of respiratory and hospital operations required
• Cardiac diagnostic testing experience, including Holter monitors, stress tests, and stress echocardiograms, desired but not required

Licensure & Certifications

• NBRC certification as a Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) or Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) required
• Current Colorado license as a Respiratory Care Practitioner in good standing required
• Current AHA BLS certification for healthcare providers required
• Current ACLS certification or successful completion at the next available course within three months
• Current PALS certification or successful completion at the next available course within three months
• RRT-Neonatal/Pediatric Specialty (RRT-NPS) desired, but not required
• RRT-Adult Critical Care Specialty (RRT-ACCS) desired, but not required

What We're Looking For

• Is an experienced respiratory care professional who is comfortable practicing with a high degree of independence
• Has hands‑on experience performing and interpreting pulmonary function testing, including spirometry and body plethysmography/box PFTs
• Has strong clinical assessment and critical‑thinking skills
• Is confident managing mechanical ventilation, noninvasive ventilation, and complex respiratory needs
• Is comfortable caring for patients across the lifespan
• Can remain calm and make sound clinical decisions in emergency and high‑stress situations
• Communicates effectively with physicians, nurses, patients, families, and other members of the care team
• Enjoys teaching patients and mentoring other healthcare professionals
• Is adaptable and able to manage multiple priorities and frequent interruptions
• Demonstrates initiative, accountability, and a commitment to continued professional growth
• Embodies PSMC's WISER values and demonstrates teamwork, compassion, integrity, respect, and a commitment to service excellence

Schedule & Work Environment

This is a full-time, 1.0 FTE position averaging 40 hours per week. The position also participates in on-call coverage for at least 14 days per month, with an expected 30-minute response time.

Work is performed in a hospital environment and may include irregular and on-call hours. The position involves exposure to blood and bodily fluids, communicable diseases, radiation, chemicals, hazardous materials, sharp instruments, and medical equipment.

The position is classified as medium work and requires the ability to perform the physical activities necessary to provide direct patient care, including lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling, standing, walking, reaching, and positioning patients and equipment.

Compensation & Benefits

• Base Compensation Range: $28.75 - $44.45 hourly
• Benefits: Benefits include generous paid time off, separate sick leave, health, dental, vision, life and AD&D insurance, long-term disability and option for short-term disability, and retirement plan with employer contribution.
• Job Type: Full-time
• Anticipated End Date for Posting: September 30, 2026. The deadline may close sooner due to an unanticipated business necessity, such as an incumbent vacating the role earlier than anticipated.

Pagosa Springs Medical Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

All qualified applicants will be considered for employment, and we will not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, age, sex, religion, creed, ancestry, sexual orientation, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Offers of employment are contingent upon successful completion of a pre‑employment health and drug screen and background check.

About Pagosa Springs Medical Center

Pagosa Springs Medical Center is a Critical Access Hospital serving Pagosa Springs and Archuleta County in southwest Colorado. Our team provides essential healthcare services to our rural mountain community, and our Respiratory Care professionals are an important part of delivering high-quality care across emergency, acute, diagnostic, and outpatient settings.

Located in the beautiful San Juan Mountains, Pagosa Springs offers an exceptional quality of life with access to hiking, skiing, fishing, mountain biking, rafting, hunting, and the area's famous geothermal hot springs. At PSMC, you'll join a collaborative team guided by our WISER values: Wholeness, Integrity, Stewardship, Excellence, and Respect.