Respiratory Therapy Intern/Per Diem

St. Luke’s University Health Network; Lehighton (Carbon County); On-site; USD 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

St. Luke's University Health Network in the Lehigh Valley seeks a Respiratory Therapy Intern to support equipment handling, transport, disinfection, calibration and troubleshooting of respiratory equipment under supervision.

The role includes assisting Respiratory Therapists, providing COPD education to inpatients, and training new staff in equipment reprocessing and routine therapy assistance. This entry-level internship offers exposure to interventional pulmonary procedures.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required.
• Student enrolled in Respiratory Therapy Program preferred.
• Knowledge of medical terminology.
• Basic computer skills and ability to learn new software.
• Prior hospital experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Changes equipment as needed.
• Monitor’s inventory of supplies and orders as necessary.
• Stocks all RT storage areas and shelves as necessary.
• Monitors oxygen and various gas cylinders maintained by hospital.
• Cleans, disinfects, and restocks equipment in hospital areas and emergency kits.
• Sets up ventilators and performs pre-operative checks.

Skills

Basic computer skills

Education

High school diploma or GED

Respiratory Therapy program student

Knowledge of medical terminology

Job description

St. Luke's is proud of the skills, experience and compassion of its employees. The employees of St. Luke's are our most valuable asset! Individually and together, our employees are dedicated to satisfying the mission of our organization which is an unwavering commitment to excellence as we care for the sick and injured; educate physicians, nurses and other health care providers; and improve access to care in the communities we serve, regardless of a patient's ability to pay for health care.

The Respiratory Therapy (RT) Intern is responsible for performing multiple duties that require an expertise in the assembly, transport, disinfection, calibration and troubleshooting of respiratory related equipment. The RT Intern is responsible for maintaining an appropriate level of equipment in the various respiratory work areas and assisting the Respiratory Therapists and providers with various equipment related duties for procedures and tasks, as directed. RT Interns that have demonstrated proficiency in respiratory equipment handling will be trained to assemble, troubleshoot, and assist with interventional pulmonary procedures. Participation in providing COPD education to inpatients including disease process, basic overview of medications, and documentation of education in medical records. The position may assist in training new Respiratory Care staff of equipment reprocessing and/or on routine therapy assistant functions.

JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Changes equipment as needed.
• Monitor’s inventory of supplies and orders as necessary.
• Stocks all RT storage areas and shelves as necessary.
• Monitor’s oxygen and various gas cylinders maintained by hospital.
• Signs in all arriving supplies and processes equipment for sterilization.
• Updates Respiratory Leadership on equipment, supply as well as oxygen and other gases needs.
• Cleans, disinfects, and restocks equipment in hospital areas and emergency kits.
• Sets up ventilators in department and performs pre-operative checks.
• Works in conjunction with Bio-med to repair equipment.
• Adheres to infection control guidelines related to cleaning of equipment.
• Set up and breakdown of Respiratory equipment in patient care areas
• Assists in Interventional Pulmonary procedures including set up of equipment prior to procedure, handling of procedure instruments, preparing and transporting specimens, and equipment reprocessing/pre-clean in line with infection control guidelines.
• Complies with Department and Hospital policy regarding safety, attendance, and dress code.
• Demonstrates/models the hospital's core values and customer service behaviors in interactions with all customers. (Internal and external).
• Maintains confidentiality of all materials handled within the Network/ Entity as well as the proper release of information.
• Complies with Network and departmental policies regarding issues of employee, patient and environmental safety and follows appropriate reporting requirements.
• Demonstrates/models the Network's Service Excellence Standards of Performance in interactions with all customers (internal and external).
• Demonstrates Performance Improvement in the following areas as appropriate: Clinical Care/Outcomes, Customer/Service Improvement, Operational System/Process, and Safety.
• Demonstrates financial responsibility and accountability through the effective and efficient use of resources in daily procedures, processes and practices.
• Complies with Network and departmental policies regarding attendance and dress code.
• Demonstrates competency in the assessment, range of treatment, knowledge of growth and development and communication appropriate to the age of the patient treated.

PHYSICAL AND SENSORY REQUIREMENTS:

• Sitting up to two hours per day - 1-hour increments.
• Standing up to 6 hours per day - 1-hour increments.
• Walking up to 6 hours per day - 50-minute increments.
• Frequently uses fingers to manipulate small objects, equipment.
• Continuous handling of equipment, documentation of records.
• Frequent twisting/turning of hands while changing equipment.
• Occasional twisting/turning of body.
• Frequent lifting of objects up to 50 pounds.
• Occasional carrying of objects up to 50 pounds.
• Occasional carrying of objects up to 50 pounds.
• Frequent pushing and pulling of equipment up to 150 pounds.
• Occasional stooping, bending, and crouching.
• Rarely requires squatting, kneeling, crawling, or climbing.
• Occasional reaching above shoulder level.
• Ability to feel temperature and other attributes of objects through touch.
• Seeing as it related to general, near, far, and peripheral vision, and depth perception.
• Hearing as it relates to normal, high and low frequencies.

EDUCATION:

• High school diploma or GED required.
• Student enrolled in Respiratory Therapy Program preferred.
• Knowledge of medical terminology.

TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE:

• Basic computer skills and ability to learn new software to support department as needed.
• Prior Hospital experience preferred.

St. Luke's University Health Network is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Founded in 1872, St. Luke's University Health Network (SLUHN) is a fully integrated, regional, non-profit network of more than 23,000 employees providing services at 16 campuses and 350+ outpatient sites. With annual net revenue in excess of $4 billion, the Network's service area includes 11 counties in two states: Lehigh, Northampton, Berks, Bucks, Carbon, Montgomery, Monroe, Schuylkill and Luzerne counties in Pennsylvania and Warren and Hunterdon counties in New Jersey. St. Luke's hospitals operate the largest network of trauma centers in Pennsylvania, with the Bethlehem Campus being home to St. Luke's Children's Hospital. SLUHN is the only Lehigh Valley-based health care system to earn Medicare’s five-star ratings (the highest) for quality, efficiency and patient satisfaction. It is both a Leapfrog Group and Healthgrades Top Hospital and a Newsweek World’s Best Hospital. The Network's flagship University Hospital has earned the 100 Top Major Teaching Hospital designation from Premier 13 times total and eleven years in a row, including in 2023 when it was identified as THE #4 TEACHING HOSPITAL IN THE COUNTRY. In 2021, St. Luke's was identified as one of the 15 Top Health Systems nationally. St. Luke's is the ONLY health care institution in the Lehigh Valley to be named a Top Workplace regionally repeating the exclusive honor for the third year in a row. Also, for the third straight year, St. Luke's has been a Top Workplaces in the Philadelphia Region by the Philadelphia Inquirer, ranking 9th in the large employer category for 2025 and the only health care system in PA to receive this award. In 2025, St. Luke's was recognized as a national Top Workplaces by USA Today, three years in a row, including the 3rd best health care system in the nation in 2023 and 2024. Lastly, in 2025, St. Luke's was named a Top Workplace in New Jersey for the third year in a row.