Summary

The Manager is responsible for the overall technical operations of the Respiratory Department and Pulmonary Lab. Helps develop and maintain policies, procedures, and quality control protocols, ensuring they comply with regulatory requirements. Manages, supervises, and serves as professional role model to coordinators/supervisors, technical and clerical staff. Assists the director in managing an effective and comprehensive performance improvement process. Shall be credentialed by the National Board of Respiratory Care (NBRC) and be a graduate of an approved AMA school of Respiratory Therapy.  Must possess a better than average understanding of the field of Respiratory Therapy particularly with skills associated with the activity of the ventilator patient in the intensive care unit.  An ability to organize, delegate responsibilities, and communicate with all RT staff and management members is also essential. Establishes and maintains good working relationships with physicians, nursing staff, hospital leadership, and other departments. Requires five to ten years’ experience in the Respiratory Therapy field. Three to five years of supervisory or management experience in a clinical setting required.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Supports and promotes the mission and values of Covenant Health Ministry.
• Time and Priority Management: Optimizes use of time by efficiently using resources to identify barriers and balance priorities. Efficiently utilizes tools, resources, techniques, and systems to organize tasks. Balances multiple priorities simultaneously, ensuring the timely and accurate completion of each task while maintaining quality standards. Performs special projects and miscellaneous assigned duties.
• Provides leadership and guidance to other leaders and staff in goal setting, problem solving, resource management, and outcome achievement.
• Defines performance objectives and metrics for the departments and assesses the level of competence of staff. Collaborates with other departments to create systems and problem solve ongoing issues that impact departmental/organizational goals and patient care delivery.
• Communication
• Interacts with coordinators/supervisors, directors, providers and other departments within the hospital and Covenant Health System in the implementation of new and existing laboratory procedures and protocols.
• Actively participates in hospital as well as system wide committees as assigned.
• Assures departmental services are in compliance with DNV, CAP, CMS, federal government and any other relevant regulatory requirements.
• Assures processes are in place to monitor for and educate staff on appropriate charging for services provided and to correct and report any inaccurate or inappropriate charges or charging practices, and to report quarterly or more often if necessary, to the hospital compliance on auditing/surveillance outcome.
• Responsible for consistent compliance with all laboratory related guidelines, policies, and procedures.
• Assures all departmental care and treatments are appropriately documented per regulatory and hospital policies on a timely basis.
• Assists the director in managing an effective, comprehensive, performance improvement process, that is outcome driven and establishes a culture of excellence in quality and service.
• Identifies opportunities for improvement relating to the delivery of services, quality-of-work life, and patient care issues.
• Takes an active part in the constructive resolution of problems. Works collaboratively with the supervisors and managers across departmental lines, to implement solutions and take steps to improve departmental performance.
• Provides ongoing support in collecting and analyzing data and preparing reports. Supervises action plans from Physician and Employee Satisfaction surveys.
• Works with Coordinators & supervisors to develop operating and capital budgets for assigned departments under the Director and implements agreed upon budget.
• Recommends budget savings initiatives for supply changes, equipment leasing and bringing tests in-house. Prepares cost analyses and obtains price quotes to support decisions.
• Management of the FTE budget, including overtime review and timekeeping maintenance. Develops and posts staff work schedules with the Clinical Coordinator at least one month in advance.
• Determines the appropriate number, skill mix and competency of employees to provide optimum quality of services on all shifts.
• Collaborates with director and Human Recourses on recruitment and retention strategies.
• Interviews, hires, coaches, evaluates and, when necessary, disciplines staff to help bring them to full potential.
• Assumes responsibility for the daily operational needs of the department. Makes decisions and takes actions to ensure that effective, efficient, and quality services are consistently provided.
• Equipment/Patient Care Items: Assures all patient care equipment is functioning properly, maintained and calibrated as required, appropriately stored and cleaned, appropriate for use. Works with Clinical Coordinator to ensure that staff possess competency on its use.
• Participates in patient therapy and in the pulmonary lab as scheduled. Assures appropriate and necessary care is provided to patients and is guided by policy, procedure and protocols in line with accepted standards of care and quality of care monitoring ongoing is appropriate and reported timely.
• Other duties as consistent with this role.

Job Requirements

Job Knowledge and Skills

• Completes Covenant, hospital and department assigned Computer Based Learnings in a timely manner.
• CPR- Maintains CPR Certification (no lapse in certification)  
• Maintains initial and annual equipment competencies. Must possess a better than average understanding of the field of Respiratory Therapy, particularly with skills associated with the activity of the ventilator patient in the intensive care unit.
• An ability to organize, delegate responsibilities, and communicate with all RT staff and management members is also essential.
• Maintains professional growth and development through regular program of reading professional literature, attending seminars/workshops, and establishing professional affiliations. Participates in the on-going sharing of knowledge with the staff.

Education and Experience

• Basic Cardiac Life Support certification required
• Credentialed by the National Board of Respiratory Care (NBRC) required
• Graduate of an approved AMA school of Respiratory Therapy preferred
• Five years’ experience in the Respiratory Therapy field preferred
• Three years of supervisory or management experience in a clinical setting strongly preferred

An equivalent combination of education and experience which provides proficiency in the areas of responsibility listed above may be substituted for the above education and experience requirements.

Working Conditions/Physical Demands

Must possess the physical and mental abilities to perform the tasks normally associated with this position that involves a combination of sitting, standing, walking, bending, stooping, and reaching. Lifting/carrying frequently up to 35 pounds, and occasionally up to 50 pounds.  Some stress related to high level of responsibility for quality care.

Americans with Disabilities Statement

Must be able to perform all essential functions of this position with reasonable accommodation if disabled.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed.  They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified.  Covenant Health reserves the right to modify position duties at any time, to reflect process improvements and business necessity.

Standard of Business Conduct

Every St Joseph Hospital employee is required to abide by the Standards of Conduct and to report any activity that appears to violate the Standards of Conduct.

Covenant Health Mission Statement

We are a Catholic health ministry, providing healing and care for the whole person, in service to all in our communities.

Our Core Values:

Compassion

We show respect, caring and sensitivity towards all, honoring the dignity of each person, especially the poor, vulnerable and suffering.

Integrity

We promote justice and ethical behavior, and responsibly steward our human, financial and environmental resources.

Collaboration

We work in partnership, dialogue and shared purpose to create healthy communities.

Excellence

We deliver all services with the highest level of quality, while seeking creative innovation.

We are an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, disability status, gender, sexual orientation, ancestry, protected veteran status, national origin, genetic information or any other legally protected status.