Assistant Director of Respiratory

DESCRIPTION OF POSITION:

• Under the direction of the Medical Director and Director of Respiratory Therapy, the Assistant Director provides day-to-day operational leadership for Respiratory Therapy services and serves as the Director's designee as assigned. The role ensures safe, high-quality, cost-effective respiratory care and regulatory compliance, including oversight of Arterial Blood Gas (ABG) Laboratory operations and Point-of-Care Testing (POCT) programs, including i-STAT.

SUPERVISION: Reports directly to the Director of Respiratory Therapy

RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES:

• Direct and coordinate daily Respiratory Therapy operations, including staffing, workflow, patient care delivery, and service recovery.
• Serve as the Director's backup/designee as assigned; support department planning, budgeting, and resource utilization.
• Lead, coach, and develop staff through onboarding, scheduling support, performance management, retention efforts, and conflict resolution.
• Ensure compliance with applicable standards and policies (CAP, CUA, The Joint Commission, and hospital policies) for Respiratory Therapy and ABG Laboratory services.
• Oversee ABG Laboratory and POCT programs, including QC, proficiency testing, validations, maintenance, documentation, and regulatory reporting.
• Coordinate POCT training and competency for applicable personnel; maintain i-STAT/ABG analyzers and manage supplies and vendor relationships.
• Drive performance improvement and patient safety initiatives; collect, analyze, and report key quality /operational metrics.
• Provide direct respiratory care and perform ABG sampling/analysis as needed to meet operational demands..

The above statements are only meant to be a representative summary of the major duties and responsibilities performed by incumbents of this job. The incumbents may be requested to perform job-related tasks other than those stated in this description.

EDUCATION AND WORK EXPERIENCE

• Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT); graduate of an AMA-approved Respiratory Therapy program.
• Bachelor's degree in Respiratory Care or related field.
• Current Louisiana Respiratory Therapist license.
• CPR, ACLS, PALS, and NRP per hospital policy; maintains CEUs and required in-services.
• Demonstrated leadership, communication, and organizational skills; ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Two (2) to three (3) years of supervisory/leadership experience.
• Experience with ABG Laboratory oversight and POCT programs (QC, PT, validations, competency, documentation).
• Familiarity with CAP, CUA, and The Joint Commission

Physical Demands/Work Environment

• Requires frequent walking/standing, moderate lifting, and the ability to operate respiratory, laboratory, and computer equipment in a clinical environment.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Experience Memorial is more than a slogan, its the care we provide our patients and its the commitment to our community and our team members. As a nationally certified Great Place to Work, at Lake Charles Memorial Health System you will have the opportunity to be a part of an organizational culture that supports not only exceptional patient care but also the well-being and professional growth of our employees. Join us and be a part of a team where your contributions are valued, your growth is nurtured, and your success is celebrated.

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