At Houston Methodist, the Student Respiratory Services position is responsible for providing students with opportunities to follow a respiratory preceptor in a professional setting to receive feedback from practicing Professionals and support building clinical competency and confidence in transition from student role to new graduate respiratory therapist. This position is accountable and responsible for respiratory care administered under the direction of a Licensed Respiratory Therapist and in accordance with therapy guidelines, applicable regulations, and departmental policy, procedures and practices, ensuring the department's patient, visitor and customer interactions are aligned with Houston Methodist's ICARE values. The Student Respiratory Services position demonstrates competence to adapt to work and customer service to accommodate the unique physical, psychosocial, cultural, safety and other developmental needs of patients served by the department. This position demonstrates appropriate communication skills and interpersonal relationships.

PATIENT AGE GROUP(S) AND POPULATION(S) SERVED
Refer to departmental "Scope of Service" and "Provision of Care" plans, as applicable, for description of primary age groups and populations served by this job for the respective HM entity.

HOUSTON METHODIST EXPERIENCE EXPECTATIONS

• Provide personalized care and service by consistently demonstrating our I CARE values:
  • INTEGRITY: We are honest and ethical in all we say and do.
  • COMPASSION: We embrace the whole person including emotional, ethical, physical, and spiritual needs.
  • ACCOUNTABILITY: We hold ourselves accountable for all our actions.
  • RESPECT: We treat every individual as a person of worth, dignity, and value.
  • EXCELLENCE: We strive to be the best at what we do and a model for others to emulate.

• Practices the Caring and Serving Model

• Delivers personalized service using HM Service Standards

• Provides for exceptional patient/customer experiences by following our Standards of Practice of always using Positive Language (AIDET, Managing Up, Key Words)

• Intentionally collaborates with other healthcare professionals involved in patients/customers or employees' experiential journeys to ensure strong communication, ease of access to information, and a seamless experience.

• Involves patients (customers) in shift/handoff reports by enabling their participation in their plan of care as applicable to the given job

• Displays cultural humility, diversity, equity and inclusion principles

• Actively supports the organization's vision, fulfills the mission and abides by the I CARE values

PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Promotes a positive work environment and contributes to a dynamic, team-focused work unit that actively helps one another to achieve optimal department results. Collaborates with all members of the patient care team by actively communicating and reporting pertinent patient care information and data in a comprehensive manner.

• Collaborates with team members within the assigned project, and/or department effort. Functions as a team member, responding willingly to colleagues' needs for assistance and partnership.

• Conducts self in a manner that is congruent with cultural diversity and inclusion principles. Provides contributions towards improvement of department scores for employee engagement on department scorecard, i.e. peer-to-peer accountability

SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Participates in respiratory care services and care delivered to patients. Performs direct patient care, treatments and procedures in accordance with established policies and standards of the hospital as outlined in the plan of care. Acts as patient advocate by preserving the privacy of patients and families, keeping the safety of the patient in mind.

• Identifies and communicates patient problems/needs and respiratory interventions performed to the Respiratory Therapist assigned. Under supervision, provides education to patients, patient's family members, and/or caregivers and reinforces health care information/teaching provided by the Respiratory Therapist.

• Proactively seeks out assignments and learning opportunities within assigned department or on teams that cross departments. Follows up on action items to ensure completion of assignments.

• Conducts patient and family-centered care standards and provides direct patient care under the direction of a respiratory therapist. Responds to therapy calls, contacting nursing personnel as appropriate, and follows through with meeting patient needs. Uses peer-to-peer accountability, towards improving department metrics for patient satisfaction and care

QUALITY/SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Organizes the work flow, problem-solves basic and routine matters, seeking guidance and assistance from preceptor, by utilizing resource persons, i.e. licensed respiratory therapist, or management, policy and procedure manuals, or other references on standards of care.

• Legally documents, where applicable, delegated observations and interventions, care administered in accordance with established policies and procedures. Accurately reports observations, conditions and problems of patients to licensed personnel to achieve desired patient outcomes.

• Rounds to ensure patient needs are met (four P's). Supports initiatives to prevent conditions such as pressure ulcers, patient falls, and hospital-acquired infections. Reports near misses and collaborates with the inter-professional health care team to improve patient safety.

• Contributes to identification of corrective action and improvement activities, impacting quality and safety targets on the unit-based scorecard, through peer-to-peer accountability, reporting near misses, and collaborating with the inter-professional team.

FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Assists with patient and staffing needs (floats) across the service line or hospital within the scope of their role or validated competencies.

• Self-motivated to independently manage time effectively, prioritize daily tasks to meet established and committed deadlines, minimizing incidental overtime. Utilizes time efficiently and helps other team members

GROWTH/INNOVATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Applies knowledge gained from educational background, project work, and problem solving for organization. Identifies and assumes responsibility of own learning needs and seeks continuing education opportunities to meet those needs.

• Produces a presentation of tangible company deliverables, of work and learning, derived from this assignment at the end of the 10-week internship

This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive; the employee will also perform other reasonably related business/job duties as assigned. Houston Methodist reserves the right to revise job duties and responsibilities as the need arises.

EDUCATION

• High School diploma or equivalent education (examples include: GED, verification of homeschool equivalency, partial or full completion of post-secondary education, etc.)

• Actively enrolled in a school of respiratory program

WORK EXPERIENCE

• Successfully completed one clinical rotation

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS - REQUIRED

• BLS - Basic Life Support (AHA) AND
• RCP - Licensed Respiratory Care Practitioner - State Licensure -- by the Texas Medical Board (of graduation) within 6 months

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through on-going skills, competency assessments, and performance evaluations

• Sufficient proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing the English language necessary to perform the essential functions of this job, especially with regard to activities impacting patient or employee safety or security

• Ability to effectively communicate with patients, physicians, family members and co-workers in a manner consistent with a customer service focus and application of positive language principles

• Ability to work under pressure and balance many competing priorities; highly responsive and solution/action oriented

• Demonstrates a high level of maturity with demonstrated self-confidence and ability to make decisions

• Conducts self in a professional manner at all times

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

• Demonstrates a learning attitude toward solving problems, using good reasoning and judgment

• Demonstrates a positive demeanor and strong multi-tasking abilities

• Ability to work with peers in a team situation

• Strong organization skills and detail-oriented nature

• Professional handling of exposure to confidential/sensitive information

• Practices universal precautions at all times. Demonstrates a working knowledge of isolation, infection control and safety procedures

SUPPLEMENTAL REQUIREMENTS

WORK ATTIRE

• Uniform No
• Scrubs Yes
• Business professional No
• Other (department approved) No

ON-CALL*
*Note that employees may be required to be on-call during emergencies (ie. DIsaster, Severe Weather Events, etc) regardless of selection below.

• On Call* No

TRAVEL**
**Travel specifications may vary by department**

• May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area No
• May require travel outside Houston Metropolitan area No

Since its founding in 1919, Houston Methodist Hospital has earned worldwide recognition. Houston Methodist Hospital is affiliated with the Weill Medical College of Cornell University and New York-Presbyterian Hospital, one of the nation's leading centers for medical education and research.  In 2020, U.S. News & World Report named Houston Methodist Hospital to its top ranked Honor Roll for the fourth time and second consecutive year. 2020 also marked the ninth year in a row Houston Methodist Hospital has been named the No. 1 hospital in Texas. Houston Methodist Hospital directs millions of research dollars into patient care and offers the latest innovations in medical, surgical and diagnostic techniques. With 952 operating beds, 85 operating rooms and over 8,000 employees, Houston Methodist offers complete care for patients from around the world.

 

The same high-quality care for which Houston Methodist is known is available at several Emergency Care Centers in Houston and the surrounding areas.  These Emergency Care Centers house exam rooms, full digital radiography suite, low radiation dose 16-slice CT scan, ultrasound and a full on-site stat chemistry lab.