***PER DIEM OPENING*** As an academic medical center with a rich history of providing life-saving treatment in Southern Nevada, UMC serves as the anchor hospital of the Las Vegas Medical District, offering Nevada’s highest level of care to promote successful medical outcomes for patients. UMC is home to Nevada's ONLY Nonprofit Level I Trauma Center, Verified Burn Center, and Multi-Organ Transplant Center. In 2026, we became the FIRST and ONLY Magnet®-Recognized hospital in the state, reflecting UMC's nursing professionalism, teamwork, and superiority in patient care.
Provides respiratory therapy modalities per protocol and those ordered by physicians to improve the cardiopulmonary conditions of patients from neonatal to geriatric ages. Duties include assessment, administration and evaluation of respiratory care treatments, coordinating with physicians on treatment care plans, performing extubations, airway management and provision of life support to critical patients for both adult and pediatric patients may include transport of a respiratory compromised patient.
Education/Experience: Equivalent to graduation from high school and successful completion of an approved school of Respiratory Therapy. Licensing/Certification
Credentialed by the NBRC as a Certified Respiratory Therapist or Registered Respiratory Therapist at time of hire; Respiratory Care Practitioner licensure by the Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners at time of hire; Basic Life Support (BLS) certification accepted by the American Heart Association (AHA) and State of Nevada Blood Gas Technologist or Blood Gas General Laboratory Supervisor license at time of hire or within 90 days from date of hire into classification.
Credentialed by the NBRC as Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) Knowledge of: Anatomy and physiology; blood gases; advanced respiratory and cardiology principles; dynamics of aerosol and IPPB therapy; respiratory care modalities for adults, pediatrics and neonatal patients when trained and competent; respiratory drug pharmacology; respiratory care equipment in use at facility; pulmonary rehabilitation techniques; patient acuity assessment methods; Hospital standards of care; department and hospital emergency response policies and practices; patient rights; age specific patient care practices; infection control policies and practices; handling, storage, use and disposal of hazardous materials.
Skill in: Using mechanical ventilators; performing arterial blood gas sampling and analysis; applying cardiopulmonary resuscitation; Servanta administration; using computers for data entry and reporting; maintaining airway adjustments; transporting critical patients; maintaining ventilation equipment; communicating with a wide variety of people from diverse socio-economic and ethnic backgrounds; establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with all personnel contacted in the course of duties; efficient, effective and safe use of equipment; establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with all personnel contacted in the course of duties.
Physical Requirements and Working Conditions: Mobility to work in a typical clinical environment and use standard equipment, stamina to remain standing and/or walk for extended periods of time, vision to read printed materials and a VDT screen, and hearing and speech to communicate effectively in person and over the telephone. Strength and agility to exert up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 20 pounds of force frequently to move objects, and/or up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects.
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this classification.