Flight Respiratory Practitioner

SUMMARY The AeroMD Flight Respiratory Practitioner provides high quality care including assessment, triage, and treatment utilizing standards and guidelines established by AeroMD's Chief Medical Officer, Medical Directors and Assistant Medical Directors. They assess the nature and extent of illness or injury to establish and prioritize the care needed for the safe transport of the critically ill or injured patient to the appropriate facility. They are qualified to provide care for patients across the life span in his/her assigned clinical area; responsible for carrying out the mission and goals of AeroMD assuring that safety remains the highest priority throughout the transport continuum. They maintain their educational standards for themselves and their fellow flight crew through continuing education and grand rounds.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provides care from the initial contact until patient care is relinquished to the accepting medical facility; maintains thorough patient care documentation.
• Practices their profession within his/her approved scope of practice as defined by the licensing body regulating each base and AeroMD.
• Maintains competency in knowledge and psychomotor skills by participating in on going laboratory and clinical experiences. Communicates educational needs to AeroMD's Program Director, Clinical Director, Base Manager and/or Chief Flight Nurse and/or Chief Flight Respiratory Practitioner.
• Maintains documentation of required licensure, certifications, continuing education, aviation and safety training, OSHA and HIPAA training, clinical rotations and advanced procedures.
• Attends continuing education programs pertinent to his/her area of practice.
• Knowledgeable in the use and routine maintenance of all equipment and supplies used by AeroMD. Responsible for reporting medical equipment failures and taking initial steps to insure the repair of equipment as directed. Maintains adequate supplies onboard the aircraft to deliver patient care. Keeps aircraft clean and orderly to ensure rapid response to all transport requests.
• Maintains positive interpersonal relationships with colleagues, EMS representatives, hospitals and the public at all times.
• Participates in following-up with the patient and referring institution.
• Participates in planned outreach marketing and education activities.
• Functions as a medical flight crew member.
• Attends pre-mission briefings and mission debriefings and completes any necessary documentation in a timely and professional manor.
• Assists in the pre-mission liftoff checklist and assists the pilot as requested, i.e., radio, navigational and visual observation activities. Complies with the safety standards to assure safety of self, medical personnel, patients and equipment.
• Serves as a flight resource for any specialty personnel when transporting specialty patients by rotor or Fixed-wing aircraft.
• Performs advanced skills and procedures as approved by AeroMD's Chief Medical Officer, Medical Directors and Assistant Medical Directors.
• Serves as a role model, educator and clinical resource.
• Acts as a preceptor and/or participates in orientation of new employees and students as assigned.
• Acts as a liaison and communicates program goals and objectives.
• Participates in continuing and outreach educational programs.
• Conducts aircraft safety briefings as needed for passengers and EMS/Fire/Rescue/LEO.
• Maintains awareness of current issues related to pre-hospital and aeromedical care through participation in professional activities I.e. national, territorial, legislative-elected or appointed.
• Participates regularly in AeroMD's QA/QC activities, projects and committees.
• Participates in Grand Rounds and presents at minimum semiannually.
• Attends and participates in meetings according to established guidelines. • Develops standards and guidelines related to the flight program as assigned.
• Participates in quality improvement activities as assigned.
• Undertakes and maintains projects as assigned (to include research and publishing opportunities).
• Other duties as assigned.

OTHER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Any other duty or responsibility assigned by the Program Director or Chief Medical Officer

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES This position has no supervisory responsibilities.

QUALIFICATIONS The qualifications listed are representative of those required to successfully fulfill the job responsibilities but may be adjusted for specific positions.

Required
Education: Graduate of an accredited School of Respiratory Care; ASRT or BSRT
Experience: Minimum 3 - 5 years of recent critical care experience. Will consider 3 - 5 years of recent emergency department experience if there is a minimum one-year previous critical care experience.
Licenses: NBRC credentialed as a Registered Respiratory Therapist. Current RCP license to practice Respiratory Care in any US state. Must obtain Florida license and North Carolina license upon hire.
Certificates: Current certifications in BLS/CPR; ACLS and PALS are required. Must obtain NPS and ACCS within one year of hire.

Preferred
Education: BSRT or Bachelor's degree in a Health related field and a degree or diploma as an EMT-Paramedic.
Experience: Pre-hospital EMS and/or flight experience
License & Certificates: TNCC/ITLS/PHTLS; NRP, AMLS but will provide during orientation. ATLS, APLS, ALSO, ABLS, CCEMTP, CICP, PNCCT, STABLE, NREMT-P, EMT

COMPETENCIES Competency in advanced practice skills as defined by the Chief Medical Officer and the Medical Directors and Assistant Medical Directors as well as current medical standards.

SKILLS Skills as required to practice nursing and critical care as defined by assigned scope of practice and advanced practice skills as defined by the Chief Medical Officer and the Medical Directors and Assistant Medical Directors as well as current medical standards.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS Physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

While performing duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to perform medical procedures and assessments, reach with hands and arms, and speak and hear. The employee is frequently required to sit. The employee is required to stand, walk, climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl and smell.
The employee is required to maintain adequate physical conditioning to be able to perform job duties. Job duties are often performed at high stress levels requiring employee to function effectively and independently while maintaining good working relationships with partners, patients, and customers.

The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 80 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus.