**Details** **Client Name:** GLA - West Los Angeles VAMC **Job Type:** Travel **Position Urgency** Normal **Offering** Allied **Profession** Respiratory Therapy **Specialty** Registered Respiratory Therapist **Job ID** 16146057 **Shift Details** **Shifts Per Week** 3 **scheduledHrs_1** 36.0 **Job Order Details** **Start Date** 2025-07-01 **End Date** 2026-03-14 **Duration** 37 Week(s) **Float Required** No **Call Required** No **Required Certifications for Onboarding** Abuse & Neglect, Age Specific Care, Body Mechanics, Cultural Diversity, Emergency Preparedness, EMTALA, Environmental Safety, Ethics, Fire Safety, Hazard Communication, HIPAA, Infection Control & Bloodborne Pathogens, National Patient Safety Goals - Hospital, NPI, Pain Management, Patient Rights, Patient Safety Systems, Respiratory Therapist, Respiratory Therapist, Sexual Harassment, Workplace Violence **Job Description** **Greater Los Angeles VAMC** **RESPIRATORY THERAPIST / POLYSOMNOGRAPHER** **Definition of Respiratory Therapists/Polysomnographer** A **Respiratory Therapist/Polysomnographer** , who has graduated from a college or a university, passed the National board for Respiratory Care, and is a specialized healthcare practitioner that performs testing that measures sleep cycles and stages of sleep, monitors, and records the following elements: + Sleep patterns and stages + Blood oxygen levels + Body position + Brain waves (EEG) + Breathing rate + Electrical activity of muscles + Eye movements + Leg movements + Heart rate **Qualifications & Experience** + **American Heart Association BLS (current)** + **_Minimum Education:_** + **Respiratory Therapist -** Completion of an accredited Respiratory Therapy (RT)Program + **Polysomnographer -** Completion of an Accredited Sleep Program + **_Minimum Experience:_** + **Respiratory Therapist -** 2 years of RT experience, 1 Year in critical care + **Polysomnographer -** 2 years Polysomnography (PSG) experience + **_Required Certification:_** + **Respiratory Therapist -** Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) Credential Issued by National Board of Respiratory Care (NBRC) + **Polysomnographer -** Registered Polysmonographic Technologist (RPSGT) Credential with the Board of Registered Polysmonographic Technologists (BRPT), **or** Registered Sleep Technologist (RST) Credential with the American Association of Sleep Medicine (AASM) + **_State Licensure Requirement_** + **Respiratory Therapist -** Respiratory Board of California + **Polysomnographer -** Medical Board of California + **_3 Professional references required for RT and PSG_** **Essential Job Functions** + Educate and treat patients with heart and lung conditions. + Collaborate with specialists in Pulmonary, Emergency Room (ER), and Intensive Care Units (ICU). + Serve as experts in airway management and mechanical ventilation. + Initiate and manage life support systems in ICUs and emergency departments. + Stabilize and monitor high-risk patients during inter-hospital ambulance transfers. + Administer inhaled medications and medical gases, including: + Mucolytics + Bronchodilators + Oxygen + Nitric oxide **Respiratory Therapists/Polysomnographers shall be competent** **in the following tasks:** + Therapeutic and diagnostic procedures with the use of medical gases andadministration devices including oxygen and nitric oxide. + All forms of humidification use with the appropriate devices, includingaerosols and high flow systems. + Administration of inhaled medications, with use of appropriate devices, tothe cardiopulmonary system. + Assist with intubation. + Use of all ventilators in VAGLAHS and all modes of mechanicalventilation. + Chest Physiotherapy (CPT), both manual and with the Vest System, andpostural drainage. + Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR); the Respiratory Therapist mustalso have a current CPR card. + Respond to Rapid Response Calls. + Set up Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP), Automatic PositiveAirway Pressure (APAP), and Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure (BIPAP)systems. + Provide Patient/family education. + Arterial puncture. + Recognize the need for medical intervention if patient safety is at risk. + The use of "split-night" diagnostic/therapeutics studies as described:perform polysomnogram during the first part of the night and then CPAP titration study during the 2nd half of the night if initial part of the study is consistent with obstructive sleep apnea. + Perform full night polysomnogram. + Sleep staging, defined as continuous recording of at least one (1) channelof Electroencephalogram (EEG), two (2) channels of Electrooculography(EOG) and one (1) channel of Electromyography (EMG) recording, following the rules of staging systematized by A. Rechstcahffen and A.Kales. + Continuous recording of four (4) or more additional parameters of sleep,including at least airflow, oximetry, Electrocardiogram (EKG), and EMG. + Continuous attendance as a technologist, working under the direction ofthe Chief of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine and Chief ofRespiratory Therapy, who reports to Chief of Pulmonary and CriticalCare. + Maintain a technical log, manually and electronically of patient informationincluding nocturnal patient activity, position and events. + Perform electronic and manual scoring. + Follow written policies, procedures and guidelines defining the responseto findings disclosed during testing requiring medical evaluation andtreatment, including the use of oxygen, and "spilt-night" protocols. **Client Details** **Client Type** Government **Setting** Hospital (Inpatient) **Address** 11301 Wilshire Boulevard **City** Los Angeles **State** CA **Unit Details** **Computer Charting System** VISTA (CPRS) EGA Associates, LLC provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.