Respiratory Care Practitioner

Residence Requirements:

THERE ARE NO RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS FOR PARTICIPATION IN THIS EXAMINATION. This examination will fill future vacancies at the Erie County Medical Center Corporation. 

If you pass the examination, your name will appear on the continuous eligible list for one year. After one year, your name will be removed from the list. You may apply for retest at six month intervals.

Qualifications:

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Graduation from a regionally accredited or New York State registered college or university with an Associate’s Degree or higher degree in Respiratory Therapy or closely related field; and special requirements listed below.

 
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
Eligibility for licensure or limited permit to practice as a Respiratory Care Practitioner at time of application;
Possession of a license or limited permit* to practice Respiratory Therapy in New York State at time of appointment and maintenance throughout duration of appointment;
Possession of Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) Credential**(see Note 2) as issued by the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) within twelve (12) months of appointment and maintenance throughout duration of appointment;
Possession of Basic Life Support (BLS) Certification at time of application and maintenance throughout duration of appointment.

NOTE 1: *In accordance with Article 164, Section 8511 of New York State Education Law, a limited permit expires “one year from the date of issuance or upon written notice to the permittee by the department (New York State Education Department) that the application for registration has been denied, or ten days after notification to the permittee of failure on the professional licensing examination, whichever first occurs.”
NOTE 2: **Permanent employees hired prior to October 26, 2016, that possess and maintain a Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) Credential but not do possess and maintain a Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) Credential shall remain deemed qualified for this title.
NOTE 3: Verifiable part-time and/or volunteer experience will be pro-rated toward meeting full-time experience requirements

Notice to Candidates: Transcripts will now be accepted by the Department of Personnel ONLY at time of application. All subsequent transcripts must be submitted at time of interview. 

Examples of Duties:

Performs patient care activities in compliance with provider’s orders and according to applicable work standards, policies and procedures;
Responsible for setting up, operating, cleaning and storing respiratory equipment;
Records clinical and technical information on patients receiving respiratory care services in patient record;
Manages all artificial and natural airways; responsible for assessment and care of tracheostomy sites, endotracheal tube placement, cuff pressures, suctioning, etc.;
Provides respiratory support by utilizing various non-invasive positive pressure devices;
Sets up mechanical ventilators, assess patients and suggest recommendations for airway management;
Performs patient education and discharge planning for patients requiring home respiratory care to include home oxygen evaluations;
Evaluates patients for respiratory treatments and administers all forms of respiratory therapy treatments including, but not limited to: aerosol therapy, metered dose inhaler (MDI), dry powder inhaler (DPI), incentive spirometry, sputum inductions, peak flows, etc.;
Transports critically ill patients on mechanical ventilation and assists in the operating room with patients on complex mechanical ventilation settings;
Performs daily weaning assessments;
Responds to medical emergencies;
Performs CPR and arterial blood gases;
Delivers complete and comprehensive verbal report to the oncoming shift by reporting all information relevant to patient’s plan of care and anticipated challenges;
Provides clinical education for respiratory care students.

Subjects of Examination:

The only subject of examination will be an evaluation of your training and experience. You are therefore, asked to include in your application a summary of all pertinent training and experience in sufficient detail so that your background may be evaluated against the duties of the position.

In your summary of training include all college course work, formal in-service training, and seminars you have attended. You must specify either the number of credits received or the number of contact hours and dates of attendance. Also include a copy of your professional license. Specify the date that your license was first issued.

In your summary of experience, you must specify the dates of your employment, the number of hours worked per week, your title, and the main duties for each. Be specific; vagueness and ambiguity will NOT be resolved in your favor. Candidates who submit incomplete applications or documentation may be disqualified.

Notes:

This examination is prepared by the New York State Department of Civil Service and held in compliance with the New York State Civil Service Law and the rules and regulations of the New York State Department of Civil Service.

**IMPORTANT APPLICATION FEE - READ CAREFULLY**

A $15.00 filing fee is required for this exam. The required fee must accompany your application. Send or bring check or money order made payable to Erie County Personnel Department and write the examination number(s) on your check or money order. Do not send or bring cash, as the County cannot be responsible for cash payment. As no refund will be made, you are urged to compare your qualifications carefully with the requirements for admission and file only for those examinations for which you are clearly qualified.