Covenant Health

Respiratory Therapy Intern 

PRN/OCC, Variable Shifts & Hours

Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center is an award-winning, certified, and accredited facility with 541 beds. As a Joint Commission Comprehensive Stroke Center, Fort Sanders offers state-of-the art care that maximizes recovery from stroke.  We are also the region’s leader in technology in areas such as bariatric surgery, robotic surgery and minimally invasive spine surgery. Our door-to-balloon times for heart attack patients are below the national average, and our hip fracture center offers advanced diagnosis, surgery and recovery procedures for hip patients.

Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center is a member of Covenant Health, a locally-owned, non-profit health system based in Knoxville, TN, with a “patient-focused” culture. It has been recognized by Forbes Magazine as its 2020 “Best-in-State-Employer” for Tennessee. The CEO of our company, Jim VanderSteeg, attends every new employee orientation and will ask you to sign our pledge of excellence to always put patients first, strive for excellence in everything we do, and make Covenant Health the first and best choice for patients in our region. As you’d expect, we offer our employees a robust benefits package, including: offering unmatched medical insurance, tuition reimbursement; student loan repayment assistance, certification bonuses; leadership and professional development programs; an employer-matched 401(k); and a generous Combined Time Off (CTO) program.

Position Summary: The Respiratory Therapy Intern is responsible for supporting the overall operations of the Respiratory Department, which consists of equipment cleaning, assembling and distribution, transporting, oxygen tank replacement, stocking of all disposables, items and equipment to designated areas. The intern will have no direct patient care until licensed through the State of Tennessee.

Recruiter: Jennifer Gordon || jgordon2@covhlth.com || 865-374-8107

• Maintains respiratory equipment. This includes cleaning and disinfecting equipment in accordance with procedures, assembly and testing of equipment if appropriate, notifying and communicating with biomedical engineering regarding broken or malfunctioning equipment.
• Responsible for oxygen tank stocking and replacement where needed.
• Maintains equipment set up and delivery.
• Maintains direct communication with respiratory practitioners regarding equipment and other departmental needs.
• Assists therapists with transport of mechanically ventilator patients and responds to equipment requests to ensure an efficient and orderly process.
• Performs chart review for RT to evaluate and treat assessments to be overseen by a therapist on that shift.
• Demonstrates and maintains current/active BLS.
• Maintains clean work area.
• Attends meetings as required and participates on committees as directed.
• Follows policies, procedures, and safety standards. Completes required education assignments annually. Works toward achieving goals and objectives, and participates in quality improvement initiatives as requested.
• Performs other related duties as assigned or requested.

Minimum Education:

None specified; will accept any combination of formal education and/or prior work experience sufficient to demonstrate possession of the knowledge, skill and ability needed to perform the essential tasks of the job, typically such as would be equivalent to a high school diploma or GED. Current and active enrollment in a CoArc approved Respiratory Therapy Program. Must be a second year student.

Minimum Experience:

One (1) year of both Clinical and Didactical completion of Respiratory Therapy Academic completion of an accredited CoArc Respiratory Care Program evident by submission of college/university program director or appointee on college/university letterhead.

Licensure Requirement:

None at the time of hire. Current BLS.