Respiratory Nurse for Skilled Nursing Facility

Position Title : Respiratory Nurse

Department : Nursing

Reports to : Director of Nursing/Respiratory Director

Job Summary

The Respiratory Nurse delivers focused respiratory care to residents, with a primary emphasis on administering, monitoring, and documenting the use of incentive spirometry. This role plays a key part in reducing pulmonary complications, and promotes optimal lung function through direct clinical intervention, resident education, and collaboration with the interdisciplinary team.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Residents Rights

• Knows and respects patient rights.
• Ensures protected health information is kept confidential.
• Reports complaints made by patients to supervisor.
• Reports allegations of patient abuse, neglect and/or misappropriation of patient property.

Safety and Sanitation

• Follows established safety policies and procedures.
• Observes the safety needs of patients as indicated in care plan.
• Wears and/or uses safety equipment and supplies when indicated and properly trained to use.
• Ensure infection control standards are upheld when handling and cleaning IS equipment.

Staff Development

• Attends and participates in scheduled in-service training, educational classes and meetings to maintain current certification as applicable and as managed by regulatory agencies and company policies .
• Attend facility meetings including daily weekly clinical IDT’s and reports to QAPI as scheduled.

Key Responsibilities

• Initiate Incentive spirometry therapy per facility protocol and physician orders.
• Perform initial and ongoing respiratory assessments for residents using IS.
• Provide direct education and hands-on training to residents on proper IS technique, ensuring compliance and effectiveness.
• Deliver incentive spirometry care to residents with physician orders, in coordination with the nursing team.
• Reinforce and re-educate as needed to promote consistent and correct usage.
• Monitor compliance with IS therapy and identify any barriers to participation.
• Report resident concerns, noncompliance, or declining respiratory function to Director of Nursing and Respiratory Coordinator promptly.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Documentation & Compliance

• Document assessments, interventions, education, and resident compliance in accordance with facility policy and regulatory requirements.
• Ensure accurate recording of IS use, frequency, and outcomes.
• Participate in care development plans for residents receiving IS therapy.
• Assist in quality improvement tracking related to respiratory outcomes and IS compliance.

Qualifications & Experience

• LPN/RN with valid state licensure.
• CPR certification required.
• Ability to work independently while following established protocols and directives.
• Strong communication, teaching, and documentation skills.
• Understanding of respiratory conditions such as COPD, Pneumonia, CHF, and post-operative care.
• Committed to reducing pulmonary complications and supporting lung health through consistent, evidence-based incentive spirometry practices.