RESPIRATORY CARE SPECIALIST I - 60005283

Requisition No: 825089 

Agency: Children and Families

Working Title: RESPIRATORY CARE SPECIALIST I - 60005283

 Pay Plan: Career Service

Position Number: 60005283 

Salary:  $32,760.00 to $52,516.89 Annually 

Posting Closing Date: 12/31/2024 

Total Compensation Estimator Tool

The Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) is the state of Florida’s social services agency. The agency oversees services for child safety, fostering, adoption, domestic violence, adult protective services, refugees, homelessness, mental health, substance abuse, childcare providers, human trafficking and public assistance. The agency’s mission is to work in partnership with local communities to protect the vulnerable, promote strong and economically self-sufficient families, and advance personal and family recovery and resiliency.

Within DCF, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health (SAMH) Program office is recognized as the single state authority for substance abuse and mental health services. The Office of SAMH is statutorily responsible for the planning, evaluation, and implementation of a comprehensive statewide system of care for the prevention, treatment, and recovery of children and adults with serious mental illnesses or substance use disorders.

Florida State Hospital (FSH) is a mental health treatment facility owned and operated by the State of Florida and is part of the Department of Children and Families. The department’s mission is to “work in partnership with local communities to protect the vulnerable, promote strong and economically self-sufficient families, and advance personal and family recovery and resiliency.”

FLORIDA STATE HOSPITAL IS A TOBACCO FREE FACILITY.

TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS POSITION RESPONSES TO THE QUALIFYING QUESTIONS ARE REQUIRED AND MUST BE VERIFIABLE BASED ON YOUR SUBMITTED APPLICATION.

THIS IS AN EVENING SHIFT POSITION FROM 3PM TO 11PM.

This is a highly responsible and professional position that will serve as Respiratory Care Specialist - I at Unit 32. This position will collaborate with each section within the state facilities and be required to use independent judgement, take initiative in carrying out duties and responsibilities and should be extraordinarily detail oriented. 

Specific Duties and Responsibilities include:

• Respiratory Service duties includes to install and operate respiratory equipment on the units. Administer aerosol medication to residents as prescribed by physician. Provide emergency respiratory therapy treatment to residents when needed. Provide and maintain clean humidification therapy equipment to be used by resident when ordered by physicians. Work directly with physicians in carrying out their orders for oxygen treatments. Inspect and maintain respiratory therapy equipment in the Emergency Room, ambulance and to assist in their use when needed. Work in outpatient clinics to treat residents according to physicians’ orders. Draw arterial blood for ABG. Collect sputum specimens when nursing staff is unable to collect.
• Clean all respiratory therapy equipment.
• Other duties include prepare and maintain resident and hospital records of treatments administered for hospital and Medicare purposes; request supplies and equipment as needed for all departments, responsible for all equipment assigned to Respiratory Therapy on the yearly inventory; identify and request parts necessary to keep respiratory therapy equipment safe and operational. Perform any and all related work that is requested or required by hospital and unit administration.
• Duties for the EEG and EKG Department includes placing electrodes on resident’s head and instruct them of necessary functions in order to perform EEG test transmitted via phone system. Place EKG electrodes to resident and run routine EKGs as well as “stat” EKGs that are faxed to Southern Medical Group in Tallahassee.
• Performs other related duties as required.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities required for the position:

• Knowledge of the principles and procedures of respiratory therapy or conducting pulmonary function tests.
• Knowledge of human anatomy and physiology.
• Skill in operating, calibrating and maintaining respiratory therapy or pulmonary function equipment.
• Ability to record data accurately.
• Ability to communicate effectively.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Completion of a training program to become a respiratory therapy technician or a cardiopulmonary technologist.

Benefits of Working for the State of Florida:

• Health insurance
• Life insurance; $25,000 policy is free plus option to purchase additional life insurance
• Dental, vision and supplemental insurance
• Retirement plan options, including employer contributions
  • (For more information, please click www.myfrs.com);
• Nine paid holidays and one Personal Holiday each year;
• Flexible Spending Accounts;
• Opportunities for career advancement
• Tuition waiver for public college courses

For a more complete list of benefits, visit www.mybenefits.myflorida.com.

DCF EMPLOYMENT DISCLOSURES

US CITIZEN REQUIREMENT Only US citizens and lawfully authorized alien workers will be hired.

SELECTIVE SERVICE SYSTEM REGISTRATION All selected male candidates born on or after October 1, 1962, will not be eligible for hire or promotion into an authorized position unless they are registered with the Selective Service System (SSS).  Verification of Selective Service registration will be conducted prior to hire.  For more information, please visit the SSS website: http://www.sss.gov.

RETIREE NOTICE If you are a retiree of the Florida Retirement System (FRS), please check with the FRS on how your current benefits will be affected if you are re-employed with the State of Florida. Your current retirement benefits may be suspended or voided, and you required to repay all benefits received depending upon the date of your retirement.

BACKGROUND SCREENING It is the policy of the Florida Department of Children and Families that any applicant being considered for employment must successfully complete a State and National criminal history check as a condition of employment before beginning employment, and, if applicable, also be screened in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 435, F.S., and Chapter 408, F.S.  No applicant may begin employment until the background screening results are received, reviewed for any disqualifying offenses, and approved by the Agency.  Background screening shall include, but not be limited to, fingerprinting for State and Federal criminal records checks through the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and may include local criminal history checks through local law enforcement agencies.

The State of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer, and does not tolerate discrimination or violence in the workplace.

Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-866-663-4735). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.

VETERANS’ PREFERENCE.  Pursuant to Chapter 295, Florida Statutes, candidates eligible for Veterans’ Preference will receive preference in employment for Career Service vacancies and are encouraged to apply.  Certain service members may be eligible to receive waivers for postsecondary educational requirements.  Candidates claiming Veterans’ Preference must attach supporting documentation with each submission that includes character of service (for example, DD Form 214 Member Copy #4) along with any other documentation as required by Rule 55A-7, Florida Administrative Code.  Veterans’ Preference documentation requirements are available by clicking here.  All documentation is due by the close of the vacancy announcement.