COPD Inpatient Educator/Pulmonary Rehabilitation

Respiratory Therapy

COPD Inpatient Educator/Pulmonary Rehabilitation

Position Description

The COPD Educator/Pulmonary Rehabilitation position is responsible for educating and assessing patients diagnosed with COPD in hospital. They will review the patient's history and care plan, educate the patient on the disease process, as well as connect them with resources both inside and outside of the hospital in order to help with the management of their disease and improve their quality of life. The COPD educator/Pulmonary Rehabilitation position is also responsible for reviewing referrals and identifying candidates who qualify for pulmonary rehabilitation. They will contact patients to explain the program and help to schedule them for their appointments as well as coordinating any needs they may have that act as barriers to participating. They will be able to support the pulmonary rehabilitation staff and be trained both in pulmonary rehabilitation as well as six-minute walk testing.

Daily Tasks:

• Identify COPD inpatients from generated list and COPD consults and review care plan and history
• Visit, assess and provide COPD education to inpatients on list
• Identify and discuss recommendations of changes to treatment plan with hospitalist and PCP
• Generate referrals to outpatient resources including pulmonology, pulmonary rehabilitation, community case management, palliative care
• Documenting COPD consult in EMR
• Review referrals for pulmonary rehabilitation and identify qualified candidates for pulmonary rehabilitation
• Contact referrals and explain pulmonary rehabilitation program. Identify any barriers and connect patients to resources if necessary.
• Co-ordinate with pulmonary rehab staff in scheduling initial pulmonary rehab visits and mail out initial packets to patients
• Cross-trained for 6 minute walks and pulmonary rehabilitation and will support pulmonary rehabilitation staff
• Help out in respiratory therapy staff as needed

Monthly Tasks:

• Compile documentation of COPD education done for the month and report COPD dashboard to manager
• Will attend Respiratory Therapy department meetings (bi-monthly)

Annual tasks:

• Maintain Current Respiratory Care license
• Evaluation with manager
• Complete Webed course and other required education
• Maintain current NRP (every other year)
• Maintain annual RQI cognitive skills (BLS, PALS, ACLS)
• Ensure annual staff competencies are completed (both department level and hospital wide)
• LMH is accredited by DNV and TJC, and as such, may require specific annual education related to specialty certifications and standards.