« All News

Use your full complement of skills in Respiratory Care

/in /by

A culture of learning and growth. The option to float among six hospitals. An opportunity to explore diverse therapies and diagnoses. There is no such thing as an ordinary day for Respiratory Therapists at Memorial Healthcare System.

“Respiratory Therapists can do so many things here,” says Jerry Wright Jr., Director of Respiratory Care at Memorial Regional Hospital. “You can see open heart surgery along with heart transplant cases, work with both adult and pediatric patients, allowing you to work at top of your licensure.”

Several RTs are part of our external cardiac transport team that travels locally and regionally to bring critically ill patients to our facility. Respiratory therapists at Memorial also participate in several innovative procedures as ECMO, high-frequency oscillator ventilator management, beside bronchoscopies, nitric oxide studies, beside tracheostomies, and bronchial thermoplastys. Other responsibilities include intubation assistance, mechanical ventilation management, noninvasive ventilation, extubation, tracheostomy tube changes, high flow nasal cannulas, and point of care testing for blood gases and critical care panels. Additionally, Memorial has a Cystic Fibrosis Center where RTs make a significant impact on our CF patients.

“Our employees are second to none,” says Wright. “We are passionate about the respiratory field and contribute to the plan of care that helps patients achieve a higher level of health. Our goal is to educate our patients about their disease processes and avoid readmissions by empowering them through knowledge and self-management. We see many patients with multiple diagnoses including but not limited to COPD, cystic fibrosis, asthma, pneumonia, ARDS, cancer, stroke, and brain and spinal cord injury. We participate in daily interdisciplinary rounds, particularly in critical care where our input is valued by our 24 hour intensivist teams.”

Memorial offers Respiratory Therapy professionals autonomy, team involvement, achievable workloads, and a high level of managerial support. We also have a clinical ladder program so you can advance your career.  Our RTs share their expertise with several areas of the hospital and serve as preceptors, while also providing community service in respiratory health training.

If you are ambitious, passionate about learning, and ready to go above and beyond for your patients, search our Respiratory Therapy career openings now. New grads are welcome to apply.

« All News

Join a Progressive Care Unit with its own unique personality

/in /by

The new Progressive Care Unit at Memorial Hospital Pembroke is open for growth, having recently transitioned from Telemetry to Step Down in order to meet community needs.

Approximately 80 percent of patients on the new 22-bed unit are transferred from Critical Care with condition like Congestive Heart Failure and COPD exacerbation that require a higher level of care. We are also partnering with MCVI Cardiologists and Vascular Surgeons to be the department of choice for the post-operative care of patients requiring pacemaker/AICD insertion, as well as other procedures including femoral bypass surgeries. Our nurses are highly skilled clinicians with the ability to administer various drips and care for the patient with chest tubes, tracheostomy, high flow oxygenation and continuous BIPAP.

“The PCU at Memorial Pembroke is an ideal opportunity for RNs who are seeking to increase their clinical knowledge base and care for a patient with a higher acuity, but are not yet ready for Critical Care,” notes Maria Weinstein, Director of Nursing for Critical Care Services. For experienced telemetry nurses, we offer an intensive Memorial Healthcare System Progressive Care Course, which is then continued to on-site high acuity training.  For new graduate Nurses/ Novice Nurses, we offer a New Graduate Residency Program which also includes Progressive Care training and a combination of both classroom and clinical hours.

Memorial Hospital Pembroke is known within the system as being both agile and innovative in its execution of our nursing strategic plan. Nurses are viewed as change agents with the autonomy to guide their own practice and develop pilot programs for the facility. One example of this is Pembroke’s “acuity-based staffing model” which takes a best practice approach to establishing nurse/patient ratios based on the acuity and daily needs of the patient.

“Our culture gives nurses the autonomy and support to provide true patient- and family-centered care,” says Jose Jaime, PCU Nurse Manager. “We breed collaborative teamwork. Nurses are highly motivated and fully engaged. We go above and beyond for our patients and one another. We are not just a team, but a positive and caring family.”

“You can practice at the highest level of your skills and training here,” adds Shelly Delfin, the hospital’s CNO. “You can do your best caliber work every day. We’re cutting edge, we’re growing. There is a lot of new energy here. Our ability to work together and embrace change enhances both patient care and the nursing practice.”

Experienced Telemetry Nurses are encouraged to join us in the PCU, as are early-career RNs and new grads. Learn more when you search jobs and apply online now.

« All News

Aurelio at his desk

Interdisciplinary collaboration is key

/in , , , , , , , , , , , , /by

Interdisciplinary collaboration and communication is integral to our success at Memorial Healthcare System. This is part of what makes us a leader here in South Florida, as well as nationally. Our team of 13,000+ works as one with a singular mission to care for our patients, their families and each other.

A recent example of true collaboration can be found at Memorial Hospital Pembroke. We knew that the community needed a higher level of patient care and made the decision to transform our Telemetry Unit into a Progressive Care Unit (PCU) for the step-down treatment of patients leaving the ICU. In order to prepare our Nurses for these higher acuity patients, the Respiratory Care team provided clinical guidance and training on pulmonary care procedures that would be necessary for recovery in the PCU.

In fact, across our entire system, Respiratory Therapists and Critical Care RNs work side by side to deliver the best in patient- and family-centered care. Interdisciplinary rounds are essential to creating a plan of care that is personalized for each individual. Patient education is equally important and RTs are experts in that area, helping those with chronic pulmonary disease (and other conditions) understand how to manage medications, lifestyle and other factors for optimal lung health.

I am proud to be part of the Memorial team and think you will be too. Take the first step to joining us by visiting our all-new careers site and learning more about what it’s like to work here.