Our team members are the heart of what makes us better. At Hackensack Meridian Health we help our patients live better, healthier lives — and we help one another to succeed. With a culture rooted in connection and collaboration, our employees are team members. Here, competitive benefits are just the beginning. It’s also about how we support one another and how we show up for our community. Together, we keep getting better - advancing our mission to transform healthcare and serve as a leader of positive change.

 

The Lead Respiratory Therapist provides direct patient care while guiding and supporting the respiratory therapy team. This role oversees daily staffing, workload distribution, equipment readiness, quality controls, and team performance. The Lead Therapist serves as a clinical resource, educator, and problem‑solver for both staff and interdisciplinary partners.

A day in the life of a Respiratory Therapy Team Lead at Hackensack Meridian Health includes:

Key Responsibilities

Clinical Leadership & Support

• Deliver advanced respiratory care, including assessment, education, medication delivery, oxygen therapy, arterial blood gas sampling/analysis, and ventilator management for patients across the lifespan.

• Support staff with clinical questions, complex cases, and troubleshooting.

• Advocate for patients receiving pulmonary services and help coordinate interventions that support appropriate care levels and length of stay.

Team Oversight & Development

• Prepare daily and shift‑based staffing assignments; manage schedule updates in SmartSquare and local calendars.

• Monitor workload throughout the shift to ensure fair and efficient distribution.

• Ensure shift reports, acuity levels, and treatment schedules are completed accurately and on time.

• Orient new team members to the department, clinical units, and organizational policies.

• Evaluate team member performance, provide coaching, and complete annual competencies.

• Recommend corrective actions or disciplinary steps when appropriate.

• Serve as a resource for staff, nursing, and physicians by applying strong problem‑solving and clinical judgment.

Operations & Quality Assurance

• Investigate concerns, complaints, or workflow issues and recommend appropriate interventions.

• Maintain adequate equipment and supply levels; coordinate rentals and repairs as needed.

• Review Arterial Blood Gas (ABG) controls at required intervals, maintain analyzers, and analyze CAP surveys.

• Review and sign off on quality control documentation.

• Collect, organize, and present operational or quality data within required timeframes.

• Provide clinical coverage during low‑staffing situations.

• Perform additional duties or projects as assigned.

Required

• Graduate of an accredited Respiratory Therapy program.

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field, or willingness to obtain one within 3 years of hire.

• Minimum 2 years of respiratory therapy experience.

• Current NJ Respiratory Care Practitioner License.

• Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certification (or within 6 months of hire)

• AHA Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Providers.

Preferred

• 5+ years of adult critical care experience.

• 2+ years of supervisory experience in acute care or ventilator‑weaning environments.

• 2+ years of pediatric respiratory care experience.

• Experience operating and maintaining arterial blood gas analyzers.

• Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) certification

• Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) certification

If you feel the above description speaks directly to your strengths and capabilities, then please apply today!

Minimum rate of $45.83 Hourly

HMH is committed to pay equity and transparency for our team members. The posted rate of pay in this job posting is a reasonable good faith estimate of the minimum base pay for this role at the time of posting in accordance with the New Jersey Pay Transparency Act and does not reflect the full value of our market-competitive total rewards package.

The starting rate of pay is provided for informational purposes only and is not a guarantee of a specific offer. Posted hourly rates may be stated as an annual salary in the offer and posted annual salaries may be stated as an hourly rate in the offer, depending on the level and nature of the job duties and credentials of the candidate. The base compensation determined at the time of the offer may be different than the posted rate of pay based on a number of non-discriminatory factors, including but not limited to:

Labor Market Data: Compensation is benchmarked against market data to ensure competitiveness.
Experience: Years of relevant work experience.
Education and Certifications: Level of education attained, including specialized certifications, credentials, completed apprenticeship programs or advanced training.
Skills: Demonstrated proficiency in relevant skills and competencies.
Geographic Location: Cost of living and market rates for the specific location.
Internal Equity: Compensation is determined in a manner consistent with compensation ranges for similar roles within the organization.
Budget and Grant Funding: Departmental budgets and any grant funding associated with the job position may impact the pay that can be offered.


Some jobs may also be eligible for performance-based incentives, bonuses, or commissions not reflected in the starting rate. Certain positions may also be eligible for shift differentials for work performed on evening, night, or weekend shifts.

In addition to our compensation for full-time and part-time (20+ hours/week) job positions, HMH offers a comprehensive benefits package, including health, dental, vision, paid leave, tuition reimbursement, and retirement benefits.