KEVIN W. TRETHAWAY
Gilbertsville,PA
Summary
Registered Respiratory Therapist with leadership experience as Charge Therapist, Clinical Educator, and RT Lead across critical care settings. Supports complex ventilator management, emergency response, and multidisciplinary ICU care while improving team readiness through staff education, bedside guidance, and clinical coordination.
Overview
15
15
years of professional experience
Work History
Registered Respiratory Therapist / Staff & Charge Therapist
GRANDVIEW HOSPITAL
Sellersville, PA
11.2023 - Current
- Delivered comprehensive respiratory care to critically ill and medically complex patients throughout hospital, improving patient recovery rates.
- Initiate, manage, and adjust mechanical ventilation and provide ventilator support for critically ill patients.
- Assess patients and develop appropriate respiratory treatment plans based on clinical presentation and response to therapy.
- Participate in emergency response, airway management, intubation assistance, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
- Perform respiratory treatments, chest physiotherapy, deep tracheal suctioning, oxygen therapy, and aerosolized medication administration.
- Assist with patient transport while maintaining appropriate manual or mechanical ventilatory support.
- Perform equipment setup, maintenance, cleaning, sanitization, and preparation of ventilators and respiratory equipment.
- Coordinated daily respiratory therapy operations and clinical care as Charge Therapist, enhancing team efficiency and patient satisfaction.
- Collaborated with nurses, physicians, and multidisciplinary care team to optimize patient outcomes, ensuring effective treatment plans were implemented.
Clinical Educator / RT Lead
THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL
Philadelphia, PA
10.2023 - 11.2023
- Provided respiratory clinical education for respiratory therapists, nurses, physicians, medical students, and residents to strengthen understanding of respiratory care protocols.
- Supported staff development through targeted education, coaching, mentoring, and bedside clinical guidance.
- Collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to standardize respiratory care practices and improve clinical knowledge and patient outcomes.
- Assisted clinicians with complex respiratory care situations and delivered evidence-based teaching on mechanical ventilation and critical care.
- Served as clinical resource for mechanical ventilation, respiratory assessment, airway management, and critical care practices.
- Recognized with Chief Residents’ Distinguished Service Award for contributions to education and clinical service.
Staff Respiratory Therapist / Charge Therapist
THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL
Philadelphia, PA
10.2011 - 01.2023
- Provided advanced respiratory care across adult intensive care units, with proficiency in adult critical care environments.
- Managed patients requiring invasive and non-invasive mechanical ventilation, including initiation, monitoring, troubleshooting, and weaning.
- Served as Charge Therapist, overseeing daily operations, coordinating clinical assignments, and enhancing patient care.
- Assisted with intubations, bronchoscopy, rapid response events, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
- Performed arterial blood gas punctures and adjusted ventilator management based on patient assessment and laboratory results.
- Educated healthcare staff and patients on respiratory care practices and mechanical ventilation techniques to improve understanding and compliance.
- Contributed to development and implementation of respiratory care policies and procedures, ensuring alignment with best practices and regulatory standards.
- Administered and managed Flolan therapy for appropriate critically ill patients.
- Assisted with manual and mechanical ventilation during air and ground patient transport.
Registered Respiratory Therapist
POTTSTOWN HOSPITAL
Pottstown, PA
11.2017 - 10.2020
- Administered mechanical ventilation, oxygen therapy, and airway clearance while executing emergency respiratory interventions to stabilize patients.
- Provided respiratory care to hospitalized patients in acute and critical care settings, ensuring optimal patient outcomes.
- Assisted with intubations, patient transport, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and other critical care procedures.
- Partnered with physicians, nurses, and multidisciplinary teams to develop and implement comprehensive care plans for patients.
Registered Respiratory Therapist
HOSPITAL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
Philadelphia, PA
12.2011 - 02.2014
- Executed mechanical ventilation, airway management, respiratory treatments, and oxygen therapy, ensuring optimal patient care in emergencies.
- Provided respiratory care to acute and critically ill patients in a major academic medical center.
- Collaborated with multidisciplinary healthcare teams to develop and implement effective management plans for complex respiratory patients.
Education
Master of Business Administration (MBA) - Business Analytics
EASTERN UNIVERSITY
Saint Davids, PA01-2025
Bachelor of Science - Health Science
THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSITY
Philadelphia, PA08-2019
Associate of Applied Science - Respiratory Care
COMMUNITY COLLEGE OF PHILADELPHIA
Philadelphia, PA06-2011
Skills
- Mechanical ventilation
- Ventilator management
- Airway management
- ABG analysis
- Critical care transport
- Epic charting
- Safety protocols and procedures
- Clinical leadership
- Charge leadership
- Team collaboration
- Clinical communication
- Patient education
Personal Information
Title: RESPIRATORY THERAPY LEADER | CLINICAL EDUCATOR | CRITICAL CARE SPECIALIST
PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITION
Chief Residents Distinguished Service Award Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Phil Award Winner 2022, Summa Cum Laude Thomas Jefferson University, 4.0 GPA Thomas Jefferson University
CORE LEADERSHIP & CLINICAL EXPERTISE
- Respiratory Therapy Leadership
- Clinical Education & Staff Development
- Charge Therapist / RT Lead
- Adult Critical Care
- MICU / SICU / ER / NICU Experience
- Mechanical Ventilation & Ventilator Management
- Airway Management & Intubation Support
- Rapid Response & Emergency Care
- Patient Assessment & Treatment Planning
- Ventilator Weaning
- Multidisciplinary ICU Rounds
- Quality Improvement & Clinical Metrics
- Respiratory Care Protocols & Procedures
- Patient & Family Education
- Physician & Nursing Education
- Coaching & Mentoring
- Aerosolized Medication Administration
- Secretion Clearance & Airway Care
- Arterial Blood Gas Collection & Interpretation
- Manual & Mechanical Ventilation During Transport
- Flolan Administration & Management
- Equipment Management & Maintenance
ADDITIONAL CLINICAL COMPETENCIES
Mechanical Ventilation | Airway Management | Intubation Assistance | Bronchoscopy Assistance | Ventilator Weaning | Rapid Response | Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation | Arterial Blood Gas Collection | Flolan Management | Chest Physiotherapy | Deep Tracheal Suctioning | Oxygen Therapy | Aerosol Drug Administration | Patient Transport | Respiratory Equipment Management | Clinical Education | Staff Mentoring
RESEARCH & PUBLICATIONS
- A Study of Standard Respiratory Clinical Quality Metrics Monitored by Hospitals in PA
- Perception of Sleep Deprivation Among Respiratory Therapists
- Optimizing PEEP to Improve Rates of Ventilator Associated Events in the Medical Intensive Care Unit
PROFESSIONAL PRESENTATIONS
- 27th Annual Challenges in Critical Care: A Multidisciplinary Approach
- Multidisciplinary Care for the Mechanically Ventilated Patient in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) to Reduce Ventilator Associated Events (VAEs)
- 11th Annual Lung Cancer Symposium
- Strategies to Improve Patient Education
- 26th Annual Challenges in Critical Care: A Multidisciplinary Approach
- Nursing Driven Rounds: Multidisciplinary Rounding in the ICU
Timeline
Registered Respiratory Therapist / Staff & Charge Therapist
GRANDVIEW HOSPITAL
11.2023 - Current
Clinical Educator / RT Lead
THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL
10.2023 - 11.2023
Registered Respiratory Therapist
POTTSTOWN HOSPITAL
11.2017 - 10.2020
Registered Respiratory Therapist
HOSPITAL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
12.2011 - 02.2014
Staff Respiratory Therapist / Charge Therapist
THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL
10.2011 - 01.2023
Master of Business Administration (MBA) - Business Analytics
EASTERN UNIVERSITY
Bachelor of Science - Health Science
THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSITY
Associate of Applied Science - Respiratory Care
COMMUNITY COLLEGE OF PHILADELPHIA