Job Description:

• 1) Performs pulmonary-function, lung-capacity, diffusion capacity, and blood-and-oxygen tests to gather data for use by physician in diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary disorders: Confers with patient in treatment room to explain test procedures.

• 2) Explains specified methods of breathing to patient and conducts pulmonary-function tests, such as helium dilution and pulmonary mechanics, arterial blood gas analyses, and lung-capacity tests, such as vital capacity and maximum breathing capacity tests, using spirometer or other equipment.

• 3) Measures expired air, using various analyzers.

• 4) Observes and records readings on metering devices of analysis equipment, and conveys findings of tests and analyses to physician for interpretation.

• 5) May perform blood analysis tests to measure such factors as oxygen and carbon dioxide tensions, hemoglobin saturation and levels, and pH of blood, using blood gas analyzer.

• 6) May measure sweat chloride to test for cystic fibrosis, using computerized analyzer.

• 7) May assist physician in special procedures such as bronchoscopy.