Registered Respiratory Therapist

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Hartford (VT); On-site; USD 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

EDRP eligibility

Job summary

US Department of Veterans Affairs seeks a Registered Respiratory Therapist to deliver comprehensive respiratory care under VHA guidelines. You will assess patients, administer therapies, and coordinate with the care team to ensure high-quality outcomes.

Requirements include CoARC-accredited education, active RRT credential, and an unrestricted state license, with English proficiency and professional collaboration emphasized.

Qualifications

• Education: Respiratory care program accredited by CoARC or successor.
• Licensure: Full, current, unrestricted license to practice as an RRT.
• Credential: Valid RRT credential with ongoing requirements.

Responsibilities

• Provide respiratory care per VHA standards and protocols.
• Perform assessments, pulmonary/ventilation management and related procedures.
• Collaborate with physicians and health care team to optimize patient outcomes.

Education

Respiratory care program accredited by CoARC

RRT credential

State licensure to practice as an RRT

Job description

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply. Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Basic Requirements

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• Education: Individuals must have successfully completed a respiratory care program accredited by the CoARC or its successor.
• Licensure: Persons appointed or reassigned to RRT positions in the GS-0601 series must possess and maintain for the duration of employment a full, current and unrestricted license from a state to practice as an RRT.
• Credential: Persons appointed or reassigned to RRT positions in the GS-0601 series must possess and maintain for the duration of employment a valid, current, unrestricted credential of RRT.
• Exception: RT positions will be designated only to individuals who are in the process of obtaining credentials to become an RRT. These individuals will only be hired on a temporary appointment as provided below. (a) VHA may waive the RRT credential requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified and pending completion of prerequisites for RRT credential. Individuals who have successfully completed a respiratory care program accredited by the CoARC or its successor, acquired the CRT credential, are fully licensed by their state and are working toward completion of their RRT credential may be given a temporary appointment as an RT. The temporary appointment is made under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7401(a)(1)(B) for a period not to exceed one year from date of employment. Candidates must hold an active, current, full and unrestricted RRT credential and be licensed to hold a position at or above the GS-07 level. 5 (b) RTs may only be temporarily appointed at the GS-05 level and may not be promoted/converted to a higher-level position as an RRT until the RRT credential is received. (c) RTs must provide care only under the close supervision of an RRT. (d) Temporary RT appointments may not be extended beyond one year or converted to a new temporary appointment.
• English Language Proficiency: RTs/RRTs appointed to direct patient-care positions must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).
• Grandfathering Provision: A Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) employed in VHA on the effective date of the qualification standard 06/12/2021 are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and licensure/certification/registration that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who did not meet all the basic requirements in this standard may not be promoted beyond the full performance level (GS-0601-11) or be newly placed in supervisory or managerial positions until meeting the full qualification requirements.

Grade Determinations

In addition to the basic requirements for employment in paragraph 3 above, all individuals referred and assigned to this occupation must meet all the qualification requirements and KSAs defined in the specific assignment as follows:

GS 05 Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT)

• Experience, None beyond the basic requirements.

GS 07 Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT)

Experience, Education, Licensure and Registration. In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must possess their RRT credential. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities.

GS 09: Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT)

Experience or Education, Licensure and Credential

• One year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-07 grade level demonstrating the clinical competencies described at that level; Clinical competencies include but are not limited to: Complete patient assessment through direct contact, chart review and other means as appropriate and share the information with health care team members; use accepted measuring/monitoring tools for determining plan of care; place nasal and oropharyngeal airway and perform nasal and tracheal suctioning; obtain, analyze and report arterial and venous blood gas samples; provide outpatient services, such as positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy, oxygen therapy and COPD care; OR
• A Master of Science degree in respiratory care AND a license AND an RRT credential.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities.

• Skill in performing therapeutic modalities related to respiratory care.
• Ability to collaboratively consult with physicians and other healthcare professionals to help provide favorable patient outcomes.
• Skill in assessing oxygenation and ventilation.
• Ability to perform airway management to include artificial airways and mechanical ventilation.

GS 11 Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT)

Experience, Licensure and Credential.

• One year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-09 grade level demonstrating the clinical competencies described at that level. Clinical competencies include but are not limited to: Obtain, interpret and analyze physiological specimens and data; consult with physicians and other healthcare professionals to ensure quality of patient care within area of specialty; manage and maintain the airway and ventilation of the patient through the use of appropriate mechanical means; assess and evaluate patients to determine and recommend intervention to develop and implement a plan of care, such as, implementing protocols, intubation, monitoring critical systems and uses advanced modes of ventilation; provide outpatient services such as home ventilators, PAP therapy, oxygen therapy and COPD care; AND
• Hold an active license and RRT credential.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities.

• Ability to collaboratively consult with physicians and other healthcare professionals for complex respiratory care to develop care plans to provide favorable patient outcomes.
• Skill in evaluating the efficacies of therapeutic modalities.
• Skill in performing advanced airway and ventilation management.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11.

The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-5 to GS-11.

Physical Standards:

See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.