Registered Respiratory Therapist

Full Job Description

The Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) works independently providing respiratory care in both inpatient and/or outpatient settings.

The incumbent must be able to use data and patient assessment to establish appropriate plan of care and determine if outcomes are being 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.

Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f).

Education: Individuals must have successfully completed a respiratory care program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) or its successor.

Licensure: Persons appointed or reassigned to Registered Respiratory Therapist 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 a Registered Respiratory Therapist.

Credential: Persons appointed or reassigned to Registered Respiratory Therapist positions in the GS-0601 series must possess and maintain for the duration of employment a valid, current, unrestricted credential of Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) through National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC).

May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).

Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates: (KSAs must be clearly reflected in resume under description of duties in order to be found qualified for this position/grade level).

RRT, GS-11 Experience, Education, Licensure and Registration: Candidates must have: 1.

One (1) year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-09 grade level demonstrating the clinical competencies described at that level. 2. Hold an active license and RRT credential.

Demonstrate Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: 1.

Ability to collaboratively consult with physicians and other healthcare professionals for complex respiratory care to develop care plans to provide favorable patient outcomes. 2.

Skill in evaluating the efficacies of therapeutic modalities. 3.

Skill in performing advanced airway and ventilation management Preferred Experience: 2 years medical/surgical intensive care experience, & 2 years closed-loop ventilation management experience.

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.

Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with the work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation. see Duties section for essential job duties of the position.

May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, pulling, and pushing.

May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment.

Work Environment: Work is performed in an office/clinic setting with minimal risks that require normal safety precautions; the area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated.

However, the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations. Major Duties:

May perform emergency tracheal intubation. Is responsible for airway management during a cardiac or respiratory arrest. Assist with other aspects of CPR.

Responds to Code Blue's (CPR) and RRT Rapid Response Team calls.

Responds to all STAT calls regarding a patient's respiratory Status, making an assessment and providing emergency ventilatory and/or oxygenation support.

In collaboration with the physician: Initiates mechanical ventilation, selecting the equipment and settings relative to the patients needs based on assessment of the patient and physician orders.

This may also involve such modalities as high frequency ventilation, ASC, Spont PEEP/VS, DuoPAP, APVsimv, APRV and other stat of the are modalities or techniques.

Monitors mechanical ventilation via ABG results, chest auscultation, chest x-rays, bedside pulmonary functions, clinical observations and adjust parameters accordingly.

Maintains the patient on mechanical ventilation providing periodic checks, appropriate troubleshooting and equipment maintenance.

Removes patient from mechanical ventilation using appropriate monitoring and weaning techniques to determine the patient's ability to breathe spontaneously.

Airway management responsibilities to include suctioning, securing the airway, and other hygiene functions are shared with nursing personnel.

Other therapies include: Suctioning-nasotracheal and endotracheal Chest physiotherapy, VEST Therapy Administration of aerosolized pharmacological agents Assistance with the selection, placement, monitoring, cuff integrity and subsequent change of both endotracheal and tracheostomy tubes.

Administers and monitors oxygen to include High Flow Oxygen per policy and procedure manual.

Initiates hyperinflation therapies to include, but not limited to, acapella, incentive spirometry or other PAP therapies in accordance to physician's orders or protocol.

Performs Beside spirometry, ABG's, pulmonary mechanics, assists beside bronchoscope, sputum inductions, and HO2 set ups and education and needed.

Performs arterial blood gas punctures (radial/brachial, and femoral sticks with physician approval), analysis and report results, particularly critical values to physician and or primary nurse and may assist in the placement or drawing from indwelling arterial lines with proper certification and competencies.

Monitors/measures lung parameters such as (vital capacity, tidal volumes, negative inspiratory force, etc.) and recommends various forms of weaning procedures to the Attending Physician and house staff physician upon patient's critical status.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, alternating weekends, 6:45pm-7:15am and 10:45pm-7:15am, subject to change based on the needs of the facility.

Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 580-00450-F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized