Respiratory Therapist

Full Job Description

About the Position: This position falls under Defense Health Agency at Camp Lejeune. This is a Direct Hire Solicitation Incentives may be authorized for new employees.

Who May Apply: US Citizens In order to qualify, you must meet the experience and/or education requirements described below.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student; social).

You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application.

Additional information about transcripts is in this document.

Basic Requirement: Making regular rounds on hospital nursing units to review or collect clinical data to insure that the respiratory equipment is operating properly and in compliance with physicians' orders.

Transporting, setting up, or testing the operation of and changing simple oxygen administering devices, e.g., masks and nasal cannulas with cylinder or centralized medical gas systems.

Disassembling, cleaning, assembling, and sterilizing reusable respiratory equipment such as oxygen analyzers and regulators, including recognizing and reporting variations from expected results.

Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes evaluating respiratory therapy patients, and setting up, operating, or maintaining respiratory therapy equipment.

This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-05).

OR Education: One year of graduate level education in a field directly related to the work of the position, such as Respiratory Therapy.

OR Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%.

To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12.

Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the first year (total semester hours minus 18) by 9. Add the two percentages. Major Duties:

• As a senior respiratory therapist, the incumbent serves as the therapist in charge of various critical care units to which assigned and will be held responsible for providing treatment to seriously ill patient and emergency conditions.
• The incumbent is responsible for providing respiratory care throughout all areas of assignment including, but not limited to, multi-service wards, Adult, Pediatric, and Neonatal Intensive Care Units, Emergency Department, Level II Trauma Center.
• Incumbent initiates, conducts, modifies, and assists with emergency therapy techniques for airway maintenance including cardiopulmonary resuscitation to avoid patient decline or demise.
• The incumbent provides innovative and adaptive approaches in the use of respiratory therapy devices and therapies when standardized items or techniques cannot be used.
• The incumbent serves as the first assistant in bronchoscopy. Demonstrates understanding of all facets of bronchoscopy procedures, including function and maintenance of the bronchoscope and associated tools, and suction equipment.
• The incumbent participates in multidisciplinary critical care rounds, offering technical expertise on respiratory support devices, patients management for respiratory illness, and established respiratory care policies and procedures.
• The incumbent provides comprehensive airway and tube care to ICU patients, tracheostomy site care, endotracheal and tracheostomy changes, monitors cuff pressures, ensures ventilator and equipment function, and performs tracheobronchial suctioning.
• The Respiratory Therapist will serve as an advisor/technical resource for established polices/procedures for respiratory care. The medical personnel rely upon the therapist’s knowledge of capabilities and limitations of the respiratory equipment.
• The therapist independently makes recommendations to the physician regarding alternatives or modifications to treatment.
• The incumbent, under the technical director’s auspices, serves as preceptor to new respiratory staff and will train other personnel as needed on respiratory treatments, medications, equipment, and safety protocols.
• Adheres to all guidelines at the departmental level government and accrediting agencies regulation including Joint Commission standards, Medical Inspector General (IG) standards, and College of American Pathology (CAP).
• The Therapist will be responsible for verifying/reviewing ventilator and respiratory therapy orders. Uses critical thinking skills to determine what procedure and equipment is necessary during active respiratory failure and lifesaving situations.