Registered Respiratory Therapist

This Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) position is in the Specialty Care department at the VA Maine Healthcare System (Togus).

Major duties may include but are not limited to:

• Initiate and manage invasive and non-invasive ventilation modalities.
• Initiate RT driven protocols to determine appropriate therapy for medication management, lung expansion, pulmonary hygiene, oxygen therapy, and ventilation.
• Suggest alternate modes of treatment where indicated based on assessment and analysis of patient response to treatment. RRTs at this grade level may perform invasive arterial blood gas (ABG) procedures.
• Document and complete consults, encounters, and notes in the Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS), Bar Code Medication Administration (BCMA), and CliniComp platform accurately and promptly.
• Demonstrate knowledge and skill in outpatient respiratory testing and therapies such as home ventilation devices, EBUS/bronchoscopy, pulmonary function tests (PFT), nocturnal desaturation/overnight oximetry, outpatient sleep apnea studies (HST), and chronic respiratory disease. management.
• Perform consistently with safe equipment and practice standards to include reprocessing of reusable medical equipment.
• Use data and patient assessment to establish appropriate plan of care and determine if outcomes are being met.
• Consult with physicians and other healthcare professionals to ensure quality of patient care within area of specialty.
• Determine and implement complex respiratory care such as protocols, respiratory modalities, bronchoscopy, medications or supplemental oxygen and intubation.
• Use advanced modes of ventilation and outpatient services, such as home ventilators and COPD case management

Work Schedule: Variable tour of duty
Telework: Not available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: F02865
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases. When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).
Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year).
Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.
Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA.
Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement).

Note:

• This position is a AFGE Bargaining Unit position.
• This position is covered by locality-based comparability pay.
• Narrative responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) may be required from the selectee in order to proceed with the appointment.
• This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until 12/31/2026. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be 03/20/2026, with subsequent cut-off dates bi-weekly. Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as-needed basis until positions are filled.

COVERAGE. The following are the requirements for appointment and advancement as a Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT), GS-0601, in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). RRTs in VHA perform or supervise work concerned with administering respiratory care and life support to patients with cardiopulmonary deficiencies, diseases and abnormalities.

BASIC REQUIREMENTS. To qualify for appointment as an RRT, all applicants must possess the following:

a. Citizenship. Citizen of the United States (U.S.).

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

c. 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 a RRT.

d. 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. An employee in this occupation, who fails to maintain the required certifications, RRT credential or license must be removed from the occupation, which may also result in the termination of employment. Once credentialed, licensed or certified, RTs/RRTs must maintain a full, valid and unrestricted license, credential and certification to practice respiratory care.

e. 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).

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

Registered Respiratory Therapist, GS-11.

(a) Experience, Licensure and Credential. Candidates must have:

i. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-09 grade level demonstrating the clinical competencies described at that level.

ii. Hold an active license and RRT credential.

(b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the requirements above, candidates must demonstrate all the following KSAs:

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

ii. Skill in evaluating the efficacies of therapeutic modalities.

iii. Skill in performing advanced airway and ventilation management.

(c) Assignments. This assignment is the full performance level. RRTs at this grade level work independently providing respiratory care in both inpatient and/or outpatient settings. The specific assignments are dependent on facility structure and complexity levels. They use data and patient assessment to establish appropriate plan of care and determine if outcomes are being met. They consult with physicians and other healthcare professionals to ensure quality of patient care within area of specialty. They manage and maintain the airway and ventilation of the patient using appropriate mechanical means. RRTs determine and implement complex respiratory care such as protocols, respiratory modalities, bronchoscopy, medications or supplemental oxygen and intubation. They monitor critical systems. They use advanced modes of ventilation and outpatient services, such as home ventilators and COPD case management. RRTs suggest alternate modes of treatment where indicated based on assessment and analysis of patient response to treatment. RRTs at this grade level may perform invasive procedures such as arterial line placement. They serve as a preceptor to lower graded staff. They may lead projects developing new policies, procedures or protocols.

Preferred Experience: Working in a sleep apnea clinic

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

Former VA Handbook Reference: PART II APPENDIX G11

Effective Date: March 12, 2021

Physical Requirements: The work involves regular and recurring experience to moderate risks and discomforts that require special safety and health precautions. Work is typically performed in a clinical setting that exposes incumbents to biohazards, hazardous chemicals and hazardous medications common in a healthcare environments. Such exposure will be mitigated in accordance with local policies and operating procedures as per USP800 standards, OSHA guidance and local risk assessment practices. Standard safety precautions and personal protective equipment are required and specified per local policies.

Definitions:

a. Journey Level. The full performance level for this qualification standard is the GS-11 grade level.

b. Creditable Experience. Experience is only creditable if credentialed as a RRT, the experience is in respiratory care, pulmonary function testing or polysomnography and directly related to the position being filled. To be creditable, the candidate's experience must have demonstrated the use of knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA) associated with current practice in paid employment as a RRT.

c. Part-Time Experience. Part-time experience is credited according to its relationship to the full-time workweek (e.g., a RRT who worked 20 hours a week would receive one full-time workweek of credit for each two weeks of service).

d. Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC). The accrediting body for respiratory programs at colleges and universities.

e. National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC). The credentialing body to vet and administer tests and award the credentials to become a RRT.

f. License. Licensing within the respiratory occupation is outside of the credentialing process. Those who have obtained their degree from an accredited program in respiratory care and hold a RRT credential may be granted a license from a state.

g. RRT Credential. Upon graduation from an accredited program, RTs are eligible to take a national examination and upon passing, the individual is granted the credential of RRT by the NBRC.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.