Lead Registered Respiratory Therapist

The Lead Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) position serves as a member of the Inpatient Respiratory Therapy Section within Specialty Care Service and is located at the Audie L. Murphy VAMC, in San Antonio, Texas. The Respiratory Therapy Section is responsible for providing the full range of clinical procedures related to respiratory therapy.

Services are rendered in collaboration with the ordering provider, either by specific orders, policy, or established protocol. These functions and responsibilities are supported by education and administrative oversight. Periodically, specific functions may change. The primary services include, but are not limited to:
-Make recommendations in the absence of the Chief or Assistant Chief and will have full responsibility to modify the workload to accomplish the assigned duties.
-Responsible for selecting and adapting equipment and techniques to individual patients to comply with the physician's instructions.
-Works independently and is expected to resolve staffing problems using appropriate guidelines for staffing.
-Reviews work performed on the units by conducting daily rounds to ensure compliance with established policies and procedures and to ensure technical accuracy and compliance with physician's instructions.
-Monitor Leave and Attendance for assigned team, taking special note of excessive leave and/or tardiness of team members and will report these to supervisor for review.
-Ensure work is distributed among employees in accordance with established workflow or job specialization.-Prepare work assignments for oncoming shift.
-Collect, review, and evaluate relevant clinical data from the medical records, care team, patient, and patient's family to ensure appropriate care when indicated, reporting to the supervisor any discrepancies noted.
-Capable of performing both basic and complex therapeutic procedures for adults and geriatric patients. May assist with bronchoscopy and percutaneous tracheotomies.
-Apply clinical expertise in such a manner as to upgrade patient care were indicated and assist the provider in formulating an appropriate respiratory care plan based upon patient assessment, history, lung auscultation, chest x-ray, pulse oximetry, etc.
-Communicate changes in the respiratory therapy plan and/or patient status to other health care team members as appropriate.
-Provide effective and relevant education to the patient, family, students, and facility staff when appropriate.
-Perform both fundamental and advanced diagnostic procedures.
-Perform emergency and acute respiratory therapy procedures in accordance with departmental guidelines and industry standards.
-Actively participate in departmental quality assurance and hospital organizational performance improvement.
-Maintain clinical and professional competencies based upon established standards of practice.
-Assembles, checks, and corrects malfunctions and performs quality controls on all respiratory care equipment.
-Participate with the in-service education pertaining to respiratory therapy; maintaining a close relationship with other disciplines and students who may rotate through the health care facility.
-Responsible to perform chart audits and monthly documentation submission, to include monthly encounters for assigned team.
-Attend and represent Respiratory Therapy at meetings, such as, Critical Care Committee, Patient Safety, and other meetings where presence and expertise of Respiratory Therapy is expected, or when supervisor is unable to attend.
-May assist in transport of patients on mechanical ventilation for procedures.

Work Schedule: Rotating Schedule 6:30p.m. to 7:00a.m., may include weekends and holidays
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 53067-F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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.
• Physical Standards. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.
• 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. 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:
Lead Registered Respiratory Therapist, GS-12.
Experience, Licensure and Credential. Candidates must:
i. Have one year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level demonstrating the clinical competencies described at that level. RRTs at this grade level in this assignment have experience demonstrating advanced practice skills and clinical judgment across many areas of respiratory care both inpatient and outpatient.
ii. Hold an active license and RRT credential.
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the requirements above, candidates must demonstrate all the following KSAs:
i. Ability to assign personnel and tasks to be accomplished in a manner that assures completion of theworkload.
ii. Ability to oversee and direct clinical guidance in a manner that assures completion of the workload.
iii. Ability to communicate with individuals of varying backgrounds to solve problems and provide conflict resolution.
iv. Ability to recommend uncommon or atypical interventions.
v. Ability to recommend ways to improve patient care and operations through independent research and evaluation of new equipment and therapies

Preferred Experience:
-Basic Life Support (BLS) certification and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certification
-Basic understanding and application of computer use to include Word, Excel, and medical charting software.
-Minimum 5 Years of clinical experience in application of all oxygen modalities including low flow and high flow systems, aerosol and nebulizer delivery systems, airway clearance modalities and proficiency in collection and interpretation of arterial blood gases.
-Registered Respiratory Therapist-Adult Critical Care Specialty (RRT-ACCS) credential
-Minimum 3 Years clinical experience in intensive care units. Able to safely and competently initiate and monitor various mechanical ventilators, portable transport ventilators, and must possess knowledge and experience in delivery of inhaled nitric oxide. Able to initiate application of CPAP and Noninvasive Positive Pressure Ventilation (NPPV) devices.
-Crew member in ground or critical care transport team or team member of hospital acute care rapid response team.
-Previous experience in team leader capacity with ability to lead and provide resolution to clinical issues from assigned staff. Able to distribute workload assignments appropriately and can work with minimal supervision.
-3 Years of emergency department clinical experience
-5 Years of clinical experience in care and management of artificial airways to include ability to perform complete tracheostomy care as well as knowledge with application of speaking valve on tracheostomy tube.

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-12.

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Accreditation Information: The degree must be fully accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC). Verification of accreditation may be made obtained from CoARC Website. Find an Accredited Program - CoARC - Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care

NOTE: If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application.

NOTE: If your school was accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) at the time of graduation but is no longer listed on the CoARC Website. Find an Accredited Program - CoARC - Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care, you must provide documentation of accreditation with your application packet.

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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• 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.
• Pre-Employment/Post-Employment Physical Examination: May be required, depending on the needs of the organization

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.