Lead Registered Respiratory Therapist - Critical Care

The Lead Registered Respiratory Therapist is located in Patient Care Services, Critical Care at the Veteran Health Indiana at Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center. RRT's at this grade level work independently providing respiratory care mainly in the inpatient settings. They distribute work among employees and the provide clinical practice guidance for staff and assist with technical work problems.

Supervisory Controls:
The Lead Registered Respiratory Therapist works under the general supervision of the Service Chief who provides program goals and objectives. The Lead Therapist will review completed work for results achieved and for conformance to department policies and requirements. At this level the Chief places considerable reliance on the Leads knowledge of complex procedures, and completed work is evaluated for technical soundness, appropriateness and conformity to policy.

The following duties to include but not limited to for a Lead Registered Respiratory Therapist:

• The Lead Therapist is administratively responsible for the quality assurance activities, coordination of all educational and competency training as well as the day-to-day operation of the assigned shift.
• Demonstrate expert knowledge of respiratory therapy methods, equipment, and procedures. They must have the ability to assume responsibility, plan, organize, direct, coordinate and evaluate programs involving Respiratory Care.
• Oversee work of lower graded associates to achieve department and facility goals. He/she will also oversee staff development and learning, including competency training.
• Have a great deal of independence in performance of their duties. They will be the person in charge in the absence of the Chief or Assistant Chief and will have full responsibility to modify the workload to accomplish the assigned duties.
• Collect, review and evaluate relevant clinical data from the medical records, care team, patient and patient's family to ensure appropriate care when indicated.
• Capable of performing both basic and complex therapeutic procedures for adults and geriatric patients. Monitoring mechanically ventilated patients, assisting with bronchoscopy, interpreting clinical data, and analyzing arterial blood gases and acid-base balance.
• 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 care plan and/or patient status to other health care team members as appropriate. Additionally, the incumbent will make recommendations to providers regarding changes in treatment based upon patient observation and diagnostic test values.
• Provide effective and relevant education to the patient, family, students, and facility staff when appropriate.
• Perform both fundamental and advanced diagnostic procedures.
• Perform both emergency and acute Respiratory Care procedures in accordance with departmental guidelines and industry standards.
• Actively participate in departmental quality assurance and hospital organizational performance improvement. The Therapist will comply with all medical center policies and procedures regarding safety practices. The Therapist will demonstrate working knowledge of the appropriate safety protocols.
• Maintain clinical and professional competency based upon established standards of practice.
• Assembles, checks, and corrects malfunctions and performs quality controls on respiratory care equipment.
• Participate in in-service education pertaining to respiratory therapy, maintaining a close relationship with other disciplines and students who may rotate through the health care facility.
• Assigned a workload, however at a lesser amount than other assigned staff so that they are able to perform other duties that are required for the Lead position.
• Responsible for performing chart audits, monthly documentation submission and performing In-service education as necessary.
• Ability to assign personnel and tasks to be accomplished in a manner that assures completion of the workload. They will provide coverage in those areas that require continuous respiratory presence when the assigned staff are on breaks or lunch or must leave for any reason.
• Monitors department supplies and orders as needed. Checks supplies for expiration dates and ensures package integrity.
• Utilize VA systems to request repair and replacement of equipment through Information technology and Biomedical departments to ensure proper and timely replacement of supplies and/or repair of broken equipment and devices.
• Communicate with individuals of varying backgrounds to solve problems and provide conflict resolution.
• Recommend ways to improve patient care and operations through independent research and evaluation of new equipment and therapies

Work Schedule: Monday - Sunday, Six 12hr Shifts (1930-0800) and One 8hr Shift (1930-0400 or 2330-0800) on varying days.
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #:FS93121-0
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

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.
  • Loss of Licensure, Certification or Credentials. 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.
• 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)

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).

Grandfathering Provision. The following is the standard grandfathering policy for all hybrid title 38 qualification standards. Some of these provisions may not apply to this occupation. Please carefully review the qualification standard to determine the specific education, credential or certification requirements that apply to this occupation. All persons employed in VHA in this occupational series or in another occupational series and performing the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held, including positive education, credential or certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time 5 they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply:

• Employees in an occupation that does not require a licensure, certification or registration, may be reassigned, promoted or demoted within the occupation.
• Employees in an occupation that requires a licensure, certification or registration, may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance level or demoted within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the full performance level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.
• Employees in an occupation that requires a licensure, certification or registration only at higher grade levels must meet the licensure, certification or registration requirement before they can be promoted to those higher- grade levels.
• Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.
• Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure, certification or registration that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.
• If an employee who was retained in an occupation listed in 38 U.S.C. § 7401(3) under this provision leaves that occupation or employment with the VA, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation and/or VA.

Grade Determinations: All individuals assigned to this occupation must meet all the basic qualification requirements above in paragraph 4 a-g and all basic qualification requirements defined in the specific assignment. All positions must be designated in one of the approved title or parenthetical title, as described below and duties must meet the definition of the assignment:

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 the workload.
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: Management experience preferred and a minimum of 4 years of experience as a Registered Respiratory Therapist.

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.

Physical Requirements: Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

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.

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.