Registered Respiratory Therapist

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply.

The incumbent works in the Respiratory Department, under the supervision of the Supervisor, Respiratory Care Services at the Alexandria VA Healthcare System.

Duties include, but not limited to:

• Serve on the Referral Coordination Team (RCT) and be responsible for reviewing all Sleep Study & Sleep Medicine consults for necessity and home sleep testing eligibility.
• Responsible for the independent evaluation of patients being treated for sleep disordered breathing. This requires an expert understanding of the variety of modalities used, including but not limited to CPAP, BiPAP (including non-invasive ventilation), non-PAP home ventilators, Mandibular Advancement Devices, positioning devices, and surgical treatments. Recognition of concomitant sleep disorders such as insomnia is necessary to identify barriers to successful treatment and to facilitate care coordination with sleep physicians, nurse practitioners, or sleep psychologists for follow up.
• Demonstrate proficiency in accessing data from patient PAP devices to analyze breath by breath flow or aggregate adherence and efficacy data to improve quality of sleep care being provided. Understanding of how to change settings on enabled devices remotely if required.
• Able to trouble shoot common reasons for PAP intolerance, including assessing chronic rhinitis, poor mask fit, claustrophobia, and perform appropriate interventions such as mask fittings, humidification system adjustments, pressure adjustments (with MD or physician extender approval).
• Education of patients and family members on sleep breathing disorders.
• Serve as the program expert and train Sleep RT and MIT staff on delivery of virtual CPAP and home sleep testing care.
• Recognition of the need for medical intervention if patient safety is at risk.
• Be responsive to and address all patient complaints related to sleep services. Where system issues are identified work with supervisor on correcting these barriers to care.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm (subject to change based on facility needs)
Telework: Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 00929F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact raja.kadeem@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): 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.

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:

Registered Respiratory Therapist

Experience, Licensure and Credential. Candidates must have:

• One year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level demonstrating the clinical competencies described at that level.
• Hold an active license and RRT credential.

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

• Knowledge of complex pulmonary function testing and stress/exercise testing.
• Ability to maintain a quality control program related to pulmonary function testing.
• Ability to treat acute complications for all pulmonary function testing.
• Skill in performing polysomnographic studies to include obtaining both physiologic and diagnostic data.
• Skill in calibrating and troubleshooting polysomnographic equipment and physiologic and diagnostic monitoring.

Preferred Experience: One year of home sleep 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-12.

Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with 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, puling, 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 requires 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.

• 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.