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Registered Respiratory Therapist

Veterans Health Administration · Department of Veterans Affairs

Open to the publicPermanentFull-timeClosed
Location
Indianapolis, IN
Salary
$75,374 – $97,991/yr
Pay grade
GS 11
Openings
1
Posted
Jun 16, 2026
Closes
Closed Jun 23, 2026

Summary

The incumbent serves as the Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) for Veteran Health Indiana at Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center within Patient Care Services. This assignment is full performance level. RRT's at this grade level work independently providing respiratory care in outpatient and inpatient settings. Respiratory therapy professionals frequently collaborate with specialists in medicine, pulmonology, cardiology, and anesthesiology.



Duties

The incumbent demonstrates the knowledge and ability to successfully perform the following duties within the scope of Respiratory Care.
A Respiratory Therapist may perform other duties, both major and minor, including but not limited to:
  • Has the skills in performing advanced airway and ventilation management.
  • Determine and implement complex respiratory care such as protocols, respiratory modalities, bronchoscopy, medications or supplemental oxygen and intubation.
  • Provide outpatient services such as home ventilators, PAP therapy, oxygen therapy and COPD care.
  • Administer respiratory medications including, but not limited to, nebulized medications, metered dose inhalers, dry powder inhalers, etc. and understand the adverse reactions and dosages.
  • Performs oxygen therapy utilizing all available devices used to deliver oxygen.
  • Responds to Code Blue - Provides CPR and oxygen needed to patients during cardiac and/or respiratory emergencies. Assists with transporting patients to appropriate care areas. Assists MD in intubation by providing the ET tube, suction, cricoid pressure, ETCO2 indicator, etc.
  • Responds to Rapid Response Team (RRT)-Actively participates in assessing the patient's condition. Assists with patients' O2 requirements and transport.
  • Responds to Nursing Alerts- Actively participates in assessing the patient's condition. Assists with patients' O2 requirements and transport.
  • Participates with medical and nursing staff in treatment planning for patients with respiratory needs. This includes making recommendations to physicians regarding alterations in treatment plans.
  • Responsible for assessing the respiratory status of patients by observing pulse rate, observing respiratory rate, auscultation of breath sounds, monitoring SpO2, and interpretation of blood gas results.
  • Actively participates in departmental quality assurance and hospital-wide organizational performance improvement activities.
  • May lead projects developing new policies, procedures, or protocols.
  • Cleans, assembles, calibrates, and monitors complex respiratory/diagnostic equipment, including but not limited to ventilators, CPAP/BIPAP machines, transport ventilators, bedside spirometers, percussors, oximeters, and assisted-cough devices, AirVo's and Nitric machines.
  • Must be proficient and demonstrate competency and the ability to either set up or reprocess reusable medical equipment as applicable for all equipment for which you have been trained.
  • Draws arterial blood samples and recommends potential changes in patient care plans, based on results. Can report and make recommendations of venous blood gas results.
  • Documents patient care and/or procedures performed accurately in the computerized medical record system, on worksheets, and/or in logs as required.
  • Assists in bronchoscopy and other complex respiratory procedures.
  • Performs and/or assists physicians with testing and studies, including but not limited to oxygen saturation, end tidal/expiratory carbon dioxide, bedside spirometry, nocturnal oximetry, intubations, extubations, and therapeutic/diagnostic bronchoscopies and weaning parameters.
  • Assesses the effectiveness of ventilation management including management of care of patient on CPAP/BiPAP, and developing plans for and implementing therapies, and techniques used to liberate patients from mechanical ventilation.
  • Understand the advantages and limitations of each type of Respiratory Therapy equipment and can speak about its use and therapeutic technique
  • Educates and trains new respiratory staff, students, and members of the patient healthcare team.
  • Serves as a preceptor to lower graded staff.
  • Educates patients on proper use of respiratory therapy treatments, including but not limited to nebulizers, CPAP/BIPAP machines, Incentive Spirometry, etc.
  • Perform airway management to tracheal and endotracheal tubes.
Work Schedule:
  • Variable days with 8 hours with shifts between 7:30am - 4:00pm or 11:30am - 8:00pm, depending on service needs
  • Alternating weekends (every other)
  • Rotating Holidays
Compressed/Flexible: Compressed Work Schedule: 6 shifts 0730-2000, 1 shift 0730-1600 or 1130-2000
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement: #91349-A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Qualifications

Basic Requirements: To qualify for appointment as an RRT, all applicants must possess the following:
  • Citizenship. Citizen of the United States (U.S.). Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3,section A, paragraph 3g, of this part. See 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a) for more information.
  • 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-0601series 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.
Grade Determinations: GS-11

Experience, Licensure and Credential: Candidates must have:
  • One year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-09 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 all the following KSAs:
  • Ability to collaboratively consult with physicians and other healthcare professionals for complex respiratory care to develop care plans to provide favorable patient outcomes.
  • Skill in evaluating the efficacies of therapeutic modalities.
  • Skill in performing advanced airway and ventilation management.
Preferred Experience: Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT)

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

Physical Requirements: The respiratory therapist is expected to be able to move, lift, bend, and stoop while performing duties with equipment, supplies, and patients. Respiratory therapists must demonstrate the ability to handle stressful, challenging situations in a positive manner.

Education

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/.

Requirements

  • 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.
  • You may be required to serve a trial period.
  • 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 examination.
  • Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 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.

This vacancy has closed

This posting closed on Jun 23, 2026 and is kept for reference. Browse current other health roles openings below, or see all open roles.

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