Clarification from the agency

This job is open to current permanent federal employees. Eligible applications will be reviewed and referred in the following order: 1. Current permanent employees of the Providence facility. 2. Current permanent VA employees of the VISN. 3. All other VA employees. 4. Current permanent Federal employees of other agencies. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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The incumbent serves as a member of the Respiratory Therapy Section at the Providence VA Healthcare System. The Respiratory Therapy subsection is responsible for providing the full range of clinical procedures related to respiratory care. Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Administers treatment to ambulatory, non-ambulatory and critically ill patients in the inpatient and outpatient setting;
• Completes patient assessment through direct contact, chart review and other means as appropriate and shares the information with health care team members;
• Uses accepted measuring/monitoring tools for determining plan of care;
• Places nasal and oropharyngeal airway and performs nasal and tracheal suctioning;
• Obtains, analyzes and reports arterial and venous blood gas samples;
• Performs duties in the critical area to include: in- line suctioning, re-positioning, and securing Endo Tracheal tube, bag valve mask ventilation;
• Assists in patient transport and performing patient ventilator assessment;
• Performs pulmonary function testing;
• Provides outpatient services, such as positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy, oxygen therapy and COPD care; and
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Work schedule is intermittent and varies. Tour of duty will be discussed during the interview process.
Telework: Not available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: F07788, F02863, F02864, F02865
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized.
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized.

Notifications:

• Veterans' preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees.
• Narrative responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) may be required from the selectee in order to proceed with the appointment.
• Current and former Federal employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50, (Notice of Personnel Action). The SF-50 must identify the position title, series, grade, step, tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted). In some cases, more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held.
• This is a LIUNA Bargaining Unit position.
• This position is covered by locality-based comparability pay.

Conditions of employment

• 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.

Qualifications

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.
  • Exception. RT positions will be designated only to individuals who are in the process of obtaining credentials to become an RRT. These individuals will only be hired on a temporary appointment as provided below.
    • VHA may waive the RRT credential requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified and pending completion of prerequisites for RRT credential. Individuals who have successfully completed a respiratory care program accredited by the CoARC or its successor, acquired the CRT credential, are fully licensed by their state and are working toward completion of their RRT credential may be given a temporary appointment as an RT. The temporary appointment is made under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7401(a)(1)(B) for a period not to exceed one year from date of employment. Candidates must hold an active, current, full and unrestricted RRT credential and be licensed to hold a position at or above the GS-07 level
    • RTs may only be temporarily appointed at the GS-05 level and may not be promoted/converted to a higher-level position as an RRT until the RRT credential is received.
    • RTs must provide care only under the close supervision of an RRT.
    • Temporary RT appointments may not be extended beyond one year or converted to a new temporary appointment
• 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: In addition to the basic requirements for employment in paragraph 3 above, all individuals referred and assigned to this occupation must meet all the qualification requirements and KSAs defined in the specific assignment as follows:

Respiratory Therapist, GS-05.
(a) Experience. None beyond the basic requirements.
(b) Education and Licensure. This level assignment is designated as temporary under paragraph 4d(1) above for individuals who have successfully completed a respiratory care program accredited by the CoARC or its successor, acquired the CRT credential, licensed by their state and are working towards obtaining RRT credential.

Registered Respiratory Therapist, GS-07.
(a) Experience, Licensure and Credential. Candidates must have:

• 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:

• Ability to perform therapeutic modalities related to respiratory care
• Skill in analyzing physiological specimens obtained to include arterial blood gases, pulse oximetry, End tidal Co2 (ETCo2) monitoring, basic spirometry and other basic diagnostic procedures.
• Ability to collaboratively consult with physicians and other healthcare professionals for respiratory care to help provide favorable patient outcomes.
• Skill in assessing oxygenation and ventilation.
• Ability to perform basic airway management to include artificial airways and mechanical ventilation.

Registered Respiratory Therapist, GS-09.
(a) Experience or Education, Licensure and Credential. Candidates must have:

• One year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-07 grade level demonstrating the clinical competencies described at that level
• Hold an active license and RRT credential.

OR

• A Master of Science degree in respiratory care and 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:

• Skill in performing therapeutic modalities related to respiratory care.
• Ability to collaboratively consult with physicians and other healthcare professionals to help provide favorable patient outcomes.
• Skill in assessing oxygenation and ventilation.
• Ability to perform airway management to include artificial airways and mechanical ventilation.

Registered Respiratory Therapist, GS-11.
(a) 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.

(b) 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.

References: FORMER VA HANDBOOK REFERENCE: PART II APPENDIX G11 EFFECTIVE DATE: March 12, 2021 REGISTERED RESPIRATORY THERAPIST QUALIFICATION STANDARD GS-0601

Preferred Experience:

• 2 or more years of Pulmonary Function Testing (PFT)
• CPFT
• RPFT

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-5 to GS-11.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

Resume Reminder: Your resume must include the following information each job listed:
1. Job title
2. Duties (be as detailed as possible)
3. Month & year start/end dates (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008)
4. Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week).

Please be aware that your answers will be verified against information provided on your résumé. Be sure that your résumé clearly supports your responses to all of the questions by addressing your work experience in detail.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.