Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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This position provides VA Northern California Health Care System (VANCHCS) Geriatric and Extended Care (GEC) with Respiratory Therapy functions specific to Home Based Primary Care(HBPC), which includes the Home Oxygen Program, bedside spirometry, BiPAP/CPAP and home ventilators and other respiratory related Durable Medical Equipment (DME) in the patient's home.
The respiratory therapist is a key team member in caring for Veterans with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).


Major duties include, but are not limited to the following:

• Drive to patient homes (home visits) to evaluate compliance, environment and safety per VA requirements.
• Perform home visits to all ALS patients who live in the catchment area.
• Plan the driving route for home visits for maximal efficiency and patient satisfaction.
• Keep accurate patient lists as per HBPC Standard Operating Procedures (SOP).
• Perform home Oxygen Program
• Perform bedside Spirometry and Negative Inspiratory Force (NIF)
• Instrument calibration.
• Spirometry with and without bronchodilator evaluation.
• Perform NIF/MIP/MEP.
• Perform peak flow.
• Calculate the results of the above pulmonary function tests.
• Entry of Pulmonary Function Testing data for pulmonary physician interpretation into the patient's electronic medical record.
• Evaluates patient reactions and data and makes decisions on what actions to take to remedy difficulties to improve accuracy of techniques or to control or compensate for adverse reactions.
• Verify that BiPAP/CPAP and ventilator equipment is in working order.
• Notifies vendors of any equipment issues while always ensuring patient safety.
• Notifies vendor of needed replacement units or supplies.
• Enter electronic patient data, documenting all procedures performed.
• Administers a variety of therapeutic respiratory therapy treatments.
• Performs bedside diagnostic tests to assess the respiratory status of patients.
• The RRT provides regular on-going in home quality oversight of the VA contracted provider and coordinates with the VA contracting officer if deficiencies are detected.
  

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.
• 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).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

• 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.

Qualifications

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:
1. United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
2. English Language Proficiency: Registered Respiratory Therapists appointed to direct patient-care positions must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).
3. Education: Individuals must have successfully completed a respiratory care program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) or its successor.
4. Licensure: Persons appointed or reassigned to Registered Respiratory Therapist (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.
5. Credential: Persons appointed or reassigned to Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) positions in the GS-0601 series must possess and maintain for the duration of employment a valid, current, unrestricted credential of RRT. (RRT. Upon graduation from an accredited program, RTs are eligible to take a national examination and upon passing, the individual is granted the credential of RRT by the National Board for Respiratory Care.)

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).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 they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply:

1. Employees in an occupation that does not require a licensure, certification or registration, may be reassigned, promoted or demoted within the occupation.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.

• 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.

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.

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.