Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. This announcement is open to current permanent Federal employees of other agencies, Veterans, and the Public. Applicants will be referred in the following order: 1. Current permanent employees of other Federal agencies. 2. Veterans 3. The Public - US Citizens.

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Functions or Scope of Assigned Duties include but are not limited to:

• Personnel Functions. Incumbent will work with the Chief of Respiratory Care Services and the Administrative Specialist (SAS), who is under DHSM to complete the following:
  • Keep track of time and attendance of staff members. Schedule and review employee leave requests including formal requests for training. Periodically review job descriptions. Counsel employees on issues that cannot be solved at a lower level. Take informal or formal corrective action on conduct or performance issues. Initiate proposals for disciplinary actions where needed. Work with union Stewards and EEO Counselors when required. Assist with conduct staff meetings on a regular recurring basis. Ensure all accident and incident reports for assigned employees are submitted.
  • Assist in the preparation of formal requests for filling vacancies, promotions, details, etc. Plan staffing needs and interview and select new employees. Orient new employees to respiratory therapy and pulmonary diagnostic services.
  • Document and assure equipment and procedure competency annually. Support development and evaluation of quality assurance program.
  • Incumbent is responsible for furthering the goals of equal employment opportunity (EEO) by adhering to nondiscriminatory employment practices regarding race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, or handicap.
  • Incumbent will work with the SAS and Chief of Respiratory Care Services to ensure all clinical practice within the department meets Joint Commission standards. Incumbents will work with the SAS to ensure that patient scheduling practices meet VHA criteria for privacy, timeliness, and documentation.
• The incumbent will serve as a voting or Ad Hoc member in the following committees: Cardiopulmonary, Critical Care, Infection Control, Commodity Standards, Home Care Advisory board, Home Oxygen/DME, BCMA, and Community Nursing Home/Non-Institutional Care.
• The incumbent will monitor compliance with all Joint Commission requirements for his/her areas which include coordinating Fire Safety, Infection Control, Blood Borne Pathogens, Chemical Hazards, CPR, education documentation, patient confidentiality, employee orientation, and employee competency.
• The incumbent will assist with the clinical coordination of the Home Oxygen program, which includes inpatient to outpatient transition through Medical Center Protocol, home visits, and the interdisciplinary process with the Vendor
• The incumbent makes recommendations and implements changes in the Respiratory Therapy and Pulmonary Diagnostic Services to improve services and patient care.
• The incumbent will assist with overseeing and explaining the requirements for Respiratory Therapy and Pulmonary Diagnostic Services procedures. He/she resolves technical work problems with the aid of references, such as manuals, troubleshooting guides, and other reference sources.
• The incumbent will assist with updating manuals, procedures and policies, which will keep Respiratory Therapy and Pulmonary Diagnostic Services up to date.
• The incumbent will ensure supervisors and other employees are informed of all matters that affect them such as changes in policies and procedures or need for additional staff or equipment.
• The incumbent will prepare formal evaluations of performance of employees under his/her supervision.
• The incumbent will direct or delegate the planning and implementing of effective educational programs for in-services, orientation, continuing education, and other personnel training in Respiratory Therapy and Pulmonary Diagnostic Services.
• The incumbent deals with the Union Steward and others where applicable on personnel matters.
• The incumbent will audit Respiratory Care Services, Home Oxygen Program, and Pulmonary Diagnostic Services, and initiate or recommend changes when indicated.
• The incumbent oversees the training of Respiratory Therapy and Pulmonary Diagnostic Services, and, medical students, house staff, nursing staff, other Medical Center personnel, and patients.
• The incumbent, when working with patients, will provide care based on physical, psychosocial, educational, safety, and related criteria, appropriate to the patients served in his/her assigned area (i.e. adult and geriatric patient populations) and involve family/significant others in decision making related to plan of care. The knowledge, abilities, and skills needed to provide such care will be refined through continuing education, training, and experience.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm.
Telework: Ad-hoc only and based on agency policy, not regular or reoccurring.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized.
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized.

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 evaluation.
• 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

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.

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).Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment above, all individuals referred and assigned to this occupation must meet all the qualification requirements and KSAs defined in the specific assignment as follows:

• Supervisory Registered Respiratory Therapist, GS-13.
  • Experience, Licensure and Credential. Candidates must:
    • Have one year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level demonstrating the clinical competencies described at that level. It is highly desirable that the candidate possess certification in one or more functional specialties.
    • 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 supervise employees.
    • Ability to assist in establishing a completely integrated program.
    • Skill in recommending improvements to operations, including new and emerging procedures based on evaluation of data.
    • Ability to forecast resource needs and to manage fiscal matters.
    • Skill in problem solving including conflict resolution.
    • Ability to communicate effectively and professionally with employees at varying levels of background.
    • Knowledge of complex and non-standard examinations, treatments, procedures and techniques.

Preferred Experience:

• One year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-13 grade level demonstrating the clinical competencies described at that level.
• It is highly desirable that the candidate possess certification in one or more functional specialties: critical care, pulmonary, education, and sleep medicine.
• Prior supervisory experience preferred.
• Minimum of 5 years' experience at a high acuity medical center required.

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-13.

How you will be evaluated

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

What are KSAs?
In the federal hiring process, Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) are a list of special qualifications and personal attributes that you need to have for a particular job/grade level (see Qualifications section of this announcement).

• Knowledge statements refer to an organized body of information usually of a factual or procedural nature which, if applied, makes adequate performance on the job possible. A body of information applied directly to the performance of a function. Skill statements refer to the proficient manual, verbal or mental manipulation of data or things.
• Skills can be readily measured by a performance test where quantity and quality of performance are tested, usually within an established time limit.
• Ability statements refer to the power to perform an observable activity at the present time. This means that abilities have been evidenced through activities or behaviors that are similar to those required on the job. Note that abilities are different from aptitudes. Aptitude is only the potential for performing the activity.

Although not required at the time of application, we highly recommend submitting a supplemental document with your written responses to the KSAs required at each grade level you wish to be considered. If you choose not to submit KSA responses, please ensure your resume includes details of your experience that fully demonstrate the required KSAs as described in the "Qualifications" section of this announcement.

5 Tips for Writing a Federal Resume - FederalPay.org (https://www.federalpay.org/articles/5-tips-for-writing-a-federal-resume)

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.