Registered Respiratory Therapist

<p>Respiratory Therapists function as members of the medical team in treating and assessing the needs of individuals who may be seriously ill and provide around the clock care to individuals who otherwise would not be able to survive life-threatening conditions.</p><h3>Major Duties</h3><p>RRTs at this grade level will be responsible for the following assignments with minimal clinical supervision from an RRT at the full performance level in both inpatient and/or outpatient settings. - Completes patient assessment through direct contact, chart review and other means as appropriate and share the information with health care team members. - Uses accepted measuring/monitoring tools for determining plan of care. - Performs duties in the critical area with close supervision to include in- line suctioning, re-positioning and securing endotracheal tube, bag valve mask ventilation, assisting in patient transport and performing patient ventilator assessment. - Provides outpatient services, such as positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy, oxygen therapy and COPD care. - Routinely administers prescribed treatments and therapy - Fully demonstrates competencies in initiating, monitoring, and documenting all modes of mechanical ventilation including NIPPV. - Provides airway care for all patients throughout the medical center including assisting with emergency intubation, nasal and endotracheal tube suctioning, and securing endotracheal tubes. - Maintains competencies in out of operating room airway management and follows most current out of operating room airway management facility memorandum. - Immediately responds to meet the need of patients requiring cardiopulmonary resucitation - Maintains basic life support credentials. - Completes barcode medication adminstration in accordance with department policies and procedures. - Routinely measures plateau pressure, cuff pressures, response to therapies, pulmonary mechanics, auto- PEEP, weaning parameters, RSBI, peak expiratory flow rate, and pulse oximetry, on mechanically ventilated patients. - Actively collaborates with physicians, nurses, and other staff, to develop plans of care - Is knowledgeable of universal precautions and sterilization techniques and ability to follow CDC guidelines in cleaning equipment as appropriate. - Interprets request from physician for appropriateness of requested procedure. Receives assignment(s) that require application of standard procedures or that have special procedures identified and explained. - Carries out the appropriate request made by practitioners or seeks assistance of respiratory therapy supervision, when an uncommon, unique or new procedure is requested. - Is knowledgeable of electronic medical record (EMR) and can use the record to access pertinent patient information as needed. - Consult discrepancies are noted and acted upon as they are received. Corrective action is taken as per policies and procedures. - Completes all procedure requests in a timely manner. - Keeps current with changes in policies and procedures and utilizes reference material and other resources to resolve problems. - Notifies supervisor, in accordance with policies and procedures, of any problems that cannot be resolved by conventional means. - Operates and maintains diagnostic medical equipment to perform standard and routine highly specialized procedures related to respiratory therapy. - Associates clinical status with normal and abnormal values in accordance with basic standards. - Recommends modifications to correct abnormal results, if applicable. - Immediately calls and properly documents all critical results to appropriate personnel in accordance with policies and procedures enabling clinical intervention as soon as possible. - Follows established policies and procedures when assembling, identifying, calibrating and troubleshooting equipment. - Uses supplies and equipment according to manufacturer's specifications, and as per departmental policies and procedures. - Maintains all administrative and clinical compentencies. - Completes all required hospital mandatory training within established time frames to meet organizational and departmental mission and goals. Performs other related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday 6:00am - 4:30pm and every other weekend, and 130p-12a Monday through Friday and every other weekend Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 21N23-A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized</p><h3>Requirements</h3>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 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). 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.<h3>Education</h3>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/.