These positions will be filled by Registered Respiratory Therapists that function above the full performance level.To qualify, each will be required to be a Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) recognized by the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) or from another recognized credentialing equivalent, hold a valid state license as an RRT, and have a current certificate from the NBRC as a Certified Pulmonary Function Technician or a Registered Pulmonary Function Technician.

Duties

Participates in complex processes related to patient care in the primary care setting under supervision of a Provider and provide in-depth management and care in the Chronic Disease Management Clinics, providing specific and personalized education, self-management, severity screening, self-management plans, and prevention measure of disease progression. The major functions of a Full Performance Registered Respiratory Therapist include but are not limited to the following and require the employee, with or without reasonable accommodations, be able to: Collection of Diagnostic Information Pulmonary Function Technology - Performs basic spirometry, compares and evaluates indications and contraindications for advanced pulmonary function tests Sleep - Compare and evaluate the indications and contraindications for sleep studies, explain results in relation to types of respiratory sleep disorders Disease Management Management of Chronic Diseases - Understand the etiology, anatomy, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of cardiopulmonary diseases (e.g., asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and comorbidities, communicate and educate to empower and engage patients, develop, administer, and re-evaluate patient care plans to improve treatment Management of Acute Diseases - Develop, administer, evaluate, and modify respiratory care plans in the acute-care setting, using evidence-based medicine, protocols, and clinical practice guidelines, communicate and educate to empower and engage patients, develop, administer, and re-evaluate patient care plans to improve cardiopulmonary disease treatment Evidence-Based Medicine and Respiratory Care Protocols Evidence -Based Medicine - Retrieve credible sources of evidence, critique published research, explain the meaning of general statistical tests, and apply evidence-based medicine Respiratory Care Protocols - Explain the use of evidence-based medicine in the development and application of hospital- based respiratory care protocols, and evaluate and treat patients in a variety of settings, using the appropriate protocols Patient Assessment

Requirements

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: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. 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). 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. 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. Grade Determinations: GS-12 Registered Respiratory Therapist (Pulmonary).Experience, Licensure and Credential. Candidates must have: One year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. Examples include but not limited to: 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, and Skill in performing advanced airway and ventilation management. Hold an active license and RRT credential. Certification. Incumbent must hold a CPFT or RPFT. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the requirements above, candidates must demonstrate all the following KSAs: a. Knowledge of complex pulmonary function testing to include but not limited to cardiopulmonary stress testing, exercise testing, metabolic testing, bronchoprovocation testing and shunt testing. b. Ability to maintain a quality control program related to pulmonary function lab. c. Skill in analyzing physiologic specimen and information from basic diagnostic procedures. d. Skill in assessing for signs and symptoms of adverse actions to medications and or testing procedures. e. Skill in determining appropriate intervention for adverse actions to medications and or testing procedures. f. Ability to provide training in advanced pulmonary function procedures. g. Ability to provide clinical consultation in advanced pulmonary function procedures. Assignment. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity and range of variety and must be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. RRTs at this grade level in this position compare and evaluate indications and contraindications for complex pulmonary function testing (PFT) and recognizes normal/abnormal results. They perform bronchoprovocation testing utilizing a variety of medications or methodologies. They monitor patients and recognize and initiate interventions for complications of testing. They perform an initial quality review of test results and ready them for physician interpretation and determine whether the patient meets the criteria for termination of testing. RRTs conduct quality control reviews of all tests performed and all pulmonary diagnostic equipment. They maintain lab records. They train and assess staff competencies in performing simple spirometry. References: VA Handbook 5005/141 PART II APPENDIX G11The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. Physical Requirements: Work is performed in a clinical setting. Walking, standing, light lifting, typing, carrying, and bending may be required.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on 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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Contacts

• Address VA Eastern Kansas Health Care System 2200 SW Gage Blvd Topeka, KS 66622 US
• Name: Christopher Jackson
• Phone: 785-350-3111 X53152
• Email: [email protected]