This Registered Respiratory Therapist position is in Specialty Care services at the VA Maine Healthcare System located at the Togus location. This position is full time at 40 hours per week.

Duties

This Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) position is in Specialty Services at the Togus Maine VA Medical Center, located at the Togus, Maine location. This position is a full-time at 40 hours per week. The purpose of this position is to serve as an RRT. Duties include, but are not limited to: Responsible for such assignments as medication delivery. Initiate and monitor oxygen therapy. Assist with cardiopulmonary resuscitation suctioning of artificial airway. Evaluate and perform aerosol humidification therapy and participating in care team rounds. Complete patient assessment through direct contact, chart review and other means as appropriate and share the information with health care team members. Use accepted measuring/monitoring tools for determining plan of care. Obtain, analyze and report arterial and venous blood gas samples. Perform duties in the critical area with close supervision to include in - line suctioning, re-positioning and securing Endo Tracheal tube, bag valve mask ventilation, assisting in patient transport and performing patient ventilator assessment. Provide outpatient services, such as positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy, oxygen therapy and COPD care. Responsible for the following under general guidance in both inpatient and/or outpatient settings. Obtain, interpret and analyze physiological specimens and data. Consult with physicians and other healthcare professionals to ensure quality of patient care within area of specialty. Manage and maintain the airway and ventilation of the patient through the use of appropriate mechanical means. Assess and evaluate patients to determine and recommend intervention to develop and implement a plan of care, such as, implementing protocols, intubation, monitoring critical systems and uses advanced modes of ventilation. Provide outpatient services such as home ventilators, PAP therapy, oxygen therapy and COPD care. Use data and patient assessment to establish appropriate plan of care and determine if outcomes are being met. Consult with physicians and other healthcare professionals to ensure quality of patient care within area of specialty. Manage and maintain the airway and ventilation of the patient using appropriate mechanical means. Determine and implement complex respiratory care such as protocols, respiratory modalities, bronchoscopy, medications or supplemental oxygen and intubation. Monitor critical systems. Use advanced modes of ventilation and outpatient services, such as home ventilators and COPD case management. Suggest alternate modes of treatment where indicated based on assessment and analysis of patient response to treatment. May perform invasive procedures such as arterial line placement. Work Schedule: Varies TBD Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized Telework: Not authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement# F02865 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: NotAuthorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required This position is an AFGE Bargaining Unit position. This position is in the Excepted Service. The incumbent may be required to travel to other VA campuses and CBOC's. 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. No award SF50's will be accepted as they don't possess the correct information. This position is covered by locality-based comparability pay. Narrative responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) may be required from the selectee in order to proceed with the appointment.

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: RRTs appointed to direct patient-care positions must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. ? 7403(f). License: All applicants must have an full, current and unrestricted license from a state to practice as an RRT. Credentials: All applicants must possess and maintain a valid, current, unrestricted credential of RRT. Education: Completion of a respiratory care program accredited by the CoARC or its successor. Grade Determinations: Respiratory Therapist, GS-05 Experience. None beyond the basic requirements. 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. This is the entry level developmental position. RTs at this grade level perform basic therapeutic modalities in all areas of respiratory care environment under close clinical supervision by an RRT at the full performance level or higher. RTs are responsible for such assignments as medication delivery related to respiratory care, initiating and monitoring oxygen therapy, assisting with cardiopulmonary resuscitation suctioning of artificial airway, evaluating and performing aerosol humidification therapy and participating in care team rounds. Registered Respiratory Therapist, GS-07 Experience, Education, Licensure and Registration. In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must possess their RRT credential. This is a developmental position. 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. RRTs complete patient assessment through direct contact, chart review and other means as appropriate and share the information with health care team members. They use accepted measuring/monitoring tools for determining plan of care. They place nasal and oropharyngeal airway and perform nasal and tracheal suctioning. RRTs obtain, analyze and report arterial and venous blood gas samples. They perform duties in the critical area with close supervision to include in- line suctioning, re-positioning and securing Endo Tracheal tube, bag valve mask ventilation, assisting in patient transport and performing patient ventilator assessment. RRTs provide outpatient services, such as positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy, oxygen therapy and COPD care. In addition to the requirements above for the GS 7 level, candidates must demonstrate all the following KSAs: i. Ability to perform therapeutic modalities related to respiratory care. ii. 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. iii. Ability to collaboratively consult with physicians and other healthcare professionals for respiratory care to help provide favorable patient outcomes. iv. Skill in assessing oxygenation and ventilation. v. Ability to perform basic airway management to include artificial airways and mechanical ventilation. Registered Respiratory Therapist, GS-09 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; OR A Master of Science degree in respiratory care AND a license AND an RRT credential. This is a developmental position. RRTs at this grade level are responsible for the following under general guidance in both inpatient and/or outpatient settings. RRTs obtain, interpret and analyze physiological specimens and data. They consult with physicians and other healthcare professionals to ensure quality of patient care within area of specialty. They manage and maintain the airway and ventilation of the patient through the use of appropriate mechanical means. RRTs assess and evaluate patients to determine and recommend intervention to develop and implement a plan of care, such as, implementing protocols, intubation, monitoring critical systems and uses advanced modes of ventilation. They provide outpatient services such as home ventilators, PAP therapy, oxygen therapy and COPD care. In addition to the requirements above for the GS 9 level, candidates must demonstrate all the following KSAs: i. Skill in performing therapeutic modalities related to respiratory care. ii. Ability to collaboratively consult with physicians and other healthcare professionals to help provide favorable patient outcomes. iii. Skill in assessing oxygenation and ventilation. iv. Ability to perform airway management to include artificial airways and mechanical ventilation. Registered Respiratory Therapist, GS-11 Experience, Licensure and Credential. Candidates must have: i. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-09 grade level demonstrating the clinical competencies described at that level. ii. Hold an active license and RRT credential. This assignment is the full performance level. RRTs at this grade level work independently providing respiratory care in both inpatient and/or outpatient settings. The specific assignments are dependent on facility structure and complexity levels. They use data and patient assessment to establish appropriate plan of care and determine if outcomes are being met. They consult with physicians and other healthcare professionals to ensure quality of patient care within area of specialty. They manage and maintain the airway and ventilation of the patient using appropriate mechanical means. RRTs determine and implement complex respiratory care such as protocols, respiratory modalities, bronchoscopy, medications or supplemental oxygen and intubation. They monitor critical systems. They use advanced modes of ventilation and outpatient services, such as home ventilators and COPD case management. RRTs suggest alternate modes of treatment where indicated based on assessment and analysis of patient response to treatment. RRTs at this grade level may perform invasive procedures such as arterial line placement. They serve as a preceptor to lower graded staff. They may lead projects developing new policies, procedures or protocols. In addition to the requirements above for the GS11 level, candidates must demonstrate all the following KSAs: i. Ability to collaboratively consult with physicians and other healthcare professionals for complex respiratory care to develop care plans to provide favorable patient outcomes. ii. Skill in evaluating the efficacies of therapeutic modalities. iii. Skill in performing advanced airway and ventilation management. Qualifications continued in additional information section:

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 Togus VA Medical Center 1 VA Center Augusta, ME 04330 US
• Name: Donna Davies
• Phone: (603) 624-4366 X5077
• Email: [email protected]