Registered Respiratory Therapist Job in Charleston - 98219168 - ZAGVOA1SICZ0.

Job Title:
Registered Respiratory Therapist

Department:
Department Of Veterans Affairs

Agency:
Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration

Job Announcement Number:
CHAS11-112A-0157RP

SALARY RANGE:

Salary is determined by the Professional Standards Board, and is based on selectee's education, qualifications, experience, and credentials.

OPEN PERIOD:
Thursday, March 31, 2011 to Friday, July 29, 2011
SERIES & GRADE:GS-0601-00/00

POSITION INFORMATION:

Intermittent - work hours not to exceed 1300 hours annually.  Will be determined by Management.

Permanent

DUTY LOCATIONS:
3 vacancies - Charleston, SC

WHO MAY BE CONSIDERED:
Applications will be accepted from US Citizens and Non-Citizens as allowed by appropriations and statute.

JOB SUMMARY:

NOTE:  Open period for this Announcement is Thursday: March 31, 2011 – Open until filled.  First cut off for Interim Certificate will be Thursday, April 14, 2011.

The Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) is an experienced and skilled respiratory therapist in cardiopulmonary therapeutic modalities.  The incumbent's primary responsibility will be clinical in nature, with respect to patient care, staff development and educational goals coordinating numerous aspects of patient care, resources, and administrative details with the department staff, Supervisor of Respiratory Therapy, Chief of Anesthesia Services, and representatives of various clinical and administrative services.  In the absence of the Respiratory Supervisor, the incumbent will be assigned to act as the Charge Therapist.

KEY REQUIREMENTS:

• Must be proficient in English language
• US Citizen preferred, but can appoint non-citizens
• Must be physically and mentally able to perform duties of position

Additional Duty Location Info:
3 vacancies - Charleston, SC

Incumbent works collaboratively with other Registered Respiratory Therapists (RRTs) and Certified Respiratory Therapists (CRTs) employees who work in specific areas:Sleep Lab, Pulmonary Function Lab, CPAP/BiPAP Clinic, the Bronchoscopy Lab, and Inpatient/Outpatient clinical areas.He/She performs patient care that is related to all respiratory therapeutic and diagnostic modalities in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit, Medical Intensive Care Unit, Medical Specialty Clinics, Ambulatory Care, Emergency Room, and General Medical and Surgical Nursing Care areas to include both critically ill/injured patients and non-critically ill injured patients.Activities can include but are not limited to cardiopulmonary resuscitation, medication delivery, pulmonary hygiene, oxygen therapy, mechanical ventilation, bronchoscopies, and other general therapeutic and diagnostic services for the care of patients with respiratory problems.They will provide a full range of safe, competent and timely respiratory care services and therapeutic modalities under varied circumstances, including consistently demanding workloads and various emergency situations.The Incumbent will be required to document in the established electronic systems and complete all respiratory service and patient care documentation, billing information, departmental statistics, and workload productivity information according to approved department standards and VA guidelines.He/She will assist with appropriately orienting/training less experienced and/or new respiratory department staff to acceptable standards of practice in promoting optimal patient care delivery.

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:

The qualifications for this position and level can be found at:  VA Handbook 5005/23, Part II, Appendix G11, (Registered Respiratory Therapist Qualification Standard).

Mandatory Requirements for a Registered Respiratory Therapist are:  Possesses a current/valid certificate as an RRT from the NBRC (National Board for Respiratory Care) and a registry number, or a certificate from another body which the NBRC recognizes as its credentialing equivalent.  This includes registration based on either:

    1)  Having fulfilled the requirements and passed the registry examination administered by the NBRC since 1983, or

    2)  Having fulfilled the requirements and passed the registry examination for a registered inhalation or respiratory therapist administered by the (1) National Board for Respiratory Therapy from July 1974 through 1982, or (2) American Registry of Inhalation Therapists from 1961 through June 1974.

GS- 08 is the entry level for the GS-0601, Respiratory Therapist series, and is used for appointing RRTs in VHA who perform or supervise work concerned with administering respiratory care and life support to patients with cardiopulmonary deficiencies and abnormalities.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE FOR THE GS-08 LEVEL: 

Incumbent must have had at least one (1) additional year of successful and progressively responsible experience related to respiratory therapy at the GS-07 level or equivalent.  Qualifying experience at this level is work which includes duties such as:  administering assisted and controlled ventilation to patients with tracheotomies and other complex medical problems requiring frequent adjustments in ventilator parameters; administering and monitoring advanced ventilator techniques such as positive end expiratory pressure and continuous positive airway pressure; developing plans for weaning patients from ventilators; assessing the respiratory status of patients using data acquired through physical observation and clinical analysis of blood gas data, chest x-rays, and electrocardiogram to determine the effectiveness of therapy being administered and to make recommendations to physicians regarding changes in treatment; performing the most difficult respiratory therapy procedure to maintain ventilation, including endotracheal intubation, tracheal lavage, and tracheotomy care; and providing in-service training to others in various specialized areas of respiratory care.

* Appointment or promotion to this grade level is dependent on the qualifications of the selectee and is subject to recommendation by a Professional Standards Board and approval by the Medical Center Director.  

Qualifications must be met at time of Appointment.

There are no positive education requirements for this position at this level.

You must submit to a drug test and receive a negative drug test before you can be appointed into this position.

You will need to successfully complete a background security investigation before you can be appointed into this position.

Applicants for this position must pass a pre-employment medical examination.
HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED:

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:  Applicants must possess the following training and experience that clearly demonstrates they possess the following knowledge, skills, and abilities.  This experience and/or training MUST also be reflected/described on your Resume, CV, or OF 612. 

1.  The ability to perform complex respiratory procedures with minimal supervision.  Is able to participate with physicians and nurses and other staff in planning respiratory treatment, with great reliance on the individual's knowledge of  the equipment.

2.  Ability to provide emergency or critical respiratory care; services as a shift leader or supervisor or sole responsible respiratory therapist on a shift.

BENEFITS:

Working for the Department of Veterans Affairs offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, paid vacation, sick leave, holidays, life insurance, health benefits, and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System. In addition to traditional 'dollars and cents' benefits, we offer a range of benefits to help balance work and life.  For more information please visit us at http://www4.va.gov/JOBS/Job_Benefits/benefits.asp.

You may participate in the Federal Employees Health Benefits program, with costs shared with your employer. More info: http://www.usajobs.gov/jobextrainfo.asp#FEHB.

Life insurance coverage is provided. More info: http://www.usajobs.gov/jobextrainfo.asp#life

Long-Term Care Insurance is offered and carries into your retirement. More info: http://www.usajobs.gov/jobextrainfo.asp#ltci

New employees are automatically covered by the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). If you are transferring from another agency and covered by CSRS, you may continue in this program. More info: http://www.usajobs.gov/jobextrainfo.asp#retr

You will earn annual vacation leave. More info: http://www.usajobs.gov/jobextrainfo.asp#VACA

You will earn sick leave. More info: http://www.usajobs.gov/jobextrainfo.asp#SKLV

You will be paid for federal holidays that fall within your regularly scheduled tour of duty. More info: http://www.usajobs.gov/jobextrainfo.asp#HOLI

Opportunities are available in numerous locations and employees may transfer to new locations to further their career goals.

If you use public transportation, part of your transportation costs may be subsidized. Our human resources office can provide additional information on how this program is run.

Under a special program, we may reimburse a part of your Federally insured student loan. Our human resources office can provide additional information on the program.

You can use Health Care Flexible Spending Accounts for expenses that are tax-deductible, but not reimbursed by any other source, including out-of-pocket expenses and non-covered benefits under their FEHB plans. More Info: http://www.usajobs.gov/jobextrainfo.asp#FSA

OTHER INFORMATION:

This position will be filled on an intermittent, permanent basis. 

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

Any new employee in the Federal Service will have to serve a one (1) year probation/trial period.

Tour of Duty – Will be rotating shifts to include weekends and holidays.

Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave:  Federal Employees earn annual leave at the rate (4, 6, and 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee.  VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employees credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service.  This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave.

Equal Employment Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation: The United States Government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability and genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, or other non-merit factors.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible, displaced, federal, competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies.To be qualified, you must submit appropriate documentation and be found well-qualified.Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility and a definition of well-qualified in on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/ctap/index.asp.

*** We do not accept faxed, email or any type of electronically submitted application packages.***

Applications mailed using government postage or through an internal federal government mail system will not be considered.

HOW TO APPLY:

To apply for this position, you must submit a completed Application Package which includes:

1.  CV or Resume that lists all applicable periods of work.Each period of work must have your title, period of time worked, full or part time work, list hourly wages or salary, and if military or prior federal service – your rank or grade.

2.  VA Form 10-2850c - Applicationfor Associated Health Occupations (Available at  http://www.vacareers.va.gov/jobs_download/vha-10-2850c-fill.pdf) (required).

3.  Optional Form 306 - Declaration for Federal Employment (Available at http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/of0306.pdf )

4.  If prior military service, include all copies of your DD Forms 214 (required).  Applicants claiming preference based on service-connected disability, or based on being the spouse or mother of a disabled or deceased Veteran, must also complete and submit an SF 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference (available at http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf). 

5.  If currently or previously employed in Federal Service (All Agencies) – and you want that period to be credited, include latest SF-50 - Notification of Personnel Action. (required).  

6. Copy of your transcript if you are using education to qualify.

7.  Answers to Knowledge, Skills, and Ability (KSA) questions.

8. Copy of your licensures/certifications/registrations. (required).

Application package must be received no later than the closing date of this announcement. The Vacancy Announcement Number must be included on the first page of your application package. You must submit your transcript with the application package.

*** We do not accept faxed, email or any type of electronically submitted application packages.***

Applications mailed using government postage or through an internal federal government mail system will not be considered.

Contact Information:

R. D. Poole, Human Resource Specialist

(843) 789-6294

Mail Application package, or hand deliver it to:

Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center

Attn: Human Resources Service (05/RP)

109 Bee Street, 5^th floor

Charleston, SC 29401-5799

AGENCY CONTACT INFO:

R. D. Poole
Phone: (843) 789-6294 Agency Information:
Department Of Veterans Affairs
109 Bee Street
Charleston, SC 29401
US

WHAT TO EXPECT NEXT:Once your complete application is received we will conduct an evaluation of your qualifications and determine your ranking. The most highly qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview. We expect to make a selection within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. You will be notified of the outcome.