Lead Registered Respiratory Therapist
- Assists in keeping Section Chief and Respiratory Care Services abreast of changes and improvements. Assures information exchange is open with colleagues though departmental meetings, e-mail, in-services and discussions.
- Responsible for overseeing and ensuring the Pulmonary Rehabilitation program meets VA regulations and Joint Commission Standards.
- Maintains competency and is a mentor in the Pulmonary Rehabilitation program to all members of the RCDS staff.
- Serves as the liaison to providers for assessment, fire safety, education, smoking cessation, Pulmonary Rehabilitation, testing performed, equipment, supplies and requests for special services.
- Functions as the COPD Coordinator by implementing and facilitating a patient-centered seamless transition to the home or other post-discharge setting for chronic lung disease patients.
- Establish and train patients/families in the Plan of Care and Action Plan (ALA) use prior to discharge home, reinforcing use with follow-up calls, in clinic and home visits.
- Collaborate on hospital discharge planning with primary medical team, case management, and social work.
- Ensures work is distributed among employees in accordance with established workflow or job specialization.
- Assures timely accomplishment of the assigned workload, assess the status, quality and progress of work and make day-to-day adjustments in accordance with established priorities.
- Provides clinical practice guidance for other respiratory staff and assist with technical work problems not covered by precedents or established policies for non-routine or complex procedures.
- Assist RRTs in determining treatment options for complex patients.
Requirements
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.
- You may be required to serve a probationary period.
- 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).
Qualifications
United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
Education-Transcripts are required to be submitted. Bachelor of Science preferred-Documentation submitted.
Individuals must have successfully completed a respiratory care program accredited by the CoARC or its successor. Please check that your program is verified on the CoARC website as this will be verified.
Licensure-Documentation Submitted. 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.
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).
GRADE REQUIREMENTS for Lead Registered Respiratory Therapist, GS-12Experience, Licensure and Credential. Candidates must possess:
- Have one year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level demonstrating the clinical competencies described at that level. RRTs at this grade level in this assignment have experience demonstrating advanced practice skills and clinical judgment across many areas of respiratory care both inpatient and outpatient. Knowledge, skills, and abilities at the GS-11 grade level include:
- 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.
- Skill in performing advanced airway and ventilation management.
- Hold an active license and RRT credential.
- Ability to assign personnel and tasks to be accomplished in a manner that assures completion of the workload.
- Ability to oversee and direct clinical guidance in a manner that assures completion of the workload.
- Ability to communicate with individuals of varying backgrounds to solve problems and provide conflict resolution.
- Ability to recommend uncommon or atypical interventions.
- Ability to recommend ways to improve patient care and operations through independent research and evaluation of new equipment and therapies.
The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12
.Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service.
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: . 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: .
Additional information
Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.
During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.
If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.
Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit at .
- Benefits
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. .
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
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.
- You may be required to serve a probationary period.
- 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).
Qualifications
United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
Education-Transcripts are required to be submitted. Bachelor of Science preferred-Documentation submitted.
Individuals must have successfully completed a respiratory care program accredited by the CoARC or its successor. Please check that your program is verified on the CoARC website as this will be verified.
Licensure-Documentation Submitted. 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.
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).
GRADE REQUIREMENTS for Lead Registered Respiratory Therapist, GS-12Experience, Licensure and Credential. Candidates must possess:
- Have one year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level demonstrating the clinical competencies described at that level. RRTs at this grade level in this assignment have experience demonstrating advanced practice skills and clinical judgment across many areas of respiratory care both inpatient and outpatient. Knowledge, skills, and abilities at the GS-11 grade level include:
- 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.
- Skill in performing advanced airway and ventilation management.
- Hold an active license and RRT credential.
- Ability to assign personnel and tasks to be accomplished in a manner that assures completion of the workload.
- Ability to oversee and direct clinical guidance in a manner that assures completion of the workload.
- Ability to communicate with individuals of varying backgrounds to solve problems and provide conflict resolution.
- Ability to recommend uncommon or atypical interventions.
- Ability to recommend ways to improve patient care and operations through independent research and evaluation of new equipment and therapies.
The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12
.Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service.
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: . 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: .
Additional information
Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.
During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.
If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.
Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit at .