Summary The Primary Purpose of the Position is: To supervise Registered Respiratory Therapists, GS-0601 and Certified Respiratory Therapy Technicians, GS-0640 in positions on an assigned shift. The Organizational Location of the Position is: Respiratory Therapy Unit, Medical Service, VA North Texas Health Care System (VANTHCS), Dallas, TX. Responsibilities Duties include but are not limited to: Monitors the staff respiratory therapists work performance and directs Assistant Chiefs in the day-to-day operation of unit and employee's performance. Counsels with all employees concerning performance, unit policy and procedure, and any changes of same, VA regulations, employee benefits, and all communication for employees concerning the Medical Center. Deals directly with the union on employee complaints. Plans work assignments for all technicians for weekly operation of Respiratory Therapy/ Pulmonary Function unit to ensure even flow and distribution of workload with special attention to handling of priority cases, meeting schedules, and deadlines. Institution and supervision of a monitoring system for the hospital for power failure emergencies so that the intensive care units will continue to function. This involves continuous monitoring of oxygen and compressed air line pressures and then providing emergency contingency plans for patients on continuous ventilation. Provides CPR instructions to all respiratory therapist technicians at least once a year and to the Pulmonary Function Lab (PFL) unit technicians, if possible. All respiratory therapy employees must be CPR certified once a year for T JC standards. The Assistant Chief, Respiratory Therapy Unit must be a certified CPR instructor. Development of written procedures and policies in the event of adverse, unexpected reactions, changes in new equipment, design or function, and advancing medical knowledge, changing. route of standard respiratory care. Stays up-to-date on all current equipment information from factory representatives and is able to project future equipment requirements and provide the necessary justification to the Chief, Pulmonary Section. Carries out assignments independently in accordance with facility standards, procedures, and accepted practices for accomplishing each phase of assigned work. The incumbent receives guidance concerning new procedures and assignments and refers unusual problems to the supervisor. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized 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. 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. 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. 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. Education. Individuals must have successfully completed a respiratory care program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (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. 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). May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). Grade Determinations: Supervisory Registered Respiratory Therapist, GS-14 Experience, Licensure and Credential. Candidates must: Have one year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-13 grade level demonstrating the clinical competencies described at that level. It is highly desirable that the candidate possess certification in one or more functional specialties such as critical care, pulmonary, education and sleep medicine. Hold an active license and RRT credential Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the requirements above, candidates must demonstrate all the following KSAs: Skill in implementing patient care and operations change by recognizing opportunities for improvement and analyzing data. Skill in the development and implementation of appropriate standards of care for respiratory care. Ability establish a completely integrated program that emulates "best practice" and follows national policies. Ability to supervise employees. v. Ability to forecast resource needs to manage fiscal matters Preferred Experience: Minimum of a bachelor's degree in respiratory therapy or a related health field. Master's degree in respiratory therapy, health administration or business administration is preferred 5-7 years experience in managing a team of 35-80 Respiratory Therapists 5 or more years clinical experience as a Respiratory Therapist Experience in administrative duties such as budgeting, policy development, and quality control with a strong ability to coordinate with other healthcare professionals Understanding of healthcare regulations and standards, including compliance with accrediting bodies such as The Joint Commission. Experience working in multidisciplinary teams and services Excellent communication skills and experience teaching Knowledge of general and VA computer software programs such as CPRS and GovTA Certified or Registered Respiratory Therapist Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is 14. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-14 Physical Requirements: Lifting and carrying under 15 pounds required. Walking and standing for .5 hours. 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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. 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. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. 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 Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.
