Registered Respiratory Therapist

About the role

The Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) provides both basic and complex respiratory services to adult and geriatric patients at Central Arkansas Veterans' Healthcare System.

Responsibilities

• Collect, review, and evaluate relevant clinical data from medical records, care team, patient, and patient’s family to ensure appropriate care when indicated.
• Perform basic therapeutic procedures for adults and geriatric patients, such as monitoring patients receiving mechanical ventilation, assisting with bronchoscopy, using techniques that include interpretation of clinical data, describing and interpreting arterial blood gas values and acid-base balance.
• Apply clinical expertise to upgrade patient care and assist providers in formulating appropriate respiratory care plans based on patient assessment, history, lung auscultation, chest X-ray, pulse oximetry, etc.
• Communicate changes in the respiratory care plan and/or patient status to other health care team members as appropriate.
• Make recommendations to providers regarding changes in treatment based on patient observation and diagnostic test values.
• Provide effective and relevant education to the patient, family, students, and facility staff when appropriate.
• Perform both fundamental and advanced diagnostic procedures.
• Perform both emergency and acute Respiratory Care procedures in accordance with departmental guidelines and industry standards.
• Participate in departmental quality assurance and hospital organizational performance improvement.
• Demonstrate working knowledge of appropriate safety protocols and maintain clinical and professional competency based on established standards of practice.
• Assemble, check, and correct malfunctions and perform quality controls on respiratory care equipment.
• Participate in in-service education pertaining to respiratory therapy, maintaining a close relationship with other disciplines and students who may rotate through the health care facility.

Requirements

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.
• English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f).
• 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 Registered Respiratory Therapist 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 a Registered Respiratory Therapist.
• Credential: Persons appointed or reassigned to Registered Respiratory Therapist positions in the GS-0601 series must possess and maintain for the duration of employment a valid - current - unrestricted credential of Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) through National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC).

Qualifications

Qualifications:

• Experience: None beyond the basic requirements.
• Education - Licensure: This level assignment is designated as temporary 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.
• Registered Respiratory Therapist GS-07: In addition to the basic requirements - candidates must possess their RRT credential.
• Registered Respiratory Therapist GS-09: In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
• (a) Ability to perform therapeutic modalities related to respiratory care.
• (b) 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.
• (c) Ability to collaborate with physicians and other healthcare professionals for respiratory care to help provide favorable patient outcomes.
• (d) Skill in assessing oxygenation and ventilation.
• (e) Ability to perform basic airway management to include artificial airways and mechanical ventilation.
• Registered Respiratory Therapist GS-11: In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
• (a) Ability to collaborate with physicians and other healthcare professionals for complex respiratory care to develop care plans to provide favorable patient outcomes.
• (b) Skill in evaluating the efficacies of therapeutic modalities.
• (c) Skill in performing advanced airway and ventilation management.

Skills

Skills:

• Ability to perform therapeutic modalities related to respiratory care.
• 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.
• Ability to collaborate with physicians and other healthcare professionals for respiratory care to help provide favorable patient outcomes.
• Skill in assessing oxygenation and ventilation.
• Ability to perform basic airway management to include artificial airways and mechanical ventilation.
• Ability to perform advanced airway and ventilation management.

Benefits

Benefits:

• May require standing - lifting - carrying - sitting - stooping - bending - pulling - and pushing.
• May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment.
• Work is performed in an office/clinic setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions.
• The area is adequately lighted - heated - and ventilated.
• Work may be stressful in sometimes demanding situations.

Pay

Grade Determinations: Registered Respiratory Therapist GS-05, GS-07, GS-09, GS-11

Schedule

Work Schedule: 7:30 am - 4:00 pm - every other weekend - off days will rotate (Subject to the needs of the service)

Virtual

This is not a virtual position