Registered Respiratory Therapist

Veterans Health Administration • East Orange, NJ

17d • Onsite

About The Position

The New Jersey VA Health Care System is hiring two Registered Respiratory Therapists for its East Orange and Lyons facilities. The positions are in the Respiratory Care Unit of the Pulmonary Medicine Section of Medical Service. The therapist works independently at the full-performance level and provides care in inpatient and/or outpatient settings. The full-performance level is GS-11.

The role includes assessing patients’ cardiopulmonary status, administering respiratory treatments and tests, managing artificial airways and ventilators, responding to emergencies, and educating patients. The therapist also documents care, troubleshoots equipment and clinical issues, contributes to protocols and quality-improvement work, and may perform pulmonary function testing or assist with bronchoscopy when trained and deemed competent.

The work schedule is intermittent, with varied hours discussed according to facility needs. Compressed or flexible scheduling, telework, and virtual work are not available. Applicants must meet VA education, licensure, credential, and experience requirements. This is an Excepted Service position.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• Successful completion of a respiratory care program accredited by CoARC or its successor.
• An active, full, current, unrestricted state license to practice as a Registered Respiratory Therapist.
• A valid, current, unrestricted Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credential, maintained throughout employment.
• For GS-11: one year of creditable experience equivalent to GS-09 demonstrating the clinical competencies described at that level.
• For GS-11: an active license and RRT credential.
• Ability to collaboratively consult with physicians and other healthcare professionals on complex respiratory care and develop care plans to support favorable patient outcomes.
• Skill in evaluating the efficacy of therapeutic modalities.
• Skill in advanced airway and ventilation management.
• Must meet applicable VA physical requirements.
• Must satisfy pre-employment conditions, including background/security investigation and required onboarding; selected applicants in testing-designated positions are subject to pre-appointment drug testing.
• Must participate in the VA seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Must serve a one- or two-year trial period, as applicable.
• Must maintain required license and credentials for the duration of employment.

Nice To Haves

• Three years of adult critical-care experience is highly preferred.
• Three years of pulmonary function testing experience is highly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Independently administer complex respiratory treatments and tests to ambulatory and non-ambulatory patients throughout the medical center.
• Respond to cardiac and respiratory arrests as a Code Blue team member and independently insert artificial airways in accordance with VA airway-management policy.
• Set up and monitor respiratory equipment, including volume- or pressure-based ventilators for critical-care patients.
• Assess patients and arterial blood gas data, and adjust ventilator settings to change ventilation status.
• Initially and continuously assess patients’ cardiopulmonary conditions using physical examination, respiratory monitoring, and diagnostic equipment.
• Perform airway and endotracheal intubation and care for artificial airways, including cleaning and securing sites, in-line suctioning, cuff-pressure monitoring, and equipment and patient checks.
• Use suction equipment to remove airway secretions; place nasal and oropharyngeal airways; and perform nasal and tracheal suctioning.
• Perform chest physiotherapy using mechanical equipment or manual techniques.
• Set up and monitor oxygen-delivery devices, humidifiers, and aerosols containing prescribed medications.
• Obtain arterial blood gas samples using an ABG kit, heparinized needle and syringe, or arterial line.
• During transport of patients with artificial airways, maintain the airway and ventilation, monitor respiration and oxygen saturation, and provide manual ventilation or CPR when necessary in accordance with AHA guidelines.
• Provide outpatient clinical assessment, equipment setup, education, and troubleshooting related to bronchial hygiene, lung expansion, home oxygen, airway care, CPAP and Bi-Level equipment, and COPD case management.
• Document treatments, assessments, checks, tests, procedures, and patient education in CPRS and BCMA; complete ordered respiratory care and close consults.
• Help resolve technical and clinical work problems not covered by existing procedures.
• Participate in developing guidelines, protocols, patient programs, and program evaluations; lead policy-development projects; and contribute to Root Cause Analysis work to determine best practices.
• Assemble, inspect, troubleshoot, and perform quality control on respiratory therapy and technology-based equipment.
• Perform bedside spirometry and inpatient or outpatient pulmonary function testing when trained and deemed competent.
• May assist with equipment setup and bronchoscopy procedures.

Benefits

• Federal employee benefits package; specific eligibility and benefits depend on the position and employment status.
• Selected applicants may request credit for prior federal service or military service toward annual leave accrual, subject to approval.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed