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Position Title
Registered Respiratory Therapist
Agency
Veterans Health Administration
Announcement Number
CBTG-12715394-25-AS Opens in new window
Open Period
Tuesday, March 25, 2025 to Wednesday, April 9, 2025
For preview purposes only. To apply, please return to the USAJOBS announcement and click the Apply button.
Eligibilities
1. Are you an employee of the facility indicated for this position?
This includes: Career/Career Conditional or Excepted Service (i.e. Canteen, Hybrid, Title 38, etc. and meets interchange agreement requirements). This does not include temporary, term or temporary intermittent.

To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your most recent Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50).  Your SF-50 must include enough information to be able to determine that time-in-grade requirements have been met (if applicable) and include your position title, pay plan/series/grade, tenure and the type of appointment (i.e. Competitive or Excepted).  Please be aware that award SF-50's do not always include this pertinent information.
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Preferences
1. Which of the following items describes your current or recent (within the last five years) political appointee service?

If you responded yes to any of the items below, you will need to include a SF-50 specifying your prior service.
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Your resume must be submitted in English and include the following information for each job listed:
  • Job title Duties (be as detailed as possible)
  • Month & year start/end dates (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008)
  • Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week)
  • Series and Grade, if applicable, for all Federal positions you have held
  • Please be aware that your answers will be verified against information provided on your resume. Be sure that your resume clearly supports your responses to all of the questions by addressing your work experience in detail.
Recommended: Even though we do not require a specific resume format, your resume must be clear so that we are able to fully evaluate your qualifications. To ensure you receive appropriate consideration, please list the duties you performed under each individual job title. If we are unable to match your experiences with the positions held, you may lose consideration for this vacancy. We cannot make assumptions regarding your qualifications. Do not include a photograph or video of yourself, or any sensitive information (age, date of birth, marital status, protected health information, religious affiliation, social security number, etc.) on your resume or cover letter. We will not access web pages or encrypted, and digitally signed documents linked on your resume or cover letter to determine your qualifications.
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By submitting your application, you are certifying, to the best of your knowledge and belief, all the information submitted by you with your application for employment is true, complete, and made in good faith, and that you have truthfully and accurately represented your work experience, knowledge, skills, abilities and education (degrees, accomplishments, etc.). The information you provide as part of your application may be investigated. You are also certifying, and acknowledging, that misrepresenting your experience or education, or providing false or fraudulent information in, or with your application, may affect your eligibility for appointment and/or continued employment. False or fraudulent statements may be punishable by fine or imprisonment (18 U.S.C. 1001). (limit characters)
2. I authorize my application information being shared with hiring managers for similar positions. I understand this option may not result in further consideration for additional positions nor will it impact my application for this announcement. (limit characters)
Assessment 1
Thank you for your interest in the Registered Respiratory Therapist position. Select the appropriate answer to each of the following questions based on your current level of education and/or experience that demonstrates your ability to perform the duties of this position. When answering the questionnaire, remember that your experience and education are subject to verification by investigation. You may be asked to provide specific examples or documentation of experience or education as proof to support your answers, or you may be required to verify a response by a practical demonstration of your claimed ability to perform a task. NOTE: Make sure your documents support your response that you select. Your resume should include clear and specific descriptions of your experience as it relates to these questions. We may not make assumptions regarding your experience. (limit characters)
Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s). (limit characters)
1. ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT: Persons appointed to direct patient-care positions must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38USC 7403(f).

Are you proficient in basic written and spoken English?
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2. EDUCATION REQUIREMENT: Have you successfully completed a respiratory care program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) or its successor American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC)? (limit characters)
3. LICENSURE REQUIREMENT: Do you currently possess a full, current and unrestricted license from a state to practice as an RRT? (limit characters)
4. CREDENTIAL REQUIREMENT: Do you currently possess a valid, current, unrestricted credential of RRT? (limit characters)
5. GS-5 Experience: For entry level experience, applicants must have the basic requirements for the position. Basic requirements are; Citizen of the United States (U.S.). Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g, of this part. See 38 U.S.C. 7407(a) for more information. Individuals must have successfully completed a respiratory care program accredited by the CoARC or its successor. 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. 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.

Exception. RT positions will be designated only to individuals who are in the process of obtaining credentials to become an RRT. These individuals will only be hired on a temporary appointment as provided below.
  • VHA may waive the RRT credential requirement for persons who are other wise qualified and pending completion of prerequisites for RRT credential. Individuals who have successfully completed a respiratory care program accredited by the CoARC or its successor, acquired the CRT credential, are fully licensed by their state and are working toward completion of their RRT credential may be given a temporary appointment as an RT. The temporary appointment is made under the authority of 38U.S.C. 7401(a)(1)(B) for a period not to exceed one year from date of employment. Candidates must hold an active, current, full and unrestricted RRT credential and be licensed to hold a position at or above the GS-07level.
  • RTs may only be temporarily appointed at the GS-05 level and may not be promoted/converted to a higher-level position as an RRT until the RRT credential is received.

NOTE: Your resume must reflect your experience.
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6. GS-7 Experience: Do you possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to a GS-5 in the federal service?

Examples of specialized experience include, but are not limited to: complete patient assessment through direct contact, chart review and other means as appropriate and share the information with health care team members. They use accepted measuring/monitoring tools for determining plan of care. They place nasal and oropharyngeal airway and perform nasal and tracheal suctioning. RRTs obtain, analyze and report arterial and venous blood gas samples. They perform duties in the critical area with close supervision to include in- line suctioning, re-positioning and securing Endo Tracheal tube, bag valve mask ventilation, assisting in patient transport and performing patient ventilator assessment. RRTs provide outpatient services, such as positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy, oxygen therapy and COPD care.

NOTE: Your resume must reflect your experience.
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7. GS-7 KSAs: Do you possess the the Follow Knowledge Skills, and Abilities for the following GS-7 position?
  • 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 collaboratively consult 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.

NOTE: Your resume must reflect your experience.
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8. GS-9 Experience: Do you possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to a GS-7 in the federal service?

Examples of specialized experience include, but are not limited to: complete patient assessment through direct contact, chart review and other means as appropriate and share the information with health care team members. They use accepted measuring/monitoring tools for determining plan of care. They place nasal and oropharyngeal airway and perform nasal and tracheal suctioning. RRTs obtain, analyze and report arterial and venous blood gas samples. They perform duties in the critical area with close supervision to include in- line suctioning, re-positioning and securing Endo Tracheal tube, bag valve mask ventilation, assisting in patient transport and performing patient ventilator assessment. RRTs provide outpatient services, such as positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy, oxygen therapy and COPD care.
Or;
A Master of Science degree in respiratory care AND a license AND an RRT credential.

NOTE: Your resume must reflect your experience. If you using education as experience you must provide a transcript.
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9. GS-9 KSAs: Do you possess the the Follow Knowledge Skills, and Abilities for the following GS-9 position?
  • Skill in performing therapeutic modalities related to respiratory care.
  • Ability to collaboratively consult with physicians and other healthcare professionals to help provide favorable patient outcomes.
  • Skill in assessing oxygenation and ventilation.
  • Ability to perform airway management to include artificial airways and mechanical ventilation.
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10. GS-11 Experience: Do you possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to a GS-09 in the federal service?

Examples of specialized experience include, but are not limited to: responsible for the following under general guidance in both inpatient and/or outpatient settings. RRTs obtain, interpret and analyze physiological specimens and data. They consult with physicians and other healthcare professionals to ensure quality of patient care within area of specialty. They manage and maintain the airway and ventilation of the patient through the use of appropriate mechanical means. Assess and evaluate patients to determine and recommend intervention to develop and implement a plan of care, such as, implementing protocols, intubation, monitoring critical systems and uses advanced modes of ventilation. Provide outpatient services such as home ventilators, PAP therapy, oxygen therapy and COPD care.

NOTE: Your resume must reflect your experience.
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11. GS-11 KSAs: Do you possess the the Follow Knowledge Skills, and Abilities for the following GS- 11 position?
  • 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.
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