Lead Registered Respiratory Therapist-Respiratory Care

About the role

The Lead RRT is responsible for coordinating and providing advanced respiratory care while serving as the on-tour lead or charge therapist.

This includes ensuring that work is distributed among respiratory staff in accordance with established workflow, patient acuity, and job specialization; assuring timely accomplishment of the assigned workload; assessing the status, quality, and progress of work; and making day-to-day adjustments in accordance with established priorities.

What you will do

• Serves as the on-tour lead or charge respiratory therapist, coordinating real-time operations of respiratory care services across inpatient areas and functioning as the primary point of contact for respiratory therapy during the shift.
• Distributes and balances workload among respiratory therapists based on patient acuity, staff competency, and service priorities.
• Reviews inpatient census, acuity, consults, and emergency department/ICU activity; develops and communicates staff assignments, coverage for rapid response/code events, transports, and breaks, and makes necessary reassignments to meet dynamic acute care Acts as the responsible on-tour lead in the absence of supervisory personnel, resolving routine clinical and operational issues, facilitating problem solving among staff, and escalating complex or emergent concerns through the established chain of command.
• Provides advanced respiratory care to complex and critically ill patients, including comprehensive cardiopulmonary assessment, invasive and non-invasive ventilator management, interpretation of diagnostic data (e.g., arterial blood gases), and adjustment of therapy within established protocols and provider orders.
• Functions as an active member of emergency and rapid response teams, providing advanced airway management, manual and mechanical ventilation support, and other emergent respiratory interventions in the ICU, emergency department, and inpatient units.
• Serves as a clinical resource and consultant to respiratory therapists, nursing, physicians, and other interprofessional team members regarding complex acute cases, escalation of therapy, and evidence-based respiratory care practices.
• Collaborates with providers to recommend and implement uncommon or atypical respiratory interventions when standard therapies are insufficient, ensuring that such interventions align with clinical standards and VHA guidelines.
• Provides day-to-day clinical guidance, mentoring, and just-in-time education to respiratory staff on assigned tours, reinforcing adherence to policies, procedures, and protocols, and supporting consistent practice across all shifts and inpatient units.
• Assists with orientation, training, and competency validation for new and existing staff and students, particularly in high-acuity ICU and ED environments.
• Provides input to supervisory staff regarding observed strengths, performance issues, and developmental needs.
• Promotes effective, respectful communication and teamwork by facilitating collaboration among respiratory therapists and with other disciplines; addresses conflicts or concerns at the lowest appropriate level and refers unresolved issues to supervisory staff as needed.
• Ensures timely and accurate hand-off communication between outgoing and incoming tours, including patient status, ventilator and high-flow support parameters, pending diagnostics or interventions, equipment needs, and unresolved operational issues that may impact continuity of acute inpatient care.
• Monitors adherence to safety practices, infection-prevention standards, and equipment-use guidelines in critical and acute care areas; identifies trends or issues related to quality and safety and collaborates with leadership on corrective actions or process improvements.
• Oversees proper set-up, operation, troubleshooting, and basic maintenance of respiratory equipment such as ventilators, high-flow systems, and non-invasive devices during the shift; initiates work orders and coordinates with Biomedical Engineering and other services to ensure availability of safe, functional equipment.
• Performs and/or coordinates limited outpatient and bedside diagnostic testing (such as basic pulmonary function or spirometry and blood gas sampling/analysis), ensuring accurate performance, documentation, and communication of results.
• Participates in service and facility quality-improvement and performance-measurement activities , including data collection, audits, emergency response reviews, and implementation of practice changes to support consistent, 24/7 acute respiratory care.
• Provides Veteran and family education related to acute and chronic respiratory conditions, therapies, and equipment use (e.g., oxygen, inhaled medications, non-invasive ventilation), using communication methods tailored to individual needs and health literacy levels.
• Work Schedule: Rotating days or nights Compressed/Flexible: Not Available Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
• Functional Statement #: 614580 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: No Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Available

Requirements

• 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 (***).
• Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification 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.

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: ***

How you will be evaluated

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC.

WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social).

Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

Documents you must provide

• To complete your application, please use the following link *** to download the standard Clinical Resume Document.
• This one-page document does not need to be modified and must be uploaded into the two-page restricted 'Resume' document upload field.
• Your full resume/CV may be uploaded without page limitation into the 'Other' document upload field.
• The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position.
• Please ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), etc. Cover Letter DD-214/ Statement of Service Disability Letter (VA) License Other (1) Professional Certification Resume SF-15 SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action Transcript

What to expect next

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met.

After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.

You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center. NOTE: Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).

It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service.

HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities.

HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities.

HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities.

Additional information

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.