About the Position: This position is located at William Beaumont Army Medical Center, Fort Bliss, Texas. This is a Direct Hire Solicitation. A recruitment incentive may be authorized.
Who May Apply: US Citizens In order to qualify, you must meet the education and/or experience requirements described below. 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; religious; spiritual; community; student; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document. Basic Requirement for Respiratory Therapist: Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes evaluating respiratory therapy patients, and setting up, operating, or maintaining respiratory therapy equipment. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-07). OR Education: One and a half years (i.e., 27 semester hours) of graduate level education in a field directly related to the work of the position, such as Respiratory Therapy. OR Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the first year (total semester hours minus 18) by 9. Add the two percentages.
Set up and monitor a variety of complex respiratory equipment such as ventilatory life support systems for the most seriously ill patients in the intensive care units, trauma room, labor and delivery special care nursery, and emergency room.
Perform assessments of patients through examination, analyses of laboratory results and interpretation of x-rays.
Monitor and interpret values such as pulse oximetry, arterial blood gas analysis, expired carbon dioxide and EKGs for the purpose of reporting patient status and making recommendations to physicians regarding treatment.
Perform airway management on intensive care patients and ward patients including securing the tracheotomy care, and adjusting the endotracheal tube as required based on x-ray results.
Monitor tube cuff pressure and inspects equipment and patient to ensure proper functioning of the ventilatory life support system.
Calibrate complex respiratory equipment such as computerized ventilators, co-oximeters, blood gas analysis machines, expired carbon dioxide monitors, oxygen monitors and pulse oximeters, metabolic cart to assure accurate performance.