Summary Primary purpose of this position is to provide limited respiratory/inhalation therapy care services for critically ill and high risk patients. Providing respiratory care using the full range of respiratory treatments and equipment. Gallup Location: GS-4: $36,825-$47,377; GS-5: $40,769-$52,995; GS-6: $45,447-$59,079; GS-7: $50,502-$65,657; GS-8: $55,929-$72,713 All other locations: GS-4: $36,825-$46,868; GS-5: $40,332-$52,426; GS-6: $44,959-$58,445; GS-7: $49,960-$64,952; GS-8: $55,328-$71,932 Responsibilities Provides inhalation therapy treatments, Assists physician or other respiratory therapists during emergency conditions, makes adjustments to machines providing mechanical ventilation to patients on the basis of blood gas analysis and other ventilatory data. Under direction and guidance from a higher graded respiratory therapist sets up and operates positive pressure ventilators, pneumatic nebulizer and volume ventilators to administer complex inhalation therapy treatments. Cleans, sets, operates and checks the operation of basic respiratory equipment. Performs blood gas analysis to determine the level of oxygen, carbon dioxide and acid-base gases in the blood. Provides technical guidance to nursing personnel. Provides in-service continuing education and instruct nursing and physician staff on specific respiratory care and equipment. Maintains records and documentation of all therapies and procedures performed. Keeps abreast of latest advances in field by attending training, in-service, and perusing respiratory therapy/cardiopulmonary journals. Requirements Conditions of Employment Selectee may be subject to a probationary/trial period U.S. Citizenship is required Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 This is a designated position covered by Public Law 101-630, requiring contact or control over Indian children. Due to this requirement, the agency must ensure that persons hired for these positions have not been found guilty of or pleaded nolo contendere or guilty to certain crimes. IHS Selectees that will work in an IHS health care facility may be subject to Employee Health Policies related to Measles and Rubella, COVID-19, and seasonal influenza immunizations. Vaccine exemption requests may be available according to the National and/or Service Unit guidance. The selected individual is required to obtain and maintain medical staff clinical privileges, including any licensure requirements. If privileges are not obtained or maintained during employment, the employee will be subject to adverse actions, up to and including removal from Federal service. On-call hours or standby duty may be required. Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify/. You will need to set up direct deposit so we can pay you. Background Investigation: If you are selected for this vacancy, you must undergo a pre-employment fingerprint check and background investigation. Fingerprint results and background investigation documentation must be cleared prior to hire. After you begin your employment, your continued employment is contingent upon the outcome of a complete background investigation as determined by the sensitivity level of your position. The investigation must find that you are suitable for Federal employment in your position. If you are found not suitable, you will be terminated after you begin work. If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired; you may be fired after you begin work; or subject to possible criminal charges. You may be subject to a credit check as a part of the background investigation process. Qualifications To qualify for this position, your resume must state sufficient experience and/or education, to perform the duties of the specific position for which you are applying. 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; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer and part time experience. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week. INDIVIDUAL OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENTS: Specialized Experience: For positions at GS-4 and above: Qualifying specialized experience must have demonstrated a knowledge of basic equipment used in respiratory therapy and included duties such as: Making regular rounds on hospital nursing units to review or collect clinical data to insure that the respiratory equipment is operating properly and in compliance with physicians' orders. Transporting, setting up, or testing the operation of and changing simple oxygen administering devices, e.g., masks and nasal cannulas with cylinder or centralized medical gas systems. Disassembling, cleaning, assembling, and sterilizing reusable respiratory equipment such as oxygen analyzers and regulators, including recognizing and reporting variations from expected results. Examples of qualifying experience include work as a practical nurse, nursing assistant, medical machine aid, medical technician, or respiratory therapy aid if the above duties were performed. -OR- Education and Training: For GS-4: Successful completion of a 2-year accredited course of study leading to an associate's degree in respiratory therapy. For GS-5: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree in respiratory therapy. In addition to the Basic Requirements, you must also meet the Minimum Qualifications stated below. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: GS-4: 2-year accredited course of study leading to an associate's degree in respiratory therapy; -OR- 6 months of general experience and 6 months of specialized experience. Your resume must demonstrate at six (6) months of general experience and six (6) months of specialized experience. Examples of specialized experience include: Administers oxygen therapy to patient as prescribed. Positions patients and explains procedures. Operates and monitors respiratory equipment. GS-05: 4-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with courses related to the occupation; -OR- 1 year specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-04 grade level. Your resume must demonstrate at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector performing the following type of work and/or tasks: Performs limited respiration/inhalation therapy duties for the care of patients with a variety of injuries and illnesses. Cleans, operates, and maintains the operation of basic respiratory equipment such as flowmeters, humidifiers, and hand ventilators, etc. Performs limited pulmonary functions test on patients. GS-06: 1-year specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-05 grade level. NOTE: Graduate education or an internship meets the specialized experience required above GS-5 only in those instances where it is directly related to the work of the position. Your resume must demonstrate at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector performing the following type of work and/or tasks: Independently carries out respiratory care for assigned patients. Resolves problems with equipment's failure and makes substitutions as needed. Conducts Impedance Plethysmography (IPG) and Electrocardiograph (ECG) testing. GS-07: 1-year specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-06 grade level. Your resume must demonstrate at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector performing the following type of work and/or tasks: Provides emergency inhalation therapy treatments to critically ill and high risk patients. Operates positive pressure ventilators, pneumatic nebulizers and volume ventilators to administer complex inhalation therapy treatments. Operates and monitors pulmonary function instruments and equipment, such as blood gas analyzers, pulmonary bedside spirometer, and water spirometers. GS-08: 1-year specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 grade level. Your resume must demonstrate at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector performing the following type of work and/or tasks: Manages and operates a variety of complex respiratory equipment such as volume cycled and pressure cycled ventilators for critically ill patients. Applies advanced ventilator techniques. Perform airway and tube care on intensive care patients including cleaning and securing endotracheal tube and site. Draws arterial, venous, and mixed venous blood samples. Makes ventilator changes based on the analysis and interpretation of blood gases and recommends alternative procedures or therapy. **Note: This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS Announcement; applicants will be referred when vacancies occur. Education This position you may qualify based on education. You are strongly encouraged to submit a copy of your transcripts or a list of your courses including titles, credit hours completed, and grades. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. Official transcripts will be required from all selectees prior to receiving an official offer. Only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education may be credited. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: https://www.ed.gov/accreditation. 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 http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html. Additional Information Additional selection(s) of candidates may be possible within 240 days from the date the certificate of eligibles was issued for this announcement. Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. IHS may offer newly-appointed Federal employees credit for their directly related previous non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Recruitment or relocation incentives may be authorized. You will be required to sign a service agreement. This position is covered by a Bargaining Unit. This position has no promotion potential. No government housing available. The Indian Health Service (IHS), National Health Service Corps (NHSC), and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) have student loan repayment programs for qualifying health disciplines. This is a competitive process separate from the hiring process. Opportunities for LRP are based on agency hiring priorities and availability of funds. For additional information please visit: For IHS - https://www.ihs.gov/loanrepayment/ For NHSC - https://nhsc.hrsa.gov/loanrepayment/ For HRSA Nurse Corps - https://bhw.hrsa.gov/loansscholarships/nursecorps This position has promotion potential to the GS-08 grade level. Promotion to the next grade level is at management's discretion and is based on your demonstrated ability to perform the higher level duties, the continuing need for the higher level duties, and "Regulatory/Administrative" approval. Promotion to the next higher grade level is not guaranteed and no promise of promotion is implied. **Note: This Job Opportunity Announcement is OPEN CONTINUOUS. Applicants will be referred when vacancies occur.