Health Technician - Pathology And Laboratory

Summary

Position is in the Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration, Eastern Oklahoma Health Care System in the Pathology and Laboratory Medical Service. The multiskilled Health Technician performs a wide range of functions which include compliance to CLIA and The Joint Commission regulations for laboratory testing, clerical, and health technician functions. The Health Technician uses knowledge of technical methods and procedures to carry out a variety of essential duties.

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Overview

• Accepting applications

• Open & closing dates

05/31/2024 to 11/30/2024

• Salary

$44,117 - $57,354 per year

• Pay scale & grade

GS 6

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Locations

• Muskogee, OK

• Tulsa, OK

• Remote job

No

• Telework eligible

No

• Travel Required

Not required

• Relocation expenses reimbursed

No

• Appointment type

Permanent

• Work schedule

Full-time

• Service

Competitive

• Promotion potential

None

• Job family (Series)

0640 Health Aid And Technician

• Supervisory status

No

• Security clearance

Other

• Drug test

Yes

• Position sensitivity and risk

Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

• Trust determination process

Credentialing

Suitability/Fitness

• Announcement number

CBSU-12428863-24-GL

• Control number

793715900

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This job is open to

• Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

Federal employees who meet the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee.

• Internal to an agency

Current federal employees of this agency.

Clarification from the agency

This announcement is open to current, permanent employees of the Jack C Montgomery VA Medical Center and the Ernest Childer's VA Outpatient clinic as well as those applicants with CTAP eligibility. This is an Open Continuous Announcement with the first closing date of June 7, 2024; following the initial closing, applications will be reviewed every 1st and 15th of the month until vacancies are filled.

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Duties

• Ensures proper cleaning and performs minor maintenance of laboratory equipment.

• Ensures all quality control materials are run and acceptable daily or as required by regulations.

• Receives patients for medical laboratory testing; processes orders, appointments, and collects specimens; contacts providers to correct order errors and/or place orders if patient arrives with no orders.

• Advises professional staff on center, lab, and testing policy.

• Performs patient care procedures: collecting lab specimens, applying dressings, and/or adjusting supportive equipment; processes tissue cultures and specimen samples related to pathology testing.

• Prepares patient for blood and/or urine collection according to CAP and TJC guidelines; accepts patient orders; prints labels, selects proper tubes and containers; PPE, labels specimens in front of patient.

• Follows proper patient preparation and venipuncture while following sterile collection techniques; bandages patient appropriately following collection.

• Per the National Patient Safety requirement ABSOLULTELY uses two identifiers to properly identify patient.

• Performs patient care procedures; proper collection and handling of various

specimens including venous blood; collects blood on ward rounds and other designated blood collection areas; collects blood samples by venipuncture or arterial puncture and accurately labels blood tubes and other collection containers; instructs patients on proper specimen collection procedures.

• Collects microbiology specimens in support of the VA's initiative to reduce transmission of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus.

• Maintains adequate quota of sterile and non-sterile supplies, instruments, and equipment; checks for outdated supplies/items.

• Prepares specimens to be sent to outside laboratories; assures proper specimen was

collected; records in send-out book; puts specimen in the proper receptacle; packages

specimen to maintain correct temperature during shipping; completes and checks paperwork to send specimen to correct laboratory; ensures returned send-out results are entered into computer.

• Receives and accessions specimens from EOVAHCS inpatients/outpatients; correctly accessions testing for referral and research specimens.

• Administers and collects specimens for employee drug screening program; completes required chain of custody paperwork; packages for shipment to testing facility.

• Coordinates all aspects of special-conditions testing such as procuring specialized collection kits; determines correct handling environment for each specimen submitted for referral laboratory testing.

• Prepares electronic and manual test requisitions and manifests; prepares, packages and dispatches specimens to appropriate referral laboratory; utilizes secure access to private

referral laboratory databases for test research, requisition, and results.

• Solves technical specimen problems and discrepancies.

• Manages CBOC packaging and shipping supply inventory; ensures in-clinic availability of required materials for safe, legal transport of biological specimens.

• Receives all package deliveries to laboratory; signs for receipt/acceptance of possession; evaluates specimen integrity, judges correctness of specimen type, quantity, age, and condition upon receipt; reconciles physical specimens received against printed manifest document.

• Maintains service staff records; ensures proper certifications in accordance with CAP and TJC; assists in supervision of clinical staff including training and competency assessments, monitors QC materials, proficiency testing and competencies for nursing, and provider Point of Care glucometer.

• Answers telephone calls; coordinates information and actions relating to patient care and services; assists patients, visitors, and others requesting information, guidance or referral for special assistance.

• Monitors humidity and temperature charts for laboratory; reports any readings outside of normal compliance with regulatory standards for maintaining supplies.

• Sets-up necessary accessories or supplies; advises medical personnel of new equipment, accessories or supplies.

• Facilitates release of information from patient medical records; protects confidentiality of patient's medical records.

• Facilitates training for Licensed Practical Nurses, Medical Laboratory Technicians, Medical

Technologists, and Medical Technology students for phlebotomy skills.

• Ensures fire, safety, disaster, and infection control procedures are implemented.

• Possesses knowledge and skills required to effectively implement GEMS; competency monitored by ability to demonstrate through implementation process that sufficient education/training has been provided; monitoring performed by annual audits, questionnaires, and trending of staff knowledge.

Work Schedule: Various; depends on the needs of the facility

Position Description/PD#: Health Technician

• Pathology and Laboratory/PD14453-A and PD14453A

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Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.

• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.

• You may be required to serve a probationary period.

• Subject to background/security investigation.

• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.

• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).

• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

• In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English.

• Applicants are required to undergo and successfully pass a pre-employment drug screening test and must submit to random drug testing after employment.

• Applicants selected may be required to undergo a pre-employment physical.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Time-in-Grade Requirement: Appalicant who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-06 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS05. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been in the Federal Service. A SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

All applicants for this position, must meet the Individual Occupational Requirement IOR):

Specialized Experience (for positions at GS-04 and above): Positions in this series range widely in type and include support duties to medical or health personnel such as audiologists, speech pathologists, medical officers, and optometrists. Therefore, technician experience is experience that required application of the knowledge, methods, and techniques of the position to be filled.

Specialized Experience, GS-0640-06, Health Technician

• Pathology and Laboratory: In addition to meeting the IOR for this series and grade, applicants must have 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, GS-05; experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities and other characteristics to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled, in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience includes but is not limited to: Receiving and preparing laboratory test requests and specimens; utilizing automated system to admit patients, maintain and retrieve patient data, enter test data, requests, and results; abide by safety, infection control, and universal precautions; properly process, transport, store biological specimens; prepare equipment/site to draw blood cultures; collect, handle, and deliver specimens; collect chain-of-custody drug screen specimens; instruct patient on specimen collection procedures; provide administrative support by daily checks of the clinic stockroom, assisting with placing clinic orders, and verifying providers schedule; maintain equipment, instruments, and inventory.

Physical Requirements and Work Environment: The work requires much walking through the clinic, with occasional requirements to lift objects, computer work and operating office equipment. The positions require the ability to process written and electronic information. The work requires the ability to physically control or defend against emotionally distressed patients. The work requires above average agility and dexterity due to the fine skills of some of the point of care lab testing. The work may require heavy lifting of equipment or patients. The incumbent may be required to commute between two outpatient clinics within the workweek, depending on the clinic workload.

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.

Education

There is no educational substitution for the GS-06 level.

Additional information

The following will be communicated to applicants for VA employment in a testing designated position and will also be included in all VA vacancy announcements for such positions: All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drugs use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provides eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be well-qualified, applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors if applicable, and must be proficient in most of the requirements of the job. Information about CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website which can be found at https://www.opm.gov/.

Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: 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. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related 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. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

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.

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• Benefits

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new window

Learn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview. Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

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.

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the 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.