Health Technician (Pedorthist)

Summary

The Health Technician (Pedorthist) works within the Prosthetics Service Line at Minneapolis VA Medical Center, Minneapolis MN. The work represents independent assessment of patients with all levels of disease and disability, formulation of a treatment plan, implementation of the treatment plan, follow up of the treatment to validate outcomes and refine the treatment plan to improve patient compliance and satisfaction.

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Overview

• Accepting applications

• Open & closing dates

04/19/2024 to 05/20/2024

• Salary

$38,501 - $69,369 per year

• Pay scale & grade

GS 4 - 7

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Location

1 vacancy in the following location:

• Minneapolis, MN 1 vacancy

• Remote job

No

• Telework eligible

No

• Travel Required

Not required

• Relocation expenses reimbursed

No

• Appointment type

Permanent -

• Work schedule

Full-time -

• Service

Excepted

• Promotion potential

7

• 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

CBSY-12390322-24-TM

• Control number

787701900

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This job is open to

• The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Clarification from the agency

U.S. Citizens.

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Duties

Major duties may include:

• Communicates and interacts with physicians, allied health professionals, patients and caregivers in various interdisciplinary clinical settings as a subject matter expert to develop the pedorthic treatment plan.

• Provides complex patient analyses in accordance with established procedures for patients with unusual conditions, multiple complex conditions and interrelated conditions.

• Assesses patients for indications/contraindications of pedorthic interventions.

• Discusses the assessment with the physician/requesting provider for the purpose of developing the overall treatment plan with considerable influence in the development of the plan.

• Analyzes the potential use of new and emerging technologies in designing unique or innovative pedorthic devices to accommodate or treat a wide range of complex medical conditions which include unusual problems or complications.

• Takes scans and measurements for advanced devices, prepares and modifies casts for advanced devices, repairs and fabricates advanced devices and provides patient/caregiver education for advanced devices.

• Recognizes physical abnormalities, deviations and complicating conditions with potentially life-threatening implications.

• Privileges (Individual Scope of Practice) other credentialed clinicians to provide pedorthic care based on ABC privileging requirements.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM.

Telework: Not eligible for telework.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 00000

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized

Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

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Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• 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.

• 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.

• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.

• 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.

Qualifications

BASIC REQUIREMENTS.

a. Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.). Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a).

b. Credential.

• Candidates must be board certified in pedorthics by the American Board for Certification in Orthotics, Prosthetics and Pedorthics (ABC). or

• Credentialed in pedorthics by the Board of Certification/Accreditation (BOC) or

• Exception for Non-Credentialed Health Aid (Pedorthist).

• (a) Non-credentialed individuals who have successfully completed a Board for Certification in Pedorthics (BCP), Commission on Accreditation of Pedorthic Education (CAPE), National Commission on Orthotic and Prosthetic Education (NCOPE), Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) or American Board for Certification of Orthotics, Prosthetics and Pedorthics (ABC) approved pedorthic certificate program (see Pedorthist Programs) and otherwise meet ABC's eligibility requirements for certification (see Pedorthist Candidate Guide) may be given a temporary appointment as a graduate Health Aid (Pedorthist) under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2)(B).

• (b) Non-credentialed individuals shall only provide care under the clinical oversight of a credentialed pedorthist, orthotist, or orthotist/prosthetist at or above the full performance level.

• (c) Non-credentialed individuals may only be appointed at the entry level and may not be promoted/converted until certification is obtained.

• (d) Temporary appointments of non-credentialed Health Aid (Pedorthist) may not be extended beyond two years or converted to a new temporary appointment.

c. Failure to Obtain Certification. In all cases, Health Aid (Pedorthist) must actively pursue meeting requirements for certification starting from the date of their appointment. At the time of appointment, the supervisor will provide the Health Aid (Pedorthist) with the written requirements for certification, including the time by which the certification must be obtained and the consequences for not becoming certified by the deadline. Failure to obtain certification during this time period may result in termination of employment.

d. Loss of Credential. Management officials, in collaboration with HR Office staff must immediately relieve employees, who fail to maintain the required certification, of the duties and responsibilities associated with this occupation, which may also result in separation from employment.

e. Grandfathering Provision. Employees in VHA in this occupational series or in another occupational series, under a permanent, appropriate and legal placement, performing the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date of the qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade and/or assignment held, including positive education and credentialing/certification, where applicable. The following provisions apply to employees who do not meet all the qualification requirements:

• Employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or be newly placed in a supervisory or managerial positions.

• Employees in an occupation that requires a credentialing only at higher grade levels must meet the credentialing requirement before they can be promoted to those higher grade levels.

• Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.

• Employees who are converted to title 38 hybrid status under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re-entry to the occupation.

• Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtains credentialing/certification that meets all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.

f. Foreign Education. To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must be deemed at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. program by a private organization specializing in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials.

English Language Proficiency. Health Technician (Pedorthist) candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-7. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-4 to GS-7.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on 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: http://ope.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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit or 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. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. 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.

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.

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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.

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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 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.