Medical Instrument Tech (Hemodialysis)

Summary

The incumbent will perform a variety of specialized diagnostic and medical treatment procedures during regular and recurring critical care situations as part of the diagnosis and treatment of Veterans.

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Overview

• Accepting applications

• Open & closing dates

06/25/2024 to 07/03/2024

• Salary

$63,867 - $83,027 per year

• Pay scale & grade

GS 9

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Location

1 vacancy in the following location:

• West Palm Beach, FL

• Remote job

No

• Telework eligible

No

• Travel Required

76% or greater - You may be expected to travel for this position.

• Relocation expenses reimbursed

No

• Appointment type

Permanent

• Work schedule

Full-time

• Service

Excepted

• Promotion potential

None

• Job family (Series)

0649 Medical Instrument Technician

• Supervisory status

No

• Security clearance

Other

• Drug test

Yes

• Position sensitivity and risk

Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

• Trust determination process

Suitability/Fitness

• Announcement number

CBTC-12455126-24-KLJ

• Control number

797058100

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This job is open to

• Internal to an agency

Current federal employees of this agency.

Clarification from the agency

This vacancy announcement is opened to current, permanent West Palm Beach VAMC Dialysis employees ONLY. *Federal Employees must submit their most recent, non-award (from 2024) SF 50 from their eOPF.

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Duties

Duties are, but not limited to:

• Calibrating and troubleshooting one or more kinds of specialized instruments utilized in interventional procedures.

• Detailed knowledge of human anatomy and physiology, chemistry, pharmacology, physics, and/or mathematics.

• Conducts and records pre-exam assessments/history to evaluate the patient.

• Explains the diagnostic test, and prepare the patient for the procedure.

• Post-procedure management, and using judgement to adapt and change procedures, adopt or develop new procedures or techniques and uses initiative to correct deficiencies and improve reliability of patient monitoring.

• Must be able to demonstrate flexibility in schedule and assignments in support of a 24/7 medical facility.

• Communicates with people of varied educational levels and varied ethic backgrounds with poise and an articulate manner.

• Advanced knowledge of complex and non-standard treatment and examination procedures and techniques.

• Plans and assists in the establishment of completely integrated treatment and examination programs.

• Provides briefings and orientations, staff development and training to hospital staff, including physicians.

• Trains and mentors other technicians, nurses, nursing students, medical students, residents, and fellows.

• Maintains professional, legal, and ethical standards inherent to patient safety and rights.

• Gathers relevant information to ensure patient safety during diagnostic and interventional procedures.

• Evaluates new products and equipment to make recommendations concerning developments which would improve operations.

• Assists with quality control, coordination of communication, and scheduling visits with vendors.

• Research and test new methods, which are adaptable for patients on special research drugs.

• Prepares written procedures and instructions for use of new equipment and for adapting this equipment to individual case requirements.

• Performs diagnostic studies including assisting or performing approved clinical research procedures.

• Responsible for coordinating research projects within their area of expertise.

• Recognizing the effects related to age specific factors, assisting special needs patients, ensuring those with physical or mental limitations are given the necessary physical or non-medicinal interventional support measures.

• Scrubs, circulates, monitors and operates equipment on the most complex and non-standard treatment procedures for patients with multiple morbidities/critical illness.

• Independently positions patients, equipment, associated devices, and manipulates technical factors to achieve high quality results.

• Monitors the progression of procedures requiring independent judgement and anticipate need to provide specific instrument and/or equipment.

• Assesses processed image media for technical quality, and patient identification, ensuring that all relative anatomy is demonstrated.

• Ensures medications are properly labeled and available for physician administration.

• Functional knowledge f the medications used, appropriate doses and side effects.

• Obtains a brief history from the Veteran and provide explanation of the procedure in understandable terms for the patient.

• Documents change sin Veteran's condition, reporting changes to the RN and/or Provider.

• Recognizing the need for initiating emergency measures when indicated, and assist in response procedures for cardiac/pulmonary arrest, anaphylaxis, fire, disruptive behavior, bomb threat, external disaster, patient missing, and hazardous spills. Promptly seeks the assistance of the RN or Provider

• Performs work in a safe manner providing a safe environment for patients, self and other staff

• Uses universal precautions, isolation procedures, and body mechanics.

• Reports potentially hazardous practices and environmental conditions.

• Complies with and ensures the staff adheres to the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for reprocessing/cleaning Reusable Medical Equipment (RME) as defined by "Spaulding Classification".

• Responsible for ordering and tracking all procedure specific supplies, maintaining equipment, ensuring operability by performing routine, minor and/or emergency repairs and arranging for additional repairs if necessary, informing Biomedical services of an electrically hazardous situation, and reporting any loss of equipment.

Work Schedule: Full Time, Monday through Friday from 5:30 am to 4:00 pm.

Telework: Not available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 41222F

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

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

BASIC REQUIREMENTS:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.

• Education. There are no specific educational requirements for this occupation. Education may be substituted for experience only at the GS-4 and GS-5 levels. See the grade requirements part of this standard for information regarding educational substitutions.

• Licensure or Certification. Licensure or Certification is not required for this occupation; however, it is strongly desirable at GS-6 or above as evidence of possession of the essential knowledge, skills, and abilities. For certain functional areas at the higher levels or supervisory assignments, specific certifications appropriate to the specialty are indicated in this standard under "Titles and Certification/Registrations". For all specialties identified in this standard, Basic and Advanced Cardiac Life Support certifications are desirable. Training which does not result in official certification does not meet this definition.

• Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

• English Language Proficiency. Medical Instrument Technicians must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part.

May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). Details on grandfathering are in the assessment questionnaire section of this announcement.

GRADE DETERMINATIONS:

Definitions:

For purposes of this qualification standard the specialty areas of this occupation have been grouped into [seven] functional areas.

These are: Cardiovascular (Electrocardiograph Technician, Cardiac Catheterization Technician) Medical (Hemodialysis Technician) Surgical (Perfusion Technician, Anesthesia Technician) Neurology (Electroencephalograph Technician, Polysomnography Technician) Pulmonary (Pulmonary Function Technician), and Imaging (Diagnostic Ultrasound Technician, Echocardiograph Technician, and Vascular Technician) [Gastroenterology (GI Technician)]

Medical Instrument Technicians at GS-6 and above will have a functional assignment and reference should be made to the appropriate appendix for qualifications evaluation.

Grade level criteria, KSAs (core competencies), and typical assignment information for all GS-4 and GS-5 levels are defined generically in this part of the qualification standard. For higher level positions where the grade level/assignment is based on supervisory and/or managerial responsibilities, criteria are also included in the general portion of this qualification standard (for individuals in multiple function assignments) and/or the specific appendices.

For non-supervisory positions at GS-6 and above and for supervisory positions in a single specialty, the grade level criteria, KSAs, and types of assignments are discussed in appendices matching the title areas listed below. Reference should be made to the appropriate appendix in evaluating the qualifications of individuals for this occupation.

Titles and Certifications/Registrations:

All individuals assigned to this occupation MUST have an approved parenthetical title. For individuals at the GS-4 and GS-5 levels, the approved title will be Medical Instrument Technician (Trainee). For supervisory positions over two or more approved specialties, the approved title will be Supervisory Medical Instrument Technician (Multiple Function). Supervisors over a single specialty will have that specialty as the parenthetical title; for example, Supervisory Medical Instrument Technician (Cardiac Catheterization). Non-supervisory individuals whose assignments involve two or more specialty areas will be assigned the parenthetical title for the predominant specialty considering both the intended function and qualifications background of the individual.

Hemodialysis Technicians operate and monitor kidney dialysis instruments to provide dialysis treatment to patients with kidney failure or to maintain patients with irreversible kidney disorders. The agencies that offer national certification are Nephrology Certification Commission (NNCC), Board of Nephrology Examiners, Inc., Nursing and Technology (BONENT), National Nephrology Certification Organization (NNCO), and the International Certification Commission for Clinical Engineering and Biomedical Technology (ICC) in conjunction with the United States Certification Commission (USCC).

Preferred Experience:

Registration is strongly desired.

BLS certification and ACLS certification are strongly desired.

References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/54 PART II APPENDIX G27

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS 9. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS 9.

Physical Requirements: This position requires visual acuity, ability to distinguish basic colors, keen hearing, clear distinctive speech, and above average manual dexterity. This position requires potentially long periods of continued walking, standing, kneeling, sitting, bending, pulling, and pushing moderately heavy objects of 45lbs and over may be required. The incumbent may have regular and recurring exposure to infectious and contagious diseased, contaminated materials, odors and other risks which require special health and safety precautions such as wearing PPE. This positions is evaluated as category Level 1 in accordance with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA); position requires the performance of tasks that are exposed to blood and potentially infectious body fluid. The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders. The incumbent must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations and able to shift priorities based on patient needs.

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

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.

Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process.

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.