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Health Technician

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
Veterans Health Administration
This job announcement has closed

Summary

The health Technician will be assigned to the Emergency Department & functions as a very skilled member of the nursing care team & effectively assumes all of the patient care activities assigned. The Health Technician exercises a high degree of initiative and resourcefulness in critical situations and in relieving the nurse of the non-profession aspects of the work. The Health Technician will also participate in change of shift reporting, walking rounds & team conferences.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
12/20/2024 to 01/03/2025
Salary
$43,642 to - $56,731 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 5
Location
2 vacancies in the following location:
Detroit, MI
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
5
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
Yes
Announcement number
CBSR-12648505-25-LLL
Control number
825296400

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

ALL US CITIZENS. DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority (5 CFR 337.201) for this occupation.

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Duties

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Major duties include:

  • Performs or assists triage staff with diagnostic procedures including EKGs, venipunctures, and alcohol breathalyzer used to diagnose medical conditions.
  • Operates and maintains medical instruments and equipment for diagnostic and treatment procedures.
  • During procedures, recognizes abnormalities, collects and records information and informs professional staff of unusual readings or conditions.
  • Operates, calibrates, and maintains medical instruments or equipment such as accu-check machines, crash carts and oxygen tanks used to assist with or perform procedures.
  • Receives and responds to a number of inquiries from patients concerning a variety of medical personnel and administrative matters (Secures patient's confidence and cooperation during procedures.
  • Assists in the performance of or independently performs procedures such as insertion of urinary catheters, intravenous catheters, and naso-gastric tubes, and administration of enemas and breathing treatments as delegated by the RN.
  • Performs a range of diagnostic support duties such as taking, recording, and reporting deviations in vital signs, taking specimens, labeling specimens for the laboratory.
  • Makes gross visual observations and identifies subtle changes in the patient's condition.
  • Uses hot and cold packs, changes sterile dressings, cares for patients, and sets up and gives treatments that require auxiliary equipment.
  • Connects patient to transportation monitors and disconnects them from Spacelab monitoring equipment; sets up portable oxygen tanks.
  • Instructs patients in crutch, walker and or cane use and ensures correct fitting of equipment.
  • Performs procedures such as collection of blood samples or other fluid samples, application of sterile dressings to wounds, irrigations, or similar patient care.
  • Performs direct patient care including personal hygiene, physical comfort, nutrition, elimination, prevention of skin breakdown, safety, etc.
  • Uses software to produce specific printouts for the clinical staff. and assembles patients' records in the CPRS.
  • Performs patient charting using standard medical terminology entering information regarding care rendered, condition and progress.
  • Provides general clerical/administrative support coordination work for the Triage area. Performs a variety of receptionist and record keeping duties, records vital signs and documents in CPRS according to policy.
  • Orders and maintains supplies for the unit.
  • Maintains order in examination rooms. Sets up and maintains sterility of instruments and supplies used to perform tests or procedures in the ER setting. Maintains stock of supplies for unit operations.

Work Schedule: Sunday - Saturday, with rotating shifts, holidays and weekends. Shifts will be 11am- 11:30pm, 3:30pm-11:30pm & 11am-7:30pm. This is not a virtual position. Telework is not authorized for this position.
Position Description Title/PD#: Health Technician/PD92168A
Physical Requirements: Heavy lifting and carrying (45+ lbs.); Heavy carrying (45+lbs); straight pulling (4 hours); pushing (4 hours); reaching above shoulder; both hands required; walking (8-12hrs); standing (8-12hrs); repeated bending (8-12hrs). This position requires potentially long periods of continued walking, standing, stooping, sitting, bending, pulling, and pushing. Transferring patients and objects may be required. The incumbent may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and must don protective clothing during patient care. The incumbent must be flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, able to shift priorities based on patient needs. Must complete annual employee health requirements, such as annual TB screening or testing, as a condition of employment.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job
  • Subject to a background/suitability investigation
  • Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
  • May serve a probationary period
  • Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
  • A complete application package; Resume, Transcripts, etc
  • Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process

Qualifications

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

Individual Occupational Requirements

Specialized Experience (for positions at GS-4 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.

OR,

Education and Training For GS-5:
Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree, with major study or at least 24 semester hours in subjects directly related to the position.

Grade Requirement -You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:

GS-5 grade level: One year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-4 grade level in the federal service); experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA's) 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: Performing or assisting triage staff with diagnostic procedures including EKGs, venipunctures, and alcohol breathalyzer used to diagnose medical conditions. Operates, calibrates, and maintains medical instruments or equipment such as accu-check machines, crash carts and oxygen tanks used to assist with or perform procedures. Performs procedures such as collection of blood samples or other fluid samples, application of sterile dressings to wounds, irrigations, or similar patient care. Performs direct patient care including personal hygiene, physical comfort, nutrition, elimination, prevention of skin breakdown, safety, etc.

OR

Applicants may substitute education for the experience required for the GS-5 level. Four-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with courses related to the occupation, if required. The applicant must have successfully completed post-high school education is qualifying for grades GS-3 through GS-5. This education must have been obtained in an accredited business or technical school, junior college, college or university for which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite. 1 year of full-time undergraduate study is defined as 30 semester hours, 45 quarter hours, or the equivalent in a college or university or at least 20 hours of classroom instruction per week for approximately 36 weeks in a business or technical school. At grades GS-4 and above, a portion of the education is usually directly related to the work of the position to be filled. Examples of related courses are provided in the individual occupational requirements where applicable. However, agencies may require other courses if they are considered to be more related to the position to be filled.

OR

Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-5 level. Equivalent combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience are also qualifying. The combinations described below are those most typical for these positions, i.e., for grades GS-3 through GS-5. If education is used to meet specialized experience requirements, then such education must include courses directly related to the work of the position. For GS-5 level positions, only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours of a course of study leading to a bachelor's degree is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirements. Two full academic years of study, or 60 semester hours, beyond the second year is equivalent to 1 year of specialized experience.

To calculate, first identify the percentage of required education you have earned (when substituting, you cannot use the first 60 semester hours that you earned). Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify at the GS-5. For example, an applicant who has 9 semester hours of graduate level education (i.e. 50% of graduate education required) and 6 months of creditable specialized experience (i.e. 50% of the required experience) would equal 100% of the required experience for the position A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

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

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. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer (TJO). Please visit the Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP), va.gov/EMPLOYEE/docs/The-Fair-Chance-to-Compete-Act.pdf for more information.

Additional information

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer (TJO). Please visit the Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP), va.gov/EMPLOYEE/docs/The-Fair-Chance-to-Compete-Act.pdf for more 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.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide 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 ICTAP and 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.

VA Healthcare System Serving Ohio, Indiana and Michigan (VISN 10) advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.

How you will be evaluated

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

Your experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Applicants will be referred in the order in which they were received.

Do not copy and paste duties, specialized experience, or information from the assessment questionnaire from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications.

Your resume must thoroughly describe how your skills and experiences align to the criteria defined in the "Qualifications" section of this announcement and must support your responses to the assessment questionnaire. We cannot assume you have performed the necessary experience required for this position regardless of your employment history or academic career. To ensure all the essential information is in your resume, we encourage you to use the USAJOBS online Resume Builder. If you choose to use your own resume, ensure it contains all required information and organize it so we can associate the following information for each experience/position:

  1. Job title
  2. Name and address of employer
  3. Beginning and ending dates of employment (month/day/year format)
  4. Hours worked per week. Part-Time or PRN experience will be pro-rated.
  5. Detailed description of job duties, accomplishments, related skills, and responsibilities to include any supervisory/managerial responsibilities and number of staff supervised, etc.
  6. Series and grade or equivalent (if a federal position)
Do not include photographs or video of yourself, sensitive information (age, date of birth, marital status, protected health information, religious affiliation, social security number, etc.) on your resume or cover letter. We will not access web pages linked on your resume or cover letter to determine your qualifications.

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