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Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing)

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

Summary

VA Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System is recruiting for a Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing). The incumbent will provide sterilization, preparation, supply items, decontamination and distribution support for the medical center and Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOC).

Overview

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Job canceled
Open & closing dates
06/22/2022 to 07/13/2022
Salary
$32,533 to - $59,210 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 3 - 6
Location
Omaha, NE
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
6
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
CBSY-11544437-22-ADB
Control number
661322200

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

All US Citizens and other current permanent federal employees of other agencies.

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Duties

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The VA Midwest Health Care Network 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.


Duties of this position include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Performs work pertaining to the cleaning, decontamination, inspection and assembly of trays and sterilization or High-Level disinfection of RME.
  • Receives contaminated critical and semi-critical RME in decontamination area.
  • Removes soil, blood, tissue fragments, body fluids and other contaminants by wiping, soaking, rinsing and scrubbing.
  • Disassembles the RME and determines the correct cleaning method, such as but not limited to ultrasonic cleaners, mechanical washers, cart washers and chemical cleaning/decontamination agents as determined by manufactures instructions.
  • In clean preparation area, inspects instruments for proper function, prepares and assembles: basic trays, flexible and rigid scopes, complex trays, loaner trays and implant trays used in Operating Room, clinics and CBOCs.
  • Prepares, loads, and operates all sterilizers such as Steam, Steris V-Pro, EtO and a High-Level Disinfecting Scope Reprocessor.
  • Processes and sterilizes a wide variety of implant devices in accordance with manufacture recommendations.
  • Perform all quality assurance tests prior to use of any equipment.
  • Provide and maintain a safe, functional and effective environment as outlined with the service and medical center policies and report any equipment malfunctions.
  • Maintains current knowledge of policies, directives, IAHCSMM guidelines as well as knowledge of AAMI and AORN Standards.
Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 7:00am to 3:30 pm. Occasional weekend and holiday on-call rotation after orientation. Orientation may include altered tour of duties with advance notice.

NOTE: Salary listed does not include weekend, holiday and night pay shift differential. Shift Differential for employees who perform work during regularly scheduled hours between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. shall receive 10 percent of basic pay for those hours. Premium pay equal to 25 percent of the employee's basic hourly rate of pay is given for hours worked between midnight Friday or midnight Sunday. Employees who are required to perform regularly scheduled non-overtime work on a designated holiday shall receive pay at the rate of two times their hourly rate for actual hours worked on their tour, but not less than at least two hours. See VA Handbook 5007 for further details.

Telework: Not Available.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Title/Functional Statement #:Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing)/PD000000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized.
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required.

Requirements

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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:

  • United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
  • Experience and/or Education:
    • Experience. Six months of experience that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work or provides an understanding of the work; or
    • Education. One year above high school that included at least 6 semester hours in health care related courses such as sterile processing, nursing assistant, hospital corpsman, and operating room and surgical technician courses or other courses related to the position; or
    • Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable.
  • Foreign Education: To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U. S. programs.
  • Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.
  • English Language Proficiency: MSTs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j, 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).

Grade Determinations:The following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.

GS-03 (Entry Level):Experience or Education. None beyond the basic requirements.

GS-04 (Developmental Level):

Experience.
Six months experience as a MST, operating room or surgical technician or other position that demonstrated knowledge of sterile processing in a clinical setting; or

Education.
Two years of education above high school that included at least 12 semester hours in courses related to the occupation. NOTE: Successful completion of a course for medical technicians, hospital corpsmen, medical service specialists, or nursing assistants obtained in a training program given by the Armed Forces, the U.S. Maritime Service, or hospitals under close medical and professional supervision, may be substituted on a month-for-month basis for up to 6 months of experience.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the KSAs below:

1. Knowledge of universal precautions for safety and prevention of cross contamination.
2. Basic knowledge of medical terminology in order to assemble specialty operating room/clinic instrument sets.
3. Basic knowledge of sterilization and cleaning equipment.
4. Ability to communicate both orally and in writing.

GS-05 (Developmental Level):

Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level; or

Education. Four academic years above high school leading to a Bachelor's degree with at least 12 semester hours in courses related to the occupation or a Bachelor's degree.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

1. Basic knowledge of surgical instruments used in operating rooms and clinic settings.
2. Basic knowledge of event-related packaging in regards to sterility.
3. Knowledge of sterilization and cleaning equipment.

GS-06 (Full Performance Level):

Experience
. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

1. Knowledge of surgical instruments used in operating rooms and clinic settings.
2. Knowledge of universal precautions for safety and prevention of cross contamination.
3. Working knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, microbiology, medical conditions and procedures.
. Knowledge of sterility principles in regards to instrumentation.
5. Ability to read and interpret written instructions and procedures.

References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/83 PART II APPENDIX G47, Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing) Qualification Standard GS-622.The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-6. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-3 to GS-6.

Physical Requirements: This work is performed in various settings: decontamination, assembly and preparation, and in other service lines throughout the medical facility. The incumbent may be required to work in areas that are hot and cold. The employee is subject to the possibility of falls, scrapes, cuts, bruises, and other injuries from handling RME. The work requires standing and walking during the entire workday and frequent bending and lifting (occasionally weighing as much as 50 pounds). The work requires dexterity and visual acuity for manipulating, disassembly and assembly of instrumentation and RME. On a regular and recurring basis, the employee alternates between a contaminated environment and a carefully controlled clean environment. The employee wears special clothing, hair covers, personal protective equipment and shoe covers that can be uncomfortably warm. The employee uses insulated gloves to remove carts from sterilizers. The employee is subject to burns from accidentally touching hot items. The employee often works around body fluids, mucous, excretions and human tissue, some of which may be foul smelling. Strong, unpleasant odors are encountered while decontaminating bloody or grossly contaminated instrumentation or RME. The work area is noisy due to the clatter of metal instruments, rumbling of carts and the operation of cleaning and sterilization equipment.

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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

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.

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 to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.

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, résumé, 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.

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.

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