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Duties for this position include but are not limited to:

• Specimen Collection: 50%
• Using proper patient identification and sample labeling the incumbent collects blood or urine specimens and ensures safe, non-traumatic processes are used to maintain patient safety and assure specimen quality.
• Performs blood collection using venipunctures, and capillary finger sticks with a minimal number of failures, patient bruising, or required repeat collection, ensuring that samples are submitted to the clinical laboratory with the least possible delay.
• Specimen collection is performed in hospital rooms, extended care rooms and out-patient specimen collection area.
• Specimen collection is performed under emergent situations such as cardiac arrest, stroke, critically ill or non­cooperative patients.
• Follows standard operating procedures for guidance in specimen collection.
• Identifies tests that require special handling conditions and appropriately performs proper specimen collection.
• Initiates emergency care procedures in the event a patient has a reaction to blood collection procedures including fainting, hematoma, and anxiety.
• Maintains an adequate supply of phlebotomy supplies, and reports shortages to logistics staff or the supervisor for resolution.
• Adheres to laboratory safety policies and regulatory requirements including infection control policies such as hand hygiene, specimen transport, and patient isolation.
• Specimen Handling & Computer: 25%
• Operates the pneumatic tube system to transport specimens to the main laboratory.
• Properly packages specimens for manual transport between clinic lab and the main laboratory and delivers specimens to the appropriate section of the laboratory as assigned.
• Ensures that specimens are maintained at the proper temperature and conditions to ensure sample integrity (on ice, protected from light), as required by the test ordered.
• Communication, Clerical, and Administrative Support: 25%
• Provides education to patients regarding the collection of blood samples and potential complications, collection of a routine urinalysis, 24-hour urine collection, and other collection requirements as needed.
• Assists patients with laboratory check-in, obtains required pre-analytical information from patients, and provide patient-entered care and excellent customer service to patients, visitors, and other members of the health care team.
• Communicates missing, erroneous, or duplicate orders to the appropriate health care staff for follow-up action.
• Answers clinic laboratory phone, addresses inquiries, and forwards call to main lab when appropriate.
• Trains and evaluates competency of new employees and students in specimen collection techniques, computer duties, and management of laboratory orders.
• Participates in continuing education activities and VA training opportunities.
• Assists with other miscellaneous and clerical duties as assigned.

DESIGNATED DRUG-TESTING POSITION: 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. Applicants will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive drug test result is received.

Work Schedule: Full time, day shift. Monday through Friday, no weekends or holidays. Hours to be determined.
Recruitment Incentive: A recruitment incentive has been authorized for this position.
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required.

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
• 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. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)

Qualifications

This position includes a Selective Placement Factor (skill, knowledge, ability or other worker characteristic basic to - and essential for - satisfactory performance of the job). Selective Placement Factors are a prerequisite to appointment and represent minimum requirements for a position. Applicants who do not meet it are ineligible for further consideration. The Selective Placement Factor for this position is: experience performing phlebotomy/blood draws on human patients. This experience must be detailed in your resume to receive credit.

AND

EXPERIENCE REQUIRED: At least six (6) months of general experience, and six (6) months of specialized experience that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to successfully perform the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. General Experience is: (1) Any type of work that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work of the position, or (2) experience that provided a familiarity with the subject matter or processes of the broad subject area of the occupation. Specialized experience is: (a) Technical medical laboratory support work such as performing laboratory tests and examinations (chemical, microbiologic, hematologic and blood banking) and preparing reports of findings or (b) technical support work in a closely related field, e.g., biological laboratory technician work that required application of the methods and techniques for the position to be filled. Note: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hour worked per week. ~OR~

SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION: Successful completion of (a) an associate-degree course of study of which the 2nd year of the 2-year program included successful completion of a training course of approximately a year's duration in a certified laboratory assistant school approved by a nationally recognized accrediting agency; (b) 1 year of study that included 6 semester hours in chemistry and/or the biological sciences, plus successful completion of (a) a full-time training course of approximately a year's duration in a medical or clinical laboratory assistant (or technician) school that included instruction in chemistry, hematology, blood banking, and microbiology (including serology) and that, in addition, included supervised laboratory practice incident to the diagnostic process and the treatment of patients; or (c) 2 years of study that included at least 12 semester hours of chemistry and/or biological science course work that must have been directly related to the specialization of the position to be filled. Transcripts must be submitted at time of application. ~OR~

COMBINATION: An equivalent combination of post-high school education and experience, as described above. May be used to qualify for this position. Transcripts required.

You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position:

• Computer Skills
• Customer Service (Clerical/Technical)
• Patient Care
• Quality Assurance
• Specimen Collection

IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. 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.

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; religious; 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.

Physical Requirements: The work requires some physical exertion when standing, walking, bending, and lifting. The work may require the position to assist in the lifting of equipment and/or patients. The work involves regular and recurring risks or discomforts associated with working in a clinical laboratory which require special safety techniques and universal precautions, e.g. working around moving parts, carts, or machines; with contagious diseases or irritant chemicals. The position is required to use protective clothing or gear such as masks, gowns, coats, boots, goggles, gloves, or shields and follow procedures for minimizing risks.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

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. If your resume does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s).

Your responses to the assessment questionnaire will be reviewed along with the information provided in your resume and supporting documentation to determine if you are qualified for the position. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your rating may be lowered and/or you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

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.

Candidates who apply under All U.S. Citizens announcements will be rated and ranked using Category Rating procedures. Qualified candidates will be assigned to a quality category. The categories are defined as follows:

• Best qualified - applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are highly proficient in all requirements of the job and can perform effectively in the position;
• Highly qualified - applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the requirements of the job;
• Well qualified - applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in some, but not all, of the requirements of the job; and
• Qualified - applicants possessing experience and/or education that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors.

Application of Veterans' Preference: Category rating and selection procedures place those with veteran's preference above non-preference eligibles within each category. Preference eligible applicants that meet the eligibility and qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent are listed in the highest quality category (except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level or higher).

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.