The Health Technician position is located at the VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center in the Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Service (PM&RS) department. The purpose of the health technician is to provide support to inpatient Physical and Occupational therapists during encounters with patients referred to PM&R for various services. This position will work in the acute care hospital and on the acute rehab unit. To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 01/20/2025. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Individual Occupational Requirements (IOR) for the GS-06 grade - Specialized Experience: 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. In addition to meeting the IOR you also must meet the following: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-05 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Equipment set-up, and/or clean-up. Maintaining files and records. Ensuring patient satisfaction surveys are distributed and received. Performing simple treatment procedures such as managing lines, assisting with transfers/lifts, and walking patients on the STRIDE program (supervised walking), and others as directed by PT/PTA/OT/COTA/SLP/Physiatrist or other providers. Using techniques to appropriately de-escalate disruptive patients. Observing patients and reporting changes in condition (deviation in color, pulse, respiration, temperature, and blood pressure). Taking and recording vital signs. Using a computer to perform administrative duties. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have Graduate education or an internship meets the specialized experience required above GS-5 only in those instances where it is directly related to the work of the position. One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent one year of full-time study. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the one year of full-time study requirement. Part-time graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to a year of full-time study at the school attended. (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED). OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level.. You must have an equal combination of specialized experience and graduate education. PLEASE NOTE: 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. (RESUME AND TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED) 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/. ["The Health Technician (PM&R) performs the following major duties including, but not limited to: Support three separate programs in coordination with PMRS health care professionals including but not limited to: acute care physical and occupational therapy, Comprehensive Intensive Inpatient Rehabilitation Program (CIIRP), and STRIDE Program (supervised walking program). May involve guarding the patient, pushing or positioning the wheelchair behind the patient or as directed by the therapist, assisting with trunk support in unsupported sitting, assistance with maximal assist to dependent transfers, donning and doffing gait belt, donning/doffing braces (such as TLSO, cervical collar, prosthesis, AFO, etc.) and being on standby for safety concerns that may arise. The Health Technician will assist with STRIDE, a supervised walking program for hospitalized veterans. Assists the therapists with treatments - makes gross visual observations, takes vitals and identifies subtle changes regarding the patient's condition. Monitors patients for adverse reactions and takes corrective action based on established policy and past experience. Recognizes abnormalities and brings them to the attention of appropriate health care professionals. Answers the phone, providing non-clinical information; refers callers to appropriate staff; records telephone messages for delivery to PM&R physicians and therapists. Performs all other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:30am-4pm Position Description/PD#: Health Technician/PD142070 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized"]
The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care at 1,321 health care facilities, including 172 VA Medical Centers and 1,138 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics) to over 9 million Veterans enrolled in the VA health care program. VHA Medical Centers provide a wide range of services including traditional hospital-based services such as surgery, critical care, mental health, orthopedics, pharmacy, radiology and physical therapy. In addition, most of our medical centers offer additional medical and surgical specialty services including audiology & speech pathology, dermatology, dental, geriatrics, neurology, oncology, podiatry, prosthetics, urology, and vision care. Some medical centers also offer advanced services such as organ transplants and plastic surgery.
