Lead Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing)
Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration
Application
Details
Posted: 27-Nov-24
Location: Tallahassee, Florida, Florida
Categories:
Operations
Internal Number: 821057800
This position is located within the Sterile Processing Service in the North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System. Sterile Processing covers five locations including, Gainesville Medical Center, Lake City Medical Center, Jacksonville Outpatient Center (JOPC), Tallahassee Health Care Center (THCC), and the Villages Outpatient Center (TVOPC). 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 and/or Experience: (1) Experience. Six months of experience that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work or provides and understanding of the work; OR (2) 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 (3) Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable. English Language Proficiency: MSTs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j, this part. Preferred Experience: National Certification Preferred (CRCST, CSPDT). Grade Determinations: GS-07 Lead Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing) 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. Ability to instruct staff on the correct procedures and protocols for completing assignments. 2. Skill in communicating with staff to ensure compliance with written directives, rules and regulations. 3. Skill in interpersonal relationships in dealing with employees, team leaders, and managers. 4. Knowledge of sterility principles in order to instruct staff on decontamination procedures. 5. Ability to lead individuals, manage priorities, and schedule work assignments. References: VA Handbook 5005/76, Part II, Appendix G47. Physical Requirements: Heavy lifting, 45 lbs. and over; Heavy carrying, 45 lbs. and over; Straight pulling; Pushing; Use of fingers; Both hands required; Walking; Standing; Kneeling; Repeated bending; Climbing, legs only; Near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4; Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and 20/40 in the other; Ability to distinguish basic colors; Ability to distinguish shades of colors; Hearing (aid permitted); Environmental Factors: Outside and inside; Slippery or uneven walking surfaces; Working closely with others. 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). ["Lead Medical Supply Technician working with the Sterile Processing Service (SPS) staff as a resource for daily operation routines, training, and problem solving while assisting the Supervisors with oversight, quality assurance, and compliance. The Lead Technician is competent in all areas of SPS including Decontamination, Preparation, Cool Room, Center Core, and endoscope reprocessing including High Level Disinfection. SPS practices and processes are based on VHA Handbooks and Directives, Industry Standards (AAMI, AORN, IAHCSMM) and manufacturer instructions for use. The Lead Technician duties include but are not limited to: Must be able to understand references and how to research standards and guidelines for best practices as well as develop a plan to assist in implementation. Quality Control in SPS requires all staff to visually inspect and test instruments and equipment for function and quality Assist in proactively assessing the instrument sets prior to release to the clinical service. Instruments that are not appropriate for use processed for replacement or repair Ensure the volume, quality, and needs of instruments for the end-user are managed appropriately. Loaner sets come in to the service and must be checked for accuracy and cleanliness and should be accompanied with proper count sheets and manufacturer cleaning guidelines; Assisting the Supervisor. Front-line problem-solving Responsible for ensuring safety, quality, and staffing issues are properly communicated with the Supervisor so they can be researched and corrected. Responsible for following departmental procedures to have repairs completed and communicating the status of the repairs with the service. The Lead Technician is a critical role in the chain of command for SPS and the final product to be used on a patient. This role requires the incumbent to be independent self-starters who can foster frontline staff with training, competence, and mentoring. Preferred Experience: SPS background required, National Certification Preferred (CRCST, CSPDT). Knowledge of current sterile processing medical supply tech (MST) practices. Work Schedule: 9:00am - 5:30pm, Monday- Friday Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. 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.