The Battle Creek VA Medical Center is recruiting for a Medical Instrument Technician (Echocardiography). This position is aligned under Respiratory Section within Specialty Service and provides cardiopulmonary diagnostic procedures under the direction of an authorized ordering provider. The Echocardiography Medical Instrument Technician operates diagnostic equipment to graphically record by the echo obtained from beams of ultrasonic waves directed through the chest wall. 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. There are no specific educational requirements for this occupation. Education may be substituted for experience only at the GS-4 and GS-5 levels. See the grade requirements part of this standard for information regarding educational substitutions. Licensure or Certification. Licensure or Certification is not required for this occupation; however, it is strongly desirable at GS-6 or above as evidence of possession of the essential knowledge, skills, and abilities. For certain functional areas at the higher levels or supervisory assignments, specific certifications appropriate to the specialty are indicated in this standard under "Titles and Certification/Registrations". English Language Proficiency. Medical Instrument Technicians must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, 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: GS-8 (a) Experience. At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the positions to be filled. This would be experience which provided the overall knowledge, skills, and abilities to conduct diagnostic echocardiography examinations in complex and unusual cases. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: (b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities 1. Ability to produce diagnostic quality images and Doppler frequency shift recordings using M-mode, two-dimensional, pulsed and continuous wave Doppler spectral display, and colorflow Doppler imaging. 2. Knowledge of normal echocardiographic findings and deviations produced by a wide variety of cardiovascular diseases. 3. Ability to perform complex procedures such as cardiac studies of the four chambers of the heart and valves using sector scanning techniques to detect stenotic and incompetent valves, chamber enlargement, and pericardial effusion and cardiovascular studies deriving pressure gradients across obstructed valves, etc. 4. Ability to perform complementary ultrasonic examinations (including noninvasive) transthoracic, Bubble studies and contrast echocardiography, (invasive) stress echocardiography, and transesophageal echocardiography. 5. Ability to adapt transducer positioning, instrument controls, and examination techniques to the individual patient being studied and the problem being evaluated including recognizing pertinent abnormalities and documenting abnormal findings. (c) Certification. Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certifications are desirable. (d) Assignment. This represents the full performance level. Echocardiography technicians at this level identify and record anomalies indicative of disease, injury, or other medically significant condition from ultrasound imaging and simultaneous recordings of the Doppler. They incorporate the causes and results of a variety of symptoms and conditions into a plan of ultrasonic diagnostic examination. They change and develop sounding techniques to accommodate such variables as limited patient mobility, variation in physical condition or dimension of the patient, presence of prosthesis or foreign objects, and ultrasonic response of different body parts. They produce diagnostic quality images and Doppler frequency recordings using M-mode, two-dimensional, and Doppler ultrasound. Preferred Experience: 2-5 years of experience; completed a program accredited by American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (ARDMS) or its successor, resulting in obtaining an associate degree or higher; credential of Registered Diagnostic Cardiac Sonographer (RDCS), as issued by the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (ARDMS) or Registered Cardiac Sonographer (RCS) issued by the Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI). Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-8. Physical Requirements: Considerable walking/standing/sitting/reaching/stooping/bending/kneeling may be required as well as frequent lifting, positioning, pushing/pulling may be required when assisting with the transfer of patients or when moving equipment or supplies. Manual dexterity and mobility are required. ["The Medical Instrument Technician (MIT) operates within the Outpatient Respiratory Therapy Section of Specialty Service and provides routine standardized cardiac ultrasound examinations under the supervision of a fully qualified cardiac sonographer. The MIT will generate adequate gray scale images to define cardiac borders and learning to perform Doppler integration of cardiac valves for determination of flow velocities. The MIT will edit and utilize the Pro-Solv Echocardiogram storage system and cardiology database storage system. The Medical Instrument Technician is to practice in accordance with VA guidelines, Battle Creek VAMC policies, standard operating procedures, medical staff bylaws, rules, and regulations, and in accordance with current Joint Commission standards. The incumbent considers age of the patient when performing health care as it relates to functional capacity/limitations, ability to understand and follow directions, provide objective self-assessment of past medical condition and treatment appropriate to the overall treatment goals and plans. Communicates effectively and professionally with patients, families, coworkers, and other staff in order to provide exemplary care and service. Collaborates with patients, families, and other members of the healthcare team to facilitate appointments, equipment issuance, machine assistance, and equipment troubleshooting issues, as needed. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 91868A 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.
