This position is located within the Sterile Processing Service in the Bay Pines VA Healthcare System at Bay Pines, FL. The Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing), works in support of the Sterile Processing Service (SPS) management team. *** Offering Recruitment/Relocation Incentive to highly qualified candidates*** 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 Citizenship. Citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, paragraph 3g.) English Language Proficiency. MSTs must be proficient in spoken and written English 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. Certification. None. Grandfathering Provision. All MSTs that are employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. (Only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). 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. Creditable Experience Knowledge of Current MST Practices. To be creditable, the experience must have demonstrated the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) associated with MST responsibilities. Experience satisfying this requirement may be paid/non-paid employment as an MST. Quality of Experience. Qualifying experience must be at a level comparable to MST experience at the next lower grade level of the position being filled. Part-Time Experience. Part-time experience as a MST is creditable according to its relationship to the full-time workweek. For example, a MST employed 20 hours a week, or on a 1/2-time basis, would receive 1 full-time workweek of credit for each 2 weeks of service. GRADE REQUIREMENT Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing) - GS-6 - Full Performance Level Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-5) which are: Basic knowledge of surgical instruments used in operating rooms and clinic settings. Basic knowledge of event-related packaging in regards to sterility. Knowledge of sterilization and cleaning equipment. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Knowledge of surgical instruments used in operating rooms and clinic settings Knowledge of universal precautions for safety and prevention of cross contamination. Working knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, microbiology, medical conditions and procedures. Knowledge of sterility principles in regards to instrumentation. Ability to read and interpret written instructions and procedures. ***Preferred Experience*** National Certification by the Certification Board of Sterile Processing and Distribution (CBSPD) and/or by the Healthcare Sterile Processing Association (HSPA, formerly IAHCSMM) is preferred but not required. Knowledge of all areas with Sterile Processing to include: decontamination, preparation and assembly, sterilization, endoscope reprocessing, sterile storage and distribution. Knowledge of sterility principles in order to instruct staff on decontamination procedures. Physical Requirements. This position may require shift work and or rotation of tour assignments. Routinely requires heavy lifting (45 lbs. and over), heavy carrying (45 lbs. and over), straight pulling and pushing (up to 8 hrs.), walking (8 hrs.), standing (8 hrs.), kneeling (8 hrs.), repeated bending (8 hrs.), both legs required, near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4, far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20, depth perception, ability to distinguish colors, ability to distinguish shades of colors, hearing aid permitted, and ability to operate transportation equipment. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-6. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-6 References. For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. ["Duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Receives contaminated critical and semi-critical RME in the decontamination area and may receive noncritical equipment in the decontamination area as well. Disassembles complex 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 manufacturer instructions. Removes soil, blood, tissue fragments, body fluids, and other contaminants by wiping, soaking, rinsing, and scrubbing. Assembles instruments; including the most complex sets, and other surgical items, by selecting appropriate items, trays, instruments, etc. and assembles them in the correct manner to ensure appropriate sterilization. Inspects, assembles and determines the correct method and packaging for sterilization such as but not limited to steam, hydrogen peroxide, ETO, and high-level disinfecting scope re-processors. Labels all sterilized items correctly according to AAMI and VHA Directive 1116(2) standards. Performs and documents daily operational checks and records for all sterilization equipment. Builds the full complement of Operating Room case carts to include RME, implants, and disposable. Identifies suitable replacement if requested item is not available. Utilizes advanced functions of instrument tracking system. Provides guidance and training to staff members with less experience Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 3:30pm -12:00am (w/Rotating Weekends) Compressed/Flexible: Not Available Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Authorized to highly qualified candidates Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases. Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior military service experience. Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child. Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66. Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Functional Statement #: 20390F"]
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.