Summary

The Medical Supply Technician/Lead for Sterile Processing Service (SPS) - Central Virginia VA Health Care System - Fredericksburg Health Care Center - interprets and follows the policies and procedures of SPS including Reusable Medical Devices (RMD) inventory management areas to perform his/her daily functions within the established guidelines and demonstrates the ability to work effectively and efficiently.

Qualifications

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
• English Language Proficiency
• MSTs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 3 - section A - paragraph 3j - this part
• 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
• 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
• 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)
• 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 a 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
• For all assignments above the full performance level - the higher level duties must consist of significant scope - administrative independence - complexity (difficulty) and range of variety as described in this standard at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time 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: Ability to instruct staff on the correct procedures and protocols for completing assignments
• Skill in communicating with staff to ensure compliance with written directives - rules and regulations
• Skill in interpersonal relationships in dealing with employees - team leaders - and managers
• Knowledge of sterility principles in order to instruct staff on decontamination procedures
• Ability to lead individuals - manage priorities - and schedule work assignments Assignment
• The Lead MST works in support of the Sterile Processing Service (SPS) management team
• Distributes and prioritizes workload among employees in accordance with established workflow and/or job specializations
• Assures an even workflow and distribution of the workload
• Revises work schedules to meet anticipated and unanticipated changes in the workload
• Assigns work to staff based on experience and training needs
• Monitors and reports on the status of work
• Ensures SOPs and SPS mandates are followed during the performance of workflow
• Reviews work in progress or spot checks work not requiring review to ensure completed work meets supervisors' instructions on such things as work sequence - procedures - methods - and deadlines
• Assesses the quality and quantity of work by reviewing the cleaning - reprocessing - and distribution of technical medical equipment - material and instrumentation
• Provides information to management officials concerning performance issues - assignment changes and task completion
• Instructs employees on work-related activities - policies - procedures and goals
• Preferred Experience: National Certification preferred (CRCST/CSPDT)
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-7. Physical Requirements: May be required to work in areas which may be hot - humid - cold - drafty - and/or poorly lighted
• The employee is subject to the possibility of falls - scrapes - cuts - bruises - and other injuries from material handling equipment
• The work requires pushing - pulling - standing - and walking during the entire workday - and frequent bending and lifting of packages (occasionally weighing as much as 50 pounds)
• The work requires dexterity and visual acuity for manipulating - disassembling - and assembling of various devices and instrumentation
• This position requires potentially long periods of continued walking - standing - stooping - sitting - bending - pulling - and pushing
• Transferring patients and objects may be required.

Duties

• The incumbent is required to have a broad knowledge and skills in applying various sterilization modalities - high level disinfection - preparation - and decontamination techniques - The incumbent must also have a working knowledge of microbiology - quality control - and distinguishing between various reusable medical equipment
• The individual is accountable to maintain SPS standards for the practice of all services that contributes to the fulfillment to the mission
• This is the full performance level for the occupation
• Duties include but not limited to the following: The Lead Medical Supply Technician - SPS works in support of the SPS management team
• Distributes and prioritizes workload among employees in accordance with established workflow and/or job specializations - assures an even workflow and distribution of the workload - revises work schedules to meet anticipated and unanticipated changes in the workload
• Assigns work to staff based on experience and training needs - monitors and reports on the status of work - ensures Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)/Comps and local and VHA mandates are followed during the performance of workflow
• This work is performed in various settings: decontamination - preparation - clean sterile supply (preparation) - and in other services and departments throughout the medical facility/campus
• On a regular and recurring basis - the employee alternates between a contaminated environment and a carefully controlled clean environment
• The employee wears hospital issued scrubs - and personal protective equipment that can become uncomfortably warm
• The employee uses insulated gloves to remove carts from sterilizers and mechanical cleaning machines
• The employee may frequently be exposed to body fluids - mucous - excretions - and bits of tissue - some of which may be foul smelling
• The work area is noisy - due to the clatter of metal instruments - rumbling of carts and operation of sterilizing and decontamination equipment
• This position requires visual acuity - keen hearing - clear distinctive speech - and manual dexterity
• Other duties as assigned
• Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf Medical Supply Aide and Technician: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Medical-Supply-Aide-Career-Flyer.pdf Work Schedule: Will be discuss during interview
• Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay - a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade)
• 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 [work experience] or 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) Telework: No Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 00000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized