Summary

The incumbent serves as a Medical Technician in the Community Outpatient Service (COPS) at VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System (VANEOHS) in Canton - OH. The incumbent is responsible for phlebotomy and related duties. technicians work in a specialized area of the laboratory - e.g. - blood banking. Others perform tests in several areas of the laboratory - e.g. - chemistry - blood banking - microbiology - hematology - and serology.

Qualifications

ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY: In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) - No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. You must be proficient in basic written and spoken English in order to meet the requirements of this position. This position includes a Selective Placement Factor (skill - knowledge - ability or other worker characteristic basic to - and essential for - satisfactory performance of the job). Selective Placement Factors are a prerequisite to appointment and represent minimum requirements for a position. Applicants who do not meet it are ineligible for further consideration. The Selective Placement Factor for this position is: Experience performing phlebotomy/blood draws on human patients. ~AND~ To qualify for this position at the GS-4 level - you must also meet one of the following: EXPERIENCE: At least six (6) months of general experience - and six (6) months of specialized experience that equipped you with the particular knowledge - skills - and abilities (KSA's) to successfully perform the duties of the position - and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. General Experience is: (1) Any type of work that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work of the position - or (2) experience that provided a familiarity with the subject matter or processes of the broad subject area of the occupation. Specialized experience is: (a) Technical medical laboratory support work such as performing laboratory tests and examinations (chemical - microbiologic - hematologic and blood banking) and preparing reports of findings or (b) technical support work in a closely related field - e.g. - biological laboratory technician work that required application of the methods and techniques for the position to be filled. Note: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title - duties - month and year start/end dates AND hour worked per week. ~OR~ EDUCATION: Successful completion of (a) an associate-degree course of study of which the 2nd year of the 2-year program included successful completion of a training course of approximately a year's duration in a certified laboratory assistant school approved by a nationally recognized accrediting agency; (b) 1 year of study that included 6 semester hours in chemistry and/or the biological sciences - plus successful completion of (a) a full-time training course of approximately a year's duration in a medical or clinical laboratory assistant (or technician) school that included instruction in chemistry - hematology - blood banking - and microbiology (including serology) and that - in addition - included supervised laboratory practice incident to the diagnostic process and the treatment of patients; or (c) 2 years of study that included at least 12 semester hours of chemistry and/or biological science course work that must have been directly related to the specialization of the position to be filled. (Transcripts must be submitted at time of application) ~OR~ COMBINATION: Equivalent combinations of post-high school education and experience - as described above. (Transcripts must be submitted at time of application) To qualify for this position at the GS-5 level - you must meet one of the following: EXPERIENCE: At least one (1) full year of specialized experience - equivalent to at least the GS-4 grade level - that equipped you with the particular knowledge - skills - and abilities (KSA's) to successfully perform the duties of the position - and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience is: (a) Technical medical laboratory support work such as performing laboratory tests and examinations (chemical - microbiologic - hematologic and blood banking) and preparing reports of findings or (b) technical support work in a closely related field - e.g. - biological laboratory technician work - that required application of the methods and techniques for the position to be filled. At this level - specialized experience should include experience performing a variety of relatively standardized tests - examinations - and determinations. The procedures and techniques are well-established but involve many meticulous sequential steps to complete a test; and following written procedures which give carefully detailed instructions on each step of the assigned test and examinations. ~OR~ EDUCATION: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with major study or at least 24 semester hours in subjects appropriate to the position to be filled. (Transcripts must be submitted at time of application) ~OR~ COMBINATION: Equivalent combinations of post-high school education and specialized experience - as described above. Note: only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours of a course of study leading to a bachelor's degree is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirements. Two full academic years of study - or 60 semester hours - beyond the second year is equivalent to l year of specialized experience. (Transcripts must be submitted at time of application) To qualify for this position at the GS-6 level - you must meet one of the following: MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS GS-06: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-05 grade level in Federal service performing technical medical laboratory support work such as: performing laboratory tests and examinations (chemical - microbiologic - hematologic and blood banking) and preparing reports of findings; or technical support work in a closely related field - e.g. - biological laboratory technician work that required application of the methods and techniques for the position to be filled. This experience must be documented in your resume to receive credit. ~OR~ EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least one-half year of graduate level education (9 semester hours above a bachelor's degree) or an internship in course matter that must include courses directly related to the work of the position such as chemistry - biological sciences - hematology - microbiology - serology - etc. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. Transcripts required. ~OR~ COMBINATION: An equivalent combination of successfully completed graduate level education and specialized experience - as described above - which meet the total experience requirements for this grade level. The education portion must include graduate courses directly related to the work of the Medical Technician position such as chemistry - biological sciences - hematology - microbiology - serology - etc. and must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. Your experience must be detailed in your resume and transcripts required. You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position: Computer Skills Customer Service (Clerical/Technical) Patient Care Quality Assurance Specimen Collection 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/.

Duties

• ***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION - YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION*** This position involves a multi-grade career ladder
• The major duties listed below represent the full performance level of GS-06
• At the GS-04 grade level - you will perform assignments of a more limited scope and with less independence
• You will progressively acquire the background necessary to perform the next grade level of a GS-05 and then the next full performance level of GS-06
• Promotion is at the discretion of the supervisor and is contingent upon satisfactory performance - availability of higher level work - and availability of funds
• Follows procedures for patient identification - sample procurement - and specimen labeling Performs routine venipuncture specimen collections from patients Follows laboratory procedures for collecting specimens in the appropriate container Controls the physical condition of samples and responds to time factors to ensure that the physiologic state of the specimen is maintained Provides education to patients for proper collection techniques Prepares samples for testing to include labeling - centrifugation - decanting and aliquoting - etc
• Maintains adequate supplies for all phlebotomy and specimen procurement procedures Answers incoming calls for the laboratory service - finding and relaying accurate information or referring the caller to technical personnel Performs standard diagnostic tests/procedures such as bleeding time - occult blood - urine dipstick - pregnancy test - fingerstick glucose Performs sterilization on the autoclave - and cleans glassware and other reusable items Identifies and appropriately responds to adverse reactions such as fainting - nausea - vomiting - convulsions - and arrests Perform other related duties as assigned DESIGNATED DRUG-TESTING POSITION: Applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment
• Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA
• Applicants will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive drug test result is received
• Work Schedule: 8:00am - 4:30pm Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved