Summary

The Orthopedic Technician is at the full performance level - assigned to the Nursing Service and Patient Care Services and reports directly to the Nurse Manager of the Surgical Specialty Clinics of the VA San Diego Health Care System at the San Diego VA Medical Center.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-06 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05. The grade may have been in any occupation - but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year - it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade - as required by the announcement. In this instance - you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

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 Proficiency: English Language Proficiency Requirement: Per VA Handbook 5005 - Part II - Chapter 3 - Section A - Paragraph 3j: No person will be appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C. - chapter 73 or 74 - to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA who is not proficient in written and spoken English
• You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: GS-06 grade level: One year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-05 grade level in the federal service)
• experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge - skills and abilities (KSA's) and other characteristics to perform successfully the duties of the position - and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled - in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization
• Specialized experience includes: applies - adjusts - and removes casts - assembles traction apparatus - and fits strappings and splints for orthopedic patients using protective materials such as stockinette bandages - gauze - or rubber pads - preparatory to cast application
• Understands and utilizes the proper application of aseptic techniques in dressing changes and setting up surgical fields
• Assists Orthopedic Surgeons in reduction of fractures - trims plaster - removes whole and broken casts and alters position of cast to change setting of patients' limb or body part as directed
• OR - Applicants may substitute education for the experience required for the GS-06 level
• Graduate education or an internship meets the specialized experience required above GS-5 only in those instances where it is directly related to the work of the position
• OR - Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-06 level
• Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level
• You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond Equivalent combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience are also qualifying
• The combinations described below are those most typical for these positions - i.e. - for grades GS-3 through GS-5. If education is used to meet specialized experience requirements - then such education must include courses directly related to the work of the position
• (When crediting education - prorate the number of hours of related courses required as a proportion of the total education to be used.)
• To calculate - first identify the percentage of required education you have earned (when substituting - you cannot use the first 60 semester hours that you earned)
• Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess
• Add the two percentages
• The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify at the GS-05
• For example - an applicant who has 9 semester hours of graduate level education (i.e
• 50% of graduate education required) and 6 months of creditable specialized experience (i.e
• 50% of the required experience) would equal 100% of the required experience for the position A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education
• Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience - including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g. - Peace Corps - AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g. - professional
• philanthropic
• religions
• spiritual
• community
• student
• social)
• Volunteer work helps build critical competencies - knowledge - and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment
• You will receive credit for all qualifying experience - including volunteer experience.

Duties

• The incumbent is assigned responsibility for scheduled surgery - conferences - clinics - cast room and ward duties - assists patients with scheduling coordination for cast and traction work - ordering and maintaining supplies and equipment - including a variety of specialty items - maintaining supplies and equipment - including a variety of specialty items - maintaining the cast room in an aseptic orderly manner - and instructions of residents - medical students - nursing students - and L VN students
• Additionally - the Orthopedic Technician actively engages in providing education to Emergency Room Nursing Staff
• Plaster Cast Work: The technician reviews all cast applications done by the residents as emergencies - or in conjunction with surgery to ensure the cast is comfortable - and that there are no pressure areas or skin abrasions to cause pain
• The technician determines whether patients require cast alterations - removals and reapplications at regular cast appointments
• Immediate Postsurgical Prosthesis: In conjunction with the prosthetics department - the technician assists in the application - removal and reapplication of immediate post-surgery prosthesis - either above or below the knee - which enables the patient to ambulate
• The post-surgery prosthesis is worn for several weeks and may need reapplication several times by the Orthopedic Technician
• The Orthopedic Technician is responsible for fitting - application and patient education for all inpatient prosthetics
• They carry a pager and respond to all inpatient prosthetic needs during clinical operating hours
• Ward Procedures: The orthopedic technician assists the physicians with the following: Application of Bucks - Bryant - Russells - and an entire series of traction appropriate to the medical problem
• The application of traction requires a series of pulleys ropes Thomas splints with Peerson attachments and weights so that the fractured bone is aligned and maintained until the healing process is completed
• Closed reduction of fractures and the application of plaster casts at the time of reduction
• Wedging of a cast to obtain a better reduction Elevation of an extremity by use of a sling attached - to an overhead frame to prevent swelling and Joss of circulation of newly casted limb following closed reduction of surgery
• Outpatient Surgical Clinics: Plastics - Wound Reconstruction - Vascular The technician is periodically requested for application of apparatus that are specifically required for the post plastic surgery patient and must be particularly conscious of extremity circulatory functions for successful recuperation
• The technician also assists Surgical Service with maintenance of Wound
• They give advice prior to surgery which the surgeons implement
• Remove dressing and sutures and submit requests for new x-rays
• After the doctor has examined the patient with the x-rays - the technician applies new casts or splints where indicated
• Emergency cases are taken care of at any time and temporary casting and splinting is sometimes necessary in emergency cases
• The technician discusses the patient's medical problems with the providers Work Schedule: Full-time - Monday - Friday - 08:00 a.m
• - 04:30 p.m
• Position Description Title/PD#: Orthopedic Technician/PD12885A Physical Requirements: The work requires regular and recurring physical exertion
• Involves walking - frequent bending - reaching and stretching to set up and take apart equipment
• lifting and positioning patients for testing
• and carrying - pushing or pulling moderately heavy objects
• Duties require above average dexterity to operate and maintain various equipment and hand-eye coordination to apply casts and braces and to assemble and maintain orthopedic equipment