Medical Supply Tech (Sterile Processing) - CRITICAL SKILLS INCENTIVE

Description:

The incumbent will provide sterilization, preparation, supply items and reusable medical equipment decontamination and distribution support for the medical center. Supply item refers to disposable and reusable items for patient care including instrumentation (scissors, forceps, retractors, etc.), reusable medical equipment (suction machines infusion pumps, etc.), surgical trays and sets and various other items that could be processed or assembled through Sterile Processing Services.

Requirements:

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.
• 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.
  • Certification: None
  • English Language Proficiency: MSTs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j, this part. Preferred Experience:
    • 1 or more years' experience working with surgical or clinical instrumentation
    • Preferred Surgical Scrub Technician, endoscope reprocessing experience or formal education
    • International Association of Healthcare Central Service Materiel Management or Certification Board for Sterile Processing and Distribution certification.
    • Level One certification for Sterile Processing Service
      Grade Determinations:
      
      GS-06 (Full Performance Level):
      • Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. Experience equivalent to the GS-05 includes, but is not limited to: removing soil, blood, tissue fragments, body fluids, and other containments by wiping, soaking, rinsing, and scrubbing; inspecting packages for indications of proper sterilization, assembling basic sets and trays used throughout the medical center including those used in the operating room; preparing, loading, and operating sterilizers such as steam, Sterrad, Steris, ETO, and a high level disinfecting scope reprocessor; preparing operating room case carts daily using surgery schedule.
      • Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
        1. Knowledge of surgical instruments used in operating rooms and clinic settings.
        2. Knowledge of universal precautions for safety and prevention of cross contamination.
        3. Working knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, microbiology, medical conditions and procedures.
        4. Knowledge of sterility principles in regards to instrumentation.
        5. Ability to read and interpret written instructions and procedures.
           References: VA Handbook 5005 Part II Appendix G47, Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing) Qualification Standard dated May 28, 2014.
           
           The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-06. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-06.
           
           Physical Requirements: This work is performed in various settings: decontamination, preparation, clean sterile supply (preparation) and in other services and departments throughout the medical facility/campus. The incumbent may be required to work in areas that are hot, cold, drafty and poorly lighted. The employee is subject to the possibility of falls, scrapes, cuts, bruises, and other injuries from material handling equipment. The work requires 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, disassembly and assembly of instrumentation. On a regular and recurring basis, the employee alternates between a contaminated environment and a carefully controlled clean environment. The employee wears special clothing, hair covers, personal protective equipment and shoe covers that can be uncomfortably warm. The employee uses insulated gloves to remove carts from sterilizers. The employee is subject to burns from accidentally touching hot items. The hazards of working around minute quantities of sterilizing gasses are unknown. The employee often works around body fluids, mucous, excretions and bits of tissue, some of which may be foul 4 smelling. Strong, unpleasant odors are encountered while decontaminating bloody or grossly contaminated instrumentation or reusable medical equipment. The work area is noisy due to the clatter of metal instruments, rumbling of carts and operation of pre-sterilizing equipment.