Summary

This Medical Supply Technician position is in the Sterile Processing service at the White River Junction VA Medical Center - located at the White River Junction - Vermont location.

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: 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 chapter 3 - section A - paragraph 3j
• 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
• Grade Determinations: GS-03 (Entry Level): Experience/Education Requirement: None beyond the basic requirements
• GS-04 (Developmental Level): Experience/Education Requirement: In addition to meeting the basic requirements - to qualify for the GS-04 you must meet one of the following experience or education requirements: Experience: Six months experience as a MST - operating room or surgical technician or other position that demonstrated knowledge of sterile processing in a clinical setting
• OR Education: Two years of education above high school that included at least 12 semester hours in courses related to the occupation
• NOTE: Successful completion of a course for medical technicians - hospital corpsmen - medical service specialists - or nursing assistants obtained in a training program given by the Armed Forces - the US
• Maritime Service - or hospitals under close medical and professional supervision - may be substituted on a month-for-month basis for up to 6 months of experience
• AND Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience or education above - the candidate must demonstrate the KSAs below: Knowledge of universal precautions for safety and prevention of cross contamination
• Basic knowledge of medical terminology to assemble specialty operating room/clinic instrument sets
• Basic knowledge of sterilization and cleaning equipment
• Ability to communicate both orally and in writing
• GS-05 (Developmental Level): Experience/Education Requirement: In addition to meeting the basic requirements - to qualify for the GS-05 you must meet one of the following experience or education requirements: Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-4)
• Examples of specialized experience include but are not limited to: Performing segments of work pertaining to the decontamination - sterilization and inspection of reusable medical equipment (RME)
• completing segments of work pertaining to the assembly of basic sets and trays for use in the medical center
• operating equipment involved in sterilization processes
• preparing operating room case carts
• OR Education: Four academic years above high school leading to a Bachelor's degree with at least 12 semester hours in courses related to the occupation or a Bachelor's degree
• AND Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience or education above - the candidate must demonstrate the KSAs below: 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
• GS-06 Medical Supply Technician (Full Performance Level): Experience Requirement: In addition to meeting the basic requirements - to qualify for the GS-06 you must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-5)
• Examples of specialized experience include but are 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 a medical facility including those used in the operating room
• preparing - loading - and operating sterilizers such as steam - Sterrad - Steris - ETO - and a high level disinfecting scope re-processor
• prepares operating room case carts daily using surgery schedule
• AND Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience above - you 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 regard to instrumentation
• Ability to read and interpret written instructions and procedures
• Preferred Experience: Knowledge of current MST practices - surgical instruments used in operating rooms and clinic settings
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-06
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-03 to 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 MST 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.

Duties

• The Medical Supply Technician (MST) is assigned to the Sterile Processing Service (SPS)
• The MST is involved in the reprocessing of Reusable Medical Equipment (RME) in support of all clinical services
• Duties include but are not limited to: Provides sterilization - preparation - and decontamination support for the medical center
• Removes soil - blood - tissue fragments - body fluids and other contaminants by wiping - soaking - rinsing and scrubbing
• Inspects packages for indications of proper sterilization - assembles basic sets and trays used throughout the medical center including those used in the operating room
• Prepares - loads - and operates sterilizers such as steam - Sterrad - Steris - EtO and a high-level disinfecting scope reprocess
• may prepare operating room case carts daily utilizing surgery schedule
• Performs segments of work pertaining to the decontamination - sterilization and inspection of reusable medical equipment (RME)
• Completes segments of work pertaining to the assembly of basic sets and trays for use in the medical center
• Operates equipment involved in sterilization processes
• May be required to prepare operating room case carts
• MSTs receive guidance from more experienced staff members and require frequent and direct supervision
• Performs additional duties as assigned by leadership
• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Work Schedule: Full-Time - Monday - Friday - 11:00 am - 7:30 pm Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized 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 [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: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: F07990 for GS-06
• F07989 for GS-05
• F07988 for GS-04
• and F07987 for GS-03
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required Notifications: This position is in the Excepted Service
• This position is not a Bargaining Unit position
• This position is covered by a special rate
• Due to a critical staffing shortage - 38 U.S.C. § 7412 waives the requirement to apply Veterans' preference for this job announcement
• Narrative responses to the knowledge - skills and abilities (KSAs) may be required from the selectee in order to proceed with the appointment
• Current and former Federal employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50 - (Notice of Personnel Action)
• The SF-50 must identify the position title - series - grade - step - tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted)
• In some cases - more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held.