Job Information
Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration Advanced Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing) in Baltimore, Maryland
Summary This is an Advanced Performance Level Sterile Processing Service (SPS) Medical Supply Technician position. The position is located in the Sterile Processing Service (SPS) Section under the Associate Director for Patient Care Service. This position level Medical Supply Technician is a member of the nursing care team and is responsible for the support of the Sterile Processing Service (SPS). Responsibilities Sterile Storage and Distribution: Serves as a senior expert in inventories, replenishes shortages from sterile supply, inspects for sterility integrity for instrument sets and expendable items. Adheres to and reports any non-compliance towards facility regulations regarding application and removal of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Follows up to ensure RME rotates at the appropriate intervals, communicates needs for restocking outdated supplies, and maintains stock levels of surgical supplies and equipment for wards, clinics, and the operating room. Initiates assigned tasks on requests for items based on the daily schedule of needs or individual requisitions. Rounds with supervision to ensure areas have performed daily housekeeping duties to ensure environment of care is maintained. Coordinates needs for stocking individual surgical case carts with required instruments for each scheduled and emergency operative procedure. Ensures staff operates automation equipment according to facility procedure to prepare, store, retrieve or process information. Trains new and/or lower graded employees at the request of supervisor and/or educator. Decontamination: Coordinates the assignments given by the supervisor to receive a full range of reusable medical supplies, instruments and equipment from hospital wards, clinics and operating rooms. Adheres to and reports any non-compliance facility regulations regarding application and removal of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Ensures staff decontaminates reusable items by determining the appropriate method for removing gross contamination by means of manual cleaning procedures. Reviews adherence of staff in relation to disassembly, decontamination, and infection control practices of items in accordance with facility protocol. Ensures staff operate automated reprocessing equipment such as the ultrasonic cleaner and washer/disinfectors in accordance with the device Instructions for Use (IFU). Assembly and Sterilization: Ensures that staff follow all device specific Instructions for Use (IFU) and set forth Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) while conducting assembly and sterilization procedures. Conducts rounds to review staff adheres to facility regulations regarding application and removal of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Validates skill level of staff to ensure the efficient assembly of a wide variety of instrument trays and sets used for medical procedures including the operating room. Ensures quality checks for damaged or missing items of all instrument sets and arranges for replacements, maintenance, or repair as needed. Coordinates the workflow for assembly to include prioritization from a variety of sterilization phases for intricate surgical trays and microsurgery instruments for the operating room (trays contain large numbers of unique, non-interchangeable, specialized surgical instruments of similar appearance, with minor variations in size, conformation, and nomenclature, but with major variation in application). Lead, Preceptor and Mentor: Works with SPS Leadership or Educator to precept new or lower grade employees to all aspects of work performed in SPS. Participates in obtaining documentation required for competency and or education of SPS staff. Oversees work and will assist management with the distribution and prioritization of workload among employees in accordance with established workflow and/ or job specializations Assists with the assignment of tasks as necessary to provide new employees with the experience and training required to obtain a full performance and advanced performance level. Provides information to management officials concerning performance issues, assignment changes and task completion. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 07:00 am-3:30 pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 512-23187-F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Medical Supply Aide and Technician: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Medical-Supply-Aide-Career-Flyer.pdf Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. All 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. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. You may be required to serve a probationary period. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Must pass pre-employment physical examination. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details. 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 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. 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). Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. GRADE REQUIREMENTS: 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 an 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. Part-Time Experience. Part-time experience as a MST is creditable according to its relationship to the full-time workweek. For example, a MST employed 20 hours a week, or on a 1/2-time basis, would receive 1 full-time workweek of credit for each 2 weeks of service. Grade Determinations: GS-07 Advanced Level - Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing) (a) Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. (b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: 1. Detailed knowledge of complex surgical instruments used in operating rooms and clinical settings 2. Ability to assemble specialty operating room and clinic instrument sets. 3. In- depth knowledge of sterilization and cleaning equipment. 4. Ability to communicate both orally and in writing in order to convey information and thoughts to others.(c) Assignment. The Advanced MST assembles highly complex instrument sets including, but not limited to, open heart, major orthopedic joint, cardiovascular, craniotomy and complex endoscopic instrumentation. Processes all complex endoscopic instrumentation to include those medical devices used in the gastroenterology laboratory, bronchoscopy laboratory, urology and operating room. Reviews manufacturer guidelines to ensure the correct methods and parameters are followed when cleaning, decontaminating and sterilizing RME. Troubleshoots and analyzes mechanical failures and makes necessary adjustments to complex decontamination and sterilization equipment, as well as interprets alarm conditions which may occur while processing operating the equipment. Informs management and healthcare staff when cleaning and processing standard operating procedures (SOPs) o instruction for use have been changed or updated to assure the changes have been validated to meet all guidelines. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Education IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.