Duties

Summary

Current permanent VA employees should apply under CBFF-10573152-19-BDW.

Recruitment/Relocation Incentive: Not authorized.
PCS/Reimbursement: Not authorized.

The positions are located at the Washington DC VAMC, in the Sterile Processing Department. The positions support direct patient care by ensuring proper reprocessing, maintenance, and storage of critical and semi-critical reusable medical equipment (RME) throughout the medical center in compliance with nation and local policy and procedure.
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Responsibilities

Major duties include:

• Utilizes Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) as required.
• Responsible for the collection, receipt, inspection, cleaning and decontamination processing of soiled instruments, equipment, and apparatus.
• Completely and thoroughly dissembles and positions all parts of complex technical reusable medical equipment (RME).
• Performs required leak tests to endoscopic equipment.
• Performs multi-step procedures to effectively reprocess endoscopes.
• Operates decontamination equipment.
• Uses, interprets and records results from quality assurance monitors.
• Performs and validates all cleaning of instrumentation and RME utilizing department SOPs, manufacturer's instructions for use guidelines, Medical Center Memorandums, and VA policies and directives, along with industry standards published by organizations such as, Healthcare Central Service Material Management (IAHCSMM), American National Standard/Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (ANSI/AMMI), Association of perioperative Registered Nurses (AORN), Centers for Disease Control (CDC), etc.
• Reads and understands Material Data Safety Sheets.
• Performs inspection, assembly, packaging, and terminal sterilization of all trays, sets, and packs for use throughout the medical center.
• Determines the criticality category of RME using the Spaulding Classification System.
• Interprets gauge readings and mechanical printouts on sterilization equipment to validate that sterilization of RME is within acceptable parameters.
• Interprets printout for Automatic Endoscope Processors used for high level decontamination to ensure that disinfection has met all parameters.
• Maintains records for all sterilization procedures.
• Troubleshoots complex sterilizers used in the medical center to ensure optimal operation.
• Performs high level disinfection using Rapicide PA, or equivalent according to manufacturer's instructions for use guidelines.
• Validates chemicals are tested and meet requirements to ensure that Minimum Effective Concentration (MEC) for the performance of high level disinfection.
• Assembles major and minor complex surgical instrument tray/sets.
• Assembles surgical case carts according to physician preference and computer generated picking lists for use in operating rooms.
• After sterilization, performs quality assurance activities.
• Follows manufacturer's written instructions when reprocessing RME.
• Effectively communicates with health care providers and medical center staff to problem solve in the event of RME shortages and need to substitute and/or offer alternatives.
• Properly monitors temperature, humidity, air flow, and air exchanges to ensure proper environment for RME reprocessing.
• Rotates on-call coverage to ensure SPS coverage for the medical center 24/7.

Work Schedule: Rotating tour; 7:00 am - 3:30 pm, 3:00 pm - 11:30 pm, 11:00 pm - 7:30 am
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Travel Required

Not required

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
6

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• You may be required to serve a probationary period
• Subject to a background/security investigation
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 08/29/2019.
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: Six months of experience that demonstrates your 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 (copy of transcript required); or
• Experience/Education Combination: Equivalent combination of experience and education; or
• Grandfathering Provision: Current Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing) employed in VHA on or before July 8, 2015 (copy of most recent SF-50 required).
• English Language Proficiency: Medical Supply Technicians must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA policy.

Preferred Experience: Previous Sterile Processing experience highly preferred.
Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) or International Association of
Healthcare Central Service Materiel Management (IAHCSMM) certification preferred.

Grade Determinations:
GS-03 (Entry Level): Experience or Education: None beyond the basic requirements.
GS-04 (Developmental Level): 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 U.S. 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.
In addition to the experience or education above, you must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs):
1. Knowledge of universal precautions for safety and prevention of cross contamination.
2. Basic knowledge of medical terminology in order to assemble specialty operating room/clinic instrument sets.
3. Basic knowledge of sterilization and cleaning equipment.
4. Ability to communicate both orally and in writing.
GS-05 (Developmental Level): Experience: One year of experience performing sterile processing for surgical and clinical instruments equivalent to the next lower grade level, GS-04; 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.
In addition to the experience or education above, you must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs):
1. Basic knowledge of surgical instruments used in operating rooms and clinic settings.
2. Basic knowledge of event-related packaging in regards to sterility.
3. Knowledge of sterilization and cleaning equipment.
GS-06 (Full Performance Level): Experience: One year of experience performing sterile processing for surgical and clinical instruments equivalent to the next lower grade level, GS-05.
In addition to the experience above, you must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (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, GS-0622

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: Requires visual acuity, keen hearing, clear distinctive speech, and manual dexterity. Requires potentially long periods of continued walking, standing, stooping, sitting, bending, pulling, and pushing. Frequently required to lift packages weighing 50 pounds and push carts weighing up to 300 pounds for distances up to 2,640 feet. May be exposed to infected and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing. Must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, able to shift priorities based on Medical Center needs.

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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html .

Additional information

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

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.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

If you are unable to apply online view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application .

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, résumé, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

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.

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Other

Drug test required
Yes

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

• Resume

VA Form 10-2850c Application for Associated Health Occupations can be found at: http://www.va.gov/vaforms/search_action.asp?FormNo=2850&tkey=&Action=Search .

The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please use this checklist to ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), etc.

• Cover Letter
• OF-306
• VA Form 10-2850c. Application for Associated Health Occupations
• Resume

Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit http://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/vetpref/index.aspx .

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education .

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.