Health Technician

Summary

The position is located at the VA San Diego Healthcare System for Nursing Service in the various Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) including Oceanside - Kearny Mesa - Sorrento Valley and Oceanside. The position is responsible for providing skilled phlebotomy - quality assurance compliant specimen processing and testing functions - clinical patient support and general administrative support for all patient related activities in the satellite CBOC labs.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Basic Requirements:

• Citizenship
• Citizen of the United States
• After a determination is made that it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens - non-citizen personnel may be appointed on a temporary basis under authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405 - without regard to the citizenship requirements of 38 U.S.C. 7402 or any other law prohibiting the employment of or payment of compensation to a person who is not a citizen of the United States
• Candidates must meet all other requirements for the grade and position concerned
• English Language Proficiency
• A candidate will not be appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C. chapters 73 or 74 - to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA who is not proficient in written and spoken English
• See chapter 2 - section D - paragraph 5a - this part 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-05 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-04
• 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
• GS-05 grade level: One year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-04 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 is defined as Experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge - skills - and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position - and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled such as providing skilled phlebotomy - quality assurance compliant specimen processing and testing functions - clinical patient support and general administrative support for all patient related activities in the satellite CBOC labs
• Performs skilled venipuncture in accordance with facility and laboratory policies and procedures
• Perform a wide variety of blood collection in a responsible nature requiring enhanced knowledge of clinical science to understand the multiplicity of tests and specimen requirements - the mechanics of venipuncture and patient preparation
• Phlebotomy collection will be from a variety of outpatient veterans and employees
• The employee will be expected to demonstrate versatility of skill in rapidly proceeding from one patient to another to perform multiple and simultaneous collections using accurate patient and specimen identification procedures
• OR Applicants may substitute education for the experience to qualify at the GS-05 level: Successfully completed one full year in a 4-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with courses related to the occupation
• Training: Completion of appropriate training such as in service training programs (certified phlebotomy course) - training acquired while serving in the Armed Forces - and government-sponsored developmental training programs will be allowed credit on a month-for-month basis - generally through the GS-5 level
• Such training meets general or specialized experience requirements depending upon its applicability
• Such training meets general or specialized experience requirements depending upon its applicability
• OR Applicants may combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-05 level: Have a combination of specialized experience and education in excess of the first 60 semester hours of a course of study leading to a bachelor's degree is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirements
• Two full academic years of study - or 60 semester hours - beyond the second year is equivalent to l year of specialized experience
• Determine the applicant's total qualifying experience as a percentage of the year of specialized experience required at the GS-5 level
• Then determine the applicant's education as a percentage of the education that meets the requirements for GS-5. Add the two percentages
• The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify an applicant for GS-05
• 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

• Major duties include - but are not limited to: Phlebotomy / Specimen Processing/ Electrocardiograms Performs skilled venipuncture in accordance with facility and laboratory policies and procedures
• Assures all test tubes are labeled accurately when performing venipuncture using facility and laboratory designated patient identifiers
• Verifies correct patient identification - performs proper specimen handling and labeling - accessions specimens - checks that lab test requests are consistent with physician orders - generates labels and sorts labeled specimens
• Perform a wide variety of blood collection in a responsible nature requiring enhanced knowledge of clinical science to understand the multiplicity of tests and specimen requirements - the mechanics of venipuncture and patient preparation
• Performs tests that are new and involve very fine distinctions
• Explain work requirements and procedures - giving special instructions with regard to specimen collection - specimen preparation - special specimen handling and test analysis Incumbent works closely with facility and laboratory computers systems - CPRS and VistA to accession specimens and retrieve results
• Performs routine Electrocardiograms and ensure data uploading to electronic medical record (CPRS)
• Recognizes abnormalities and brings them to the attention of the appropriate Medical/Health Care Provider
• Monitors the patient environment to ensure patient safety during phlebotomy procedures
• Responsible for specialized preparation of specimens for transport to the main laboratory for appropriate processing
• Responsible for cleaning disinfecting and sterilization of equipment and ancillary equipment according to Medical Center Policies and Procedures
• Adheres to the Infection Control Guidelines for the Medical Center
• Float to cover staffing as needed within the CBOC locations
• Provides administrative support for the unit Performs all clerical duties required of the position - including work lists - logs - and pending lists
• Maintains record of procedures performed in the phlebotomy area
• Provides orientation/training in performance of phlebotomy and test procedures with the information and experience required to understand underlying disease processes - and inform the physician if unable to obtain specimen
• Responds to technical questions regarding patient rights and responsibilities
• Maintains the laboratory facilities and equipment and controls supplies
• Sets up equipment for all phlebotomy procedures - making sure that all phlebotomy and ancillary equipment is functioning to standard
• Determines compliance with safety requirements - establishes inventory and equipment maintenance requirements and maintains appropriate inventories and maintenance schedules
• Maintains laboratory stock and orders materials as needed
• Maintains laboratory in a clean and safe condition according to agency or accreditation requirements
• Calibrates and maintains laboratory Instrumentation on timely intervals so as to minimize breakdown and delay of procedures
• Conducts work according to Laboratory Safety Regulations and instructs coworkers on safety policies and procedures
• Functions as primary point of contact for implementation of safety regulations and safe working conditions and is accountable to supervisor to report conditions and progress on eliminating discrepancies
• Establishes and maintains customer relationships Duties involves customer satisfaction utilizing phone and face to face communication with all levels of clinical - clerical and administrative staff and our Veteran customers
• Incumbent must exhibit a professional attitude and technical competence
• Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with agency customers - co-workers - the general public and others who come in contact with the lab
• Obtains release forms as per policy and assists patients - visitors - and others requesting information
• Provides guidance or referral for special assistance
• Meets the needs of customers while supporting VA missions
• Work Schedule: 40 hours / 2 week Pay Period OR that it's a 40 hour / PP schedule with flexible hours between 0730 and 4:00pm Monday to Friday
• Position Description Title/PD#: Health Technician~/10875A Physical Requirements: The work requires manual dexterity and exceptional hand/eye coordination - keyboarding - some physical exertion - such as regular and recurring walking - bending - standing - sitting and concentration for long periods of time during the preparation of specimens
• In many situations - the duration of the activity (such as most of a workday) contributes to the arduous nature of the job
• Position requires lifting of reagent containers and supplies weighing up to 35 pounds.