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This position will be assigned to work in the Critical Care Service Line (CCSL) of the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System (VAPHS). The incumbent will be supervised by the Critical Care Technician Supervisor. The Healthcare Technician in the Critical Care (CCT) is a highly specialized position, providing both clinical and administrative support while performing duties traditionally done by multiple staff in other services and sections. *Please see the Additional Information Section for Important Information Regarding COVID-19* To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 05/23/2022. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-04 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: training, leading, coordinating or supervising others in related duties such as: 1) Perform venipunctures, labels and send specimens to lab 2) Perform Glucometer checks and I-stat tests, placing glucometer and i-STAT analyzer on dock to upload results into patient chart. Verbally notifies assigned RN or provider of results of critical values 3) Perform 12 lead EKG's and gives printout to RN to provide to physician. 4) Routine inspections for expired stocks and supplies, and restock in areas such as specialty carts and clean utility room. 5) Perform other Point of Care tests to expedite ED evaluation: Urinalysis, Urine Pregnancy, Heme-Occult, Gastroccult, and Alcohol Breathalyzer. Results are entered using the Roche glucometer Other Test Entry interface. Verbally notifies assigned RN or provider of results of critical values. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have completed a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree, with major study or at least 24 semester hours in subjects directly related to this position. TRANSCRIPTS ARE REQUIRED IF YOU ARE USING EDUCATION TO QUALIFY OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and education that is less than described above, and specialized experience that is less than described above. Combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements for this grade level, GS-05, and may be computed by first determining the applicant's total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level; then determining the applicant's education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level; and then adding the two percentages. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify an applicant for that grade level. For GS-05 level positions, only 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 one year of specialized experience. TRANSCRIPTS ARE REQUIRED IF YOU ARE USING EDUCATION TO QUALIFY You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Attention to DetailCustomer Service (Clerical/Technical)Infection ControlSpecimen CollectionTechnical Competence 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. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements: Requires considerable walking, bending, standing, lifting, and handling of equipment and supplies. Requires dexterity in performing technical procedures. Proper body mechanics should be utilized always. Required to have the physical ability to manipulate patient while they are in bed to perform such tasks as assisting RNs with turning and positioning of patients. Work Environment: Work is performed in a patient care area where there is regular and recurring exposure to infectious and contagious diseases through frequent contact with blood and body secretions. Exposure to odors and other risks, as well as other diseases, require special health and safety precautions such as wearing protective clothing, gloves, masks or face shields. Flexibility and caution in the performance of duties is required. Due to the nature of the position, periodic testing for hepatitis is required. REUSABLE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT (RME): Reusable Medical Equipment (RME) is any medical equipment designed by the manufacturer to be reused for multiple patients. All personnel who are involved with the reprocessing of RME are responsible for knowing what reusable instruments, equipment, medical devices or supplies are used (inventory). All personnel who are involved with reprocessing RME are responsible to follow the local Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) drafted in accordance with the manufacturer's written recommendations. SPS and Infection Prevention and Control should be consulted when clarification of written instructions are needed. No one should be reprocessing any reusable medical equipment based on vendor's verbal instructions alone, this is not an adequate practice. All personnel that are in any way involved in reprocessing of RME must have documented training in the setup, reprocessing and maintenance of specific equipment. Initial competency and validation of that competency will be done on an annual basis. All employees that have the responsibility of reprocessing reusable medical equipment can suspend the reuse of any RME if they suspect that the device was not properly cleaned, disinfected or sterilized according to the SOP and manufacturer's guidelines. Single use (disposable) medical devices will not be reused or re-sterilized. All personnel must understand the importance in reprocessing of RME and the significant impact on our Veteran population through the risk of infectious disease. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/. ["Patient Care Tasks 50% Performs venipunctures, labels and sends specimens to lab. Obtain blood cultures via venipuncture and/or CVAD which is a task specific to CCTs only. Performs glucometer checks and notifies assigned RN or provider of results. Performs 12 lead EKGs and gives printout to RN to provide to physician. Responds and assists with codes in the CCSL. Obtains and immediately delivers blood products from blood bank to assigned RN. Performs or assists RN with personal care, such as body and oral hygiene, dressing/undressing, and toileting/elimination-ensuring patient privacy at all times. Assist RN in patient care. The incumbent will be required to assist in patient care as directed to include but not limited to dressing changes, triage, turning and positioning of patients, enema administration, post mortem care and morgue transfers. Performs or assists RN with search and inventory of patient belongings. Assists with transfers and ambulation of patients. Provides direct observation for both suicidal/homicidal patients, as well as those patients requiring direct observation for safety (e.g. fall or elopement risk). Answer call lights and communicates patients' needs to assigned RN or Charge Nurse. Assists with meal set-up and/or feeds patients as needed also assists with utensil counts when needed. Measures and records the following vital signs in Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS) vital signs package and notifies assigned RN or provider: Temperature (oral and rectal), pulse, respirations, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, and pain level. Measures and empties urine output from urinary catheters and notifies RN or provider. Collects and sends routine urine, stool, and sputum specimens. Cleaning/Stocking Duties 35% Cleans vacated rooms of patients (i.e., strips linens, discards used or opened medical supplies, properly disposes of biohazardous waste) Notifies Charge Nurse immediately if unsecured medications are found anywhere in the department. Stock units with GIP/special order supplies from our critical care supply room. Notifies the special supply coordinator when supplies are running low and need to be re-ordered. Cleans dirty reusable medical equipment (RME) and properly identifies equipment as cleaned (i.e. pink tags + plastic bag covers for IV pumps and any medical equipment stored in the clean utility room. Maintains a clean working and uncluttered environment as directed, to include but not limited to utility room, bedside and specialty carts. Reviews for expired stocks and supplies, and restock in areas such as specialty carts and clean utility rooms. Obtains and delivers supplies from SPD and equipment from Bio-med as needed. Escort Duties/Clerical Tasks 15% Transports patients, as directed, to designated areas. The incumbent will use the appropriate method of transporting the patient for example, wheel chairs or stretchers. Delivers laboratory specimens as needed. Assists visitors with way-finding. Initiates and answer pages. Places telephone calls. Answers telephone calls. Performs other related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: 8 Hour Tours, Rotating Shifts, Rotating Weekends and Holidays (Tour Hours Discussed During Interview)\nCompressed/Flexible: As Noted Above\nTelework: Not Available\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position\nPosition Description/PD#: Health Technician (Critical Care)/PD00591A\nRelocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized\nPermanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not Required\nDrug Testing: Required"]