Summary

DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority (5 CFR 337.205) for this occupation. The VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System - Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service - is recruiting for a Health Technician

Qualifications

To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement. EXPERIENCE: A specific length of training and experience is not required - but you must show evidence of training or experience of sufficient scope and quality of your ability to do the work of this position. Evidence which demonstrates you possess the knowledge - skills - and ability to perform the duties of this position must be supported by detailed descriptions of such on your resume. Applicants will be rated in accordance with the OPM Federal Wage System Qualification Standards. 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 includes: assessing patient condition before - during - and after the procedure; receiving requests for testing and verifying for completeness and accuracy; receiving specimens in the laboratory and separating and routing them to the proper section for testing; and performing add-on functions for the clinical sections of the laboratory by identifying viable samples and determining their suitability for the required testing. OR Applicants may substitute education for the experience required for the GS-05 level. You must have full four (4) year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree - with a major study or at least 24 semester hours in subjects directly related to this position. This education must have been obtained in an accredited business or technical school - junior college - college or university for which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. OR Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-05 level. To calculate - first identify the percentage of required education you have earned (when substituting - you cannot use the first 60 semester hours that you earned). Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify at the GS-05. For example - an applicant who has 9 semester hours of graduate level education (i.e. 50% of graduate education required) and 6 months of creditable specialized experience (i.e. 50% of the required experience) would equal 100% of the required experience for the position A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. GS-06 grade level: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-05) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 level may have been gained (a) performing phlebotomist responsibilities - to include collecting blood samples - (b) performing technical medical laboratory support work such as obtaining and preparing laboratory specimens for examinations (chemical - microbiologic - hematologic and blood banking) and validating and reporting the results or (c) technical support work in closely related field - e.g. - medical technician - biological laboratory technician work - that required application of the methods and techniques for the position being filled. Other examples of specialized experience would include: assessing patient condition before - during - and after the procedure; receiving requests for testing and verifying for completeness and accuracy; receiving specimens in the laboratory and separating and routing them to the proper section for testing; and performing add-on functions for the clinical sections of the laboratory by identifying viable samples and determining their suitability for the required testing. There is no educational substitution for the GS-06 level. SCREEN-OUT ELEMENT: Your qualifications will first be evaluated against the prescribed screen out element - which usually appears as question 1 in the on-line questionnaire. Those applicants who appear to possess at least the minimal acceptable qualification requirement are considered for further rating; those who do not are rated ineligible and are eliminated. The potential eligibles are then rated against the remainder of the Job Elements: 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.

Duties

• The Health Technician's primary duties include pathology consultation and referral service support - pathology send out handling - client service support - phlebotomy - advanced phlebotomy - nursing/hospital staff training and competencies for phlebotomy in the Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service at the VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System Wade Park Campus
• Pathology and Consultation and Referral Service: Advise physicians on proper ordering protocols for patient care and fiscal efficiency based on established guidelines and experience
• Perform the add-on function for the clinical sections of the laboratory to include but not limited to Chemistry - Immunology - Special Chemistry - Hematology and Microbiology Identify viable samples for requests and determine the suitability for requested testing - as well as locate and route the specimen for the new test requested
• Pathology Send Out Services: Assess sample integrity by utilizing established evaluation techniques and sound judgment to ensure samples for suitable for laboratory testing
• Evaluate the sample for proper sample type - labeling - hemolysis and volume
• Phlebotomy/Advanced Phlebotomy: Perform phlebotomy procedures following a sequence of steps approved for sample collection
• Select the best venipuncture site - most suitable phlebotomy equipment (needle type - size and length) - most appropriate cleansing agent(s) - proper collection vials and assess the patient's condition before - during and after the procedure
• Make on-the-spot decisions to make corrections or identify other means to obtain needed specimens when faced with patients with difficult anatomy for collection
• Ensure all regulatory agencies' standards are being met
• Ensure proper collection - processing and storage in the outpatient blood draw room
• Ensuring all equipment is monitored and quality control is performed as required
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 4am - 12:30pm - with rotating weekends and holidays Position Description Title/PD#: Health Technician/PD90305A Physical Requirements: The work requires some physical exertion - such as regular and recurring walking - or bending - walk to observe - collect - or record data
• In many situations the duration of the activity (such as most of a workday) contributes to the arduous nature of the job
• In other situations - such as in a laboratory - there may be special requirements for agility and dexterity such as exceptional hand/eye coordination Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory - qualification - and performance requirements are met
• Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level.