The Oklahoma City VA Health Care System is currently recruiting for Medical Supply Technicians (MST) to work in Sterile Processing Services (SPS). This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until September 30, 2023. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis and qualified applicants will be considered and referred as vacancies become available.

Duties

The duties of the Medical Supply Technician (MST) in Sterile Processing Services (SPS) include, but are not limited to the following: Provide sterilization, preparation, supply items and reusable medical equipment decontamination and distribution support for the medical center. Possess knowledge of the processes for Reusable Medical Equipment (PME). Maintain current knowledge of the standard operating procedures (SOPS) which document the processes and procedures for cleaning, disinfection, sterilization, and preparation of RME. Demonstrate the ability to utilize an acceptable proficiency in the use of appropriate RME. Performs segments of work pertaining to the decontamination, sterilization, and inspection of RME. Completes segments of work pertaining to the assembly of basic sets and trays for use in the medical center. Operates equipment involved in sterilization processes. May be required to prepare operating room case carts. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday with rotating weekends and holidays; various shifts include 7:30am-4:00pm; 3:30pm-12:00am; 11:30pm-8:00am. Additional shifts may be required based on the needs of the service. Compressed/Flexible: Not Available Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 635-51526A, 635-51527A, 635-51528A, 635-51529A Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

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: Medical Supply Technicians (MSTs) must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, Paragraph 3j. Experience: Six (6) months of experience that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work or provides an understanding of the work; OR Education: One (1) year above high school that included at least six (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. Certification: None 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). Grade Determinations: The following criteria must be met when determining the grade levels for Medical Supply Technicians (MSTs): GS-03 Grade Level: This is an entry level MST position. MSTs receive guidance from more experienced staff members and require frequent and direct supervision. Experience or Education: None beyond the basic requirements. GS-04 Grade Level: This is a developmental level MST position. Performs segments of work pertaining to the decontamination, sterilization and inspection of reusable medical equipment (RME). Completes segments of work pertaining to the assembly of basic sets and trays for use in the medical center. Operates equipment involved in sterilization processes. Prepares operating room case carts. MSTs receive guidance from more experienced staff members and require frequent and direct supervision. Experience: Six (6) 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 (2) years of education above high school that included at least 12 semester hours in courses related to the occupation. In addition to the requirements above, must also demonstrate the following knowledge, skills, and abilities: Knowledge of universal precautions for safety and prevention of cross contamination Basic knowledge of medical terminology in order to assemble specialty operating room/clinic instrument sets Basic knowledge of sterilization and cleaning equipment Ability to communicate both orally and in writing GS-05 Grade Level: This is a developmental level MST position. Removes soil, blood, tissue fragments, body fluids, and other containments by wiping, soaking, rinsing, and scrubbing. Inspects packages for indications of proper sterilization, assembles basic sets and trays used throughout the medical center including those used in the operating room. Prepares, loads, and operates sterilizers such as steam, Sterrad, Steris, ETO and a high level disinfecting scope reprocessor; prepares operating room case carts daily using surgery schedule. MSTs receive guidance from more experienced staff members for more complex tasks and require direct supervision on new assignments. Experience: One (1) year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-04); OR Education: Four (4) 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 requirements above, must also demonstrate the following knowledge, skills, and abilities: Basic knowledge of surgical instruments used in operating rooms and clinic settings Basic knowledge of event-related packaging in regards to sterility Knowledge of sterilization and cleaning equipment GS-06 Grade Level: This is the full performance level for the occupation. Receives contaminated critical and semi-critical RME in the decontamination area and may receive noncritical equipment in the decontamination area as well. Disassembles the RME and determines the correct cleaning method, such as but not limited to ultrasonic cleaners, mechanical washers, cart washers, and chemical cleaning/decontamination agents, as determined by manufacturer instructions. Inspects, assembles and determines the correct method and packaging for sterilization such as but not limited to steam, Sterrad, Steris, ETO, and high level disinfecting scope reprocessors. Performs and documents daily operational checks and records for all sterilization equipment. Experience: One (1) year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-05) In addition to the requirements above, must also demonstrate the following knowledge, skills, and abilities: Knowledge of surgical instruments used in operating rooms and clinic settings Knowledge of universal precautions for safety and prevention of cross contamination Working knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, microbiology, medical conditions and procedures Knowledge of sterility principles in regards to instrumentation Ability to read and interpret written instructions and procedures References: VA Handbook 5005/83, Part II, Appendix G47 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: This work is performed in various settings: decontamination, preparation, clean sterile supply (preparation) and in other services and departments throughout the medical facility/campus. The incumbent may be required to work in areas that are hot, cold, drafty and poorly lighted. The employee is subject to the possibility of falls, scrapes, cuts, bruises, and other injuries from material handling equipment. The work requires standing and walking during the entire workday and frequent bending and lifting of packages (occasionally weighing as much as 50 pounds). The work requires dexterity and visual acuity for manipulating, disassembly and assembly of instrumentation. On a regular and recurring basis, the employee alternates between a contaminated environment and a carefully controlled clean environment. The employee wears special clothing, hair covers, personal protective equipment and shoe covers that can be uncomfortably warm. The employee uses insulated gloves to remove carts from sterilizers. The employee is subject to burns from accidentally touching hot items. The hazards of working around minute quantities of sterilizing gasses are unknown. The employee often works around body fluids, mucous, excretions and bits of tissue, some of which may be foul smelling. Strong, unpleasant odors are encountered while decontaminating bloody or grossly contaminated instrumentation or reusable medical equipment. The work area is noisy due to the clatter of metal instruments, rumbling of carts and operation of pre-sterilizing equipment. These physical requirements will be consistent with VA Directive Handbook 5019.

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.

Contacts

• Address Oklahoma City VA Health Care System 921 Northeast 13th Street Oklahoma City, OK 73104 US
• Name: Jason Luper
• Phone: (405) 421-2158
• Email: [email protected]