This position is in the Radiation Oncology Service, at the Tibor Rubin VA Medical Center, Long Beach, CA and is directly supervised by the Supervisor Therapeutic Radiologic Technologist. The Radiation Oncology Service Therapeutic Radiologic Technologist is a graduate of an approved program in therapeutic radiologic technology. There is a Relocation incentive for qualified applicants. Welcome to VA Long Beach Tibor Rubin - History

Duties

Major duties include but are not limited to: - Schedules treatments in a manner as to optimize accelerator times while maintaining flexibility for emergency cases. This requires the ability to prioritize scheduled patients as well as the ability to accommodate the emergency patient who may need immediate simulation and treatment. - Performs quality control of the treatment machines by taking recorded readings every morning prior to patient treatments using the dosimetry verification and record system for each energy level, obtaining machine check for rotational therapy and electronic dynamic wedge verification. Performs daily imaging procedures to ensure correct operations. Alerts appropriate staff as necessary if parameters fall outside the recommendations. - Identifies individual patient by the required identification methods set forth by hospital policy and departmental procedures before simulation and prior to each daily radiation treatment delivered. - Has the knowledge of consultations, simulation, treatment planning, and treatment procedures. - Ability to determine the appropriate timely sequence for patient studies and any special orders required. - Verifies patient consent prior to initiating CT simulation. - Coordinates with CT and notifies them that intravenous (IV) contrast is to be used for treatment simulations. Ensures proper use and administration of the oral contrast materials to avoid the risk of patient morbidity and mortality. It is essential that the therapist has a thorough understanding of contrast material usage. - Must be alert to patient's condition and other disorders. Reactions on the part of the patient require immediate attention so that harm does not come to the patient. - Must be able to communicate orally exam preparations/special orders to patients and hospital staff. - Ability to recognize abnormalities in relevant lab procedures and notifies appropriate staff. - Properly operates CT simulator, provides a reproducible patient treatment position set-up that can be accurately used for daily treatments on the Linear Accelerator. - Provides custom patient immobilization devices as instructed or departmental protocol. - After CT scan is acquired and CT isocenter is obtained, the therapist will transfer the data set to the dosimetry treatment planning system. - Indicates on patient's skin with tattoos and or markings as required to locate treatment area. - Understands the computer operations to ensure proper control of computer patient data and ensures accuracy of data output and of complex computer applications relating to data transfer to treatment planning. - Verifies patient's treatment area daily in the treatment machine vault. - Performs simulation verification before prescribed treatment. Accurately reproduces initial simulation set-up, with proper patient positioning & immobilizing devices, to ensure proper alignment and quality treatment. - Obtains isocenter verification & treatment field verification of conformal blocking, with multi-leaf collimator, or copper electron blocks. - Obtains isocenter verification as needed using cone beam CT and or the use of the on-board imaging system as directed. - Utilizes electronic radiation treatment chart for set-up instructions, field size, field shaping, SSD, field compensators and beam restrictions. - Employs any necessary accessory beam restriction devices, i.e., wedges, bolus, or copper electron blocks for fields to be treated. - Verifies correct multi-leaf collimation and electronic dynamic wedges as described in plan - Delivers prescribed mode of treatment in accordance with prescribed radiation prescription. This includes conventional, three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT), electron radiotherapy, intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) treatment delivery, image guided radiotherapy (IGRT) treatment delivery, and Rapid Arc treatment delivery. - Maintains patient records and files. Follows HIPPA guidelines regarding patient information. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 6am-4:30 pm Telework: No Relocation: Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

• U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• Designated and/or random drug testing required
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English
• You may be required to serve a probationary period
• Subject to a background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination

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 English Language Proficiency. Therapeutic Radiological Technologist must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph Sa, this part. Certification All applicants must be certified in therapeutic radiologic technology by the American Registry of Radiologic Technology (ARRT) (T). Experience or Education. Completion of a program in therapeutic radiologic technology, evidenced by a certificate OR an associate's degree, accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT); certification by the. American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) in Radiology, and the subsequent completion of a 12-month JRCERT approved program in therapeutic radiologic technology. JRCERT is the accrediting agency for the radiation therapy programs recognized by the US Department of Education. Creditable Experience: (a) Knowledge of Current Therapeutic Radiologic Technology Practice. To be creditable, experience must have demonstrated possession of the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics associated with current therapeutic radiologic technology practice including Picture Archiving Communication Systems (PACS), digital imaging, and Computed Radiography (CR) readers. (b) Quality of Experience. Experience is only creditable if it was earned after completion of the basic requirements identified in paragraph 2.b. above. Experience as a graduate TRT is creditable le provided the candidate functioned as a TRT and subsequently passed the certification examination. (c) Part-Time Experience. Part-time experience as a TRT is creditable accord i ng to its relationship to fully-time workweek. For example, a TRT would receive l week of full-time credit for each 2 weeks of half time work. Preferred Experience: BLS certification, minimum of four (4) years clinical Therapeutic Radiologic Technologist experience and graduate of an accredited program, by the Joint Review Committee in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT), in radiation therapy. GRADE DETERMINATIONS: StaffTRT GS-10. (a) Must at least 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level that demonstrates the core competencies described at that level, and must fully meet the KSAs at the next lower level. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following technical KSAs and the potential to acquire the assignment specific KSAs designated by an asterisk (*): (b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: (a) Skill in independently performing machine warm up procedures and interpreting output levels compared with established thresholds adhering to the principles of radiation safety and all aspects of quality assurance. (b) Ability to independently perform patient chart reviews using an electronic medical record and the Record and Verify System or other similar treatment delivery systems. (c) Ability to independently perform all basic and complex CT simulations, including independently operating the CT equipment, following directives, designing custom immobilization for reproducible set-ups, obtaining optimal imaging, completing accurate data transfer for treatment planning, and providing accurate and precise patient documentation. (d) Ability to utilize a Linac's On-Board Imaging system to interpret complex images. (c) Assignment. TRTs at this grade level may be appointed to one of the following assignments. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty), and range of variety, and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time: Staff TRT. Employees at this level who are not leads or supervisors are able to carry out their assigned tasks independently in all areas of radiation therapy, requiring TRT competencies which substantially exceed the full performance level and are unique and require advanced knowledge in all areas of radiation therapy specialties. Regardless of the nature of the specific assignment, the work must be of sufficient scope and complexity to meet the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform at this grade level. References: VA Handbook 5005/15, Part II, Appendix G26 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-10. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-10. Physical Requirements: The work requires long periods of standing and walking. There is some bending and carrying of moderately heavy articles such as film cassettes, treatment devices, and molds with heavier lifting of wedges and specially designed shielding blocks. Patients often are assisted to achieve proper positioning, which may require reaching, lifting, or working in strained positions. The deterioration of the patient due to disease progression often requires lifting of the patient from stretchers or wheelchairs to treatment and examination tables utilizing special techniques designed to minimize the discomfort of the patient. See VA Directive and 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 Long Beach VA Medical Center 5901 East Seventh Street Long Beach, CA 90822 US
• Name: Joseph Parra
• Email: [email protected]