The Medical Instrument Technician (MIT), also known as the Polysomnography Technician, functions within the Sleep Disorders section of the Medicine Service and is responsible for diagnostic testing, scoring, initiation & titration of patients with known or suspected sleep disorders. This assignment is at the full performance level and individuals assigned to this role function independently. This position directly reports to the Sleep Program Manager/Assistant Chief of Sleep Disorders.

Duties

Job duties include but not limited to: Effectively identifies and takes proper action when faced with patient situations that require urgent or emergent management, including, but not limited to: falls, fainting, acute mental status change, shortness of breath, hypoxia, chest pain & cardiopulmonary arrest. Provides cardiopulmonary resuscitation, as needed. Communicates effectively and professionally with patients, families, coworkers, and other staff at all times in order to provide exemplary care and service. Collaborates with patients, families, caregivers, and other members of the health care team to coordinate appointment availability and follow-up testing or treatment. Properly and completely documents all assessments, results, interventions, issues, and any other pertinent information in the patient's medical record. All paper documentation must be legible and include the patient's name and identifiable patient information. Ensures that all completed studies are scored accurately, uploaded to the appropriate storage site and, if needed, printed and placed in the interpreting MD mailbox. Ensures that all consults are completed in a timely manner, in accordance with department, medical center and VISN policies and directives, as measured by chart audit. Work Schedule: Night shift, six days at 1930- 0800 (12- hour shifts) and 1 day at 1930- 0400 (8-hour shift) per Pay Period with rotating weekends. Telework: Not Available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 92199-A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized. Financial Disclosure Report: Not required.

Requirements

Qualifications

Basic Requirements A. United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. B. Education: There are no specific educational requirements for this occupation. Education may be substituted for experience only at the GS-4 and GS-5 levels. See the grade requirements part of this standard for information regarding educational substitutions. C. Licensure or Certification: Licensure or Certification is not required for this occupation; however, it is strongly desirable at GS-6 or above as evidence of possession of the essential knowledge, skills, and abilities. For all specialties identified in this standard, Basic and Advanced Cardiac Life Support certifications are desirable. Training which does not result in official certification does not meet this definition. Grade Determinations: GS- 4 A. Experience: At least one year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the position to be filled. Six months of this experience may have been in medically related fields such as nursing assistant, practical nursing, or similar fields. The remaining six months must have been in operating diagnostic and therapeutic equipment covered by this occupation. Experience gained in the operation of equipment for animal diagnosis or treatment may be credited at this level. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: OR, B. Education: Successful completion of two years of education above high school or an associate's degree with a major field of study directly related to the medical instrument technician occupation. C. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Knowledge of basic medical terminology. Ability to learn the components, operating characteristics, and settings of the equipment to be used. Ability to learn typical patient reactions to the basic procedures involved and ability to recognize signs of distress. Ability to learn the standard positions for the procedure being conducted. Ability to communicate orally and in writing. GS- 5 A. Experience: At least one year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the position to be filled. This would be experience in operating equipment related to the specialization for which application is made or in related functional areas. Experience gained in the operation of equipment for animal diagnosis or treatment may be credited through this grade level. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: OR, B. Education: Successful completion of four academic years above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with courses related to the occupation, or a bachelor's degree in a major field of study appropriate to medical instrument technician functions. C. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Knowledge of standard medical terminology to interpret physician orders or instructions. Knowledge of common physical disabilities and ability to position patients for the examination or treatment. Ability to learn the normal and abnormal results for routine procedures to recognize and report obvious abnormalities. Ability to operate the equipment to administer routine/standard diagnostic treatment or procedures. Ability to perform standard operator maintenance on the equipment including the ability to disassemble, clean, reassemble, and calibrate the machine. GS- 6 A. Experience: At least one year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the positions to be filled. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: B. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Knowledge of standard, computerized polysomnographs for recording continuous all night physiological data including EEG, EOG, EKG, EMG and respiratory parameters. Knowledge of standard devices such as oximeters, respiratory effort devices, nasal pressure devices, thermistors, thermocouples, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines, and laboratory computers including the ability to calibrate and operate the equipment and recognize and eliminate recording artifacts. Knowledge of medical terminology and medical record organization to review medical records, sleep study orders, consent forms, medical charts, etc. Knowledge of polysomnographic procedural protocols (including overnight sleep studies, MSLT, MWT, PAP, etc.). Knowledge of basic anatomy and physiology and the international 10-20 electrode placement system in order to conduct the sleep studies. C. Certification: No certification or registration is required at this level. Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) certification is desirable. GS- 7 A. Experience: At least one year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the positions to be filled. This would be experience which provided the individual with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to independently conduct difficult but standardized polysomnography examinations. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: B. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Knowledge of CPAP function and operation to select and fit appropriate PAP patient interface devices. Ability to independently titrate and document PAP level to achieve therapeutic goals. Knowledge of indications, complications, and contraindications of CPAP therapy. Knowledge of Bi-Level pressure titrations. Ability to recognize changes seen during the PSG tracing and identify all stages of sleep. This includes the ability to score and analyze sleep stages in clinical polysomnography recordings. C. Certification: No certification or registration is required. Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) certification is desirable. GS- 8 A. Experience: At least one year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the positions to be filled. This would be experience which provided a knowledge of the more complex procedures as well as knowledge of the uncommon and/or rare sleep disorders. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: B. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Advanced knowledge or the International Classification of Sleep Disorders and the ability to recognize uncommon and/or rare sleep disorders. Ability to summarize and report polysomnographic data in narrative form. Knowledge of event characteristics (e.g., respiratory, cardiac, sleep stage, seizures, etc.) and ability to take appropriate action. Ability to provide briefings and orientation to hospital staff including physicians. C. Certification: No certification or registration is required. Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certifications are also desirable for employees at this level. References: VA Handbook Part II Appendix G27. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-8. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-4 to GS-8. Physical Requirements: See VA Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services.

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 VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System 10701 East Boulevard Cleveland, OH 44106 US
• Name: Malayna Evans
• Phone: 317-619-2504
• Email: [email protected]