The Medical Support Assistant (MSA) has responsibility for initiating and carrying out a variety of administrative functions in support of the overall care and treatment of inpatients with Nursing Service of the VA Maryland Health Care System (VAMHCS).

Duties

The MSA ensures all patient movement (admissions, discharges, transfers, treating specialty transfers, provider changes) are entered in DHCP utilizing the Bed Control Menu. Manually maintains and continually updates the electronic log containing all patient movement per unit routine. The incumbent prints patient/resident census at the start of each shift. Enters and monitors computer data of active patients/residents for appropriate assignment of treating specialties, primary care physicians, attending physicians, room and bed assignments. She/he takes necessary steps to correct any errors immediately. Coordinates patient/resident activity with Medical Administrative Services to expedite patient/resident movements. The incumbent works with the treatment team to assist and coordinate patient/resident discharges, ensuring all the discharge (dirty) beds are entered into the Bed Management System (BMS) and patients/residents discharge appointments are entered into CPRS according to the physician order. The incumbent will discharge and/or transfer patients/residents from the unit census via DHCP within 15 minutes of the patients/residents leaving the unit/area. Responsible for notifying the accepting Registered Nurses (RN) and Treatment team of new inpatient/resident arrival. Performs all administrative work involved with the admission, discharge and transfer of patients/resident. Schedules for patient/resident appointments with various clinics, services and consultants. Coordinates appointment for patients/residents to avoid conflicts in treatments and to meet the scheduling requirements of clinic or service to which the patient/resident is referred. Immediately notifies RN of all stat physician orders (per unit routine). Will inform the RN when there is a need to process physician orders for specialty tests, such as; preps for diagnostic procedures, diets, etc. Will maintain a hard copy medical record with the Advance Directive, and Do Not Attempt Resuscitation (DNAR) status, in a red folder, on the unit in accordance with VAMHCS policy. Will provide and maintain appropriate signage for isolations precautions that will be displayed on the patient/resident's rooms. The incumbent will transcribe/verify orders in VISTA (per unit routine), in a timely manner. She/he identifies various chemical compounds, symbols and abbreviations comprising medication orders; that will be transcribed with correct spelling, dosages, and frequency of drugs precisely as the order reads. Other orders will be transcribed accurately and in a timely manner on the appropriate form(s) and routed to the appropriate departments for action. In the case of a VISTA malfunction, appropriate contingency plans will be executed. Initiates action to notify nursing personnel and patients/residents of tests and appointments. Requests escort and/or transportation, on or off station, for patient/resident as ordered; ensuring there are physician orders and established guidelines are followed. Logs patient/resident movements in an identified electronic tracking tool in accordance with unit routine. Prepares charts and patient/resident ID bracelet and printing labels for use during the resident/patient hospital stay per unit routine. She/he assists in training of new MSA in duties and responsibilities of the MSA position and procedures unique to the unit in which the new employee is assigned. Other duties as assigned by leadership. Work Schedule: 07:30AM-04:00PM Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position Functional Statement #: 00000

Requirements

Qualifications

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. Physical Requirements: Applicants must undergo a pre-employment medical examination and be medically suitable to perform the essential duties efficiently and without hazard to themselves and others in accordance with VA Directive and Handbook 5019. English Language Proficiency: Applicants must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, Paragraph 3J. Experience and Education: Experience: Six months experience of clerical, office, [customer service], or other [administrative] work that indicates the ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of the position, OR Education: One year above high school, OR Experience/Education Combination: Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable. Foreign Education: To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. programs. Grandfathering Provision: Current Medical Support Assistants 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). All MSAs employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series, and grade held, [which] are [a] part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: (1) Such employees may be reassigned, promoted, or [changed to a lower grade] within the occupation. Creditable Experience: Knowledge of Current MSA Practices: To be creditable, the experience must have demonstrated the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) associated with current MSA responsibilities. Experience satisfying this requirement may be paid/non-paid employment as a MSA. Quality of Experience: Qualifying experience must be at a level comparable to MSA experience at the next lower grade level. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher level duties must consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity (difficulty) and range of variety as described in this standard at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. Part-Time Experience: Part-time experience as a MSA is creditable according to its relationship to the full-time workweek. For example, a MSA employed 20 hours a week, or on a 1/2 time basis, would receive 1 full-time workweek of credit for each 2 weeks of service. GS-05 (Full Performance Level): Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-4 grade level; OR, Education: Four years of education above high school.

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 Maryland Health Care System 10 North Greene Street Baltimore, MD 21201 US
• Name: Tania Hopson
• Phone: 404-417-5442
• Email: [email protected]