This position is located within the Operating Room at Jennifer Moreno VA Medical Center San Diego and reports directly to the Operating Room Nurse Manager. The incumbent is a member of the surgical team and provides assistance to the surgeon and other healthcare team members during invasive and non-invasive surgical procedures.

Duties

Duties include but are not limited to: Primary Scrub Person The incumbent functions as a primary scrub person responsible for handling instruments, supplies, and equipment during all surgical procedures including but not limited to the following procedures: orthopedics, cardiothoracic, neurosurgery, general, urology, plastics, ophthalmology, otolaryngology, total joint replacements, robotic procedures, vascular and endovascular surgery. The incumbent sets up the sterile field with all required items for each procedure such as air-powered equipment, fiber optic equipment, laparoscopic equipment. microscopes, lasers, arthroscopy equipment, urologic equipment, recording devices, and other operating room supplies and equipment. Plans and discusses each procedure with surgical professionals and assures that all supplies and equipment are available prior to the surgical procedure. Prepares, organizes, and maintains highly complex sterile surgical setups. Observes and responds promptly to each stage of the surgical procedure and anticipates the needs of the surgeon by maintaining a high level of concentration for extended periods of time; he/she reacts quickly and decisively during emergent situations. Utilizes universal precautions and follows all infection control policies and procedures when handling specimens, supplies, and equipment. The ST assists the surgical team members with care of the patient, i.e., positioning, prepping, and obtaining supplies. Follows Universal Protocol and fully participates in the surgical Time-Out. Knowledgeable on appropriate preventative actions for surgical procedures with low, moderate, and high fire risk scores. Handles all specimens appropriately. In conjunction with the circulating Registered Nurse (RN}, performs sponge and instrument counts to verify accuracy. The ST is responsible for the accountability for all surgical instruments and equipment during the surgical procedure. Assists the surgeon by performing such procedures as preparing skin grafts, suctioning, holding retractors, applying skin staples, and cutting sutures. The ST prepares prostheses, surgical devices, and biological implants for use during surgical procedures. Prepares sterile dressings, cleans and prepares instruments for terminal sterilization according to the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Reusable Medical Equipment (RME). The incumbent assists in training residents, medical students, nursing students, surgical technician students, and new OR staff in the operation of equipment, OR procedures conducted in the Operating Room and the endovascular suite, handling of instruments, sterile technique, and set-up/preparation of the Operating Room for complex procedures, and the scrub role in surgical procedures. Maintains Equipment and Work Areas The incumbent performs non-technical maintenance of equipment to prevent malfunctions. Maintains OR area. Assesses equipment needs and maintains adequate stock of supplies and materials. Recognizes potentially hazardous situations (i.e., frayed cords, water on floor) and takes corrective action. Performs necessary unit audits for expired surgical supplies, records temperature and humidity for each surgical suite and takes corrective action if parameters are outside of recommended guidelines. Provides Guidance/Quality Improvement The incumbent participates and assists surgical team members in quality improvement activities and risk management functions. Updates personal knowledge regarding current trends in surgical technology through continuing education courses. Provides guidance and support to students and new operating room staff. 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. Work Schedule: Mon-Fri + On Call 0830-1700, 0830-1900, 1030-1900, may be rotating, on-call as required. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Surgical Technician/PD13229A and PD13376-A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Total Reward$ - VA Careers

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 09/16/2023. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-06 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05. For a GS-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-06.The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: GS-06 Specialized Experience: You must have 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. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Setting up the sterile field with all required items for each procedure such as air-powered equipment, fiber optic equipment, laparoscopic equipment. Microscopes, lasers, arthroscopy equipment, urologic equipment, recording devices, and other operating room supplies and equipment; Assists the surgeon by performing such procedures as preparing skin grafts, suctioning, holding retractors, applying skin staples, and cutting sutures, preparation of prosthesis and surgical devices and preparing sterile dressings and maintain, care and labeling surgical specimens. OR, Applicants may substitute education for the required experience GS-06. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have Successfully completed one-half year of graduate education (9 semester hours) or an internship in course matter that must include courses directly related to the work of the Surgical Technician position such as anatomy and physiology, surgical technology, aseptic techniques, etc. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. OR, Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-06 level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond Combinations of successfully completed graduate level education and specialized experience, as described above, which meet the total experience requirements for this grade level. The education portion must include graduate courses directly related to the work of the Surgical Technician position. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. GS-07 Grade Requirements: GS-07 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-06 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: setting up sterile fields; determining technical factors, setting controls with required items for procedures such as air powered equipment, fiber optic equipment, laparoscopic equipment, microscopes, lasers, arthroscopy equipment, urologic equipment, recording devices, and other operating room supplies and equipment; sterilizing operations and testing to determine sterilization methods to be used; receiving and interpreting request for procedure; securing patients' confidence and cooperation; assisting surgical staff with or performing diagnostic tests and procedures; positioning patients for procedures; handling and coordinating clerical/administrative support functions; performing personal patient care; teaching patients proper health care practices; and maintaining medical records and documents test results. OR, Applicants may substitute education for the experience required for the GS-07 level. Successfully completed one (1) full year of graduate education (18 semester hours) or an internship in course matter that must include courses directly related to the work of the Surgical Technician position such as anatomy and physiology, surgical technology, aseptic techniques, etc. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. OR, Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-07. Combinations of successfully completed graduate level education and specialized experience, as described above, which meet the total experience requirements for this grade level. The education portion must include graduate courses directly related to the work of the Surgical Technician position. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. 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-06 and GS-07. 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. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Emergency CareInfection ControlManages ResourcesMedical InformationPatient CareSpecimen CollectionTeaching OthersTechnical Credibility 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. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Education

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 San Diego VA Medical Center 3350 La Jolla Village Drive San Diego, CA 92161 US
• Name: Charise Young
• Phone: 404-398-8281
• Email: [email protected]