The Cheyenne VA Healthcare System is currently seeking a highly motivated and energetic individual to join our team as a Health Technician (Surgical) with the Nursing Service. The Surgical Technician (ST) is a member of the surgical team and provides assistance to the surgeon and other team members during surgical procedures. The surgical technician participates with the surgical team members in planning and implementing complex procedures under the general supervision of the surgical team.

Duties

The Health Technician - Surgical is a member of the surgical team and provides assistance to the surgeon and other team members during surgical procedures. The surgical technician participates with the surgical team members in planning and implementing complex procedures under the general supervision of the surgical team. Duties of the position include but are not limited to: Verbalizes understanding of principles and practices of aseptic technique Demonstrates ability in setting up sterile field with all required items for each procedure including equipment and operating room supplies Observes and responds promptly to each stage of the surgical procedure and anticipates the needs of the surgeon Plans and discusses with other surgical staff that all supplies and equipment are available prior to the surgical procedure Prepares, organizes, and maintains complex sterile surgical instrumentation and surgical setup Utilizes universal precautions and follows all infection control policies and procedures when handling equipment and specimens Handles all specimens appropriately including keeping them organized and labeled until hand-off to the circulating nurse Assists surgeon in procedures with suctioning, holding retractors, applying skin staples, cutting suture Correctly prepares prosthesis, surgical devices and equipment, and prepares cement in specific procedures In conjunction with the circulating RN, correctly performs post procedure counts of sharps, sponges, and instruments. Sharps and sponges are handled per policy Recognizes changes in patient condition including emergencies and notifies surgeon and surgical staff of changes Assists in mentoring scrub tech in the operation of equipment, sterile technique, maintaining the sterile field, handling of instruments, and the scrub tech role Assists team members with the care of the patient i.e., gathering special equipment, positioning patient, and transporting patient from the OR when necessary Other related duties as assigned Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 0700-1530 with on call - Discuss during interview Position Description Title/PD#: Health Technician - Surgical/PD13321A Physical Requirements: Duties regularly require providing manual assistance in lifting and positioning patients, most of which are in stages of unconsciousness. There are extensive periods of regular and recurring standing, walking, bending, lifting, pushing, reaching, and prolonged stretching to provide easy accessibility of instruments and supplies for the surgeon. Must be dexterous in passing instruments to surgeons without compromising principles of aseptic technique and in a manner requiring little or no effort from the surgeon. Duties are performed in the operating rooms which require special OR attire with regular and recurring exposure to toxic and noxious gases such as methylmethracrylate, peroxyacetic acid, exposure to x-rays, exposure to blood and body fluids which are often infectious, and laser beams requiring special safety precautions. Appropriate scrub attire is required to provide an aseptic environment. Often required to wear protective attire such as eye wear, hoods during total joint replacements, appropriate laser glasses when working with lasers and must frequently wear a lead apron as protection from radiation during vari1ous procedures. The operating room can be an exceptionally stressful work environment. Good mental and emotional health is required in order to function at an optimum level.

Requirements

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job
• Subject to a background/suitability investigation
• Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
• May serve a probationary period
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• A complete application package; Resume, Transcripts, etc
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement. GS-7 grade level: One year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-6 grade level in the federal service); experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA's) and other characteristics to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled, in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience includes: Sets up 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 instrumentation and surgical setup; 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; Utilizes universal precautions and follows all infection control policies and procedures when handling specimens, supplies, and equipment; Assists the team members with care of the patient, i.e., positioning, prepping, and obtaining supplies, transportation to and from the OR; Handles all specimens appropriately, including labeling, keeping organized on table and transporting to lab; In conjunction with the circulating Registered Nurse (RN), performs sponge and instrument counts to verify accuracy. Responsible for the accountability for all surgical instruments and equipment during the surgical procedures. Sharps and sponges are handled per policy; Assists the surgeon by performing such procedures as preparing skin grafts, suctioning, holding retractors, applying skin staples, and cutting sutures. Prepares prosthesis and surgical devices during procedures; Recognizes changes in patient condition including emergencies, perioperatively and takes appropriate actions in response to the patient emergent situation. OR Education: one full year of Graduate level education directly related to the occupation. Applicants may substitute education for the experience required for the GS-7 level. Must possess 1 year ofGraduate education or an internship meets the specialized experience required if the education or internship was directly related to the work of the position. Transcripts are required if you're using education as a substitute for specialized experience. OR Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-7 level. 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-7. 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. 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.

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.

Contacts

• Address Cheyenne VA Medical Center 2360 East Pershing Boulevard Cheyenne, WY 82001 US
• Name: Jessica Wieties
• Phone: 479-443-4301
• Email: [email protected]