The Medical Instrument Technician (Sleep Tech) displays proficiency and performs at a level of excellence in all sleep diagnostic procedures and other related procedures, in accordance with the guidelines established by the American Sleep Disorders Association, American Academy of Sleep Medicine and policies and procedures of the Atlanta VA Medical Center.

Duties

Main duties, skills and abilities required, but not limited to: Scans patient's health records of common and complicated medical conditions pertinent to the performance of sleep testing procedures; He/she explains the procedure to patients to insure patient comfort for optional recording of sleep studies; Anticipates and corrects patient discomfort, mechanical and electrical interface (artifacts); Scans/examines environment of recording to detect and eliminate possible sources of artifacts in order to preserve integrity of recording; Recognizes patient movements and diagnostic findings and makes changes in recording techniques and parameters to optimize display of the phenomenon in question; Performs patient physical assessments related to sleep disorders, including mask fittings and adjustments, etc. Conducts patient setups, calibration and acquisition performance verification; performs pre and post-test calibrations; Able to perform monitoring of multiple physiological data throughout the specific tests conducted; Troubleshoots polysomnographic recording equipment; Identifies and treats appropriately sleep related breathing disorders; Integrates polysomnographic data into patient care by coordinating care with other functional areas of the Sleep Center, such as CPAP Clinic and Sleep Clinics; Provides patient instructions and education; Recognizes the need for medical intervention if patient safety is at risk; Removes, and sterilizes electrodes and sensors at completion of study, as needed; orders necessary supplies and equipments for the Sleep Lab, etc.; Able to perform timely sleep staging of the sleep studies according to the latest professional standards and specific VA Sleep Lab protocols, generates reports for physician interpretations, assists physicians and trainees in insuring quality standards of the sleep reports are maintained; Documents all data in CPRS as needed, including the data generated through acquisition and scoring Evaluates the validity of data in relation to the testing system and accepted procedures. Correlates quantitative data with patient data (i.e., history, medications, card downloads, etc) to verify results; Performs additional tests to clarify or confirm abnormal patient results. Recognizes abnormal results that require immediate attention by the physician and reports them directly; Utilizes proficiently CPRS, Vista, Vista WebNista Imaging, sleep software and remote data capabilities to view and retrieve information on patients evaluated in the Sleep Lab or with HST; Makes appropriate phone calls and uses appropriate communication means (e.g., faxes) to obtain data from non-VA sources, documents the interaction and makes the documentation available to the providers and medical records department; Understands oximetry readings for the purpose of reporting physiological findings as related to sleep disorders and ensure the appropriate interface between PAP and supplemental oxygen is used and explained to the patients; Explains to the patients the functionality of HST devices, how to have them attached and turned on/off, retrieves the equipment and becomes proficient in downloading and scoring of data from the HST and is able to generate specific HST reports; Advanced knowledge of complex and non-standard treatment and examination procedures and techniques; Advanced knowledge of the servo-ventilation and of special home ventilation devices for initiation, troubleshooting, and therapy of patients with various conditions; Advanced knowledge of sleep scoring rules, portable or home sleep testing (HST) equipment and technologies, in-lab and/or ambulatory sleep study reports; Shows knowledge of Joint Commission (JC) and American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) regulatory requirements and standards; assists in the process of JC and/or AASM accreditation process, as needed; Ability to communicate effectively and professionally with employees at varying grade levels; At least 1 year of experience in the field of polysomnography; Must be reliable, able to work independently and be self-motivated; The Polysomnography MIT is responsible for performing job duties in accordance with mission, vision, and values of VAMC-Atlanta. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:00am-5:30pm, 4-day compressed schedule; with weekday off either Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday (to be determined at the time of hiring, by the hiring manager). Subject to change based on Agency Needs. Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

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: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. 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. English Language Proficiency. Medical Instrument Technicians must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part. 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 certain functional areas at the higher levels or supervisory assignments, specific certifications appropriate to the specialty are indicated in this standard under "Titles and Certification/Registrations". 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). Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements, the following criteria must be met. Experience: Must have 1 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 Polysomnography and performing a full range of standard, but complex, polysomnography examinations with responsibility for properly and accurately calibrating all instruments prior to the beginning of the PSG tracing and selection of appropriate electrode montages and sensitivity and filter settings to elicit the best possible tracings. They independently determine the need for CPAP during all night sleep studies apnea. They may administer nerve conduction velocity tests. NOTE: Must demonstrate experience and must be represented within your resume. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: 1. Advanced knowledge of the International Classification of Sleep Disorders and the ability to recognize uncommon and/or rare sleep disorders. 2. Ability to provide briefings and orientation to hospital staff including physicians. 3. Knowledge of event characteristics (e.g., respiratory, cardiac, sleep stage, seizures, etc.) and ability to take appropriate action. 4. Ability to summarize and report polysomnographic data in narrative form. NOTE: Must demonstrate KSAs and must be represented within your resume. References: VA Handbook 5005/54, Part II, Appendix G27, MEDICAL INSTRUMENT TECHNICIAN, GS-0649; APPENDIX I - Medical Instrument Technician (Polysomnography). The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-08. Physical Requirements: This position requires visual acuity, keen hearing; clear, distinctive speech; and manual dexterity. The position requires potentially long periods of continued sitting, telephone and computer usage, walking, standing, stooping, bending, pulling, and pushing. Transferring of equipment/objects may be required.

Education

There is no educational requirement.

Contacts

• Address Atlanta VA Medical Center 1670 Clairmont Road Decatur, GA 30033 US
• Name: VHA National Recruitment Center
• Phone: (844)456-5208
• Email: [email protected]