The Surgical Technician is a member of the surgical team and assists 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 VA has adopted Core Values and Characteristics that apply universally across the Department. The five Core Values define "who we are," our culture, and how we care for Veterans, their families and other beneficiaries. The Values are Integrity, Commitment, Advocacy, Respect and Excellence ("I CARE").As a VA professional, your opportunities are endless. With many openings in the multiple functions of VA, you will have a wide range of opportunities and leadership positions at your fingertips. Job duties include, but not limited to: Functions as a primary scrub person who handles the instruments, supplies and equipment during all surgical procedures to include extremely complex procedures such as thoracic, major vascular, neurosurgery, microsurgery, urologic, hand, plastic, ophthalmology, ENT, and total joint replacements. Setting up sterile field with all necessary items for each procedure, such as air powered equipment, fiber optic equipment, laparoscopic equipment, navigational equipment, microscopes, injectors, lasers, arthroscopy equipment, urology equipment, complex recording devices and OR table accessories. Prepares, organizes and maintains highly complex sterile set-ups. Skillfully drapes operative area insuring all infection control and sterility guidelines are being followed. Assists RN with the care of the surgical patient i.e. positioning, prepping and obtaining supplies. Responsible for performing, with the circulating nurse, the sponge, sharps and instrument counts to verify accuracy. Responsible for the accountability of all sterile 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 suture in addition to his/her other responsibilities. Prepares all prostheses and surgical devices for each procedure. Functions as an assistant to more complex procedures. Breaks down the sterile field and properly cares tor and handles instrumentation post procedure, ensuring that instruments and equipment are properly disassembled, pre-cleaned, and returned to Sterile Processing Services (SPS). Transports patients to and from the surgical suites using knowledge to safely measures to protect patients and personnel. Alert to and promptly report: changes in patient condition to appropriate staff member. Plans for each procedure and assures that all supplies, instruments and equipment are available before the procedure begins. Observes, prioritizes and responds promptly to each stage of the surgical procedure and anticipates the needs of the surgeon. Cares for all types of surgical specimens appropriately, being sure to label and and contain specimens accurately and safely. The Scrub technician needs to communicate clearly, concisely and accurately regarding all specimens. Participates in the needs of the operating room to create and maintain a clean and organized department(to include tasks such as monitoring for expired products and organizing storage of supplies and equipment). Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM-4:30 PM Position Description Title/PD#: Surgical Technician/ 40132-A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required Physical Requirements: 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 surgeons. Must be able to stand for prolonged periods of time without relief. Must have good hearing, eyesight, and physical dexterity (especially with hands and fingers). Must know and practice good body mechanics in movement and lifting; e.g., heavy equipment, instrument trays, surgical packs, case carts, and patients during unconsciousness, etc

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 for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement. Applicants must meet the Individual Occupation Requirement and Specialized Experience/Education as stated below. Each of these items are separate requirements. Individual Occupational Requirement for Health Aid and Technician Series (0640): Positions in this series range widely in type and include support duties to medical or health personnel such as audiologists, speech pathologists, medical officers, and optometrists. Therefore, technician experience is experience that required application of the knowledge, methods, and techniques of the position to be filled. In addition to the IOR, candidates must also meet one of the following requirements: 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. Specialized experience is defined as: Working in an operating room, assisting surgeons during medical procedures, setting up a sterile field with all required items for surgical procedures (i.e., air-powered equipment, fiber optic equipment, laparoscopic equipment, microscopes, lasers, arthroscopy equipment, urologic equipment, recording devices and other operating room (OR) supplies and equipment, etc.); Handling highly technical medical instruments during surgery; Using human anatomy, physiology and aseptic technique; Handling specimens correctly; Prepare and protect the sterile field during surgery; Work with complex surgical procedures and possible complications; Report observations and immediate procedural needs; Recognize emergent complications; Operate the sterilization machine and use of proper cleaning/sterile technique for high level disinfecting of instruments; Proper handling and rotation of sterile supplies and handling of contaminated items, quality control and personal hygiene; Implement infection control procedures; Store instruments and supplies properly to maintain sterility. OR SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION: At grades GS-5 and above, a portion of the education is usually directly related to the work of the position to be filled. Examples of related courses are provided in the individual occupational requirements where applicable. However, agencies may require other courses if they are considered to be more related to the position to be filled. NOTE: Graduate education or an internship meets the specialized experience required above GS-5 only in those instances where it is directly related to the work of the position. One full year of graduate education meets the requirements for GS-7. Two full years of graduate education or a master's degree meets the requirements for GS-9. One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement. Part-time graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to a year of full-time study at the school attended. OR Combination of Experience & Education: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an equal combination of specialized experience and graduate education. (Transcripts Required).***PLEASE 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. **The preferred candidate would have completed Surgical Technician School or an equivalent. English Language Proficiency Requirement: No person will be appointed to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA who is not proficient in written and spoken English. Verbiage displayed on your resume or application must contain your own words. You may refer to position descriptions, i.e., the general and specialized experience located within the vacancy announcement, to assist with describing work experiences; however, resumes or applications received in verbatim will not be considered. In your resume you will need to address the general and specialized experience listed under SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE (Qualifications section). Please use as much detail as needed, giving dates (months and years) of the experience, position title, and how the experience was gained. This information is needed to determine if you are qualified for the position. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position Attention to DetailQuality ManagementTechnical Competence 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 .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

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 Robley Rex VA Medical Center 800 Zorn Avenue Louisville, KY 40206 US
• Name: Lisa Purnell
• Phone: 312-569-8095
• Email: [email protected]