This position is in the Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Service (P&LMS) at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center. The incumbent is a Health Technician performing a variety of clinical and administrative functions.

Duties

Receive, route and store specimens noting labeling, contamination, hemolysis, shortage or other errors in sampling, recognizing common environmental or other considerations that could affect the results. Reconcile and verify sample types and volumes with electronic orders and hard copy requisitions. Ensure samples have the correct UID (Universal Identification) accession number label as appropriate and that label is placed so bar codes are instrument ready. Ensure correct routing of clinical samples to laboratory sections, informing other staff of sample urgency as necessary. Must be familiar with tests performed throughout the laboratory, i.e. chemistry, hematology, urinalysis, coagulation, microbiology, and cytology. Must be familiar with the multitude of laboratory send-out tests, their respective requirements, and requirements noted by the laboratories where they are performed. Select the correct method of resolution for problem samples and orders and informs team leader or supervisor of problems that cannot be resolved. May add, delete and cancel tests from existing orders as necessary and according to policy. Perform manual procedures as required during computer down times. Prepare samples, slides, smears, or other types of specimens (i.e., blood, urine, tissue) common to the laboratory. Perform blood collection using a variety of phlebotomy techniques including vacutainer system, syringe, butterfly or capillary finger sticks. Verify and evaluate a variety of physician generated test orders for these specimens in VISTA, generates bar coded patient identification labels with laboratory testing accession numbers, affixes the labels to the correct specimens. Prepare and process a variety of specimen types, recognizing appropriate test requirements according to laboratory information guidelines for shipping and transport. Draw blood from patients for requested laboratory tests. Perform glucose Tolerance Tests, Bleeding Times and other specialized blood collections as indicated. Perform all types of specimen collection in a courteous manner. Adhere to safety, infection control, and universal precautions at all times while drawing specimen samples. Collect timed specimens such as growth hormone, peak and trough drug levels, and glucose and lactose tolerance specimens. Check patients for two forms of identification to ascertain proper patient identity and draws pre-transfusion samples in compliance with VHA, CAP, FDA and other regulatory agencies. Review orders to ensure that all necessary orders are drawn. Investigate missing or incomplete patient laboratory orders. Assist with the development of technical bulletins, procedures, training materials and other program materials. Communicate all issues necessary, such as but not limited to: supply requirements, lab problems, accidents, patient requests and sample errors. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 6:00 am - 2:30 pm / Monday - Friday, 4:00 am - 12:30 pm, alternating Holidays & Weekends / Monday - Friday, 12:00 midnight - 8:00 am, alternating Holidays & Weekends, subject to change based on the needs of the Agency. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Health Technician/PD3708-A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/20/2023. 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-05 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-04. 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: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-04 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Performing blood collection using a variety of phlebotomy techniques including vacutainer system, syringe, butterfly or capillary finger sticks with minimal number of failures, patient bruising or required repeat collection, ensuring samples are submitted to the clinical laboratory with least possible delay. Label all blood tubes, instructs patients on proper specimen collection procedures. Process for correctly identifying patient information according to regulatory agencies. and Performs all types of specimen collection in a courteous manner while providing for patient comfort. Note: This experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, beginning and ending date (month/year) of employment AND hours worked per week. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed four (4) years of education above high school level. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of successfully completed post-high school education AND specialized experience. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, beginning and ending date (month/year) of employment AND hours worked per week. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Clinical Data Collection/DocumentationCommunicationsCompliance InspectionComputer SkillsDiagnostic Medical Testing 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. Physical Requirements: The work requires extensive and recurring physical exertion such as standing for long periods of time, bending, lifting, walking, stooping and stretching. The work requires manual dexterity and a large degree of concentration. 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 Michael E DeBakey VA Medical Center 2002 Holcombe Boulevard Houston, TX 77030 US
• Name: Susan Reynon
• Phone: (808) 726-0496
• Email: [email protected]