Nuclear Medicine Technologists have responsibility for providing a wide range of specialized nuclear medicine procedures, including diagnostic imaging, therapy with unsealed radioactive materials, evaluating abnormal results; using and maintaining equipment; setting up and monitoring quality control; working within guidelines from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), Department of Transportation (DOT), Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHA) among others.

Duties

Major duties include, but are not limited to: Prepare, assay, and administer radiopharmaceutical doses by injection, inhalation or ingestion as prescribed. Be proficient in introducing intravenous catheters in patients for administration of radiopharmaceuticals and/or medications. Be knowledgeable regarding possible side effects of radiopharmaceuticals and other medications, such as Lasix and Captopril, to be administered. Take immediate action to remedy any noted effects. Receive patients, explain procedure, answer questions relating to the procedure, position patient for all necessary views and tend to their comfort for the duration of the procedure. Obtain pertinent clinical data from the patient, electronic chart, requisition, and interviewing the patient and/or family. Move wheelchair and litter patients safely using ergonomic methods of patient transfer. Operate nuclear medicine equipment such as gamma cameras, well counters, GM survey meters, thyroid uptake system, and dose calibrators for various patient procedures. Understand and be able to perform exposure rate calculations. Perform a full range of nuclear medicine diagnostic imaging, non-imaging, in-vitro and therapeutic procedures, including highly specialized computer assisted studies such as gated, tomographic, quantitative procedures. Senior technologist is experienced in PET/CT, SPECT/CT, and AART CT certified or pending certification. Keep up to date with new imaging agents, procedures, and methods. Analyze procedure images for quality. Obtain additional images when necessary. FS#: XXX-XXXXXX Be knowledgeable in three-dimensional anatomy. Correctly administer radioactive pharmaceuticals to patients. Utilizes necessary quality management methods of patient identification such as using two unique identifiers and using active rather than passive identification. Perform radionuclide therapy in collaboration with Nuclear Medicine Physician. Receive and assay prescribed therapeutic doses. Fill out written directives and administer dose with the nuclear medicine physician. Instruct patient, family and nursing staff in radiation safety precautions. Perform radiation surveys, post appropriate caution signs, and distribute personnel monitoring devices as required. Properly monitor and store any radioactive waste for disposal. Demonstrate a thorough understanding of personnel requiring film badges. Read and understand the film badge exposure report. Determine exposure patterns and recommend actions to reduce exposure levels to public, radiation workers and self. Prepare studies for nuclear medicine physician's interpretation by ensuring completeness of all forms involved in the procedure. Record appropriate data and related information on the proper patient worksheet and images. Schedule patient procedures, taking into consideration camera availability, scan length, patient condition, the need for multiple nuclear medicine studies, other clinic appointments of the patient, contraindications for the test and urgency of the request. Inform patient of all pertinent preparations for his/her scan, i.e. NPO, follow certain diet, bowel prep, etc. Perform required technical procedures for safe receipt, handling, transport, usage, and disposal of radioactive materials, assuring compliance with Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), National Health Physics Program (NHPP), Department of Transportation (DOT) and license conditions. Understand different precautions used based upon the various package types. Understand, utilize and practice the concepts of ALARA principle; maintain radiation exposures as low as reasonably achievable. Help other technologists, when necessary, i.e. difficult or uncooperative patient, heavy workload, etc. Maintain and encourage an environment of teamwork and a positive workplace. Work Schedule: 0800-1630 Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

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. Certification. All applicants must be certified in nuclear medicine technology by the Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board (NMTCB) or the American Registry of Radiologic Technology (ARRT) (N). NMTCB or ARRT (N) certification eligibility requirements are normally satisfied by one of the following: Completion of a NMTCB-recognized nuclear medicine technology program, OR Completion of a nuclear medicine technology program accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Educational Programs in Nuclear Medicine Technology (JRCNMT), or other accrediting agencies as recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), culminating in a certificate, associate, baccalaureate, or master's degree. Educational programs must have structured clinical training sufficient to provide clinical competency in radiation safety, instrumentation, clinical procedures, and radio-pharmacy, as deemed acceptable by the NMTCB. (PLEASE UPLOAD CERTIFICATION). English Language Proficiency. [NMTs] must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, of this part. 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: GS 11- Nuclear Medicine Technologist (Fusion Imaging Technologist) Experience. For assignments above the journey level, the candidate must have 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level directly related to the position being filled, and must fully meet the KSAs at that level. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. The candidate must demonstrate all of the following technical KSAs: Ability to produce and assess high quality fusion and quality control images using independent judgement to recognize abnormal or unacceptable results. Practical knowledge and skill in the use of ancillary equipment with an understanding of how the results will affect the study outcome. Knowledge of physiologic processes as they relate to altered radiopharmaceutical uptake and/or artefactual findings. Knowledge of CT and/or MR radiographic techniques utilized in quality control and acquisition parameters. Ability to recognize and correct fusion imaging system errors References: APPENDIX G19. VA Handbook 5005/125, Part II. NUCLEAR MEDICINE TECHNOLOGIST Qualification Standards. December 10, 2019. GS-0601 Physical Requirements: This position requires potentially long periods of continued walking, standing, stooping, sitting, bending, pulling and pushing. Transferring patients and objects may be required. The incumbent may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations or operative/invasive procedures. The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders. The incumbent must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, able to shift priorities based on patient needs.

Education

IMPORTANT: 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 VA Northern California Health Care System 10535 Hospital Way Mather, CA 95655 US
• Name: Amanda Bodkin
• Phone: 925-356-5886
• Email: [email protected]