The Nuclear Medicine Technologist (NMT) is located within the Diagnostic Imaging Service at the Greater LA Veterans Affairs Hospital with responsibility for performing, developing, writing, implementing and refining procedures in areas of Imaging, in vivo procedures, Radio-pharmacy, Research studies, Radiation Safety procedures, assistance with radionuclide therapies, and database management, including management of images with the hospital PACS system.

Duties

Include but are Not limited to: Ability to analyze consequences of improper packaging of radioactive material and take appropriate actions. Ability to determine personnel needing personal monitoring devices, analyze personal monitoring results and recommend corrective action, if needed. Ability to analyze instances of increased radiation exposure levels and recommend measures to reduce. Ability to calculate exposure rates. Ability to properly document excessive radiation exposure. Ability to perform radiopharmaceutical preparation. Familiarity with hot lab procedures. Ability to develop new protocols for imaging procedures. Ability to handle a decrease in staffing or increase in workload. Ability to coordinate workload with other technologists to maintain efficient functioning of the clinic. Receive and interpret requests for procedures. Evaluate the suitability of the procedure requests and obtain physician review if request is thought to be inappropriate. Secure patient's confidence and cooperation. Selects, performs, evaluates and monitors the performance of test procedures using manual and/or instrumental techniques in accordance with established protocols. Recognizes and reacts to indicators of malfunction; locates and implements corrections. Documents (writes up) problems, data, and solutions. Performs and monitors special studies including liver, brain, bone, lung, cardiovascular, and endocrine studies, and assists physician with radiopharmaceutical therapies Ability to produce and assess high quality fusion and quality control images using independent judgment to recognize abnormal or unacceptable results. Conducts quality control procedures on equipment, computers, and products and maintains proper records for quality control reports. Implements and manages protocols for new procedures, both research and clinical in conjunction with physicians. Implements or assists in implementing Radiation Safety Program that is tasked with ensuring that radiation safety activities are being performed in accordance with approved and required NHPP and NRC procedures and principles of ALARA. Keeps records and documentation of the Radiation Safety Program on file and readily accessible for inspections. Evaluates the validity of data in relation to the ordered procedure and accepted procedural protocols. Correlates image and quantitative data with patient data (i.e., history, medications) 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. Responsible for the generation and verification of laboratory results and transfer of data from the work area into the imaging Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS). Work Schedule: Monday-Friday rotation (7am-3:30pm & 8:30am-5pm) Compressed/Flexible:Not Available 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: (1) 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 (2) 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. 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). (1) Such employees in an occupation that requires a [certification], may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the journey (full performance) level, or [changed to lower grade] within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. (2) Such employees in an occupation that requires a certification only at higher grade levels must meet the certification requirement before they can be promoted to the higher-grade levels. (3) Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. (4) Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or certification that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation. (5) If an employee who was [in the NMT] occupation listed in 38 U.S.C. § 7401(3) under this provision leaves that occupation, the employee loses protected status, and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation. Grade Determinations: GS-11 (a) 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. (b) Assignments: For all assignments above the journey level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty), range of variety, and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. NMTs at this level are fully functional as an advanced NMT and carry out their assigned tasks independently. NMTs at this level serve in advanced assignments and will have varying assignments, including special and complex imaging procedures, advanced therapies, clinical instruction, and quality management duties within the program. Advanced therapies may include, but are not limited to, yttrium-90, radium, and palliative bone pain therapy. Regardless of the nature of the specific assignment, the work must be of sufficient scope and complexity to meet the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform at this level. (c) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: The candidate must demonstrate all of the following technical KSAs: i. Ability to produce and assess high quality scans and quality control images using independent judgement to recognize abnormal or unacceptable results. ii. Knowledge and skill in use of ancillary equipment with an understanding of how the results will affect the study outcome. iii. Knowledge of physiologic processes as they relate to altered radiopharmaceutical uptake and/or artefactual findings. iv. Ability to obtain, assess, and document pre-therapy patient preparation information and provide post-therapy patient education following proper administration of advanced therapy dose. v. Ability to develop new protocols for imaging procedures. vi. Ability to analyze instances of increased radiation exposure levels and recommend measures to reduce. vii. Ability to analyze consequences of improper packaging of radioactive material and take appropriate actions. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/125, PART II, APPENDIX G19, NUCLEAR MEDICINE TECHNOLOGIST. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. Physical Requirements: Moderate to heavy lifting is required: This is necessary to help patients on and off examination tables and to assist other technologists with lifting patients out of wheel chairs and off gurneys onto examination tables when necessary. The incumbent must be able to move and maneuver medical equipment.

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 Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System 11301 Wilshire Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90073 US
• Name: Marie Clay
• Phone: 216-201-0922
• Email: [email protected]