This is an Advanced Performance Level Sterile Processing Service (SPS) Medical Supply Technician position. The position is located in the Sterile Processing Service (SPS) Section under the Associate Director for Patient Care Service. This position level Medical Supply Technician is a member of the nursing care team and is responsible for the support of the Sterile Processing Service (SPS).

Duties

Major duties: Sterile Storage and Distribution: Serves as a senior expert in inventories, replenishes shortages from sterile supply, inspects for sterility integrity for instrument sets and expendable items. Adheres to and reports any non-compliance towards facility regulations regarding application and removal of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Follows up to ensure RME rotates at the appropriate intervals, communicates needs for restocking outdated supplies, and maintains stock levels of surgical supplies and equipment for wards, clinics, and the operating room. Initiates assigned tasks on requests for items based on the daily schedule of needs or individual requisitions. Rounds with supervision to ensure areas have performed daily housekeeping duties to ensure environment of care is maintained. Coordinates needs for stocking individual surgical case carts with required instruments for each scheduled and emergency operative procedure. Ensures staff operates automation equipment according to facility procedure to prepare, store, retrieve or process information. Trains new and/or lower graded employees at the request of supervisor and/or educator. Decontamination: Coordinates the assignments given by the supervisor to receive a full range of reusable medical supplies, instruments and equipment from hospital wards, clinics and operating rooms. Adheres to and reports any non-compliance facility regulations regarding application and removal of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Ensures staff decontaminates reusable items by determining the appropriate method for removing gross contamination by means of manual cleaning procedures. Reviews adherence of staff in relation to disassembly, decontamination, and infection control practices of items in accordance with facility protocol. Ensures staff operate automated reprocessing equipment such as the ultrasonic cleaner and washer/disinfectors in accordance with the device Instructions for Use (IFU). Assembly and Sterilization: Ensures that staff follow all device specific Instructions for Use (IFU) and set forth Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) while conducting assembly and sterilization procedures. Conducts rounds to review staff adheres to facility regulations regarding application and removal of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Validates skill level of staff to ensure the efficient assembly of a wide variety of instrument trays and sets used for medical procedures including the operating room. Ensures quality checks for damaged or missing items of all instrument sets and arranges for replacements, maintenance, or repair as needed. Coordinates the workflow for assembly to include prioritization from a variety of sterilization phases for intricate surgical trays and microsurgery instruments for the operating room (trays contain large numbers of unique, non-interchangeable, specialized surgical instruments of similar appearance, with minor variations in size, conformation, and nomenclature, but with major variation in application). Lead, Preceptor and Mentor: Works with SPS Leadership or Educator to precept new or lower grade employees to all aspects of work performed in SPS. Participates in obtaining documentation required for competency and or education of SPS staff. Oversees work and will assist management with the distribution and prioritization of workload among employees in accordance with established workflow and/ or job specializations Assists with the assignment of tasks as necessary to provide new employees with the experience and training required to obtain a full performance and advanced performance level. Provides information to management officials concerning performance issues, assignment changes and task completion. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 10PM to 6:30AM Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 512-23187-F 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. Experience and/or Education (1) Experience. Six months of experience that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work or provides an understanding of the work; or (2) Education. One year above high school that included at least 6 semester hours in health care related courses such as sterile processing, nursing assistant, hospital corpsman, and operating room and surgical technician courses or other courses related to the position; or (3) Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable. c. Certification. None. Foreign Education. To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U. S. programs. English Language Proficiency. MSTs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j, 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-07 (Advanced Level) (a) Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. (c) Assignment. The Advanced MST assembles highly complex instrument sets including, but not limited to, open heart, major orthopedic total joint, cardiovascular, craniotomy and complex endoscopic instrumentation. Processes all complex endoscopic instrumentation to include those medical devices used in the gastroenterology laboratory, bronchoscopy laboratory, urology and operating room. Reviews manufacturer guidelines to ensure the correct methods and parameters are followed when cleaning, decontaminating and sterilizing RME. Troubleshoots and analyzes mechanical failures and makes necessary adjustments to complex decontamination and sterilization equipment, as well as interprets alarm conditions which may occur while operating the equipment. Informs management and healthcare staff when cleaning and processing standard operating procedures (SOPs) or instruction for use have been changed or updated to assure the changes have been validated to meet all guidelines. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. 1. Detailed knowledge of complex surgical instruments used in operating rooms and clinic settings. 2. Ability to assemble specialty operating room and clinic instrument sets. 3. In-depth knowledge of sterilization and cleaning equipment. 4. Ability to communicate both orally and in writing in order to convey information and thoughts to others. Preferred Experience: None References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/76 PART II APPENDIX G47 MAY 28, 2014 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-7. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is the GS-7. Physical Requirements: Physical demands of the position include work assignments with long periods of standing, walking, pushing, lifting, bending, stretching. This position requires the ability to lift 501bs . The incumbent may at times be required to climb up and down a step stool in the work area. Work days may be extended without notice by emergency RME requests from operating room, clinics or nursing wards.

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 Maryland Health Care System 10 North Greene Street Baltimore, MD 21201 US
• Name: Prudence Barrett
• Phone: (410) 605-7000
• Email: [email protected]