This is an open continuous announcement and applications submitted prior to November 10, 2023 will be pulled and rated for referral. Further ratings will occur every two weeks thereafter until position is filled. Once a selection has been made, no further candidates will be rated/referred unless further vacancies occur. This announcement may be canceled at any time.

Duties

PAP follow-up and patient education. Maintain infection control procedures and standard precautions. Provides housekeeping duties as necessary (for quick turnaround procedures). Prepares and maintains statistical data, reports, and memoranda, direct equipment and storage; ensure adequate supply and equipment levels. Consult on technical basis; assist with training of PSG technicians, medical students, residents and fellows as needed. Attend meetings as require, and participate on committees as directed. Utilize sleep equipment software and handle over the phone troubleshooting and remediation activities with the manufacturer. Responsible for polysomnogram file management and long term archiving activities to include maintaining an organized numeric system to catalog archiving medium for easy retrieval. Perform all procedures and tasks related to polysomnographic data acquisition while monitoring study-tracing quality to ensure signals are artifact-free and make adjustments, if necessary. Collect, analyze and integrate patient information to identify and meet the patient-specific needs; determine final testing parameters/procedures in conjunction with the ordering provider and laboratory protocols. Follow procedural protocols (multiple sleep latency test, maintenance of wakefulness test, parasomnia studies, PAP, oxygen titration, etc.) to ensure collection of appropriate data. Score sleep/wake studies by applying professionally accepted guidelines (standards of American Academy of Sleep Medicine( including, but not limited to , clinical events such as respiratory events, cardiac events, limb movement. Scoring comparison for performance improvement monitoring. Entering information into various database programs Establish the set of Home diagnostic studies in the sleep lab, including downloading data and generating reports. Provide age specific care in treatment, assessment, and education of patients from 17-99 years of age. Create documents in Word, Access and Excel as well as utilize other software programs. Advanced knowledge of complex and non-standard treatment and examination procedures and techniques. Work Schedule: Monday to Thursday, 8:00PM - 6:30AM; Monday-Friday, 8:AM - 4:30PM Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 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. Licensure or Certification. Licensure or Certification is not required for this occupation; however, it is strongly desirable at GS-6 or above as evidence of possession of the essential knowledge, skills, and abilities. For certain functional areas at the higher levels or supervisory assignments, specific certifications appropriate to the specialty are indicated in this standard under "Titles and Certification/Registrations". For all specialties identified in this standard, Basic and Advanced Cardiac Life Support certifications are desirable. Training which does not result in official certification does not meet this definition. English Language Proficiency. Medical Instrument Technicians must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, 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: In addition to the basic requirements, the following criteria must be used when determining the appropriate grade assignment of candidates. GS-8 Medical Instrument Technician (Polysomnography) Experience. At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the positions to be filled. This would be experience which provided a knowledge of the more complex procedures as well as knowledge of the uncommon and/or rate sleep disorders. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition, candidate must demonstrate the following (KSAs) Advanced knowledge or the International Classification of Sleep Disorders and the ability to recognize uncommon and/or rare sleep disorders. Ability to summarize and report polysomnographic data in narrative form. Knowledge of event characteristics (e.g., respiratory, cardiac, sleep stages, seizures, etc.) and ability to take appropriate action. Ability to provide briefings and orientation to hospital staff including physicians. Certification. No certification or registration is required. Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certifications are also desirable for employees at this level. Assignment. This represents the full performance level. At this level Polysomnographic Technicians are able to interact fully with the patient and physician to diagnose sleep disorders including those that are uncommon or rare. They are able to conduct full sleep studies including overnight studies and evaluate the relationship of events, sleep stages, and possible medical conditions which influence or result from events occurring during sleep. They anticipate problems likely to occur during the sleep study and prepare for such situations, make changes in established procedures, or recommend alternative courses of action. They are able to mentor lower graded technicians. Preferred Experience: Registered Polysomnography Technician or Sleep Disorder Specialist highly desirable. References: VA Handbook 5005/15, Part II, Appendix G27, Medical Instrument Technician Qualification Standard, GS-649, Veterans Health Administration, dated June 7, 2012 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-8. Physical Requirements: The work requires regular and recurring physical exertion such as standing or walking for prolonged periods of time; frequent bending, reaching, stooping, and stretching to set up and take apart equipment and apparatus; lifting and repositioning patients; and pushing or pulling heavy objects such as oxygen tanks and/or equipment. The work may require specific physical characteristics and abilities such as above-average dexterity to perform intricate respiratory therapy / sleep procedures.

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 Raymond G Murphy Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center 1501 San Pedro Drive, Southeast Albuquerque, NM 87108 US
• Name: Evelyn Gaynor
• Email: [email protected]