The position is located in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA), at the Salt Lake City VA Medical Center (VAMC) and clinics in the Pathology and Laboratory Medical Service (PMLS). The multi-skilled Health Technician performs a wide range of administrative functions which includes compliance to CLIA regulations for laboratory testing, clerical and health tech functions.

Duties

Duties include, but are not limited to: Setting up all necessary accessories and supplies regarding laboratory testing and assist with minor surgical procedures. Perform all point of care laboratory testing which includes Urinalysis, Pregnancy Testing, Hemoglobin A1C, Stool Hemacults, Rapid Strep, Rapid Flu and finger stick blood glucose. Ensure that all quality control materials are run and acceptable daily or as required by regulations. Maintaining all records for lab certification, point of care testing and maintenance on laboratory machines, assigning proficiency tests, ensure timely reporting to CAP and monitor all survey results. Prompt investigation of unsuccessful surveys and report all findings to leadership. Collect, label, process, store, and either ship specimens that require reference lab testing or deliver to laboratory area that performs tests that are outside of the Health tech scope of testing or not performed at our facilities. Receives patients for medical laboratory testing. Processes orders and appointment collects specimens and evaluates tests for processing determination.-Contacts providers to correct order errors and to place orders if a patient arrives with no orders in the system and works in close cooperation with Medical Officer of the Clinic in ensuring effective medical treatment is provided to eligible veterans. Prepares the patient for the blood or urine collection according to CAP (College of American Pathologists). Follows proper patient preparation and venipuncture while following sterile collection techniques and bandage patient appropriately following collection.-ensures that all the staff who work in the laboratory meet the certification requirements for the College of American Pathology (CAP) Point of Care CLIA testing and maintains the records and ensure that all proficiency testing required for the staff is completed in the time frame which the CAP mandates. Maintains continuity of functions and provides full medical administrative support and nursing assistant functions within the clinic to both clinical, laboratory and administrative VA staff. Answers telephone calls, and coordinates information and actions relating to patient care and services. Assists patients, visitors, and other requesting information, guidance or referral for special assistance. Performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 9:00am - 5:30pm Position Description/PD#: Health Technician/PD13888A Physical Requirements: The work requires much walking through the laboratory and clinic, with occasional requirements to lift objects, computer work and operating office equipment. The position requires the ability to process written and electronic information. The work requires the ability to physically control or defend against emotionally distressed patients. The work requires above average agility and dexterity due to the fine skills of some of the point of care lab testing. The work may require heavy lifting of equipment or patients. The incumbent may be required to commute between two outpatient clinics within the workweek, depending on the clinic workload.

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 11/15/2023. 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-06 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05. 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 the GS-5 grade level in the federal service); experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA's) and other characteristics to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled, 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 both clerical and clinical duties in a medical/healthcare environment; answering and directing phone calls; scheduling appointments; documenting medical records; taking and recording vital signs; and collecting and labeling specimens. OR Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have completed one-half year of GRADUATE level education that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position and is directly related to the work of the position. 9 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the one-half year of full-time study requirement. OR Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education at the graduate level.To calculate, first identify the percentage of required education you have earned (when substituting, you cannot use the first 60 semester hours that you earned). Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify at the GS-06. For example, an applicant who has 9 semester hours of graduate level education (i.e. 50% of graduate education required) and 6 months of creditable specialized experience (i.e. 50% of the required experience) would equal 100% of the required experience for the position A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: ClericalCustomer ServicePatient CareSpecimen CollectionTechnical Competence 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 much walking through the laboratory and clinic, with occasional requirements to lift objects, computer work and operating office equipment. The position requires the ability to process written and electronic information. The work requires the ability to physically control or defend against emotionally distressed patients. The work requires above average agility and dexterity due to the fine skills of some of the point of care lab testing. The work may require heavy lifting of equipment or patients. The incumbent may be required to commute between two outpatient clinics within the workweek, depending on the clinic workload. 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 VA SALT LAKE CITY HCS 500 Foothill Drive Salt Lake City, UT 84148 US
• Name: Damon Martin
• Phone: 801-582-1565 X2683
• Email: [email protected]