This is a Supervisory Sterile Processing Service (SPS) Medical Supply Technician position. The position is located in Sterile Processing Department under the Associate Director for Patient Care Service. This Supervisory level MST is a member of the nursing care team and is responsible for the support of the Sterile Processing Service (SPS) management team and educator. The incumbent must have the ability to plan, manage, interact and deal with individuals of varying backgrounds.

Duties

Duties are but not limited too: Decontamination, Cleaning, High Level Disinfection and Sterilzation of Reusable Medical Devices. Oversees and ensures the daily housekeeping duties such as cleaning bins and shelves Operates as a liaison for Sterile Processing Services to patient wards, clinical areas, and procedure areas. Communication to numerous professional personnel such as Nurses and Technicians. Transportation of dirty, clean and sterile Items throughout the VAMHCS. Processing of Flexible Endoscopes. Evaluations of staff for yearly performance and management of staff time cards 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). Participates in environment of care rounds, accreditation surveys and required department or VAMHCS inspections. Follows up to ensure RME rotates at the appropriate intervals, communicates needs for restocking outdated supplies, and maintains stock levels of surgical supplies and equipment for wards, clinics, and the operating room. Coordinates the assignments to receive a full range of reusable medical supplies, instruments and equipment from hospital wards, and clinics. 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 that staff follow all device specific Instructions for Use (IFU) and set forth Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) while conducting assembly and sterilization procedures. 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). Facilitates training through educational programs and job specific instruction, facilitating the application for new technology of RME by training and competency new and existing staff, through precepting and mentoring. Documents and assesses staff training to identify areas of strength and need, identifying opportunities for improvement, making recommendations and prepares reports based on findings. Participates in tracking, trending and analyzing educational data. 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. Instructs employees on work related activities, policies, procedures and goals Work Schedule: M-F 3pm-11:30pm Compressed/Flexible Schedule: Not Authorized Telework schedules: may be authorized FLSA: non Exempt BU Status: BU Recruitment Incentives: NOT authorized Relocation Expenses: NOT authorized Financial Disclosure Report: NOT required Pay: Competitive salary, annual performance bonus, regular salary increases. Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years' vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA. Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement). For More Information on Benefits: https://www.vacareers.va.gov/Benefits/EmploymentBenefits Competitive Federal benefits: Job security- Stability Career advancement and priority in hiring as a Federal employee Federal Retirement Survivor Benefits Military buy back toward retirement Leave Benefits: AL (13-26 days), SL (13 days), Paid Federal Holidays (11 days) , Paid Parental Leave 12 wks. FEHB lowest cost FEGLI low cost Flexible Spending accounts Pre-taxed Federal Long Term Care Insurance TSP matching 5% and Pre-tax contributions Child Care subsidy And more

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. English Language Proficiency. MSTs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j, this part. 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. 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-08 Supervisory Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing)(a) Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. (b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:1. Ability to manage, interact and deal with individuals of varying backgrounds.2. Ability to direct staff and manage tasks to be completed.3. Ability to oversee and supervise all aspects of decontamination, preparation, sterilization, monitoring, and distribution of RME.4. Ability to perform a full range of supervisory duties, including assigning, planning and evaluating work, recommending awards, approving leave, identifying training needs, and resolving staff issues. Preferred Experience: Knowledge of Reusable Medical Devices (RMD) used in clinic setting and nursing wards. Understanding of cleaning, disinfection and sterilization Mastery of Universal Precautions and infection control principles Understanding of medical terminology. Familiar with equipment such as Ultra sonics, Washer Disinfectors,, Steam Sterilizers, Low Temperature Hydrogen Peroxide Sterilizers, and Automated Endoscope Processors. Use of Real Time instrument Tracking (RTLS) software such as Censitrac. Familiar with surgical instruments from all surgical services. References: VA Handbook 5005/76 Part II Appendix G47, May 28, 2014 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-08. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. The position involves work that is mainly sedentary but requires some bending, walking, standing and lifting/carrying (under 15lb) of supplies, patient records, staff and patient mail. Some assignments may involve more frequent walking, but these assignments may involve more frequent walking, but these assignments require no unusual physical demands to perform work. The incumbent will need to have the ability to verbally communicate and hear (aid permitted) using a telephone and must be able to type and operate computer equipment as an essential part of their position. The incumbent must be able to work closely with internal and external customers in a face to face setting. Work Environment: Work is performed primarily in a patient care setting; adequately lighted, temperature controlled, and ventilated. Office temperatures fluctuate periodically; involves everyday risks or discomforts which require normal safety precautions typical of such places as clinics, offices, meeting and training rooms or libraries; exposure to noise and dust on occasion. 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.

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 Huntington VA Medical Center 1540 Spring Valley Drive Huntington, WV 25704 US
• Name: Ronald Richardson
• Phone: 410-422-6292
• Email: [email protected]