The Medical Instrument Technician (EKG) is a member of the inter-professional health care team and is able to work independently with remote Registered Nurse Provider supervision in the delivery of quality patient care. This team member, with assistance as noted above will provide cardiac Telemetry monitoring for patients located on any of the acute care medical surgical floors ass assigned by the supervisor.

Duties

Duties include, but are not limited to: Operate and monitor electrocardiographic equipment to perform specialized examinations and studies involving ambulatory monitoring of arrhythmias, and indirect cartid pulse tracings on chronic patients. Evaluate test results to determine appropriate machine adjustments and use alternative techniques and procedures when established procedures do not yield the best results during the examination. Knowledge of common equipment settings and standardized procedures plus knowledge of common errors and corrective measures. Admitting and discharging patients from the central monitor. Updating daily assignment board and sheet with current nurse, patient, pager and phone. Completing telemetry charging log sheets. Assuring that all telemetry orders are current and not expired. Completing and posting telemetry reports. Entering telemetry data and assuring that equipment, which may be malfunctioning is sent to BioMed with an accurate description of the malfunction. Assign pagers and phones and monitor all equipment to ensure it is functioning appropriately. Conduct alarm review and set alarm limits. Interprets cardiac rhythms, heart rate and arrhythmias and communicate them to the appropriate staff. Reporting all changes in heart rate, rhythm to appropriate nursing staff verbally or phone communications. Maintaining telemetry supplies. Performs duties with full understanding of related age specific factors. Color codes patients monitor tracing to reflect their status. Rotate and operate instruments used to record electrocardiograms, exercise tolerance test 24, 48 heart monitoring and scanning and pacemaker evaluations as needed. Epilepsy Monitoring Unit. Monitoring for seizure activity Venipuncture and Blood glucose testing Bladder scan Patient Transport. Work Schedule: Full-Time rotating shifts Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 00000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• You may be required to serve a probationary period
• Subject to a background/security investigation
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process

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. Education. There are no specific educational requirements for this occupation. Education may be substituted for experience only at the GS-4 and GS-5 levels. See the grade requirements part of this standard for information regarding educational substitutions. 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 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. Electrocardiograph Technicians (EKG) operate instruments used to record electrocardiograms, exercise tolerance tests, 24-48 heart monitoring and scanning, and pacemaker evaluations. Certification is offered by Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI) as a Certified Cardiographic Technician (CCT). 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). Grandfathering Provision. The following is the standard grandfathering policy for all Title 38 Hybrid qualification standards. Some of these provisions may not apply to this occupation. Please carefully review the qualification standard to determine the specific education and/or licensure/certification/ registration requirements that apply to this occupation. All persons employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and licensure/certification/registration that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: Such employees in an occupation that does not require a licensure/certification/registration, may be reassigned, promoted, or demoted within the occupation. Such employees in an occupation that requires a licensure/certification/registration, may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or demoted within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. Such employees in an occupation that requires a licensure/certification/registration only at higher grade levels must meet the licensure/certification/registration requirement before they can be promoted to those higher grade levels. 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. Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation. If an employee who was retained in an 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. Titles and Certifications/Registrations: All individuals assigned to this occupation MUST have an approved parenthetical title. For individuals at the GS-4 and GS-5 levels, the approved title will be Medical Instrument Technician (Trainee). Grade Determinations: GS-4 Medical Instrument Technicians (Trainee) Experience. At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade GS-03 level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the position to be filled. Six months of this experience may have been in medically related fields such as nursing assistant, practical nursing, or similar fields. The remaining six months must have been in operating diagnostic and therapeutic equipment covered by this occupation. Experience gained in the operation of equipment for animal diagnosis or treatment may be credited at this level. OR, Education. Successful completion of two years of education above high school or an associate's degree with a major field of study directly related to the medical instrument technician occupation. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: 1. Knowledge of basic medical terminology. 2. Ability to learn the components, operating characteristics, and settings of the equipment to be used. 3. Ability to learn typical patient reactions to the basic procedures involved and ability to recognize signs of distress. 4. Ability to learn the standard positions for the procedure being conducted. 5. Ability to communicate orally and in writing. GS-5 Medical Instrument Technicians (Trainee) Experience. At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade GS-04 level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the position to be filled. This would be experience in operating equipment related to the particular specialization for which application is made or in related functional areas. Experience gained in the operation of equipment for animal diagnosis or treatment may be credited through this grade level. Education. Successful completion of [4 academic years above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with courses related to the occupation, or] a bachelor's degree in a major field of study appropriate to medical instrument technician functions. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: 1. Knowledge of standard medical terminology to interpret physician orders or instructions. 2. Knowledge of common physical disabilities and ability to position patients for the examination or treatment. 3. Ability to learn the normal and abnormal results for routine procedures to recognize and report obvious abnormalities. 4. Ability to operate the equipment to administer routine/standard diagnostic treatment or procedures. 5. Ability to perform standard operator maintenance on the equipment including the ability to disassemble, clean, reassemble, and calibrate the machine. The Qualifications Standards are continued under the Education section below

Education

Qualifications Continued:

GS-6Medical Instrument Technicians (Electrocardiograph Technician (EKG))

Experience. At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level GS-05 which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the positions to be filled. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

1. Ability to recognize special patient needs such as disabilities, impaired mobility, and complicating medical conditions in order to prepare and position the patient for the prescribed procedure.
2. Knowledge of the specialized equipment and accessories appropriate to Holter monitoring and ability to perform such tests.
3. Knowledge of universal precautions and sterilization techniques and ability to follow CDC guidelines in cleaning equipment.
4. Ability to monitor the patient for adverse reactions and take appropriate action.
5. Ability to operate the equipment to perform standard and routine highly specialized procedures including exercise stress testing.

Certification. No certification is required; however, it is desirable that employees at this level have BCLS (Basic Cardiac Life Support) certification.

GS-7 Medical Instrument Technicians (Electrocardiograph Technician (EKG))

Experience. At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level GS-06 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 knowledge of the equipment, standard tests and procedures, and typical readings including arrhythmias and abnormalities. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

1. Knowledge of typical patient reactions and signs of distress including the ability to recognize, report and treat potentially lethal arrhythmias.
2. Knowledge of common equipment settings and standardized procedures plus knowledge of common errors and corrective measures.
3. Ability to modify procedures/positions to obtain the correct results with patients with complicating conditions such as amputations, Parkinson's disease, structural defects, and scar tissue.
4. Ability to act as a mentor or preceptor to lower graded technicians.
5. Ability to conduct in-service training on the EKG equipment and related instrumentation.

Certification. No certification is required; however, it is desirable that employees at this level have BCLS (Basic Cardiac Life Support) and ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support) certifications.

References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/54 PART II APPENDIX G27 MEDICAL INSTRUMENT TECHNICIAN QUALIFICATION STANDARDGS-649 Veterans Health Administration

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-7. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-4 to GS-7.

Physical Requirements: Light lifting, under 15 lbs., moderate carrying, 15-44 lbs., reaching above shoulder, use of fingers, standing 4-6 hours; hearing, aid permitted. Duties require extensive use of fingers to perform keyboarding and the ability to hear requests by phone and in person. Version must be adequate to read and prepare documents.

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: Phoebe Holloway
• Email: [email protected]