The Medical Technician position is assigned to Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Service (P&LMS) at the Miami VA Healthcare System, Veterans Integrated Services Northwest Network (VISN 8), Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, in Miami, FL. The Medical Technician carries out duties in phlebotomy, specimen processing, and responds to the Outpatient Lab and Central Specimen Processing Supervisors.

Duties

***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION*** Duties include, but may not be limited to the following: Federal Urine Drug Screening, Inpatient and Outpatient Specimen Collection: Receives requests for testing into the laboratory. Verifies the accuracy and completeness of the request. Interacts with hospital personnel to correct discrepancies such as notifying nursing/medical staff if there is concern about a drawing site [ multiple IV lines, arteriovenous fistula, etc.], patient is combative, or any other possible contraindications. Recognizes emergency situations and takes necessary action. Establishes priorities for emergency orders. Verifies the patient as the individual denoted on the request and labels all tubes with the patient's name, social security number, date, and time, to ensure proper identification. Draws blood by venipuncture or finger stick from medical center inpatients and outpatients for requested laboratory tests. Uses special drawing techniques and assuring that proper tubes are used in the proper order and the correct amount of blood is drawn. Adheres to safety, infection control, and universal precautions always while drawing blood. Collects timed specimens such as growth hormone, peak and trough drug levels, glucose and lactose tolerance specimens. Instructs patients in proper technique for sterile midstream urine collection, 24- hour urine collection, and collection of specimens for culture and sensitivity, ova and parasites, and occult bloods. Accessioning and Processing: Maintains drug screen cart by keeping it sanitized, stocked with appropriate supplies, secured patient information, maintains organization/free from clutter, and ready to use by anyone performing a Federal Drug Screen. Receives all samples for testing into the laboratory. Labels specimens, centrifuges samples, and distributes them to the appropriate areas (Chemistry, Hematology, Urinalysis, etc.). Verifies identifiers such as patient identification, time sample arrived, sample collection, type of test requested. Processes all specimens according to strict guidelines to assure each specimen is handled properly. Verifies sample collection and sample transport requirements for all laboratory tests. Makes sound decisions independently and takes appropriate action to correct and solve problems (following policies/procedures along with supervisory input). Clerical Duties: Answers incoming calls for Laboratory Services. Quickly finds and relays accurate information or refers the caller to appropriate technical personnel. Performs disposition of add-on orders. Assess workflow and appropriately triage workload as needed. Functions as a resource person and troubleshooter forward and clinic personnel in executing VISTA order entry and results options. Maintains files of computer and manually printed order entry forms. ***Note Preferred experience: phlebotomy certification and/or one (1) year of phlebotomy experience*** Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 5:00am - 1:30pm or 8:00am - 4:30pm, rotating Holidays and weekends. DESIGNATED DRUG-TESTING POSITION: Applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Applicants will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive drug test result is received. Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required

Requirements

Qualifications

This position includes a Selective Placement Factor (skill, knowledge, ability, or other worker characteristic basic to - and essential for - satisfactory performance of the job). Selective Placement Factors are a prerequisite to appointment and represent minimum requirements for a position. Applicants who do not meet it are ineligible for further consideration. The Selective Placement Factor for this position is: "Having experience performing phlebotomy/blood draws on human patients." And ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY: In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. You must be proficient in basic written and spoken English in order to meet the requirements of this position. And SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE GS-5: One (1) year of specialized experience that equips me with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position at the GS-5 level. To be creditable, the experience must have been equivalent to the GS-04 level in Federal Service. Specialized experience includes experience that may have been gained in (a) technical medical laboratory support work such as performing laboratory tests and examinations (chemical, microbiologic, hematologic and blood banking) and preparing reports of findings or (b) technical support work in a closely related field, e.g. biological laboratory technician work, that required application of the methods and techniques for the positions being filled. OR SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION FOR EXPERIENCE GS-5: I have successfully completed a four (4) year of course of study to a Bachelor's degree with major study or at least twenty-four (24) semester hours in subjects appropriate to the position being filled. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED) OR COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE GS-5: Have equivalent combinations of creditable specialized experience and education as described in one (1) and two (2) above to meet the total experience requirements for the Medical Technician position. Combination of successfully completed post high school education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements. (Transcript required) You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position: Attention to DetailCustomer Service (Clerical/Technical)Emergency CareInfection ControlSpecimen CollectionTechnical CompetenceTechnology Application IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. 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. 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; religious; 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. Physical Requirements: The physical demands are primarily standing and walking, but also some bending, lifting, and carrying of light items. Also, there are times of considerable exertion with patient positioning to do inpatient blood draws fifty (50lbs) pounds or more. The work requires above average agility and dexterity. 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

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: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov).

Contacts

• Address Bruce W Carter Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center 1201 Northwest 16th Street Miami, FL 33125 US
• Name: VHA National Recruitment Center
• Phone: (844)456-5208
• Email: [email protected]