Medical instrument technicians (EKG) will operate and monitor electrocardiographic equipment to perform specialized examinations and studies involving exercise stress testing and ambulatory monitoring of arrhythmias.

Duties

The incumbent performs a variety of duties, including but not limited to, the following: Performs in a hospital and clinic setting Electrocardiograms, Exercise Stress Test, Holter Monitors, scanning Holter Monitors, Signal Average (Late Potential) Electrocardiograms, Performs Echo Ultrasounds, Dobutamine Stress Echo, Stress Echo's and Arterial Plethysomograms. Responsible for dealing with critically ill, isolated, and routine patients. Incumbent must recognize abnormalities for arrhythmias; acute Mi's and contacts the appropriate physician. Obtain and calculate accurate arterial blood flow. Responsible for maintaining all reports and editing all procedures for all sites. On regular basis, instructs nursing students, respiratory students, medical students and hospital staff on obtaining electrocardiograms, maintaining and operating the electrocardiogram machines. Performs clerical transcription of all physician interpretations of all procedures including seven sites into the MUSE System and VISTA database. Enters CPT coding on all procedures done on every patient including checking every patient in and out in appointment management for all CTVHCS sites. Performs highly technical specialized procedures such as T-Wave alternans (TWA) and Tilt Table testing. These tests require superior coordination between physician and technician. Responsible for independently monitoring blood pressure, heart rate, rhythm strips and alerting the appropriate physician of any abnormalities and/or arrhythmias. Work Schedule: 0800-1630 Compressed/Flexible:Not Available Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: Medical Instrument Technician EKG/00000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Available Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Available PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Available 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: a. Citizenship. Citizenship of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g, this part.) b. 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. c. 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. d. 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. e. Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. f. 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. GRADE REQUIREMENTS: In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must meet the following: Cardiovascular (Electrocardiograph Technician, Cardiac Catheterization Technician)Medical Instrument Technicians at GS-6 and above will have a functional assignment and reference should be made to the appropriate appendix for qualifications evaluation. For non-supervisory positions at GS-6 and above and for supervisory positions in a single specialty, the grade level criteria, KSAs, and types of assignments are discussed in appendices matching the title areas listed below. Reference should be made to the appropriate appendix in evaluating the qualifications of individuals for this occupation. 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). (Appendix E) GS-8. In addition to the core competencies defined at the GS-7 full performance level, positions at this grade may be lead, supervisory, or non-supervisory with specialized advanced knowledge and assignments. (a) Experience. At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level, which is directly related to the duties of the position to be filled and must fully meet the KSAs at that level. This would be experience which provided knowledge of advanced specialized procedures, the pharmacology related to this occupation, and knowledge of related acute disorders and diseases and their effects on organs and methods of treatment. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following technical KSAs and the potential to acquire the assignment specific KSAs designated by an asterisk (*): (b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. 1. Knowledge of pharmacology related to specialized procedures.2. Ability to provide briefings and orientations to hospital staff including physicians.3. Knowledge of a variety of related acute disorders and diseases, their effects on organs, and methods of treatment.4. Ability to perform more complex procedures such as SAECG (Signal Averaged ECG), Tilt table monitoring, electrophysiology monitoring, and event monitoring. (c) 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. (d) Assignments. Medical instrument technicians (EKG) at this level perform complicated examinations or treatments for which there are no standard instructions or procedures. They utilize knowledge of anatomy and physiology including an in depth understanding of the functioning of the major systems and internal organs to interpret requests and to recognize the need for additional tests or a different position. Knowledge of pharmacology including the classification and administration of drugs, patient responses, and common dosages as related to this specialty is required. The technician has the ability to perform Signal Averaged ECG, Tilt table monitoring, electrophysiology monitoring, and event monitoring. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty), and range of variety, and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time.*See Additional Information section for remaining qualifications.*

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 Audie L Murphy Memorial Veterans Hospital 7400 Merton Minter Boulevard San Antonio, TX 78229 US
• Name: VISN 17 SSU USAS Group
• Email: [email protected]