A recruitment incentive has been authorized for Highly qualified applicants. The Vascular/Echo Technicians or Vascular/Echo Sonographers perform imaging in both Vascular Lab, in the Echocardiography Lab, inpatient at bedside, and in the Emergency Department.

Duties

This announcement is open continuous. Certificates will be issued to the hiring manager on a bi-weekly basis until all positions have been filled. Announcement will remain open until all vacancies are filled, and may close sooner than 12/29/2023. The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being. Major Duties Include but are not limited to: Operate and maintain the treadmill, photoplethysmography, electronic Doppler, duplex scanner and other monitoring devices that are available for these procedures. Independently set up inpatient appointments, perform the studies, and record the results. Obtain a brief history and physical pertinent to a peripheral vascular disease with familiarity with the associated signs and symptoms. Show capability of recognizing indications for further studies beyond established and standardized procedures. Give preliminary interpretations of the above-mentioned studies subject to final approval of supervising physician. Obtain familiarity with the computer system and scanner used to generate laboratory reports, use the computer independently and recognize and report malfunctions. Design new test forms as new procedures are instituted. Be familiar with the protocol established by the Medical Records Committee for the approval of such forms for the patient's permanent medical record. Devise and maintain a protocol manual regarding the function of the Vascular Laboratory and make revisions and additions when necessary. Prepare patient education materials pertinent to vascular disease and related surgical procedures. Perform necessary patient teaching. Responsible for ordering and maintaining supplies as needed for the Vascular Lab. Provide in-service sessions regarding Vascular Lab procedures to house staff, medical students, nursing students, hospital nursing personnel, and other groups as requested. Train others in the performance of the above techniques and procedures. Establish and maintain a permanent filing system for the patient's test results and subsequent follow-up visits. Receive sales representatives as necessary for the consideration of purchase of new equipment. Responsible for record keeping of all procedures performed in the Vascular Lab. Responsible for the minor troubleshooting on all equipment used in the Vascular Lab. When equipment needs repair, will contact appropriate biomedical engineering staff. Provide feedback for annual performance appraisals of subordinate staff in the Vascular Lab. Provide other incidental services deemed appropriate by supervisor. Encounters procedure performed in the Radiology Charting System; maintains accurate list of studies performed and removes cancelled studies in said system. Performs diagnostic quality imaging and doppler frequency shift recordings using M-Mode, two-dimensional, pulsed and continuous wave doppler spectral display, and color flow doppler imaging. Identifies normal vs. abnormal echocardiographic findings and deviations produced by a wide variety of cardiovascular diseases. Notifies Cardiologist immediately for critical findings and assists with immediate patient care needs. Performs complex procedures such as cardiac studies of the four chambers of the heart and valves using sector scanning techniques to detect stenotic and incompetent valves, chamber enlargement, and pericardial effusion and cardiovascular studies deriving pressure gradients across obstructed valves, etc. Performs complementary ultrasonic examinations (including noninvasive) transthoracic, bubble studies and contrast echocardiography, (invasive) stress echocardiography, and transesophageal echocardiography. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, Day Shift (40 hours per week, 8s, 9s, or 10s negotiable after orientation) Telework: Not Available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: A recruitment incentive has been authorized for Highly qualified applicants. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

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 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. 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. 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-8 Experience. At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level (GS-7) which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the position to be filled. This would be experience which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform noninvasive vascular ultrasound procedures as a senior technician. KSAs at the GS-7 level are:1. Ability to perform noninvasive vascular ultrasound procedures or examinations of upper and lower extremity, abdominal, and extra-cranial cerebrovascular vessels which require adaptation of procedures or instruments. 2. Knowledge of anatomy and physiology including location and function of major body organs and structures as they relate to vascular ultrasonography. This would also include knowledge of physiological influences on the hemodynamics of blood flow. 3. Knowledge of pharmacology and chemistry to understand drug reactions, action, effects, and method of administration specifically related to vascular ultrasonography. 4. Knowledge of disease entities that impact the vascular system and their influence on the test results to select the appropriate procedures. 5. Ability to obtain a patient history and perform and appropriate physical assessment based on patient presentation and type of exam to include observation, inspection, auscultation, and palpation. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities 1. Knowledge of cross-sectional and longitudinal vascular anatomy in normal and abnormal vessels, anatomical planes and tissue structures, physiologic effects of disease entities that impact the vascular system, signs and symptoms of acute and chronic vascular disease, and the characteristic appearance of aneurysms, pseudoaneurysms, thromboses, stenoses, occlusions, AV fistulae, and morphology of atherosclerotic plaque formulation. 2. Ability to provide Doppler information of peripheral vessels; demonstrate characteristic differences related to the organs they supply; accurately quantify carotid artery stenoses; and identify and correlate specific waveform analysis, plethysmographic tracings, velocity changes, and pressure gradients characteristic of normal, obstructed, or occluded vessels or grafts. 3. Ability to perform intracranial (transcranial) vascular examinations. 4. Ability to operate the instruments to extract the highest quality image utilizing the appropriate transducer frequency, Doppler angle, focal zones, gain, depth, color map, wall filter, and sample volume. 5. Ability to provide objective data to document progression or regression of disease. Certification. Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certifications are desirable. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/15 PART II APPENDIX G27 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-8. Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.

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 VA Nebraska-Western Iowa HCS - Omaha 4101 Woolworth Avenue Omaha, NE 68105 US
• Name: Jessica Echlin
• Phone: 651-405-5661
• Email: [email protected]