The intravenous technician position has an unusual breadth of assignments requiring the need for versatility and skill to perform independently in a broad multiskilled role. Though guidelines exist for their activities, many of their activities require judgment and interactions across various clinical and administrative services, which require priority setting that is not covered in detail in the instructions or guidelines.

Duties

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. Duties: Provides direct care to patients with peripheral IV site needs. Uses all established policies/standards to document all patient care performed. Knowledge of required documentation and protocol associated with unusual occurrence. Collects statistical data for the infection control nurse and medical center's quality assurance program. Independently draws blood from inpatients and outpatient for required laboratory tests, including special drawing techniques. Verifies patient as individual noted on the required and labels all specimen containers correctly with the patient's full name, full social security number or date of birth, date, collector's initials and time specimen obtained to ensure proper identification. Independently performs blood drawing in a courteous manner, reassures and instructions the patient. Obtains specimens from radial artery of brachial if competency documented. Blood gases performed on inpatient areas. Explains procedures, reassures patients, answers or refers patients questions. Independently performs EKGs during the times when the EKG Tech is not on duty as well as Code Blue and the teams are unable to provide this service. Performs EKG's in the Emergency Department upon request. Must be able to recognize, respond, and assist in emergency situations. May be required to draw lab specimens or perform other tasks as needed. Work Schedule: Rotating days/nights, weekends, and holidays. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Health Technician/PD50158A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 12/26/2023. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade, GS-04, in the normal line of progression that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of this position, and that is typically in or related to the work of a Health Technician position. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Performs, reports, and records basic patient care procedures; Works effectively and diplomatically with medical center employees, patients, and visitors; Observes and reports any change in equipment and any physical, mental, or emotional changes in patients; and Recognizes, reports, and assists in emergency situations. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successful completion of a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree, with major study or at least 24 semester hours in subjects directly related to the Health Technician position. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. (TRANSCRIPTS NEEDED). OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. Only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours of a course of study leading to a bachelor's degree is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirements. Two full academic years of study, or 60 semester hours, beyond the second year is equivalent to 1 year of specialized experience. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify an applicant for GS-5. (TRANSCRIPTS NEEDED) You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Diagnostic Medical TestingFirst ResponsePatient CareSpecimen Collection Preferred Experience: Basic Life Support (BLS) 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; religions; 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. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. 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. Physical Requirements: Duties require extensive periods of standing and walking. Working with patients required regular and recurring bending, lifting (up to 35 lbs.), stooping, stretching, pushing, pulling, lifting arm overheard and similar activities. May require extensive periods of sitting (one-to-one patient monitoring, etc.). Work required regular rotation to other than day tours and includes weekend and holidays. Work requires a rotating shift including some weekends, holidays, and nights. 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

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 Iowa City VA Health Care System 601 Highway 6 West Iowa City, IA 52246 US
• Name: Nola Mattson
• Phone: 320-252-1670 X6621
• Email: [email protected]