This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.

Duties

The Medical Technologist- Quality Management Technologist serves as the Quality Assurance Manager (QA Manager) in the Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Section (PLMS) of the Overton Brooks VA Medical Center (OBVAMC). The incumbent serves as an authority to PLMS to assure compliance with inspection and accreditation requirements and regulations. Provides guidance and serves as an authority on accreditation regulations. Duties includes but not limited to: Responsible for designing, establishing, maintaining, evaluating, and reporting of a comprehensive Quality Assurance and Continuous Quality Improvement program for the OBVAMC Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service Line (PLMS), which meets the requirements of the Joint Commission, CAP, AABB, FDA, VHA and the VISN 16 Quality Program. This includes integration of any individual laboratory section plans into an interrelated and integrated QAQI plan for VISN 16. Represents PLMS Management on all Clinical Laboratory issues pertaining to quality improvement during accrediting agency, federal, state, and VHA inspections. Coordinates and assists staff members with all responses to deficiencies cited by accreditation organizations (Joint Commission, CAP, AABB, FDA), state, federal and VHA. Responds to all quality management deficiencies cited by accreditation organizations and VHA. Serves as an authority on inspection and accreditation requirements and regulations to all OBVAMC Labs. Conducts desk audits or site visits, when appropriate, to assess compliance with VHA regulations, accreditation agency regulations, and PLMS policy/procedures. Advises the PLMS Service Chief and the Chief Medical Technologist (CMT) on quality management concerns that affect other services and the impact it may have on them. Coordinates service preparation for external reviews which include Joint Commission, OIG, CAP, FDA, etc., which may include completing survey questionnaires, scoring Joint Commission Standards in Accreditation, updating and revising appropriate policies, and assuring that departmental records are accurate and maintained appropriately. Develops, recommends, and updates General/Administrative laboratory policy and procedure manuals in compliance with applicable VHA, Joint Commission, and CAP accreditation requirements. Responsible for development and recommendation of all PLMS quality management policy memorandums as required. Ensuring that memorandums meet all applicable VHA, CAP, Joint Commission, FDA, and AABB regulations. Maintains membership on hospital and Network committees as appropriate: Patient Safety, Quality Management. Serves as PLMS liaison on these committees. Provides oversight, guidance, and advice in the development of required Quality Assurance monitors and focused reviews. Oversees design of data collection forms appropriate to the indicators being monitored, making recommendations and suggestions when necessary. Presents or assigns quality assurance data, quality management information and quality issues as they arise and their resolution at staff meetings. Presents the results of quality assurance/improvement activities to hospital committees as required. Other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Telework: Not Available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 00456-F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized. EDRP Authorized: Contact Robert Knudsen, [email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized. 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: United States Citizenship. Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Education and/or Experience Combination. (1) A bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university in medical laboratory science, medical technology, clinical laboratory science or in a related science (e.g., laboratory sciences such as chemistry, biochemistry, biology, microbiology, immunology, etc.). AND completion of a medical technology clinical practice program. Clinical practice programs completed after 1974 must have been accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS), Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP, formerly CAHEA), or the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). The professional curriculum may have consisted of a post-baccalaureate certificate program or be integrated into a four year program of study that culminated in a baccalaureate degree. OR, (2) A bachelor's degree from an accredited college/university, including 16 semester hours of biological science (with one course in microbiology), 16 semester hours of chemistry (with one course in organic or biochemistry) and one course in mathematics, AND two years of post-certification clinical laboratory experience (e.g., blood banking, chemistry, hematology, microbiology, immunology, clinical microscopy, etc.) within the last ten years as a certified Medical Laboratory Technician by the American Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Certification (ASCP-BOC), American Society of Clinical Pathology Board of Registry (ASCP-BOR) or American Medical Technologists (AMT). This experience must include performing moderate and/or high complexity testing in blood banking, chemistry, hematology, microbiology immunology and clinical microscopy (or categorical experience which matches categorical certification) in a clinical laboratory. OR, (3) A bachelor's degree from an accredited college/university, including 16 semester hours of biological science (with one course in microbiology), 16 semester hours of chemistry (with one course in organic or biochemistry) and one course in mathematics, AND five years of clinical laboratory experience within the last ten years performing moderate and/or high complexity testing in blood banking, chemistry, hematology, microbiology, immunology and clinical microscopy (or categorical experience which matches categorical certification) in a clinical laboratory. Foreign Graduates. Graduates of foreign baccalaureate degree programs meet the educational and/or experience requirements if the degree is found to be equivalent to degree programs recognized by the NAACLS or clinical laboratory experience as described in paragraph 2b (2) or (3) above. This finding may be based on either of the following: (1) A letter from a college or university with a baccalaureate program recognized by the NAACLS stating that the individual's foreign degree has been evaluated and been found to be equivalent to its Bachelor of Medical Technology degree. (2) A letter from ASCP-BOC or AMT stating that the individual is eligible for the certification examination. Certification. Candidates must have either (1) or (2) below: (1) Candidates must currently possess the appropriate certification as a MT, MLS, or CLS given by the ASCP-BOC, ASCP-BOR, or AMT. (2) For positions up to the full performance level, candidates must currently possess the categorical or specialist technologist level certification from the certification agencies listed above, such as, but not limited to, chemistry (C/SC), hematology (H/SH), microbiology (M/SM), molecular biology (MB/SMB) and blood bank (BB/SBB). Technologists with categorical or specialist certifications may only perform duties within the area of the laboratory specific to their categorical certification (e. g., an individual with a chemistry (C) certification can only perform duties in chemistry). Grade Determinations: GS-11, Medical Technologist Experience. Must have 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the full performance level (GS 9), which is directly related to the position to be filled. OR, Education. Must have 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education or a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in medical technology or a directly related field. Quality Management Technologist. Provides authoritative consultative services to management at all levels of the organization as it applies to quality management in a clinical laboratory setting. Maintains a laboratory quality management program and ensures monitoring of components and customer feedback. Identifies, defines and resolves issues associated with complex aspects of the collected data. Monitors laboratory quality control systems and performance indicators. Interacts with management officials and vendors providing inter-laboratory quality assurance and laboratory proficiency testing. Develops validation plans for equipment and methodology evaluations and evaluates statistical data collected. Responsible for laboratory continuous readiness for regulating agency inspections and accreditation from agencies such as the Joint Commission (JC) and the College of American Pathologists (CAP). Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: a. Advanced knowledge of the concepts, principles and practices of medical technology sufficient to perform the full range of duties involved in planning, coordinating and evaluating laboratory services. b. Knowledge of quality management standards. c. Knowledge of accrediting agencies and regulatory requirements pertaining to laboratory operations. d. Comprehensive knowledge of statistical evaluation and analysis. e. Knowledge of laboratory operations and relationships to the organization. f. Comprehensive knowledge of laboratory quality control/assurance policies, procedures and principles, as well as safety practices and regulations. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/72 PART II APPENDIX G24 MAY 12, 2014 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. Physical Demands. Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation, see Duties section for essential job duties of the position. May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, pulling, and pushing. May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment.

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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Contacts

• Address Overton Brooks VA Medical Center 510 East Stoner Avenue Shreveport, LA 71101 US
• Name: Rebecca Montgomery
• Phone: (281) 536-7730
• Email: [email protected]