This position is at the full performance level located in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA), at the New Jersey VA Medical Center in the Community Living Center- Long Term Care (LTC). The primary purpose of the position is to perform routine clinical procedures and tasks for which he/she has been deemed competent that do not require the judgement of a licensed health care professional.

Duties

Clinical Activities 90% - Operates and supports providers and Registered Nurses in designated clinical area using diagnostic and therapeutic medical instruments/equipment including Electrocardiogram, Spirometry, Visual Acuity Screening, and Bladder scan according to established procedures and with documented competency. Locates and sets up equipment needed for complex diagnostic procedures. - Operates, calibrates, and maintains medical instruments or equipment. - Monitors and plans equipment inventory, routine equipment maintenance, and serves as a unit resource for cleaning, disinfection, and sterilization of non-critical, semi-critical, and critical Reusable Medical Devices. - Demonstrates leadership in advocating patient safety and educate multidisciplinary staff in assigned area on RMD. Supports health and medical staff during diagnosis and treatment of patients. - Gathers screening data on patients admitted to the hospital to include fall risk, allergies, current medications, homelessness, abuse, means and mode of arrival, danger to self or others, and exposure to communicable diseases. - The HT assists doctors and nurses in the performance of diagnostic examinations by performing duties such as monitoring vital signs and positioning the patient, or by performing a variety of routine diagnostic tests per policy. - The HT obtains and records measurements and vital signs and then reports deviations in vital signs and/or weight to the RN or provider. - As directed by an RN, the HT performs routine diagnostic tests such as venipuncture, electrocardiogram, bladder scans, visual acuity screening appropriate for assigned clinical areas and demonstrated competency. Care and treatment of patients with critical and emergent conditions. The HT assists nurses and physicians in the care and treatment of critically ill and emergent patients. - Personal Patient Care. The HT performs a wide variety of duties aimed at increasing the comfort and spirit of the patient including transporting patients via wheelchair or gurney, and/or accompanies ambulatory patients who need assistance to various areas within the hospital including clinics, diagnostic areas, and treatment areas. The HT performs simple personal care duties such as bathing and demonstrates nursing standards for patient hygiene including bathing, oral, nail, and hair care. The HT assists patients with toileting needs, providing incontinent care. The HT performs basic nursing care that requires knowledge of standardized procedures such as performance of active/passive range-of-motion activities, ensuring that catheters and oxygen cannula are maintained intact, etc. - Applies protective devices such as body holders/vests, soft restraints, padded mitts, side rails, etc. Identifies physical, social, psychological, and cultural needs of patients by applying relevant growth and development processes specific to the age of the patient. - Patient teaching. Reinforces education presented by a provider or RN including reinforcing patients and caregivers the necessity to continue the procedures for proper health care. Administrative Duties - 10% - Schedules procedures, provider evaluations, and coordinates appointments with other services. - Documentation and Record Keeping. The HT performs administrative tasks and manages medical support functions for clinic or practice such as maintaining control records for specimens and tests and documenting measurements taken. Initiating work orders and following up to ensure the work is complete. Documents treatments and procedures that they have conducted in the electronic medical record. - Orders and maintains specialized supplies needed for equipment and instruments used in assigned unit - He/She works with logistics and nursing staff to establish par levels of supplies for assigned unit and ensures supplies are readily available for patient care. - Performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Day Tour with Rotation, this position potentially requires flexibility in schedule and assignments, as this is a 24/7 hospital. Position Description/PD#: Health Technician (Community Living Center - Long Term Care)/PD49476A 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 and provide all application documents by the closing date of this announcement, 01/31/2024. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-06 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. You may qualify based on your experience as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-05 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Basic anatomy and physiology to include location and function of major body organs and structures. Completion of formal nursing assistant program and/or active-duty military equivalent. Lead placement for 12 lead electrocardiogram and telemetry monitoring, monitor alarm parameters, operation, and maintenance of cardiopulmonary and electrocardiogram equipment. Vital sign measurements, deviation from norms, documentation, and procedure for reporting results. Pulse oximetry monitoring, peak flow measurement, and incentive spirometry. Knowledge of life-threatening emergencies and initial response. Knowledge of emergency situations such as cardiopulmonary failure, hemorrhaging, and shock and how to assist in the performance of resuscitation measures. Safe patient handling including patient transfers and transportation by wheelchair and/or gurney. Operation of safe patient handling equipment Infection control practices including universal precautions to protect patients and self from infection. Knowledge of behavioral and non-behavioral restraints including application and safety considerations Knowledge of 1:1 and Direct Line of Sight procedures and provisions for protection and safety for those with self harm behaviors Electronic medical records, patient identification procedures, and information security You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Customer Service (Clerical/Technical)Decision MakingTechnical CompetenceTechnology Application 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: The position includes physical exertion such as regular and recurring walking, stooping, bending, reaching, and lifting of equipment and supplies. The incumbent must be able to lift 35 lbs., perform the following: pulling, pushing, reaching above the shoulders and laterally, use of fingers, both hands, arm, and legs, sitting, walking, and standing for long periods of time. He/She must also be able to hear whispered voices (with or without a hearing aid), kneeling, repeated bending, ability for rapid mental/muscular coordination simultaneously, visual requirements for monitoring, observation, depth perception, and ability to distinguish shades of color. 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

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

Contacts

• Address VA New Jersey Health Care System 385 Tremont Avenue East Orange, NJ 07018 US
• Name: Allysa Getman
• Phone: 680-322-5685
• Email: [email protected]