The Samuel S Stratton VA Medical Center is currently recruiting for one Health Technician (Phlebotomy) located in Albany New York. The employee will be assigned to perform in the Phlebotomy Unit working under the direction of the Nurse Manager within the department.

Duties

Major Duties include: Phlebotomy/Specimen Procurement: Explain work requirements and procedures, giving special instructions with regard to difficult procedures, specimen collection, and test analysis. Conduct on the job training of employees who need skill development or enhancement. Perform a wide variety of blood collection of a responsible nature requiring a representative knowledge of clinical science to understand the multiplicity of tests and specimen requirements, the mechanics of venipuncture and patient preparation. The collection will be from a variety of inpatients, outpatients, and employees. The employee will be expected to demonstrate versatility of skill in rapidly proceeding from one patient to another to perform multiple and simultaneous collection using accurate patient and specimen identification procedures. Performs all clerical duties required of the position, including; work lists, logs. Instruct students, volunteers and trainees in the performance of phlebotomy and test procedures with the information and experience required to understand underlying disease processes, and inform the ward and/or physician if unable to obtain specimen. May be called on to familiarize medical residents and Medical Center staff on the technical aspects of Phlebotomy. Sets up equipment for all phlebotomy procedures, making sure that all phlebotomy and ancillary equipment is functioning to standard. Reports changes in patient status i.e., vital signs, oxygen saturation, diaphoresis, change in skin color, level of consciousness and reports the changes to MD/RN. The employee uses initiative in directing the activities of the phlebotomy area and works independently without specific instructions. Obtains assistance from the Nurse Manager for unusual patient issues and /or unfamiliar situations. Monitors the patient environment to ensure patient safety during phlebotomy procedures. Must exercise a high degree of flexibility and ability to function in emergent patient care situations. Responsible to transport specimens to the laboratory including those requiring special handling. Responsible for cleaning, disinfecting and sterilization of equipment and ancillary equipment according to Medical Center Policies and Procedures. Adheres to the Infection Control Guidelines for the Medical Center. Maintains records of procedures performed by the Phlebotomy staff Participates in CQI activities in the phlebotomy unit. Establishes and maintains effective interpersonal skills with Patients, Families, and all other Medical Center Employees. The work activities of the employee are guided by CQI principles. Timeliness of service, accuracy of service, customer satisfaction, and comfort to the patient are the key processes. Through group process, he/she strives to improve services and products by focusing on improving the system. The employee concentrates on continually improving processes in an effort to eliminate errors before they occur. He/She may be asked to serve on Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) Teams to identify process problems. He/She may be required to work cross functionally in teams whose members may be drawn from several services, thus aiding the Medical Center in meeting its mission to the Veteran. Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7am-3:30pm Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Health Technician (Phlebotomy)/PD03058A 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, 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-5 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-4. 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 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-4 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level GS-4. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to, Basic knowledge of phlebotomy as related to specimen procurement, monitoring patient's physical and psychological response to procedures, infection control guidelines, electronic record keeping, knowledge of anatomy and physiology of blood drawing, veins, nerves and skin, skilled in making appointments, skilled in transporting patients, extensive ability to communicate with a wide range of professions and patients. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have 60 semester hours of a course of study leading to a bachelor's degree is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirements OR, Two full academic years of study, or 60 semester hours, beyond the second year is equivalent to l year of specialized experience. Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: ClericalEmergency CareInfection ControlSpecimen Collection 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 work requires regular and recurring periods of standing and walking. Patient care activities include bending, stooping, lifting, sitting and stretching. 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

4-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with courses related to the occupation, if required

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 Samuel S Stratton VA Medical Center - Albany 113 Holland Ave Albany, NY 12208 US
• Name: Tera Coddington
• Phone: 914-737-4400 X202452
• Email: [email protected]