The primary duty of this position is to provide technical assistance in the care of orthopedic outpatients, in the South Texas Veterans Health Care System (STVHCS).

Duties

Major Duties: Application and removal of various casts and splints Application and removal of multiple types of dressings utilizing various materials. The technician will use electric-powered cast cutters to split, mono-valve, bivalve, and remove cast from patients. Maintains an adequate level of supplies, drugs and equipment commonly used in the Orthopedic Clinic Wound preparation and cleansing. The incumbent inspects traction set-up daily and assembles materials for traction set-ups. Molding and casting for orthotics and or insoles Application of devices The incumbent understands and assures proper positioning of the patient for each examination, application of casts, injections and other minor procedures Scrubs and prepares the patient for procedure Keeps the surgical field free of blood for proper visualization Cuts sutures, holds retractors and sets up equipment Places patient in proper position for outpatient surgical procedure to be performed Performs immediate postoperative/procedure care Maintains an adequate level of supplies, drugs and equipment commonly used in the Orthopedic and Podiatry Clinics Assist with patient flow within the clinic by helping with the movement of patients in and out of clinic Maintains of instruments and equipment used in the Orthopedic clinics. Answers inquiries received from other services and provides patients information concerning their current condition and treatments Ensures coding is correct and complete for reimbursement purposes Labels cultures and specimen's, i.e., for sensitivity, anaerobic, etc. and insures that they go to the laboratory. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 0800-1630 Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Health Technician - Ortho/PD00507A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): 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, 02/05/2024. 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-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-06. 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: Graduate education or an internship meets the specialized experience required above GS-5 only in those instances where it is directly related to the work of the position. Education must be directly related to position in that assessment response. 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. Individual Occupational Requirement: Positions in this series range widely in type and include support duties to medical or health personnel such as audiologists, speech pathologists, medical officers, and optometrists. Therefore, technician experience is experience that required application of the knowledge, methods, and techniques of the position to be filled. 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-6 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: applications of casts and traction, maintenance of casting/splinting equipment, surgical assisting, and instruction of patients and selected healthcare personnel. Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have Applicants may substitute one full year of graduate level education for the specialized experience required for the GS-07 level. Degree must be directly related to the work of the position. (Transcript Required). OR, Combination: (Transcript Required): Combination of successfully completed graduate education and experience may be used to meet total. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: -Attention to Detail -Integrity/Honesty-Interpersonal Skills -Teamwork 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: This work activity will involve lifting, pulling, bending, pushing, walking, and standing; working with equipment and devices that are capable of producing injury to the employee or the patient. He/She is therefore, responsible for the safe conduct of himself/herself and others in these multiple activities. 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.

NOTE: If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application.

Contacts

• Address Audie L Murphy Memorial Veterans Hospital 7400 Merton Minter Boulevard San Antonio, TX 78229 US
• Name: VISN 17 SSU USAS Group
• Email: [email protected]