The primary purpose of the position is to perform specialized and varied support work in Diagnostic Imaging Service at the Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center located in Spokane, Washington. **Recruitment incentive may be authorized for highly qualified candidates**

Duties

Greet patients and family members as appropriate. Register, check patients in for appointments using the CERNER Electronic Health Record (EHR) System and prepare patients for their scheduled procedure as needed. Provide assistance as needed in accordance with established policies and procedures to assure the highest degree of safety and care for patients. Assist patients and technologists in a timely manner to facilitate a safe, comfortable and efficient imaging experience with their ordered exam. Communicate professionally with patients, their families and with referring physicians, regarding imaging exams. Be familiar with basic computer programs and functions for reviewing/manipulating/entering patient and procedure information into the EHR and computer systems (e.g., CERNER, CPRS/VISTA and PACS). Ensure there is a correct and appropriate order before a patient is scheduled for an imaging exam in the patients EHR. Ensure the provider's order is correct and that it has been protocoled by a radiologist, if appropriate (typically CT, MRI, NM exams). Place appropriate notes in the EHR, such as the content and time of communications with the patient. Verify lab orders necessary for the exam or procedure have been ordered and are completed. When necessary start IVs as indicated per protocol for the exam to be done. Draw blood sample to run Creatinine test using the iSTAT unit and documenting the data in the EHR. Escort patients to changing rooms and begin the interviewing process if necessary (MRI and CT patients). After patients are screened and cleared, notify the appropriate staff (Technologist or Nurse) that the patient is ready. If sedation has been ordered and picked up by the patient from the pharmacy, notify the technologist or nurse that the patient is ready to take their sedation. MRI Protect patients and staff when working around a high magnetic field. The incumbent plays a vital and integrated role in protecting patient and staff safety in this high magnetic field environment. Thoroughly interview patients utilizing the MRI screening form as a guide and all surgeries the patient may have undergone must be explored, (may require an in-depth review of EHR chart and calling outside facilities for information), particularly on the body part that is being imaged. Explore any indications of ferrous metal that may have been implanted or accidentally implanted in the body (any implants, stents or history of metal in the eye, shrapnel, metal shavings from grinding, welding and iron work, etc.) in the patient. Findings will be documented in the EHR. Inform the technologist of any findings or issues. Instruct the patient to disrobe and place on appropriate MRI apparel. Ask the patient if they need to use the rest room prior to their scan. Instruct the patient to wait in their assigned changing room. The patient will not be taken into the MRI suite until the technologist has reviewed the MRI screening. Work Schedule: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm, or 7:00 am - 3:30 pm, Monday - Friday Position Description Title/PD#: Health Technician (Radiology)/PD70587A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be authorized for highly qualified candidates Physical Requirements: Work requires the Health Care Technician to spend most of the tour (up to 10 hours per day) on his/her feet with intermittent walking, bending, pushing, pulling and intermittently lifting up to 45 pounds. The use of a mechanical device is required for all heavy lifting (e.g. patient lifting). Work requires intermittent positioning and transferring patients in the delivery of patient care, utilizing proper body mechanics at all times. Work requires the ability to use a keyboard to access, input and retrieve information using a computer with keyboard. Work requires finger and hand dexterity adequate to handle and manipulate equipment, stocking of supplies, submitting reports and filing forms. The employee works with different types of personalities and is closely involved with disabled, acute, chronic, and seriously ill patients. He/she must possess stable personality and good mental health and demonstrate cheerfulness, compassion, courtesy, and concern. Work Environment: The work is performed in a clinical setting, at tableside, and at a workstation. The work environment involves everyday risks or discomforts and requires normal safety precautions typical of such places as patient rooms, common areas and clinical offices. The work area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. The Health Care Technician has close contact with patients and staff and is therefore exposed to communicable diseases. The employee consistently addresses and assists with patient, family and staff frustrations. There is a potential contact with combative/confused/ disoriented patients. Professional boundaries with patients and patient family are required.

Requirements

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job
• Subject to a background/suitability investigation
• Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
• May serve a probationary period
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• A complete application package; Resume, Transcripts, etc
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
• General restriction on movement after competitive appointment 5 CFR 330.502

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. Individual Occupational Requirements (IOR): Specialized Experience (for positions at GS-4 and above):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. OR Education: 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 position. GS-05 Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-04 grade level in the federal service); experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA's) and other characteristics to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled, in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience includes: Knowledge of medical records, medical terminology, and patient data; discontinuing and documenting IVs for contrast injections and creatinine blood draws, knowledge of issues related to patient safety, knowledge of safety precautions for patients, procedures for control of seizures and knowledge of proper body mechanics, knowledge of infection control processes, universal precautions and use of personal protection equipment (PPE), knowledge of basic computer programs and functions to research and enter patient and procedure information into the electronic health record and computer systems. OR Education: A bachelor's degree or four (4) years of education above the high school level with major study or at least 24 semester hours in subjects directly related to the position. This education must have been obtained in an accredited business or technical school, junior college, college or university for which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite. One year of full-time undergraduate study is defined as 30 semester hours, 45 quarter hours, or the equivalent in a college or university or at least 20 hours of classroom instruction per week for approximately 36 weeks in a business or technical school. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED). OR Combination of Education and Specialized Experience: For GS-5 level positions, 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. Determine the applicant's total qualifying experience as a percentage of the year of specialized experience required at the GS-5 level. Then determine the applicant's education as a percentage of the education that meets the requirements for GS-5. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify an applicant for GS-5 (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED). To calculate, first identify the percentage of required education you have earned (when substituting, you cannot use the first 60 semester hours that you earned). Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify at the GS-5. For example, an applicant who has 9 semester hours of graduate level education (i.e. 50% of graduate education required) and 6 months of creditable specialized experience (i.e. 50% of the required experience) would equal 100% of the required experience for the position A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. 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.

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.

Contacts

• Address Mann-Grandstaff Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center 4815 North Assembly Street Spokane, WA 99205 US
• Name: Athena Houck
• Phone: 361-277-9613
• Email: [email protected]