The Health Technician works as a member of the Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) Primary Care Service, under the guidance of the CBOC Nurse Manager. The Health Technician assists medical and nursing staff through technical, specialized or support services for the diagnosing or treatment of patient illnesses or medical conditions. The incumbent adheres to all Joint Commission and facility regulations, policies and procedures.

Duties

Duties include, but are not limited to: Clinical Support (85%): The Health Technician performs a variety of clinical, laboratory, and administrative work in support of outpatient services. Skill and precision in using phlebotomy needles, tools, materials and equipment is required to perform major duties of the position. Performs a wide range of diagnostic support duties such as taking, recording, and reporting vital sign deviations to provider obtaining specimens and labeling specimens for the laboratory. Performs a variety of specialized tests and procedures such as monofilament testing, and doppler exam of the extremity artery. Independently performs direct patient care activities including patient intake for scheduled appointments, obtaining vital signs, ECGs and medication review. Adheres to safety and infection control procedures. Recognizes signs and symptoms that may require nursing intervention and reports these signs and symptoms promptly to registered nurse or provider for possible intervention. Receives and directs patients, answers routine inquiries (via telephone, fax, or secure messages) and documents in the EMR to appropriate clinical staff. Assists with patient check in, including obtaining and recording demographic data, vital signs, height, weight, and screening for chief complaint, brief history and measurements for specific age groups. Monitors patient during and after procedures and reports observations to nurse and provider. May be assigned equipment and safety check for other clinical equipment including AED, emergency supplies, oxygen tanks, safe patient handling devices and telehealth equipment. Administrative (15%): Provides general administrative support coordination work for patient care, assisting patients in contacting members of their treatment team or social services as needed. Answers telephone inquiries regarding services available and eligibility to provider accurate information and maintains good public relations. Supports and participates in clinic/facility programs and responsibilities regarding safety, quality improvement, risk management, infection control, policy and procedure revisions, staff meetings, in-services, continuing education, and other functions as they arise. Routes individual documents or information to records department for inclusion into electronic health record. Uses EMR and Microsoft Office to produce specific printouts for provider or other nursing staff. Documents patient physical and behavioral data and clinical care performed. The health technician must be certified in Basic Life Support (BLS). Performs other related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 7:30am-4:00pm Position Description Title/PD#: Health Technician (Primary Care) Direct Hire Authority/PD91623A Telework: As needed, to be determined by immediate supervisor. Physical Requirements: This position requires visual acuity, keen hearing, clear distinctive speech, and manual dexterity. This position requires an ongoing mix of potentially long-periods of continued walking, standing, stooping, sitting, bending, pulling, pushing, and reaching over head. All patient care activities require PC keyboard and mouse use for data entry in the electronic patient record. Occasional heavy lifting will be required, particularly for patient transfers. The incumbent may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations or operative/invasive procedures. The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patient who are combative. In some instances, interaction with patients, caregivers, and staff can become intense, and the employee may be placed in a position of stress. The incumbent must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, able to shift priorities based on patient needs.

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

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement. INDIVIDUAL OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENT (IOR): An IOR is a basic requirement that must be met in order to qualify for entry into this job series, and it is something that can't be waived. To qualify for the GS-0640 occupational series, applicants MUST possess the following: 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. GS-06 grade level: One year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-05 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: Monitors patient for adverse reactions, recognizes abnormalities and brings them to the attention of the appropriate medical health care professionals. Records results and ensures that they are made a part of the electronic medical record. Assists with patient check in, including obtaining and recording demographic data, vital signs, height, weight, and screening for chief complaint, brief history and measurements for specific age groups. Collects, labels, and processes a variety of specimens. OR Applicants may substitute education for the experience required for the GS-06 level. Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have 9 semester hours of graduate education. 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. OR Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-06 level. Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and 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. 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-06. 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

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.

Contacts

• Address Aleda E Lutz Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center 1500 Weiss Street Saginaw, MI 48602 US
• Name: Kaitlyn Arn
• Phone: (989) 497-2500
• Email: [email protected]