This position is located in the Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Service (P&LMS) at the Billings, Montana Laboratory. The Health Technician performs a variety of functions including accessioning specimens into the computer system; collecting, evaluating and processing patient specimens; answering questions related to sample collection instructing and assisting patients and sending out specimens for testing.

Duties

***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION*** The Health Technician performs a variety of functions including accessioning specimens into the computer system; collecting, evaluating and processing patient specimens; answering questions related to sample collection instructing and assisting patients and sending out specimens for testing. Major duties: Verifying that the proper tubes are used and the correct amount of blood is drawn. Explaining what is about to happen and any necessary processes required of the patient for specimen collection. Collecting and processing blood and body fluid specimens. Responsible for special blood drawing procedures. Observing and reporting any physical or mental changes while patients are being drawn to clinical or supervisory personnel. investigating missing or incomplete laboratory orders. Identifying unusual conditions and discrepancies which may cause erroneous test results. Processing all specimens according to strict guidelines to assure specimen integrity. Performing other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 7:30am-4:00pm Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required DESIGNATED DRUG-TESTING POSITION: Applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Applicants will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive drug test result is received.

Requirements

Qualifications

IN ORDER TO QUALIFY FOR THIS POSITION AT THE GS-5 LEVEL YOU MUST MEET THE FOLLOWING: ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY: In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. You must be proficient in basic written and spoken English in order to meet the requirements of this position. This position includes a Selective Placement Factor (skill, knowledge, ability or other worker characteristic basic to - and essential for - satisfactory performance of the job). Selective Placement Factors are a prerequisite to appointment and represent minimum requirements for a position. Applicants who do not meet it are ineligible for further consideration. The Selective Placement Factor for this position is: Experience performing blood draws on human patients. ~AND~ SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: You must possess at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-04 grade level in Federal Service that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) needed to successfully perform the duties of the position and that is typically in or related to this Health Technician position to be filled. 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. Qualifying specialized experience for this position includes collecting and processing blood and body fluid specimens; properly identifying patient and providing instructions if needed; performing special blood drawing procedures such as collecting timed specimens for growth hormone, peak and trough drug levels, glucose and lactose tolerance specimens; properly preparing specimens to be sent to outside labs for testing; maintains lab records. (THIS EXPERIENCE MUST BE SUPPORTED BY YOUR RESUME TO BE CREDITABLE.) ~OR~ SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION FOR EXPERIENCE: You must have successfully completed a full 4-year course of study above high school, leading to a bachelor's degree, with major study or at least 24 semester hours in subjects directly related to the position. (COPY OF TRANSCRIPTS ARE REQUIRED AT TIME OF APPLICATION) ~OR~ COMBINATION OF EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION: You must possess equivalent combinations of successfully completed post-high school education in subjects directly related to the position, and specialized experience which meets the total qualification requirements for this position at the GS-5 grade level. Only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours (i.e., beyond the second year) is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirement. (THIS EXPERIENCE MUST BE SUPPORTED BY YOUR RESUME TO BE CREDITABLE AND COPY OF TRANSCRIPTS ARE REQUIRED AT TIME OF APPLICATION) You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position: Customer Service (Clerical/Technical)Patient CareSpecimen Collection IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. 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. 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; religious; 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. Physical Requirements/Work Conditions: The work requires extensive and recurring physical exertion such as standing long periods time, bending, lifting, walking, stooping and stretching. The work requires manual dexterity and a large degree of concentration. Technicians perform the work in a setting involving everyday risks which require normal safety precautions. There is adequate light, heat, and ventilation in the work area. Technicians perform the work in a setting involving regular and recurring exposure to infectious and contagious diseases, odors and other risks which require special health and safety precautions such as wearing protective clothing such as gloves, or masks. The work is performed in the community-based clinic with daily exposure to patients and materials carrying infectious diseases and hazardous chemicals. Proper precautions are practiced. The technician wears protective clothing such as lab coats and gloves when working with specimens. There is frequent contact with patients with undiagnosed illnesses. The technician has the potential to be exposed to communicable disease. 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

IMPORTANT: 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: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov).

Contacts

• Address Fort Harrison VA Medical Center 3687 Veterans Drive Fort Harrison, MT 59636 US
• Name: VHA National Recruitment Center
• Phone: (844)456-5208
• Email: [email protected]