The Lead Medical Supply Technician is responsible for all activities that occur in the department during their tour of duty. This includes receiving instruments, trays, etc., processing through decontamination, assembly, sterilization and building case carts. The Lead will serve as the subject matter expert to guide staff through the proper procedures.

Duties

Duties include but are not limited to: Management, creation, trouble shooting, problem solving, monitoring, and maintaining instrument tracking systems as well as coordinating, maintaining, and monitoring instrument maintenance and repair. Directs the work activities of all employees assigned to SPS areas during their tour, prioritizes, and organizes workload based on demands and emergent needs. Responsible for ensuring compliance with established standard operating procedures, and manufacturer's guidelines relating to the continuous through SPS from decontamination through sterilization area to include proper preparation of instruments and equipment prior to distribution. Instructs employees on specific tasks and techniques and makes available instructions, reference materials, and supplies. Provides on the job training to new and current employees in accordance with established procedures and practices. Distributes work assignments among employees in SPS and assures timely accomplishment of the assigned tasks. Checks on work in progress and reviews completed work to see that instructions on work sequences, procedures, methods, and deadlines have been met. Provides updates to management on staff performance, progress, training needs, and disciplinary problems. Makes suggestions to management in regard to additional training, assignments, and recognition. Establishes timelines during their tour to ensure work is completed prior to deadlines to ensure no delay to patient care. Performs competency assessments on staff on a recurring basis. Demonstrates a clear understanding of performing quality testing of equipment and processes, review documentation, and responds to any issues that occur. The employee will work as team member with other Medical Supply Technicians of various experience to carry out the training of others utilizing the written standard operating procedures and/or manufactures written instructions in accordance with instructions, policies, previous training, or accepted/standard practices. Consistently communicates and treats customers (patients, visitors, volunteers, and all Medical Center staff) in a courteous, tactful, and respectful manner. Provides the customer with consistent information according to established policies and procedures. Handles conflict and problems in dealing with the customer constructively and appropriately. Protects personal data from unauthorized release or from loss, alteration, or unauthorized deletion. Follows applicable regulations and instructions regarding access to computerized files, release of access codes, etc. The incumbent may be required to provide backup support in other areas of Sterile Processing Services as needed. Performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8am-4:30pm Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 92291-A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Physical Requirements: The incumbent usually stands and moves from one part of the room to another while performing duties. Is frequently required to lift packages weighing 50 pounds, and regularly pushes carts weighing up to 300 pounds for distances up to 2640 feet. 7. Work Environment: Routinely alternates between a contaminated and a carefully clean environment. Is required to wear protective clothing and will be subjected to loud noises from machinery and offensive smells. If in the decontamination area where processing of contaminated equipment is done, the employee must wear scrub suits, face shields, a hair cover, gloves, gown, impervious shoe covers, and an impervious gown. The work area may be hot and humid. Unpleasant odors are frequently encountered during the processing of items. Has the possibly to be exposed to hazardous medical waste. The work area can be quite noisy due to the clatter of metal upon metal when working with instruments and trays, the rumbling of carts and the operation of sterilizing equipment, ultrasonic cleaners, and automatic transport systems. The incumbent must carefully monitor the work area to minimize potential exposure to Cidex OPA, Hydrogen Peroxide, and other hazardous materials, ensuring compliance with OSHA, VA, and local policies and regulations. The above conditions place additional demands on the employee due to the stressful condition of being exposed to gases and hazardous medical waste, and the uncertainty of the long-range effects.

Requirements

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. English Language Proficiency. MSTs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j, this part. Experience. Six months of experience that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work or provides an understanding of the work; OR Education. One year above high school that included at least 6 semester hours in health care related courses such as sterile processing, nursing assistant, hospital corpsman, and operating room and surgical technician courses or other courses related to the position; OR Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable. Grandfathering Provision: All MSTs that are employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: Employees grandfathered into the GS-622 occupational series as MSTs may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journeyman) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation. MSTs who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. MSTs who are converted to title 38 hybrid status under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation. May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). Grade Determinations: GS-08 Lead Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing): You must have (1) one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (equivalent to the GS-07 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. Experience includes but is not limited to: Assembling highly complex instrument sets including, but not limited to, open heart, major orthopedic total joint, cardiovascular, craniotomy and complex endoscopic instrumentation, processing all complex endoscopic instrumentation to include those medical devices used in the gastroenterology laboratory, bronchoscopy laboratory, urology and operating room, reviewing manufacturer guidelines to ensure the correct methods and parameters are followed when cleaning, decontaminating and sterilizing RME, troubleshooting and analyzing mechanical failures and making necessary adjustments to complex decontamination and sterilization equipment, as well as interpreting alarm conditions which may occur while operating the equipment, informing management and healthcare staff when cleaning and processing standard operating procedures (SOPs) or instruction for use have been changed or updated to assure the changes have been validated to meet all guidelines. Candidates must also demonstrate all of the knowledge, skills, and abilities below: Detailed knowledge of complex surgical instruments used in operating rooms and clinic settings. Ability to assemble specialty operating room and clinic instrument sets. In-depth knowledge of sterilization and cleaning equipment. Ability to communicate both orally and in writing in order to convey information and thoughts to others. Ability to instruct staff on the correct procedures and protocols for completing assignments. Skill in communicating with staff to ensure compliance with written directives, rules and regulations. Assignment: The Lead MST at this level oversees a work team that includes at least one MST position that is above the full performance. Distributes and prioritizes workload among employees in accordance with established workflow and/or job specializations. Assures an even distribution of the workload. When necessary, revises work schedules to meet anticipated and unanticipated changes in the workload. Assigns tasks as necessary to provide new employees with the experience and training required to perform decontamination of scopes and instrumentation in the work area. Monitors and reports on the status of work. Ensures SOPs and SPS mandates are followed during the performance of workflow. Reviews or spot checks scope processing work to ensure completed work meets supervisors' instructions (e.g., work sequences, procedures, methods, and deadlines). Assesses the quality and quantity of work by reviewing the cleaning, reprocessing, and distribution of scope medical equipment, material and instrumentation. Provides information to management officials concerning performance issues, assignment changes and task completion. Instructs employees on work-related activities, policies, procedures and goals. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/76 PART II APPENDIX G47 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-08. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-08.

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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Contacts

• Address Chillicothe VA Medical Center 17273 State Route 104 Chillicothe, OH 45601 US
• Name: Katelyn Clark
• Phone: 740-253-8915
• Email: [email protected]