This position is assigned to the Supply, Processing and Distribution department of Nursing Service at the Syracuse VAMC. The position will provide wards, clinics, operating room and other hospital facilities with reusable and disposable medical supplies, instruments and equipment. This position specializes in but is not limited to inventory management, decontamination, packaging, sterilization and distribution of supplies, instruments and equipment to support all clinical areas.

Duties

Independently determines appropriate methods, avoiding damage or undue wear. Properly disassembles equipment, supply items and instruments avoiding damage or unnecessary wear following established procedures. Provides guidance to lesser experienced staff and keeps the lead tech and SPD chief informed of their progress. Removes gross contamination by soaking in a germicide, washing with a detergent-blood solvent, scrubbing with a brush, rinsing in tap water or washing in a washer-decontaminator or ultrasonic unit. Decontaminates the full range of reusable medical supplies and equipment according to established procedures. Uses selected methods for removing gross contamination. Visually examines items for damage, deterioration, or imperfections such as rust, pitting, and cracks. Operates medical equipment to determine whether it operates correctly after re-assembly. Sends malfunctioning or damaged equipment to the equipment technician for repair. Examines the full range of reusable medical supplies and equipment according to established procedures. Uses selected methods to test or visually inspect items for damage or wear. Attaches chemical indicator tape and sterilizes according to guidelines. Sterilizes items comparing control tests to determine that correct parameters (e.g. time, temperature, and pressure) were obtained. Reads and interprets written instruction and procedures to prepare the full range of trays and sets. Removes trays of instruments from pre-sterilizing equipment, inspects items to be sure that gross contamination has been removed. Sorts the instruments by size and type, and re-assembles trays and sets based on recognition of key items or inventory needs. Uses care in packing to protect points, cutting edges and delicate instruments and to insure effective penetration of sterilizing medium. Monitors and documents the operation of the sterilizers with prescribed tests and reports any unusual readings to lead tech and chief of SPD. Removes carts and packages from the sterilizers when the cycle is completed. Inspects packages for indications of proper sterilization. Aerates gas-sterilized packages for appropriate times. Labels items to show date of sterilization and shelf-life. Provides medical supply items to users. Monitors and documents biological indicators, chemical indicators, bowie dick tests and examines equipment printouts to assure that all sterilization parameters have been met prior to release to end user. Brings all questionable results to the lead tech and the SPD chief's attention through established reporting procedures. Acts as resource to lesser experienced staff by monitoring sterilization records and setting priorities. Distributes items according to established requirements, special requests or as requisitioned. Fills requests for items based on daily schedules of needs or on individual requisitions. Performs daily inventories of wards or units supply areas and replenishes to appropriate stock levels. Consults with customers on items in short supply or out of stock, recommending possible substitutions keeping the inventory management staff informed. Assembles and sends case carts to the operating room utilizing picking tickets and checklists. Reports outages and deficiencies to lead tech and SPD chief. Gathers and reports QA data to Chief of SPD. Assists with quarterly and annual inventory. Performs other related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 11:00am - 7:30pm. Monday - Friday 3:00pm - 11:30pm. Rotating on call. Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 13641-A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

• U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• All 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.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English
• You may be required to serve a probationary period
• Subject to a background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Personnel

Qualifications

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. Experience and/or Education: 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. Certification. None. Foreign Education. To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U. S. programs. Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. English Language Proficiency. MSTs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j, this part. 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). Preferred Experience: IAHCSMM/CRMS Certification Grade Determinations: The following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. GS-03 (Entry Level) Experience or Education. None beyond the basic requirements. Assignment. This is an entry level MST position. MSTs receive guidance from more experienced staff members and require frequent and direct supervision. GS-04 (Developmental Level) Experience. Six months experience as a MST, operating room or surgical technician or other position that demonstrated knowledge of sterile processing in a clinical setting; or Education. Two years of education above high school that included at least 12 semester hours in courses related to the occupation. NOTE: Successful completion of a course for medical technicians, hospital corpsmen, medical service specialists, or nursing assistants obtained in a training program given by the Armed Forces, the U.S. Maritime Service, or hospitals under close medical and professional supervision, may be substituted on a month-for-month basis for up to 6 months of experience. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the KSAs below: 1. Knowledge of universal precautions for safety and prevention of cross contamination. 2. Basic knowledge of medical terminology in order to assemble specialty operating room/clinic instrument sets. 3. Basic knowledge of sterilization and cleaning equipment. 4. Ability to communicate both orally and in writing. Assignment. This is a developmental level MST position. Performs segments of work pertaining to the decontamination, sterilization and inspection of reusable medical equipment (RME). Completes segments of work pertaining to the assembly of basic sets and trays for use in the medical center. Operates equipment involved in sterilization processes. Prepares operating room case carts. MSTs receive guidance from more experienced staff members and require frequent and direct supervision. GS-05 (Developmental Level)Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level; or Education. Four academic years above high school leading to a Bachelor's degree with at least 12 semester hours in courses related to the occupation or a Bachelor's degree. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: 1. Basic knowledge of surgical instruments used in operating rooms and clinic settings. 2. Basic knowledge of event-related packaging in regards to sterility. 3. Knowledge of sterilization and cleaning equipment. Assignment: This is a developmental level MST position. Removes soil, blood, tissue fragments, body fluids, and other containments by wiping, soaking, rinsing, and scrubbing. Inspects packages for indications of proper sterilization, assembles basic sets and trays used throughout the medical center including those used in the operating room. Prepares, loads, and operates sterilizers such as steam, Sterrad, Steris, ETO, and a high level disinfecting scope reprocessor; prepares operating room case carts daily using surgery schedule. MSTs receive guidance from more experienced staff members for more complex tasks and require direct supervision on new assignments. GS-06 (Full Performance Level) Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: 1. Knowledge of surgical instruments used in operating rooms and clinic settings. 2. Knowledge of universal precautions for safety and prevention of cross contamination. 3. Working knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, microbiology, medical conditions and procedures. 4. Knowledge of sterility principles in regards to instrumentation. 5. Ability to read and interpret written instructions and procedures. Assignment. This is the full performance level for the occupation. Receives contaminated critical and semi-critical RME in the decontamination area and may receive noncritical equipment in the decontamination area as well. Disassembles the RME and determines the correct cleaning method, such as but not limited to ultrasonic cleaners, mechanical washers, cart washers and chemical cleaning/decontamination agents, as determined by manufacturer instructions. Inspects, assembles and determines the correct method and packaging for sterilization such as but not limited to steam, Sterrad, Steris, ETO, and high level disinfecting scope reprocessors. Performs and documents daily operational checks and records for all sterilization equipment. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/76 PART II APPENDIX G47 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-06. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-03 to GS-6. Physical Requirements: The work requires standing and walking during the entire workday and frequent bending and lifting of packages (occasionally weighing as much as 50 pounds). The work requires dexterity and visual acuity for manipulating, disassembly and assembly of instrumentation.

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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Contacts

• Address Syracuse VA Medical Center 800 Irving Ave Syracuse, NY 13210 US
• Name: Stephen Jones
• Phone: 315-425-3791
• Email: [email protected]