The position is in the Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Service (PALMS) at the Boise VA Medical Center. The incumbent performs a variety of functions, including accession specimens into computer system; collects, evaluates, and processes patient specimens; answers questions relative to specimens; instructs and assists patients; and sends out specimens for testing. Follows policies and procedures established by service, medical center, VA, and regulatory agencies.

Duties

Major duties include: Collects and processes specimens obtained for analyses throughout P&LMS and associated reference laboratories, ensuring safety and non-traumatic processes are used with critical concern for the patients and the quality of the specimen. Performs venipuncture specimen collections from inpatient, outpatients, and ambulatory inpatients, with a minimal number of failures, patient bruising, or required re-sticks, ensuring that samples are submitted to the clinical laboratory with the least possible delay. Makes gross visual observations and identifies subtle changes regarding the patient's condition, notifying appropriate emergency personnel as needed. Performs work related to tests and examinations using the techniques of medical laboratory practice in one or more specialized areas. Prepares specimens for testing, such as labeling, centrifugation, decanting, aliquoting, etc., prepares reagents, performs the test procedure, verifies the accuracy of the results and reports results in the VISTA computer system. The technician must be familiar with tests performed throughout the Laboratory, i.e., cytology, chemistry, and hematology. Operates centrifuges, reporting any malfunction to supervisor, as needed, and evaluates temperature requirements of refrigerators on the wards as needed. Processes timely request for supplies to ensure adequate materials are always maintained. Receives and sorts specimens collected from inpatients, outpatients, and all CBOC's, checks request slips for proper information, logs in specimen, and delivers specimens to various laboratory sections. Receives accessioning and processing of laboratory specimens from the main draw room, emergency department (ED), ward collect specimens, Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOC) and Home Base Health Care (HBHC) patient draws. Verifies the accuracy of information on each specimen, accessions (receives) each specimen into the computer system, prints and accurately labels each specimen. Manually accessions (multi-purpose accessioning) any specimen(s) received with a written laboratory requisition. Sorts all specimens by laboratory department and distributes specimens to corresponding testing area (i.e., Hematology, Coagulation, Urinalysis, Blood Bank, Microbiology, Send Out (Reference Laboratory). Generates (document) occurrence reports for any specimen(s) rejected for analysis (i.e., unlabeled, mislabeled, clotted, QNS, or other reasons for rejections). Performs computer downtime operations when the EHR is not operational; manually enters all patient information found in the computer down time form, test orders, and generates labels; labels, sorts, and delivers all specimens to designated testing areas of the lab; and diligently reorders laboratory tests in the EHR system for all patients once the EHR system becomes operational. Observes and processes employee drug screen testing. Enters pathology biopsy specimens form hospital and clinics, into the laboratory computer reporting system, prepares specimen cassettes, and prepares bar code labels for specimens. Responsible for receiving Microbiology specimens. Prepare gram stains on specimens when appropriate. Loads blood culture bottles into the Vitek Blood Culture Incubator. Performs and documents quality control and assurance activities and corrective actions as directed by the Technologist on duty. Performs instrument maintenance for PCR analyzer. Performs preventive maintenance of laboratory equipment. Responsible for the generation of laboratory results from the work area into the laboratory computer system and for the editing and verification of the results recorded into the computer system for waived testing. Responsible for the monitoring and maintenance of all centrifuges and serofuges in the service. Processes send out specimens and stores specimens according to specimen storage requirements (i.e., ambient, frozen, or refrigerated). Trouble shoots issues on the automated instrument and work independently to be assigned to operate the automated instrument. Conducts training for new laboratory medical technicians, new medical laboratory technologists (MT)/chemistry staff and medical technologist students on how to operate and trouble-shoot the chemistry automated processing instrument. Work Schedule: Monday-Thursday 7:00am-4:30pm & Friday 7am-11am Telework: This is not a telework position. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Medical Technician/PD60447A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet time-in-grade and specialized experience requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement, 05/08/2024. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who have held a GS position in the last 52 weeks must also meet the time-in-grade requirements within 30 days of the closing date of the announcement. Applicants who are current Federal employees may be advanced without time restriction to positions up to GS-5 if the position to be filled is no more than two grades above the lowest grade the employee held within the preceding 52 weeks under his or her latest non-temporary competitive appointment. For a GS-5 position you must have held at least a GS-3 in the last 52 weeks. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. 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. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-4 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: collects and processes specimens obtained for analyses, performs venipuncture specimen collections from patients, process samples , prepare for shipment to reference labs, Verifies sample collection, patient identification, and sample transport requirements. Performing various technical laboratory procedures such as computer test access, computer search for past and future patient lab orders. NOTE: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month & year starting and ending dates AND hours worked per week. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have completed a 4-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with a major study or at least 24 semester hours in subjects directly related to this position. NOTE: Transcripts required. Education cannot be credited without documentation. Please see education section for details. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and college level education beyond the second year (60 semester hours) to qualify. To determine if you meet this requirement, total your qualifying experience as a percentage of the year of specialized experience required at the GS-5 level. Then determine your 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. NOTE: Transcripts required. Education cannot be credited without documentation. Please see education section for details. Preferred Experience: 1 year of phlebotomy/blood draw experience. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: ClericalComplianceComputer SkillsCustomer Service (Clerical/Technical) 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. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. 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. 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

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/.

NOTE: Transcripts required. Education cannot be credited without documentation.

Contacts

• Address Boise VA Medical Center 500 West Fort Street Boise, ID 83702 US
• Name: Sophia Whittick
• Phone: 813-442-3938
• Email: [email protected]