Position is located in Cardiology Division at the New York Harbor VA Medical Center. Incumbent will function and duties will be performed under the clinical supervision of the Director of Non-Invasive Cardiology and the administrative supervision of the Cardiology Division Section Chief.

Duties

Duties performed include but are not limited to the following: Perform 2-D Echocardiographic imaging, M-Mode tracing, derived from the 2D image, continuous wave and pulsed wave Doppler flow velocity recordings, color flow Doppler imaging. Perform stress echocardiography which involves evaluation of patients with ischemic heart disease and a thorough understanding of wall motion abnormalities and the corresponding coronary artery perfusion regions. Pharmacologic stress agents and the performance of exercise or additional methods that expand the diagnostic capability of echocardiography. Use of contrast agents may be incorporated into any of the imaging modalities. Assist physician in performing invasive trans-esophageal echocardiography which may include facilitating cardiac surgeons in operating room setting. Capture and store digital images, analyzing digital findings to obtain optimal resolution. Makes high quality recordings of M mode, two dimensional and M Mode echograms and Pulsed, continuous wave and color Doppler for interpretation by physicians of the Cardiology Section. Performs emergency echocardiograms in the Intensive Care Unit and the Emergency Room. Accurately measures recordings and compiles patient echocardiograph data for report generation. Efficiently schedules inpatient and outpatient appointments so as to minimize delays and backlogs, giving priority to more urgent studies. Completes inpatient and outpatient consults within the timeframes designated by the institution. Maintains accurate and up to date files of all studies performed and assists in the maintenance of an efficient filing system. Completes all encounter forms for both inpatient and outpatient studies. Enters all echo reports in patient records in the computer in a timely fashion. Performs routine daily cleaning and preventive maintenance on all apparatus used for echocardiography and promptly reports any malfunctions or deficiencies. Ensures timely ordering of expendable supplies needed for echocardiography. Routinely records TEE's, Stress Echos, and Stress TEE and checks for shunts in heart by Bubble Study. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Telework: Not Authorized. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 11312F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.

Requirements

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• 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 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 Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

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: Citizenship. United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Education. There are no specific educational requirements for this occupation. Education may be substituted for experience only at the GS-4 and GS-5 levels. Licensure or Certification. Licensure or Certification is not required for this occupation; however, it is strongly desirable at GS-6 or above as evidence of possession of the essential knowledge, skills, and abilities. For all specialties identified in this standard, Basic and Advanced Cardiac Life Support certifications are desirable. Training which does not result in official certification does not meet this definition. English Language Proficiency. Medical Instrument Technicians must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, 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). Grade Determinations:GS-9. In addition to the core competencies defined at the GS-8 full performance level, positions at this grade may be lead, supervisory, or non-supervisory with specialized advanced knowledge and assignments. Experience. At least 1-year experience comparable to the next lower grade level (GS-8), which is directly related to the duties of the position to be filled and must fully meet the KSAs at that level. This would be experience which demonstrates possession of the knowledge required in order to provide all aspects of echocardiography services and includes: Ability to produce diagnostic quality images and Doppler frequency shift recordings using M-Mode, two-dimensional, pulsed and continuous wave Doppler special display, and color flow Doppler imaging. Knowledge of normal echocardiographic findings and deviations produced by a wide variety of cardiovascular diseases. Ability to perform complex procedures such as cardiac studies of the four chambers of the heart and valves using sector scanning techniques to detect stenotic and incompetent valves, chamber enlargement, and pericardial effusion and cardiovascular studies deriving pressure gradients across obstructed valves, etc. Ability to perform complementary ultrasonic examinations (including noninvasive) transthoracic, Bubble studies and contrast echocardiography, (invasive) stress echocardiography, and transesophageal echocardiography. Ability to adapt transducer positioning, instrument controls, and examination techniques to the individual patient being studied and the problem being evaluated including recognizing pertinent abnormalities and documenting abnormal findings. AND, Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. KSAs 1, 2, and 3 are appropriate for all positions at this level. KSAs 4 and 5 are to be used in accordance with their appropriateness for the specific assignment. Knowledge of the more complex examination and treatment procedures and techniques in order to provide training and supervision in these procedures, to evaluate and initiate performance improvement projects, and to write policies, procedures, and protocols, that pertain to Echocardiography. Knowledge of JCAHO and other regulatory requirements. Ability to communicate effectively and professionally with employees at varying grade levels. Ability to manage and supervise employees. Ability to provide, or provide for, staff development and training. Certification: Registration by Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI) as a Registered Cardiac Sonographer (RCS) or by the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (ARDMS) as a Registered Diagnostic Cardiac Sonographer (RDCS) is highly 29 desirable. Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certifications are also desirable. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. This vacancy is above the full performance level. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

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 VA NY Harbor Healthcare System 423 East 23rd Street New York, NY 10010 US
• Name: Jenny Hoffman
• Phone: 845-202-1089
• Email: [email protected]