This position is located in Sterile Processing Service (SPS), Lebanon VA Medical Center, Lebanon, Pennsylvania. This position provides leadership by identifying and maintaining SPS standards, for the practice of all services and care lines, and contributes to the fulfillment of the Mission of the clinical areas.

Duties

Duties include but not limited to: The following is a summary of the major essential functions of this job. The Incumbent may perform other related duties as assigned, both major and minor not mentioned below; periodically specific functions may change. The incumbent supervises staff that range in grade from the GS 9, Assistant Chief, SPS, to the GS 6, medical technicians. The skill-level diversity of staff creates a supervisory challenge in maintaining staff expertise in a discipline of ever-changing technology. The incumbent must continually assure that SPS staff maintains quality and standards in reusable medical equipment (RME) processing. The incumbent provides oversight to all facility RME; assuring actions regarding facility RME purchases are appropriate. The incumbent provides oversight to all facility RME standard operating procedures (SOPs) to assure accordance with all procedures. The incumbent faces frequent deadline changes. Whenever the surgery schedule is altered, there is increased pressure for the Chief, SPS, to assure delivery of the alternate procedure trays. Interaction with the vendor/contractor to expedite delivery of required surgical items has a direct impact on the timeliness of surgery and patient care. The Chief, SPS, is responsible for assessing, monitoring, developing, and assisting with implementing corrective action plans for instrument and RME processing, decontamination, sterilization, biological monitoring, and high-level disinfecting monitoring. He/she will coordinate recall of facility sterilized items whose sterility may have been compromised. The Chief, SPS, is an active member of the Commodities Standards Committee, Medical Equipment Committee, and the Co-Chairperson of the RME Committee, and he/she will be an active participant in Environmental Rounds and Operating Room (OR)/SPS Quality Management (QM) meetings. The Chief, SPS, will collaborate and communicate information or concerns between clinical services and SPS. The Chief, SPS, manages the overall SPS budget including determining resource needs, allocating resources, and ensuring proper utilization in productivity, efficiency, and cost effectiveness of SPS operations. The Chief, SPS, is accountable to the Associate Director, Patient Care Services (AD-PCS)/Nurse Executive and networks closely with Inventory Management and Infection Control. He/she must be able to work independently with little direct supervision. Incumbent keeps the AD-PCS briefed on the status of different events, activities, and projects both within and external to the medical center. The incumbent exercises delegated authority to oversee the overall planning, direction, and timely execution of programs within SPS. Work Schedule: Day shift (0700-1530), may include evening/weekend hours as required by service needs. Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized. Telework: Not Authorized. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

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. Citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, paragraph 3g.) 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. 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). Grade Determinations: GS-10 (a)Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. (b)Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: 1.Ability to implement and incorporate regulations, policies, and procedures to manage SPS operations. 2. Ability to evaluate new products and equipment, develop options, and make recommendations. 3.Ability to integrate SPS managerial duties, which includes strategic planning of facility organizational goals and integration of SPS vision and values within the organizational mission. 4.Ability to perform a full range of supervisory duties, including assigning, planning and evaluating work, recommending awards, approving leave, identifying training needs, and resolving staff issues. 5.Skill to initiate and lead interdisciplinary groups in order to facilitate daily SPS functions. 6. Ability to analyze and interpret fiscal data in order to forecast resource and equipment needs. (c)Assignment. The Chief has the overall responsibility for the supervision, administrative management and direction of the SPS. Ensures SPS functions are in compliance with all regulatory mandates. Forecasts, plans, develops and manages the SPS program. Manages SPS personnel and serves as liaison between SPS and other departments. Maintains effective interdepartmental relationships, coordinates and resolves problems, and ensures cooperation with other programs and services. Manages the overall SPS budget including determining resource needs, allocating resources, and ensuring proper utilization in productivity, efficiency and cost effectiveness of SPS operations. Formulates objectives, develops priorities and implements plans that support organizational goals. Ensures operations are in compliance with all safety, regulatory and accrediting requirements. Oversees orientation and training of staff. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: The incumbent must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, able to shift priorities based on patient, staff and/or facility needs. The work is primarily sedentary with many hours of computer work. However, there may be significant walking and standing, as well as periodic travel to attend meetings, training sessions, and to observe and analyze various situations. Must complete annual Employee Health requirements, such as annual TB screening or testing, as a condition of employment. In the performance of duties, the incumbent may be required to drive and/or ride in GSA vehicles.

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 Lebanon VA Medical Center 1700 South Lincoln Avenue Lebanon, PA 17042 US
• Name: Evan Lynch
• Phone: 3152439074
• Email: [email protected]