This position is located in the Anesthesia Care Line at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX. The work primarily involves establishing each anesthesia station inside the Operating Rooms and outside areas where Anesthesia care is provided, such as Radiology, Cardiology, and GI Lab.

Duties

Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf Major duties include (but are not limited to): Prepares, calibrates, and connects monitoring equipment to surgical patients. Establishes each anesthesia station inside the Operating Rooms and outside areas where Anesthesia care is provided, such as Radiology, Cardiology, and GI Lab. Assesses and prepares operating rooms including setting up anesthesia machines, breathing circuit apparatus, cardiac monitors, monitors, suction, blood warmers, medication pumps, arm boards, and any additional equipment and supplies that are requested or required. Ensures that other disposable or reusable apparatus is available that may be required in each assigned operating room prior to the beginning of the scheduled OR or Non-OR case where anesthesia care is needed. Responsible for the day-to-day operations of the anesthesia workroom and supply room. Processes endoscopes and/or other RME (reusable medical equipment) after each use in the proper manner according to Standard Operating Procedures and manufacturers guidelines. Performs other duties assigned to him/her relating to anesthesia supplies, equipment, or the operating room. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, hours TBD, with on-call (subject to change based on the needs of the facility) Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child. Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66. Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 580-00242-F, 580-00243-F, 580-00244-F, 580-00245-F, 580-00246-F

Requirements

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. English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Education and/or Experience Combination: 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. 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: MEDICAL INSTRUMENT TECHNICIAN (Trainee), GS-0649-04 Experience: At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the position to be filled. Six months of this experience may have been in medically related fields such as nursing assistant, practical nursing, or similar fields. The remaining six months must have been in operating diagnostic and therapeutic equipment covered by this occupation. Experience gained in the operation of equipment for animal diagnosis or treatment may be credited at this level. OR Education: Successful completion two years of education above high school or an associate's degree with a major field of study directly related to the medical instrument technician operation. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: - Knowledge of basic medical terminology. - Ability to learn the components, operating characteristics, and settings of the equipment to be used. - Ability to learn typical patient reactions to the basic procedures involved and ability to recognize signs of distress. - Ability to learn the standard positions for the procedure being conducted. - Ability to communicate orally and in writing. MEDICAL INSTRUMENT TECHNICIAN (Trainee), GS-0649-05 Experience: At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the position to be filled. This would be experience in operating equipment related to the particular specialization for which application is made or in related functional areas. Experience gained in the operation of equipment for animal diagnosis or treatment may be credited through this grade level. OR, Education. Successful completion of 4 academic years above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with courses related to the occupation, or a bachelor's degree in a major field of study appropriate to medical instrument technician functions. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: - Knowledge of standard medical terminology to interpret physician orders or instructions. - Knowledge of common physical disabilities and ability to position patients for the examination or treatment. - Ability to learn the normal and abnormal results for routine procedures to recognize and report obvious abnormalities. - Ability to operate the equipment to administer routine/standard diagnostic treatment or procedures. - Ability to perform standard operator maintenance on the equipment including the ability to disassemble, clean, reassemble, and calibrate the machine. MEDICAL INSTRUMENT TECHNICIAN (Anesthesia), GS-0649-06 Experience: At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the positions to be filled. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: - Knowledge of human anatomy and physiology (specifically cardiac and pulmonary). - Knowledge and application of safety and infection control processes. - Ability to serve as a circulating technician for supplies and to assist with documentation of hemodynamic patient data. - Knowledge of anesthesiology supplies and equipment appropriate to less complex anesthetic procedures, such as those found in Ambulatory Surgery. Certification: No certification is required; however, it is desirable that employees at this level have Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) certification. MEDICAL INSTRUMENT TECHNICIAN (Anesthesia), GS-0649-07 Experience: At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the positions to be filled. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: - Knowledge of the fundamentals of standard equipment operation, calibration and function. - Knowledge of correct use of non-invasive patient monitoring equipment specific to anesthesiology. - Ability to appropriately interact with patients during anesthetic procedures. - Knowledge of anesthesiology supplies and equipment appropriate to routine anesthetic procedures, such as those found in typical inpatient settings. Certification: No certification is required; however, it is desirable that employees at this level have Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) certification. MEDICAL INSTRUMENT TECHNICIAN (Anesthesia), GS-0649-08 ***Listed in Additional Information Section Below*** Preferred Experience: - Experience hooking up, performing routine maintenance of, and trouble-shooting invasive monitoring systems such as arterial lines, pulmonary artery catheters, intraventricular or intra-cranial pressure monitoring systems. - Experience drawing blood samples from arterial, pulmonary artery or central venous lines; draws blood specimens for type and screen or type and cross. - Experience assisting anesthesiologist or nurse anesthetist in routine anesthetic procedures. - Experience monitoring arterial pressure line wave forms including recognizing and distinguishing normal from abnormal, artifact from abnormality, and forewarning physician or anesthetist of impending life-threating situations. - Experience with anesthesia machines; including routine maintenance, troubleshooting, turnover between cases, and repairs. References: VA Handbook 5005/54, Part II Appendix G27, Medical Instrument Technician Qualification Standard. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-8. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-4 to GS-8. Physical Requirements: May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, pulling, and pushing. May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment.

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 Michael E DeBakey VA Medical Center 2002 Holcombe Boulevard Houston, TX 77030 US
• Name: Marisa Havins
• Phone: (479) 287-3280
• Email: [email protected]