Health Technician

Summary The Health Technician works as a member of the Primary Care Service (PACT), under the guidance of the PACT/CBOC Clinical Nurse Manager.

The Health Technician assists medical and nursing staff through technical, specialized or support services for the diagnosing or treatment of patient illnesses or medical conditions.

Responsibilities Performs a wide range of diagnostic support duties such as taking, recording, and reporting vital sign deviations to provider obtaining specimens and labeling specimens for the laboratory.

Makes gross visual observations and identifies subtle changes regarding the patient's condition, documents observations and communicates to practitioners. Performs a variety of specialized tests and procedures such as monofilament testing, and doppler exam of the extremity artery. Gather's diagnostic information using specialized equipment such as (but not limited to) pulse oximetry, bladder scanner, and ECG machine.

Monitors patient for adverse reactions, recognizes abnormalities and brings them to the attention of the appropriate medical health care professionals.

Records results and ensures that they are made a part of the EMR.

Participates in ongoing clinical education and training as directed by the Clinical Nurse Manager Independently performs direct patient care activities including intake, obtaining vital signs, ECGs, clinical reminders, and medication reconciliation.

Adheres to safety and infection control procedures.

Identifies and reports data relative to more complex, non-routine patient situations including subtle changes in patient's behavior or condition or variations related to neurological signs, vital signs, or other parameters.

Recognizes signs and symptoms that may require nursing intervention and reports these signs and symptoms promptly to nurse or provider for possible intervention.

Receives requests or instructions for procedures and interprets requests or instructions for medical or health care personnel. Responds to emergencies by assisting in the performance of resuscitation measures. Assist medical personnel in emergent situations as well as performing occasional minor to moderate de-escalation of agitated Veterans. Responds to medical urgencies/emergencies, initiates BLS and activates emergency medical system. Positions patient for procedures by explaining procedures, secures patients confidence and cooperation during procedures. Performs sterile field set up and assist provider with procedures. Performs patient care procedures such as collection of specimens, applying dressings, adjusting simple supportive equipment.

Performs direct patient support work to include collecting information from patients, providing personal patient care, and educating patients on pre-testing and post procedure activities.

Performs test on patients such as Snellen and Ishihara's Color Deficiency. Takes tissue cultures or specimen samples. Fits patients for medical devices such as compression hose, blood pressure machines and braces/splints. Receives and directs patients, answers routine inquiries (via telephone, fax, or secure messages) and makes referrals. Obtains release forms, assists patients' visitors and others requesting information guidance or referral for special assistance. Orders and maintains supplies for the clinic. Orders and maintains specialized supplies pertaining to instruments used for procedures in the clinic. Performs administrative tasks such as maintaining control records for specimens and tests and documenting measurements taken. Test patients, takes measurements, collects, and organizes data from follow up visits, reports result to provider.

Performs patient check in, including obtaining and recording demographic data, vital signs, height, weight, chief complaint, brief history, current medications, and measurements for specific age groups.

Prepares patient and treatment area and assists health care professionals with minor surgical, diagnostic, and therapeutic clinic procedures. Performs pre-procedure set-up, and dispositions Non-RME per facility standard operating procedures. Monitors patient during and after procedures and reports observations to nurse and provider. Documents workload and billable care data (encounter) into EMR.

Maintains examination rooms with medical equipment by ordering and replenishing supplies, and cleaning and organizing between patients Answers telephone inquiries regarding services available and eligibility to provider accurate information and maintains good public relations.

Performs other related duties as assigned.

Promotion Potential:

The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met.

Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level.

Work Schedule:
Monday-Friday; 7am-3:30pm & 9am-5:30pm

Virtual:
This is not a virtual position

Position Description/PD#:
Health Technician/PD93071A and PD92121A Relocation/

Recruitment Incentives:
Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS):

Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report:
Not required Requirements Conditions of Employment 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 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 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 To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 07/23/2024. Time-In-Grade Requirement:

Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

For a GS-5 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-4. For a GS-6 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-5. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service.

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.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:

Individual Occupational Requirements Specialized Experience (for positions at GS-4 and above): Positions in this series range widely in type and include support duties to medical or health personnel such as audiologists, speech pathologists, medical officers, and optometrists.

Therefore, technician experience is experience that required application of the knowledge, methods, and techniques of the position to be filled.

OR Education and Training For GS-5: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree, with major study or at least 24 semester hours in subjects directly related to the position.

Specialized Experience:

Applicants must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least GS-4 that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled to be eligible for the GS-5 level.

Or, Applicants must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least GS-5 that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled to be eligible for the GS-6 level.

To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level.

Applicants who have the 1 year of appropriate specialized experience, as indicated in the table, are not required by this standard to have general experience, education above the high school level, or any additional specialized experience to meet the minimum qualification requirements.

OR, Education:
Applicants may substitute education for the experience required. The applicant must have successfully completed post-high school education is qualifying for grades GS-3 through GS-5.

This education must have been obtained in an accredited business or technical school, junior college, college or university for which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite.

1 year of full-time undergraduate study is defined as 30 semester hours, 45 quarter hours, or the equivalent in a college or university or at least 20 hours of classroom instruction per week for approximately 36 weeks in a business or technical school.

For some occupations covered by this standard, 6 semester hours of specific courses are included in the l year of education that meets the GS-3 requirements.

The 6 semester hours allow for subjects that are common to a broad range of degree programs, e.g., subjects in the mathematical, physical, or biological sciences.

This inclusion corresponds to the second part of the description of general experience, i.e., the subjects provide evidence of a familiarity with the subject matter or processes of the broad subject area of the occupation.

At grades GS-4 and above, a portion of the education is usually directly related to the work of the position to be filled.

Examples of related courses are provided in the individual occupational requirements where applicable.

However, agencies may require other courses if they are considered to be more related to the position to be filled.

Training:

Completion of appropriate training such as inservice training programs, training acquired while serving in the Armed Forces, and government-sponsored developmental training programs will be allowed credit on a month-for-month basis, generally through the GS-5 level.

Such training meets general or specialized experience requirements depending upon its applicability.

OR, Combination:
Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-05 level. Equivalent combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience are also qualifying. The combinations described below are those most typical for these positions, i.e., for grades GS-3 through GS-5.

If education is used to meet specialized experience requirements, then such education must include courses directly related to the work of the position.

For GS-5 level positions, only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours of a course of study leading to a bachelor's degree is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirements.

Two full academic years of study, or 60 semester hours, beyond the second year is equivalent to 1 year of specialized experience.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

Clerical Clinical Data Collection/Documentation Diagnostic Medical Testing Patient Care 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.

Preferred:

The Health Technician will preferably be certified by a state licensing body and/or have at least 2 years of experience with military training or private sector primary care experience.

Certified in Basic Life Support (BLS).

Physical Requirements:
This position requires visual acuity, keen hearing, clear distinctive speech, and manual dexterity.

This position requires an ongoing mix of potentially long-periods of continued walking, standing, stooping, sitting, bending, pulling, pushing, and reaching over head.

All patient care activities require PC keyboard and mouse use for data entry in the electronic patient record. Occasional heavy lifting will be required, particularly for patient transfers.

The incumbent may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations or operative/invasive procedures.

The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patient who are combative.

In some instances, interaction with patients, caregivers, and staff can become intense, and the employee may be placed in a position of stress.

The incumbent must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, able to shift priorities based on patient needs.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at 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:
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:
Additional Information This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. Pursuant to VHA Directive , VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act (or the Act) prohibits the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) from requesting applicant criminal history record information before extending a conditional or tentative offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S.C § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Act, may submit a written complaint within 30 calendar days of the date of the alleged non-compliance to VA at Applicant written complaints should include the following: Administration name: Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Office name, employee name and contact information or contractor who made contact (if known). Date of contact. Details regarding the job opportunity announcement applied to, and copies of any documents or other evidence related to the complaint. Visit Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer (OCHCO) for more information.

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