The Health Technician is located in Alvin C. York VA Medical Center in Murfreesboro of Tennessee Valley Healthcare System (TVHS). The Health Technician will be assigned to Nursing Service and work under the general supervision of the Nurse Manager and will function under the direct leadership of a registered professional nurse.
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 04/09/2025. English Language Proficiency Requirement: 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 perform the duties of this position. ~AND~ Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR): 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. In addition to the IOR, candidates must meet the specialized experience below: Specialized Experience: Applicants must have one (1) full year of experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, GS-04, in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience includes work in performing the duties listed on the announcement as a non-professional nursing care, work in a hospital, outpatient clinic, nursing home, or other medical, nursing, or patient care facility. Examples of required experience includes, but is not limited to: Nursing Assistant, Health Technician or Medical Assistant that performed the duties listed in the announcement. This work includes experience in obtaining vital signs, use of EKG equipment, and patient care. OR Substitution of Education: 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. (A legible copy of transcripts with date the degree was conferred, coursework with grades and hours earned must be submitted with your application.) OR Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. (A legible copy of transcripts with date the degree was conferred, coursework with grades and hours earned must be submitted with your application.) 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. Physical Requirements: The work requires standing, walking, bending, lifting, and carrying. The work may require heavy lifting of equipment or positioning of patients. The work environment involves risks typically associated with those of a health care environment. Work involves regular and recurring exposure to moderate risks or discomforts that requires special safety precautions, including potentially infectious material. 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/.
Major duties and responsibilities will include: Assisting other medical personnel in the diagnosis or treatment of patient illnesses or medical conditions; Scheduling appointments; Answering and directing phone calls and assisting visitors to the office; Maintaining files and documenting patient records; Using a computer to perform support duties; Setting up patient examination rooms; Taking and recording vital signs; Interviewing patients to obtain medical/personal history; Adhering to infection control procedures; Assisting with minor medical procedures (changing dressings, applying bandages and splits, etc.); Instructing patients on home care procedures; Observing patients for changes in condition; De-escalating disruptive patients; Performing blood glucose testing; Collecting and labeling specimens; Performing EKGs; Providing training to new personnel. Performing related duties as required. Work Schedule: based on the needs of the service Telework: Ad-hoc Position Description/PD#: Health Technician/PD70189A DESIGNATED DRUG-TESTING POSITION: 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. Applicants will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive drug test result is received.