The incumbent serves as Lead Medical Supply Technician (MST). Sterile Processing Service (SPS) for the Lexington VA Health Care System, VISN 9, Lexington, KY, Troy Bowling Campus. In this position, the incumbent will provide decontamination, preparation, sterilization, and distribution support of reusable medical devices (RMD) for the medical center. RMD refers to all critical and semi-critical items that are reprocessed through SPS.
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 - Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. English Language Proficiency - English Language Proficiency - You must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d) Experience and/or Education - Experience - Six months of experience that demonstrates the 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. Grandfather Provision. A Medical Supply Technician (MST) employed in VHA on the effective date of the qualification standard (May 28, 2014) are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: Employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level or changed to lower grade within the occupation but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. Employees who are converted to Title 38 Hybrid status under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re-entry to the occupation. Grade Determinations: GS-07 Lead Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing): In addition to meeting the basic requirements, to qualify for the GS-07 you must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-6). Examples of specialized experience include but are not limited to: Receiving contaminated critical and semi-critical RME in the decontamination area; disassembling the RME and determining the correct cleaning method, such as but not limited to ultrasonic cleaners, mechanical washers, cart washers and chemical cleaning/decontamination agents, as determined by manufacturer instructions; inspecting, assembling and determining the correct method and packaging for sterilization such as but not limited to steam, Sterrad, Steris, ETO, and high level disinfecting scope reprocessors; performing and documenting daily operational checks and records for all sterilization equipment. AND Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience above, you must demonstrate the following KSAs: Ability to instruct staff on the correct procedures and protocols for completing assignments. Skill in communicating with staff to ensure compliance with written directives, rules and regulations. Skill in interpersonal relationships in dealing with employees, team leaders, and managers. Knowledge of sterility principles in order to instruct staff on decontamination procedures. Ability to lead individuals, manage priorities, and schedule work assignments. Preferred Experience: A minimum of 1 year experience in SPS as a GS-6 level and have a HSPA Certification. Note: You must provide detailed information of your experience performed. Information such as "I was a Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing)" is insufficient to determine your qualifications. Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hour worked per week. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS7. Physical Requirements: This work is performed in various settings: decontamination, preparation & packaging, clean/sterile supply, in other services/departments, and at both medical facility campuses. The incumbent may be required to work in areas that are hot, cold, drafty, and poorly lighted. The employee is subject to the possibility of falls, scrapes, cuts, bruises, and other injuries from reprocessing equipment. The work requires standing and walking during the entire workday. Additionally, frequent bending and lifting of packages (occasionally weighing as much as 50 pounds). The work requires dexterity and visual acuity for manipulation, disassembly and assembly of instrumentation. On a regular and recurring basis, the employee alternates between the controlled access areas which include contaminated and sterile/clean environments. The employee is required to wear facility issued scrubs in conjunction with applicable PPE as required by the specific area which includes but is not limited to hair & shoe covers, gowns, gloves, face shields, and safety glasses that can be uncomfortably warm. The employee is subject to burns from accidentally touching hot items and the hazards of working around minute quantities of sterilizing gasses. The employee can be exposed to hazardous chemicals and vapors. The employee can be exposed to slips, trips, and falls related to wet environments. The employee often works around body fluids, mucous, excretions and bits of tissue, some of which may be foul smelling. Strong, unpleasant odors are encountered while decontaminating bloody or grossly contaminated instrumentation or reusable medical devices. The work area is noisy due to the clatter of metal instruments, rumbling of carts, and operation of reprocessing equipment.
Duties include but not limited to: The Lead MST assists SPS management with distributing and prioritizing workload among employees in accordance with established workflow and/or job specializations. Ensures that the work assignments of the staff are being carried out. Assists with assigning work to staff based on experience/training needs. Monitors and reports the status of work. Ensures SOPs, SPS mandates, and VA directives are being followed. Reviews work in progress or spot checks work not requiring review to ensure completed work meets supervisors' instructions on such things as work sequence, procedures, methods, and deadlines. Performs other related duties as assigned. Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf Medical Supply Aide and Technician: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Medical-Supply-Aide-Career-Flyer.pdf Work Schedule: 7:30am - 4:00pm, Monday - Friday. Applicant will be required to be on call 12:00am (Midnight) - 5:00am Monday - Friday and all day for Weekends and Holidays. Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized 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 Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 30506-F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized