The position is within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA), at the Eastern Colorado Health Care System (ECHCS) in the Sterile Processing Services (SPS). The primary purpose of the technician is to clean, decontaminate, inspect, and perform quality assurance, inventory, prepare instruments for sterilization, and sterilize and/or disinfect medical instruments, surgical instruments, and other reusable medical devices (RMD).
Basic Requirements: Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States. English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed. Experience and/or Education. Experience. Candidates must demonstrates Six months of experience performing the work or provides an understanding of the work. OR Education. Candidates must have 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. Candidates must have equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable. GS-07 Grade Determinations: Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Detailed knowledge of complex surgical instruments used in operating rooms and clinic settings. Ability to assemble specialty operating room and clinic instrument sets. In-depth knowledge of sterilization and cleaning equipment. Ability to communicate both orally and in writing in order to convey information and thoughts to others Assignment. The Advanced MST assembles highly complex instrument sets including, but not limited to, open heart, major orthopedic total joint, cardiovascular, craniotomy and complex endoscopic instrumentation. Processes all complex endoscopic instrumentation to include those medical devices used in the gastroenterology laboratory, bronchoscopy laboratory, urology and operating room. Reviews manufacturer guidelines to ensure the correct methods and parameters are followed when cleaning, decontaminating and sterilizing RME. Troubleshoots and analyzes mechanical failures and makes necessary adjustments to complex decontamination and sterilization equipment, as well as interprets alarm conditions which may occur while operating the equipment. Informs management and healthcare staff when cleaning and processing standard operating procedures (SOPs) or instruction for use have been changed or updated to assure the changes have been validated to meet all guidelines. Preferred Experience: CRST Certified through HSPA or CBSPD, Endoscope reprocessing, and additional certifications CIS, CER, CHL from HSPA or CBSPD References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, APPENDIX G-47 Physical Requirements. This work is performed in various settings: decontamination, preparation, clean sterile supply (preparation and packaging) and in other services and departments throughout the medical facility/ campus. 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 material handling equipment. Talking during the entire day and frequent bending and lifting of packages (occasionally weighing as much as much as 50 pounds). Standing for greater than 8-hours, pushing, pulling, and lifting throughout the shift are a requirement of the position. The work requires dexterity and visual and auditory acuity for manipulating, disassembling, and assembling of instrumentation. On a regular and reoccurring basis, the employee alternates between a contaminated environment and a carefully controlled clean environment. The employee wears special clothing, hair covers, personal protective equipment and shoe covers that can be uncomfortably warm. The employee uses insulated gloves to remove carts from sterilizers. The employee is subject to burns from accidentally touching hot items. The hazards of working around minute quantities of sterilizing gases are unknown. Technician may be exposed to fumes from various high-level disinfectants and cleaning chemicals. Technicians are periodically monitored and tested for exposure to certain hazardous chemicals. The employee often works around body fluids, mucus, 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 RMD. the work area is noisy due to the clatter of metal instruments, rumbling of carts and operation of pre sterilization equipment.
Major Duties Include, but are not limited to: Advanced MSTs serve as preceptors and provide guidance from more experienced staff members and require frequent and direct supervision to perform Decontamination, Manual Cleaning, and Sterilization: Collects and receives all used, soiled reusable critical and semi-critical RMD, utilizing proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and infection control procedures to prevent cross-contamination of other equipment and personnel during the collection and transport of the soiled RMD. Responsible for the systematic manual and automated cleaning, disinfection and sterilization of instrumentation and medical equipment according to strict manufacturer instructions. Responsible for the proper disassembly of technical medical instrumentation and equipment, where internal parts may become contaminated, which requires dexterity, skill, careful positioning of parts, and the elimination of any bioburden. Independently responsible for the proper operation of a variety of automated cleaning and disinfection equipment, to include washer/disinfector, ultrasonic machines, automated endoscope reprocessors, and electrical conductivity testing devices. During instrument tray assembly, technician is responsible for determining proper instrument selection, instrument function/operation, need for instrument protection, and arrangement of items to ensure effective penetration of the sterilant. Some instruments, due to size, delicacy, sharpness, and/or cost, require specialized handling and additional protective actions to ensure they are not damaged. Independently determines proper packaging method, based upon size, number and weight of the assembled items, and labels these items appropriately. Determines appropriate method of sterilization and attaches chemical indicator tape to package. Sterilizes items comparing control tests to determine that correct parameters (e.g., time, temperature, and pressure) were obtained. Removes items from washer sterilizers and determines type of tray or set to assemble based on recognition of key items and the operating room or clinic schedules. Examines items to ensure that gross contamination has been removed. Assembles sets and trays by selecting appropriate tray, lining it with a towel, and arranging instruments in the tray in the correct manner. Strives for a logically arranged package that will permit effective penetration of the sterilizing medium. Places devices in the tray, selects correct wrapping for the tray, and wraps and labels tray. Selects correct sterilizing medium and cycles and operates sterilizer. Monitors operation of sterilizer with prescribed tests. Oversees the work of lower grade employees in prep and decontamination areas. Quality Assurance: Responsible for thorough inspection for cleanliness, damage, deterioration, or imperfections such as rust, pitting and cracks that could affect the quality of patient care. Responsible for ensuring that the items function properly and must be knowledgeable of the purpose and proper usage of medical instrumentation. Performing manual quality testing on endoscopes and instrumentation. Responsible for ensuring that quality assurance testing for the effectiveness of the equipment operation is completed and documented to include mechanical, chemical, and biological monitoring. Conforms to and ensures that all safety and infection control rules, regulations, and requirements (e.g., dress code and traffic control procedures) in both the decontamination and preparation areas are followed by all personnel working in, or entering, the work area. Completes Quality feedback and JPSR as indicated by circumstances. Distribution: Distributes items according to established requirements, special requests or as requisitioned. Fills requests for items based on daily schedules of needs or on individual requisitions. Pulls consumable items and instrument sets according to OR preference cards in the OR. Consults with customers on items in short supply or out of stock, recommending possible substitutions. Sends requested items to wards and clinics via cart delivery systems. Periodically inventories stock. Maintains records on stock levels and recommends revisions in stock levels as the need for supplies changes. Inventory Management: Stores items in accordance with inventory system and storage guidelines. Assists with inventory of RME and sterile supplies. Assembles and loads operating room carts according to schedules and fills special and emergency requests for items. Inspects inventories and checks in sets, equipment, and trays from medical vendors Work Schedule: Variable Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 554-56362-A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required