This position is located in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Mid-Atlantic Health Care Network, Durham VA Health Care System (DVAHCS), Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Service in Durham, NC.
This position includes a Selective Placement Factor (skill, knowledge, ability or other worker characteristic basic to - and essential for - satisfactory performance of the job). Selective Placement Factors are a prerequisite to appointment and represent minimum requirements for a position. Applicants who do not meet it are ineligible for further consideration. The Selective Placement Factor for this position is: Experience performing phlebotomy/blood draws on human patients. (This experience must be documented in your resume.) ~AND~ ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY: 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 meet the requirements of this position. In addition to the requirements listed above, the following is also required: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: You must possess at least one year of specialized experience that equipped you with the knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of this position, and that is typically in or related to the work of this Medical Technician position. To be creditable, this experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-4 grade level in the Federal Service. Specialized experience includes: (a) Technical medical laboratory support work such as performing laboratory tests and examinations (chemical, microbiologic, hematologic, and blood banking) and preparing reports of findings or (b) technical support work in a closely related field, e.g., biological laboratory technician work, that required application of the methods and techniques for the position to be filled. (THIS EXPERIENCE MUST BE SUPPORTED BY YOUR RESUME TO BE CREDITABLE.) ~OR~ SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION FOR EXPERIENCE: You must have successfully completed 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. 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. Education cannot be credited without documentation. (COPY OF TRANSCRIPTS ARE REQUIRED AT TIME OF APPLICATION.) ~OR~ COMBINATION OF EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION: You must possess equivalent combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience, as described above, to meet total qualification requirements at the GS-5 level. Transcripts must be submitted with application. Education cannot be credited without documentation. (THIS EXPERIENCE MUST BE SUPPORTED BY YOUR RESUME TO BE CREDITABLE AND COPY OF TRANSCRIPTS ARE REQUIRED AT TIME OF APPLICATION.) You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position: Computer Skills Customer Service (Clerical/Technical) Patient Care Quality Assurance Specimen Collection IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. 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. 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; religious; 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. Physical Requirements: The work requires prolonged periods of walking, standing, bending and lifting up to 50 pounds and carrying of items, to lean over patients and equipment and to work while wearing PPE. In other situations, in the laboratory, there may be special requirements for agility or dexterity, such as exceptional hand/eye coordination or color differentiation. Finger dexterity and hand eye coordination required to find hard to locate veins and to handle needles and tubes while maintaining adequate blood flow for collection. 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/.
***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION*** Major duties: Follows procedures for patient identification, sample procurement, and specimen labeling. Performs routine venipuncture specimen collections from patients. Follows laboratory procedures for collecting specimens in the appropriate container. Controls the physical condition of samples and responds to time factors to ensure that the physiologic state of the specimen is maintained. Provides education to patients for proper collection techniques. Prepares samples for testing to include labeling, centrifugation, decanting and aliquoting, etc. Maintains adequate supplies for all phlebotomy and specimen procurement procedures. Answers incoming calls for the laboratory service - finding and relaying accurate information or referring the caller to technical personnel. Performs standard diagnostic tests/procedures such as bleeding time, occult blood, urine dipstick, pregnancy test, fingerstick glucose. Performs sterilization on the autoclave and cleans glassware and other reusable items. Identifies and appropriately responds to adverse reactions such as fainting, nausea, vomiting, convulsions, and arrests. Maintains and controls laboratory records with accurate documentation of orders, times collected, and initials of collector. Perform other related duties as assigned. 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. NOTE: Employee will be required to obtain and maintain a current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm rotating weekends and holidays Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved