Medical Instrument Technician (Ekg)

This is an open continuous announcement until March 19, 2023. Qualified applicants will be considered and referred as vacancies become available. An EKG Technician works under the supervision of a cardiologist or designee to perform cardiac diagnostic testing and collect medical data for use by medical providers.Qualifications: 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:Medical Instrument Technicians must be proficient in spoken & written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part
Grade Determinations:
GS-4:
Experience: At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, & other characteristics related to the duties of the position to be filled. Six months of this experience may have been in medically related fields (ie. nursing assistant, practical nursing). The remaining six months must have been in operating diagnostic & therapeutic equipment covered by this occupation. Experience gained in the operation of equipment for animal diagnosis or treatment may be credited at this level.
OR
Education: Successful completion of 2 years of education above high school or an associate's degree with a major field of study directly related to the Medical Instrument Technician occupation
AND
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities (KSA's): In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSA's:

• Knowledge of basic medical terminology
• Ability to learn the components, operating characteristics, & settings of the equipment to be used
• Ability to learn typical patient reactions to the basic procedures involved & ability to recognize signs of distress
• Ability to learn the standard positions for the procedure being conducted
• Ability to communicate orally & in writing

GS-5:
Experience: At least 1 year of experience comparable to the GS-4 which demonstrates the KSA's & other characteristics related to the duties of the position to be filled. This would be experience in operating equipment related to the particular specialization for which application is made or in related functional areas. Experience gained in the operation of equipment for animal diagnosis or treatment may be credited through this grade level.
OR
Education: Successful completion of 4 academic years above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with courses related to the occupation, or a bachelor's degree in a major field of study appropriate to Medical Instrument Technician functions
AND
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities (KSA's): In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSA's:

• Knowledge of standard medical terminology to interpret physician orders or instructions
• Knowledge of common physical disabilities & ability to position patients for the examination or treatment
• Ability to learn the normal & abnormal results for routine procedures to recognize & report obvious abnormalities
• Ability to operate the equipment to administer routine/standard diagnostic treatment or procedures
• Ability to perform standard operator maintenance on the equipment including the ability to disassemble, clean, reassemble, & calibrate the machine

GS-6:
Experience: At least 1 year of experience comparable to the GS-5 which demonstrates the KSA's & other characteristics related to the duties of the positions to be filled. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

• Ability to recognize special patient needs such as disabilities, impaired mobility, & complicating medical conditions in order to prepare & position the patient for the prescribed procedure
• Knowledge of the specialized equipment & accessories appropriate to Holter monitoring & ability to perform such tests
• Knowledge of universal precautions & sterilization techniques & ability to follow CDC guidelines in cleaning equipment
• Ability to monitor the patient for adverse reactions & take appropriate action
• Ability to operate the equipment to perform standard & routine highly specialized procedures including exercise stress testing

Certification: No certification is required; however, it is desirable that employees at this level have BCLS (Basic Cardiac Life Support) certification.
GS-7:
Experience: At least 1 year of experience comparable to the GS-6 level which demonstrates the KSA's & other characteristics related to the duties of the positions to be filled. This would be experience which provided knowledge of the equipment, standard tests & procedures, & typical readings including arrhythmias & abnormalities. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

• Knowledge of typical patient reactions & signs of distress including the ability to recognize, report & treat potentially lethal arrhythmias
• Knowledge of common equipment settings & standardized procedures plus knowledge of common errors & corrective measures
• Ability to modify procedures/positions to obtain the correct results with patients with complicating conditions such as amputations, Parkinson's disease, structural defects, & scar tissue
• Ability to act as a mentor or preceptor to lower graded technicians
• Ability to conduct in-service training on the EKG equipment & related instrumentation

Certification: No certification is required; however, it is desirable that employees at this level have BCLS (Basic Cardiac Life Support) & ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support) certifications
References: VA Handbook 5005/15, Part II, Appendix G27
Preferred Experience: Previous work experience in a full functioning cardiology clinic
The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-7.
Physical Requirements: The position involves considerable standing, walking, stooping, bending, reaching, lifting, & turning. Requires restraining confused patients, repositioning patients, assisting with transferring patients to wheelchairs/stretchers/cars, & transporting them to other departments or facilities. Mechanical devices available & are required to be used for heavy or difficult to lift patients. Work may involve pushing or lifting weight more than 50 pounds & going up & down stairs. May be exposed to infected patients & contaminated materials & may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations or operative/invasive procedures. Requires visual acuity, good hearing, distinctive speech, & manual dexterity. Requires the nurse to work for periods of time with arms above shoulder level with neck in a fully flexed or extended position & the ability to physically control or protect his/herself from physically abusive patients.Education: IMPORTANT: 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: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. 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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.Employment Type: FULL_TIME