Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing)

SummaryThe Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing) receives and completes reprocessing of contaminated critical and semi-critical Reusable Medical Equipment (RME) in the decontamination area and performs quality assurance tasks for SPS.QualificationsBasic Requirements:Citizenship - You must be a citizen of the United States 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 workOR 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 positionOR Experience/Education Combination - Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptableGrandfathering ProvisionMay qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria)GS-03 Medical Supply Technician - Experience/Education Requirement: None beyond the basic requirementsGS-04 Medical Supply Technician - Experience/Education Requirement: To qualify for the GS-04 you must meet one of the following experience or education requirements: Experience: Six months experience as a MST - operating room or surgical technician or other position that demonstrated knowledge of sterile processing in a clinical settingOR Education: Two years of education above high school that included at least 12 semester hours in courses related to the occupationNOTE: Successful completion of a course for medical technicians - hospital corpsmen - medical service specialists - or nursing assistants obtained in a training program given by the Armed Forces - the USMaritime Service - or hospitals under close medical and professional supervision - may be substituted on a month-for-month basis for up to 6 months of experienceDemonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience or education above - the candidate must demonstrate the KSAs below: Knowledge of universal precautions for safety and prevention of cross contaminationBasic knowledge of medical terminology to assemble specialty operating room/clinic instrument setsBasic knowledge of sterilization and cleaning equipmentAbility to communicate both orally and in writingGS-05 Medical Supply Technician - Experience/Education Requirement: To qualify for the GS-05 you must meet one of the following experience or education requirements: Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-04)Examples of specialized experience include but are not limited to: Performing segments of work pertaining to the decontamination - sterilization and inspection of reusable medical equipment (RME)completing segments of work pertaining to the assembly of basic sets and trays for use in the medical centeroperating equipment involved in sterilization processespreparing operating room case cartsOR Education: Four academic years above high school leading to a Bachelor's degree with at least 12 semester hours in courses related to the occupation or a Bachelor's degreeDemonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience or education above - the candidate must demonstrate the KSAs below: Basic knowledge of surgical instruments used in operating rooms and clinic settingsBasic knowledge of event-related packaging in regards to sterilityKnowledge of sterilization and cleaning equipmentGS-06 Medical Supply Technician (Full Performance Level) - Experience Requirement: To qualify for the GS-06 you must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-05)Examples of specialized experience include but are not limited to: Removing soil - blood - tissue fragments - body fluids - and other containments by wiping - soaking - rinsing - and scrubbingInspecting packages for indications of proper sterilization - assembling basic sets and trays used throughout a medical facility including those used in the operating roompreparing - loading - and operating sterilizers such as steam - Sterrad - Steris - ETO - and a high level disinfecting scope reprocessorprepares operating room case carts daily using surgery scheduleDemonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience above - you must demonstrate the following KSAs: Knowledge of surgical instruments used in operating rooms and clinic settingsKnowledge of universal precautions for safety and prevention of cross contaminationWorking knowledge of medical terminology - anatomy and physiology - microbiology - medical conditions and proceduresKnowledge of sterility principles in regard to instrumentationAbility to read and interpret written instructions and proceduresPreferred Experience: Preferred experience will be determined by the service for the location in which you apply and will be discussed at the interviewReference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-06The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-03 to GS-06Physical Requirements: This work is performed in various settings: decontamination - preparation - clean sterile supply (preparation) and in other services and departments throughout the medical facility/campusMay be required to work in areas that are hot - cold - drafty and poorly lightedThe employee is subject to the possibility of falls - scrapes - cuts - bruises - and other injuries from material handling equipmentThe work requires standing and walking during the entire workday and frequent bending and lifting of packages (occasionally weighing as much as 50 pounds)The work requires dexterity and visual acuity for manipulating - disassembly and assembly of instrumentationEnvironmental Factors: Outside and inside - excessive heat - excessive humidity - excessive dampness or chilling - excessive noise (intermittent) - dust - fumes - smoke or gases - grease and oils - electrical energy - slippery or uneven walking surfaces - working around machinery with moving parts - working around moving objects or vehicles - vibration - working with hands in water - working closely with others - working alone - working with sharp objects - working with odors.DutiesTotal Rewards of a Allied Health Professional The primary purpose of this position is to perform a range of duties required to decontaminate - clean - prepare - store - and distribute medical supplies and equipment used in all areas of the hospitalDuties of the Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing) may include but are not limited to: Inventories - replenishes shortages from sterile supply - inspects for sterility integrity for instrument sets and expendable itemsAdheres to facility regulations regarding application and removal of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)Rotates - restocks outdated supplies - and maintains stock levels of surgical supplies and equipment for wards - clinics - and the operating roomInitiates requests for items based on the daily schedule of needs or individual requisitionsPrepares individual surgical case carts with required instruments and surgical supplies for each scheduled and emergency operative procedureTrains new and/or lower graded employees at the request of supervisionReceives a full range of reusable medical supplies - instruments and equipment from hospital wards - clinics - and operating roomsDecontaminates reusable items by determining the appropriate method for removing gross contamination by means of manual cleaning proceduresDisassembles - decontaminates - and reassembles items as requiredOperates automated reprocessing equipment such as the ultrasonic cleaner and washer/disinfectors in accordance with the device Instructions for Use (IFU)Conducts High-Level Disinfection (HLD) procedures by means of manual and automated processes while following the device(s) IFU'sExamines items and instruments for damage - deterioration - or imperfectionMaintains accurate written records of quality and preventative maintenance of such equipmentFollows all device specific Instructions for Use (IFU) and set forth Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) when conducting assembly and sterilization proceduresAssembles a wide variety of instrument trays and sets used for medical procedures including the operating roomChecks for damaged or missing items and arranges for replacements - maintenance - or repair as neededProcesses - assembles - and performs all phases of sterilization for intricate surgical trays and microsurgery instruments for the operating room (trays contain large numbers of unique - non-interchangeable - specialized surgical instruments of similar appearance - with minor variations in size - conformation - and nomenclature - but with major variation in application)Researches and applies the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) - Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and Federal Drug Administration (FDA) standards as they pertain to sterile processing and the distribution of medical suppliesThis announcement is being used to fill a variety of positions across 8 Veterans Affairs Medical facilities located in Alexandria - LA - Biloxi - MS - Fayetteville - AR - Houston - TX - Jackson - MS - Little Rock - AR New Orleans - LA - and Shreveport - LAApplicants may select the location(s) they wish to be considered in the applicationExact duties and expectations will be discussed during the interview processWork Schedule: Work schedules may vary based on the location requestedTour of duty is subject to change based on the needs of the facilityRecruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increasesWhen setting pay - a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade)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)Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual - based on prior work experience or military service experienceParental 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 childChild 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 $416.66Retirement: 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 positionFunctional Statement #: Number will vary based on the location selected Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized