Qualifications

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
• Medical Instrument Technicians must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA policy
• Education
• There are no specific educational requirements for this occupation
• Grandfathering Provision
• May 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)
• Grade Determinations: GS-7 GI Technician (Full Performance Level) Experience
• At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities related to the duties of the position to be filled
• This would be experience which provided knowledge of proper performance of endoscopic equipment and procedures
• In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs)
• In addition to the 1 year specialized experience, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Knowledge of endoscopic equipment and use in basic and complex endoscopic procedures
• Knowledge of anatomy and physiology related to the GI system, with ability to recognize and report obvious abnormalities during procedures
• Ability to assist physician with specialized, complex procedures
• Knowledge of universal precautions and disinfection techniques and ability to follow SOP's to clean reusable medical equipment (RME)
• Ability to collaborate, communicate, and demonstrate customer service skills and interpersonal skills with all healthcare professionals to ensure quality and continuity of care
• Ability to use basic computer systems and programs to record patient and endoscopic data, adhering to patient privacy and information security policies
• Ability to deliver patient care, including vital sign measurements and medication administration Certification
• No certification is required
• however, it is desirable that employees at this level have Basic Life Support (BLS) certification
• Assignment
• This represents the full performance level
• Technicians at this level function with minimal instruction, assisting the staff with complex specialized procedures such as ERCP and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)
• They are proficient with GI endoscopic equipment and ensure proper performance of endoscopic equipment
• select alternate equipment or adjust equipment settings to accommodate patient needs and produce high quality technique
• They collect, process, and label all specimens
• train other technicians in basic endoscopic procedures
• work in and outside the GI unit offering technician support during emergent and on-call endoscopic cases
• and assist the nurse in patient care duties such as obtaining vital signs, dressing and documenting all pertinent information in the patient's records
• They inventory and maintain par levels of specialty equipment for the endoscopy unit
• Preferred Certifications: BLS certification
• Preferred Experience: 2 years current GI experience Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-7. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-7.