Cytotechnologist

Full Job Description

This position is in the Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service (P&LMS) within the Minneapolis VA Healthcare System.

The cytotechnologist issues and verifies the final diagnosis for negative gynecologic specimens.

The cytotechnologist prioritizes, prepares, and processes all specimens for cytodiagnostic and immunohistochemical testing in compliance with the guidelines of regulatory agencies.

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.

Education: Individuals must have successfully completed a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college/university and successfully completed a Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs accredited cytotechnology program.

Foreign Education. To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S.

must have been submitted to a private organization approved by the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S.

programs. Certification. Candidates must currently possess the Cytotechnologist (CT) (ASCP) or Specialist in Cytotechnology (SCT) (ASCP) certification given by the ASCP Board of Certification.

Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service. English Language Proficiency. Cytotechnologists must be proficient in spoken and written English.

See 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

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).

Grandfathering Provision: For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements of this standard, but met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to the position, the following provisions apply: Cytotechnologists that do not meet the basic requirements for education and certification may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance level, or demoted within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the full performance level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.

Cytotechnologists appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended, or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.

Cytotechnologists initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain education and/or certification that meets all the basic requirements of this qualification standard, must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.

Cytotechnologists who were retained in this occupation, under this provision, and subsequently leave the occupation, lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.

Grade Determinations: Cytotechnologist, GS-11 Experience.

The candidate must have one year of creditable experience equivalent to the journey level (GS-9) that is directly related to the position to be filled which includes but not limited to: Ability to review clinical data of patients, relate data to microscopic findings, and evaluate all cytology preparations by light microscopy for the presence or absence of cellular patterns, presence of micro-organisms, inflammatory reactions, endocrinopathies, benign changes, pre-malignant changes, neoplasia, and cellular responses to therapeutic agents.

Ability to make a preliminary cytodiagnosis to issue and verify the final diagnosis for gynecologic specimens interpreted to be negative.

Knowledge of processes and procedures to prepare all specimens for cytodiagnostic and immunochemistry testing, as well as filtration methods, preparation, fixation, and staining of slides.

Ability to instruct others on the proper collection methods and transportation of specimens, and to determine acceptability of patient samples for processing.

Knowledge of the standards of regulatory agencies, such as those of Joint Commission (JC), College of American Pathologists (CAP), Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment (CLIA), and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), to ensure compliance with requirements and guidelines.

Ability to perform routine maintenance of laboratory equipment according to standard operating procedures. Skill in prioritizing workflow/specimen triage.

AND Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities.

In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Ability to independently determine specimen adequacy using complex specialized testing methods or techniques during Endoscopic Ultrasound, Endobronchial Ultrasound, and other Fine Needle Aspiration procedures.

Knowledge of pre-analytical, analytical, and post-analytical processes to establish and monitor the overall laboratory quality management and quality control program, and initiate corrective action as needed.

Skill in collecting, compiling, and analyzing data for quality assurance, statistics, trends and reports, and implementing quality improvement initiatives.

Skill in researching, testing, validating, and implementing new procedures and equipment.

Preferred Experience: Certification: Cytotechnologist (CT) (ASCP) or Specialist in Cytotechnology (SCT) (ASCP) Experience in a cytology laboratory preferred.

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-11.

Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position.

Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination. Major Duties:

Major duties include, but are not limited to: Independently reviews clinical data of patients and evaluates all cytology preparations by light microscopy for the presence or absence of cellular patterns, presence of micro-organisms, inflammatory reactions, endocrinopathies, benign changes, pre-malignant changes, neoplasia, and cellular responses to therapeutic agents.

Instructs others on the proper collection methods and transportation of specimens and determines acceptability of patient samples for processing.

Performs routine maintenance of equipment using standard operating procedures.

Performs and monitors processes such as smear preparation, slide fixation, cell block preparation, monolayer filtration processing, and staining.

If a discrepancy is identified with these processes, the cytotechnologist will troubleshoot and take corrective action.

Performs a full range of specialized tasks, including collecting, compiling, and analyzing data according to the laboratory quality management program.

Research, test, validate, and implement new procedures and equipment. Establishes procedure manuals and forms necessary to meet departmental and regulatory needs.

Research tests, validate, and implement new procedures and equipment.

Monitors abnormal test results, notifies the physician when necessary, and completes documentation in accordance with CAP requirements.

Maintains a laboratory quality control program and ensures monitoring of components and customer feedback. Monitors quality control systems and performance indicators.

The cytotechnologists inter-acts with management officials and vendors, providing interlaboratory quality assurance and laboratory proficiency testing.

Responsible for laboratory's continuous for readiness for regulating agency inspections and accreditation from agencies such as Joint Commission and CAP.

Work Schedule: Intermittent; daytime hours, Intermittent employment is defined as non-fulltime employment in which employees serve under an appointment without a regularly scheduled tour of duty.

A position with an intermittent work schedule is sporadic and unpredictable so that a tour of duty cannot be regularly scheduled in advance.

Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized