Intermediate Care Technician

Full Job Description

The full performance, Intermediate Care Technician (ICT) Generalist is assigned to the Department of Veteran Affairs, Veterans Health Administration (VHA).

This position serves as an Advance Technician for outpatient care settings such as; Primary Care, Mental Health, and Specialty Clinics.

As an ICT Generalist the incumbent may serve in a Medical Center, Community-Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC), mobile medical unit or may have virtual/remote assignments.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 04/15/2026.

Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

For a GS 07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS 05. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service.

An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials.

If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement.

In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade.

Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR): The Health Aid and Technician Series, 0640, has a minimum qualification entry requirement.

Specialized Experience (for positions at GS-4 and above): Positions in this series range widely in type and include support duties to medical or health personnel such as audiologists, speech pathologists, medical officers, and optometrists.

Therefore, technician experience is experience that required application of the knowledge, methods, and techniques of the position to be filled.

Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS 06 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.

Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Practical knowledge of the major body systems, i.e., skeletal, muscular, nervous, respiratory, circulatory, digestive and genitourinary, to perform patient examination and to provide prompt and efficient patient care and appropriate patient handling.

Working knowledge of topographic anatomy, e.g., right/left, surface, proximal/distal, superior, inferior, to accurately transmit location information about the body.

Working knowledge of diagnostic signs, e.g., pulse, respiration, blood pressure, temperature, skin color, pupils of the eyes, state of consciousness, ability to move on command, reaction to pain, etc., to perform patient evaluation, to provide patient care, and to ensure appropriate patient handling.

Knowledge of medications (their uses, doses, side effects, adverse effects and toxicity signs) sufficient to properly administer drugs even when directed to do so by the licensed staff.

Knowledge of proper dosages required in keeping with method of administration.

Skill in communication techniques and the operation of communications equipment to be able to accurately obtain and relay information to and from health care providers.

Possesses a broad knowledge of equipment and supplies to adequately anticipate the demands of providers in multiple sub-specialties.

Demonstrates knowledge of isolation techniques and universal precautions. Knowledge of major psychiatric conditions, depressive, anxiety, bipolar and substance use disorders, and schizophrenia.

Knowledge of the components of suicide risk assessment, warning signs, environmental safety and referral. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience.

To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have One full year of graduate education (18 semester hours) meets the requirements for GS-7 only in those instances where it is directly related to the work of the position.

(Transcripts Required). OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level.

You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond undergraduate.

To calculate, first identify the percentage of required education you have earned (when substituting, you cannot use the first 60 semester hours that you earned).

Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify at the GS-07.

For example, an applicant who has 9 semester hours of graduate level education (i.e. 50% of graduate education required) and 6 months of creditable specialized experience (i.e.

50% of the required experience) would equal 100% of the required experience for the position A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

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; 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.

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/.

Major Duties:

Main duties include, but are not restricted to: Patient Screening: Duties include performing observation-based screening and collecting patient information in collaboration with licensed personnel.

This may involve completing clinical reminders, obtaining patient health history, chief complaints, medication history, and identification of health-related conditions that may impact the patient's health status.

The incumbent will complete approved templates and tools, such as the outpatient intake form, normal result notes, and follow up treatment protocols established by the agency.

Mental Health Services: The incumbent assists in behavioral/psychiatric situations in an outpatient setting.

This can include assisting licensed personnel with crisis intervention, management of aggressive or suicidal psychiatric patients, by providing one-to-one observations and applying prevention and management of disruptive behavior techniques (PMDB).

Performs duties focused on communication techniques required to complete the questioners and templates approved for use in any outpatient clinical setting, including active listening, restating, and mirroring.

Will maintain a safe and therapeutic environment for the patient while promoting a sense of worth and dignity under the supervision of the licensed personnel.

Clinical Tasks: The incumbent assists outpatient licensed staff with the delivery of care to patients with complex, specialized, and potentially life-threatening situations; assists licensed staff with preparing patients for medical evaluation, setting up equipment, passing instruments and providing treatment during in person or virtual visits; operates specialized medical equipment to obtain diagnostic and therapeutic outcomes.

Must possess the knowledge to recognize life threatening situations and act to correct these emergent situations according to established national or local protocols.

Initiates cardiopulmonary resuscitation (BLS) and use of automatic external defibrillator (AED) once certified and where appropriate according to American Heart Association (AHA) protocols and policies.

Observes patient status and keeps licensed personnel informed of any change in condition. Clinical responsibilities include but are not limited to: Vital signs.

Examples: vital signs, 12-lead electrocardiogram (EKG). Point-of-care (POC). Examples: Abbott hand-held blood analyzer (I-STAT), glucometer. Equipment and surgical instrumentation set up .

Examples: skin biopsies (excisional, shave, punch). Treatments and interventions. Examples: Cryotherapy, incision and drainage, ambulation, and Foley coude' catheter insertion. Wound care.

Examples: bandaging, application of dressings and wound measurements. Specimen collection and Preparation. Examples: collecting and labeling venous blood samples and mucous specimens.

Assisting with patient exams and screening. Examples: gynecology exams. Mental health care.

Examples: Crisis intervention, performs behavioral/mental health screens, conducts interviews, and observes behavioral patients.

Preparation of lab specimens and transfer to the lab for processing: Examples: Labeling, placing in the proper bin or tube system.

Assisting with patient exams and screening, utilizing technology such as telehealth peripherals. Examples: primary care physical exams (heart, eye, ear, nose, throat (EENT); gait exams, and skin exams.

Patient education within scope of care or while providing an intervention. Examples: post-procedural care, splint care and wound care. Follow-up care: Examples: Suture removal.

Electronic Health Record (EHR): Thoroughly and appropriately documents actions, interventions and procedures in the medical record.

Examples: Procedural notes, progress notes, screenings, photo-documentation and secure messaging.

ICTs may perform tasks after proper education, training and competency, demonstrating knowledge, skills and abilities.

Thoroughly and continually documents actions, interventions and patient response in the health record. Preferred Experience Two years of Outpatient Experience.

Work Schedule: Tour of Duty varies depending upon area 7:30 am to 4:00 pm and 8:00 am to 4:30 pm Virtual: This is NOT a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Intermediate Care Technician/PD99968S Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Physical Requirements: On a regular and recurring basis, employee is exposed to infection, exposure to communicable diseases and contagious diseases.

The incumbent's assignment requires him/her to comply with special safety and health precautions by wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) according to universal precautions.