Intermittent Health Technician

Full Job Description

This position is at the full performance level located in the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA), Veteran Health Administration (VHA), at the New Jersey VA Medical Center in Acute Care.

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

GS-06 grade level: Must have one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-5) in the Federal Service that has given me the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform successfully the duties of this position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled.

Specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: The incumbent performs ongoing patient care duties in an inpatient and/or outpatient clinical setting preparing a variety of technical (clinical) and administrative tasks in support of clinic operations, to include provide extensive ancillary/diagnostic support services to primary care providers such as the completion of vital signs including pain assessments, completion of clinical reminders, obtaining preliminary medical history, providing order entry for provider's signature, input of electronic progress notes at time of care, exit interview input, appointment scheduling, consultation/completion status input, arranges for hospital admission, reports tests results to clinician, provides educational instruction for patients/family.

GS-7 Specialized Experience: Must have one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-6) in the Federal Service that has given me the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform successfully the duties of this position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled.

Specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: The incumbent performs ongoing patient care duties in an inpatient and/or outpatient clinical setting preparing a variety of technical (clinical) and administrative tasks in support of clinic operations, to include ordering and maintaining supplies for unit, transporting specimens and reusable medical equipment to specified location, stocking supplies in exam rooms, maintaining various unit logs and other related clerical duties associated with patient care and treatment, providing ongoing monitoring of vital signs, performing testing for blood glucose monitoring, arranging and passing medical instruments and materials to medical/nursing professional for a variety of tests and procedures.

OR, Education: Must have successfully completed one (1) full year of graduate education (or 18 semester hours) directly related to the position with a major that included courses directly related to the work of this position.

Such graduate education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university.

NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level.

You must have an combination of specialized experience and graduate education as described above, which meet the total qualification requirements for this grade level.

NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-06 level.

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-06.

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.

There is no educational substitution for the GS-07 level.

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; religions; spiritual; 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. Major Duties:

Duties include but are not limited to: 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).The incumbent performs duties that focus on communication techniques required to complete the questioners and templates approved to be used in any outpatient clinical setting, including active listening, restating, and mirroring.

The incumbent 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.

The incumbent assists licensed staff with preparing patients for medical evaluation, setting up equipment, passing instruments and providing treatment during in-person or virtual visits.

Performs venipuncture according to written protocols to ensure proper collection, labeling, handling and delivery of blood specimens to the lab.

Uses aseptic technique to obtain blood cultures and performing EKGs. Observes and monitors 1:1 situation while maintaining a safe environment and observing universal precautions.

Cares for patients in isolation utilizing appropriate PPE. Transports patients to required destinations (including the morgue).

Administrative Responsibilities: The incumbent performs all medical clerical operations related to the practice, including, Registration, Encounter forms, ICB, RTC and Means Test.

Completes work orders; sets clinic up for next day; retrieves medical profiles and laboratory results as needed. The incumbent possess the scheduling option in VSE, CTM, and VISTA.

The incumbent uses the scheduling options to schedule outpatient clinic appointments or uses the scheduling option for an administrative function (close encounters; no-shows).

When scheduling clinic appointments, the incumbent uses established business rules to schedule appointments for veterans. This includes clinic visits and/or consultations and recall reminders.

Incumbent complies with the mandatory training requirements for the outpatient scheduling process.The incumbent complies with the business rules for monitoring and clean-up of delinquent recall reminder list.

The incumbent ensures accurate and timely entry of recall reminders and conducts timely outreach to veterans. If timely scheduling cannot be accomplished, the Supervisor is informed.

Other duties: Conducts or assists with the training of personnel in if appropriately trained, certified and/or qualified, for example: facility formal preceptors and Telehealth Presenter (TCT) instructors.

Can conduct or assist with stand-downs, community health programs, health-care screenings, and immunizations. May be a member of hospital-wide committees to enhance care for Veterans.

Work Schedule: To be determined. Position Description Title/PD#: Intermittent Health Technician/PD39018A Physical Requirements: The work involves extended periods of bending, standing and walking.

Generally, the work requires recurring physical exertion with assisting patients.

Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met.

Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level.