Medical Instrument Technician (EKG)

Full Job Description

This position in the ICU provides expert clinical and administrative support in a wide variety of patient care and related activities in the assigned unit at the Martinsburg VA Medical Center.

The purpose of this position is to be a productive team member carrying out and ensuring quality and timely delivery of care.

Must possess personal qualities, desire and attitude necessary to adapt to rapidly changing demands on time and workload and have skills to perform specific tasks/tests/procedures.

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 chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part.

Education: There are no specific educational requirements for this occupation. Education may be substituted for experience only at the GS-4 and GS-5 levels.

See the grade requirements part of this standard for information regarding educational substitutions.

Licensure or Certification: Licensure or certification is not required for this occupation; however, it is strongly desirable at the GS-6 or above as evidence of possession of the essential knowledge, skills, and abilities.

For all specialties identified in this standard, Basic and Advanced Cardiac Life Support certifications are desirable.

Training which does not result in official certification does not meet this definition.

Grade Determinations: GS-7 Medical Instrument Technician (EKG) Experience: At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level (GS-6) which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the positions to be filled.

This would be experience which provided knowledge of the equipment, standard tests and procedures, and typical reading including arrhythmias and abnormalities.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities.

In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Knowledge of typical patient reactions and signs of distress including the ability to recognize, report and treat potentially lethal arrhythmias.

Knowledge of common equipment settings and standardized procedures plus knowledge of common errors and corrective measures.

Ability to modify procedures/positions to obtain the correct results with patients with complicating conditions such as amputations, Parkinson's disease, structural defects, and scar tissue.

Ability to act as a mentor or preceptor to lower graded technicians. Ability to conduct in-service training on the EKG equipment and related instrumentation.

Certification: No certification is required; however, it is desirable that employees at this level have BCLS (Basic Cardiac Life Support) and ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support) certifications.

Assignment: This represents the full performance level.

Medical Instrument Technicians (EKG) at this level operate and monitor electrocardiographic equipment to perform specialized examinations and studies involving exercise stress testing, ambulatory monitoring of arrhythmias, and indirect carotid pulse tracings on chronic patients.

They monitor tracings to identify arrhythmias and when gross abnormalities appear, when to repeat certain procedures, when to stop test procedures, and when to get the immediate attention of a physician.

They evaluate test results to determine appropriate machine adjustments and use alternative techniques and procedures when established procedures do not accomplish acceptable results.

This includes adapting equipment and accessories to yield the best results during the examination.

They edit and select an appropriate sample portion of the tracing for further interpretation by the physician.

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.

Physical Requirements: This position requires visual acuity, keen hearing, clear distinctive speech, and manual dexterity.

This position requires potentially long periods of continued walking, standing, stooping, sitting, bending, pulling, and pushing.

The incumbent may be exposed to patients who are combative delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders.

The incumbent must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, able to shift priorities based on patient needs. Major Duties:

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Major Duties: Obtains and documents patients' vital signs (blood pressure, pulse, temperature, respiration, weight, oxygen saturation and postural vital signs).

Able to set-up and use electronic thermometers, vital sign measurement equipment, and pulse oximetry. Recognized and reports abnormal values to RN.

Initiates cardiac monitoring correctly and can admit/discharge patients from monitoring system and print rhythms strips as requested. Prepares patient for and obtains 12-lead ECGs.

Prepares patient for exam. Provides privacy and emotional support. Recognized abnormalities in the ECG strip, e.g.

premature ventricular contractions, tachycardia, bradycardia, ventricular fibrillation, etc., takes appropriate action, and notifies the RN or physician immediately.

Able to retrieve and print patient ECGs from EHR and ECG database via modem. Performs venipuncture to obtain serum blood samples as ordered according to policy and procedures.

Able to insert IVS into peripheral arm veins, obtain blood for laboratory tests and concert to saline lock according to policy and procedures.

Able to discontinue IVs and saline locks with appropriate competency and training. Able to hang IV NS solution only; may discontinue infusions.

Collects, labels and sends laboratory specimens as ordered according to policy and procedure.

Performs finger stick blood glucose testing and documents and reports results according to policy and procedure. Takes appropriate action for critical values.

Performs Foley catheter insertions and irrigations according to policy and procedure, able to discontinue catheters as ordered. Documents and reports result appropriately.

Performs and documents visual acuity if competent and applicable to unit. Moves, lifts, transfers and transports patients as necessary using proper equipment and correct transfer techniques.

Assists patients to ambulate and transfer safely. Observes changes in patient condition and reports signs and symptoms in such cases to the professional nurse.

Recognizes emergency situations and responds to them appropriately.

Performs all other duties as assigned Work Schedule: Night Shift with rotating weekends/holidays Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases.

When 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 experience.

Parental 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 child.

Child 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 $416.66.

Retirement: 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 position.

Functional Statement #: GS-7 Medical Instrument Technician (EKG) 26003F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized