Medical Laboratory Technician - Phlebotomist

Full Job Description

OUR MISSION: To fulfill President Lincoln's promise "To care for those who have served in our nation's military and for their families, caregivers, and survivors" - by serving and honoring the men and women who are America's Veterans.

How would you like to become a part of a team providing compassionate whole health care to Veterans?

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: Candidates must meet the applicable educational requirements for certification.

Certification: Candidates must currently possess one of the appropriate certifications as Phlebotomist or MLT granted by the following organizations.

American Society of Clinical Pathology (ASCP) - ASCP, Board of Certification. OR ASCP, Board of Registry. American Medical Technologists. American Association of Bioanalysts.

Exception: Non-certified applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for certification may receive a temporary appointment up to the full performance level not to exceed two years as a graduate MLT under the authority of 38 U.S.C.

§ 7405(c)(2) without the option to extend. For grade levels above full performance level, the candidate must be certified in accordance with paragraph above.

Grandfathering Provision: All individuals employed in VHA in this occupational series or in another occupational series performing the duties described in this qualification standard on the effective date of the qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held, including positive education and licensure/trademark/registration/certification.

For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements of this standard but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: Employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and include the full performance (journey) level, or changed to a lower grade within the occupation but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.

Employees in an occupation requiring a licensure/certification/registration only at higher grade levels must meet the licensure/certification/registration requirement before being promoted to those higher grade levels.

Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of this 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 this standard.

Employees who are converted to title 38 hybrid status 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 re-entry to the occupation.

Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meets all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credential as a condition of employment English Language Proficiency: MLT candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C.

§ 7403(f).

Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for Medical Laboratory Technician, the following criteria are used to determine the appropriate grade assignment of candidates: Medical Laboratory Technician, GS-06: Experience: In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the GS-05 grade level.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all the following KSAs: Knowledge of MLT principles, practices, concepts and theories for sound independent work.

Knowledge of laboratory quality control and quality assurance procedures to manage reagents and supply inventories using document control systems.

Ability to maintain, troubleshoot and repair instrumentation. Ability to work as a team member in a laboratory setting to effectively complete assignments.

Ability to use technical judgment to interpret laboratory results. Ability to apply complex written laboratory instructions.

Ability to consult with other members of the health care team, patients and external customers.

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-6.

The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-6.

Physical Requirements: Must be able to perform moderate lifting up to 20 lbs., straight pulling, pushing, reaching above the shoulder, use of fingers and both hands, walking, standing for up to 4 hours, kneeling, repeated bending, use of both arms and legs.

Specific visual requirements include use of both eyes, depth perception, ability to distinguish colors and shades of colors, hearing (aids permitted), clear, high cognitive function and emotional stability; ability to read ordinary type without strain.

Major Duties:

This position is in the Core Laboratory and Phlebotomy Sections of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Program, reporting to the Supervisory Medical Technician.

Description of assigned duties: The Medical Laboratory Technician major areas of responsibility are: Accession and receipt of laboratory specimens into the laboratory information computer system; collect blood by venipuncture; ascertain correct specimen labeling, processing and distribution; answers questions relative to patient specimen; instructs and assists patients; specimen processing and performance of point of care testing such as urine drug testing, and fingerstick glucose testing; loading specimens on the analyzers; clerical functions such as answering the phone or calling lab test results to providers; entering results received from reference laboratories, additional duties as assigned.

The technician also has the responsibility of handling patient/provider referral of incoming calls, customer service to veterans, visitors, and staff and laboratory specimen referral support.

The medical laboratory technician performs technical and non-technical duties in accordance with the VA/CAP/TJC/FDA/AABB regulatory agencies. The Corporal Michael J.

Crescenz VA Medical Center (CMCVAMC) is a tertiary healthcare system that provides acute, intermediate, and long-term care 24 hours a day, seven

days a week and on holidays. The medical laboratory technician is required to work regular and irregular hours of duty on a regular recurrent basis. The work requires five

days/week, eight

hours/day and includes rotating weekends and holidays.

Scope of practice: The medical laboratory technician accessions samples and receives requests for testing into the laboratory computer information system by automated and manual methods.

The medical laboratory technician places orders into the laboratory information system for samples which arrive on manual requisitions ensuring the correct test is ordered.

The medical laboratory technician ensures that samples are collected correctly in the correct tubes with the correct anticoagulants, labeled correctly, at the correct temperature, and specimen integrity is maintained.

The medical laboratory technician processes samples prior to testing by centrifuging, aliquoting, storing samples properly, separates and delivers samples to the correct section for testing.

The medical laboratory technician recognizes the specimen priority and alerts the testing section upon delivery.

The medical laboratory technician instructs and provides guidance to patients, families, and other healthcare workers on how to collect and store specimens for multiple tests including but not limited to random urine tests, 24-hour urine tests, stool tests, respiratory tests, and cultures.

The medical laboratory technician receives these samples and ensures they are collected properly according to the instructions provided.

The medical laboratory technician receives all specimens that are sent to commercial reference laboratories for testing.

The medical laboratory technician must be knowledgeable about the specimen requirements for each reference lab and the test ordering procedures for each of the reference laboratories.

He/she verifies patient preparation, specimen collection and specimen transport requirements are met prior to sending samples to the reference lab.

The medical laboratory technician identifies unusual conditions and discrepancies which may affect lab testing and cause erroneous results.

He/she makes sound decisions independently and takes appropriate action to correct and solve problems pertaining to reference lab tests.

The medical laboratory technician investigates unusual tests requests by contacting the reference laboratory or reviewing the online test directory prior to collection and provides guidance to the patient or healthcare workers prior to the collection of an unusual sample.

He/she processes, packages, and stores the samples until they are transported to the reference laboratory.

The medical laboratory technician must be knowledgeable to package samples, so they meet the federal guidelines for shipping of diagnostic specimens and biohazardous material.

On occasion the medical laboratory technician must weigh or measure a sample that is sent for testing. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 6:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., rotating every 3rd weekend.

Will also be required to work 2 major and one minor holidays. Compressed/Flexible: Not available Telework: Not available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position.