Description:
The Advanced Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing) is located at the Sterile Processing Service, VA Dublin Healthcare System, Dublin, GA works in support of the Sterile Processing Service (SPS) management team. The Incumbent provides sterilization, preparation, supply items and decontamination support for the medical center.Requirements:
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.
- English Language Proficiency: MSTs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j, this part.
- Experience and/or Education:
- Experience. Six months of experience that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work or provides an understanding of the work; OR
- Education. One year above high school that included at least 6 semester hours in health care related courses such as sterile processing, nursing assistant, hospital corpsman, and operating room and surgical technician courses or other courses related to the position; OR
- Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable.
- Certification . None.
Grade Determinations GS-7 (Advanced Level):
Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: :In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs
1. Detailed knowledge of complex surgical instruments used in operating rooms and clinic settings.
2, Ability to assemble specialty operating room and clinic instrument sets.
3. In-depth knowledge of sterilization and cleaning equipment.
4. Ability to communicate both orally and in writing in order to convey information and thoughts to others.
Assignment: The Advanced MST assembles highly complex instrument sets including, but not limited to, open heart, major orthopedic total joint, cardiovascular, craniotomy and complex endoscopic instrumentation. Processes all complex endoscopic instrumentation to include those medical devices used in the gastroenterology laboratory, bronchoscopy laboratory, urology and operating room. Reviews manufacturer guidelines to ensure the correct methods and parameters are followed when cleaning, decontaminating and sterilizing RME. Troubleshoots and analyzes mechanical failures and makes necessary adjustments to complex decontamination and sterilization equipment, as well as interprets alarm conditions which may occur while operating the equipment. Informs management and healthcare staff when cleaning and processing standard operating procedures (SOPs) or instruction for use have been changed or updated to assure the changes have been validated to meet all guidelines.
Preferred Experience: Prefer nationally recognized certification including Healthcare Sterile Processing Association Certification and Certified Registered Central Service Technicians Certification; Censitrac Training, 2 years experience in Sterile Processing or OR/ENDO.
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:
1. The work is performed in various settings, to include but not limited to, Decontamination, Preparation/Packaging and Sterilization area, Endoscopy Suite, and in other services and departments throughout the medical center.
2. The employee may be required to work in a multitude of temperature variants. The employee is subject to the possibility of falls, scrapes, cuts, bruise, needle sticks, and other injuries from handling equipment.
3. The work requires standing and walking during the entire workday and frequent bending and lifting of sterile products and packages (occasionally weigh as much as 50 pounds).
4. The employee may be required to push load carts weighing several hundred pounds and work them over irregularities in the floor (e.g., door sills and elevator entrance).
5. The work requires dexterity and visual acuity for manipulating, disassembly and assembly of instrumentation.
6. On a regular and recurring basis, the employee alternates between a contaminated environment and a carefully controlled clean environment.
7. The employee wears special clothing, hair covers, personal protective equipment (PPE), and shoe covers that can be uncomfortably warm.
8. The employee uses insulated gloves to remove carts from sterilizers.
9. The employee is subject to burns from accidentally touching hot items.
10.The hazards of working around minute quantities of sterilizing gases are unknown.
11.The employee often works around body fluids, mucous, excretions and bits of tissue, some of which may be foul smelling.
12.Strong, unpleasant odors are encountered while decontaminating bloody or grossly contaminated instrumentation or Reusable Medical Devices (RMD)
13.The work area is noisy due to the clatter of metal instruments, rumbling of carts and operation of pre-sterilizing equipment