Medical Instrument Technician (Hemodialysis)

Description:

This position is located at the Richard L. Roudebush VAMC Indianapolis, IN within the Nursing, Ambulatory Care (Dialysis) Service.

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. Medical Instrument Technicians must be proficient in spoken and written English.

May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).

GS8 Experience: Must have at least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level 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 more complex procedures, the pharmacology related to this occupation, and knowledge of related acute disorders and diseases and their effects on organs and methods of treatment. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills & Abilities (KSAs):

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
1. Knowledge of the hemodialysis process and equipment needed for home/self-care including knowledge of common machine problems and repairs to such equipment.
2. Knowledge of the equipment and procedures for peritoneal dialysis.
3. Ability to assist the physician with percutaneous renal biopsies and peritoneal catheter insertion. (*Not currently practiced at this facility)
4. Ability to provide instruction to dialysis patients in home/self-care and in the maintenance of the equipment.
5. Ability to provide instruction for physicians, nurses, and other personnel in dialysis procedures, equipment operation and maintenance, etc.
**This facility currently does not perform home/self-care or peritoneal dialysis**.

Certification . No certification is required for referral; however, it is a facility requirement to have and maintain BCLS (Basic Cardiac Life Support).

Additionally, related to VA directive 1194 applicant must already have, or within 18 months of hire must obtain, one or more of the following certifications:
- Certified Hemodialysis Technologist/Technician (CHT) (BONET)
- Certified Clinical Hemodialysis Technician (CCHT) (Nephrology Nursing Certification Commission (NNCC))
- CCHT-Advanced (NNCC)

Preferred Experience: 2+ years of outpatient hemodialysis experience within the last 5 years. Familiarity with BBraun Hemodialysis machines. Knowledge of basic computer operations including but not limited to Outlook, Word, and Teams.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/ .

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS8. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS8.

Physical Requirements: Work pace ranges from sedentary to a very rapid pace to include walking, standing, bending, and reaching. Includes lifting and positioning patients in/onto exam position or on/off gurney, and or wheelchair/recliner. Includes also moving dialysis machines to and from patient care areas and connecting disconnecting from water sources. Work requires specific, but common, physical abilities such as agility and dexterity to position patients for examination or treatment in usual alternate positions for patients with common disabilities, must be able to push/pull/lift 50lbs. Job involves accurately assessing color of water testing strips to determine safe water quality and thus must be able to pass a color blindness test.