Medical Instrument Technician (Ekg)

Description:

The Medical Instrument Technician (EKG/Holter/Stress) is responsible for the technical operation of the Cardiology Unit, including all equipment and procedures undertaken. The work involves providing expertise and guidance to patients, relatives, and employees in the performance of assigned duties.

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.
• Licensure or Certification: Licensure or Certification is not required for this occupation; however, it is strongly desirable at GS-6 or above for applicants to have Basic and Advanced Cardiac Life Support certifications. Training which does not result in official certification does not meet this definition.

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).

Grade Determinations :

GS-07 Medical Instrument Technician:

• Experience : Candidates must possess 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 position to be filled. Qualifying experience includes but is not limited to: be responsible for understanding event and Holter monitors for ongoing patient monitoring, understand each patient's specific medical history and make adjustments to the equipment parameters and settings to accomplish best monitoring function, have basic knowledge of pharmacology and the effects on cardiac rhythm that require customized adjustments to alarm parameters and monitoring functions, train new employees, patients, technicians, and RNs, throughout the medical center on continuous telemetry, holter monitors, and 12Lead EKGs, have basic knowledge of scanning of holter monitor data, proper storage, and cleaning of the equipment. AND;
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, 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.

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: See VA Handbook 5015